Summary of “Footprints without Feet”#
The chapter introduces Griffin, a brilliant scientist who discovered how to make the human body transparent. He achieved this by swallowing certain rare drugs. His body became as transparent as glass, though it remained solid.
However, Griffin is described as a rather lawless person. When his landlord disliked him and tried to eject him, Griffin set fire to the house in revenge. To escape being seen, he had to remove his clothes, making him a homeless wanderer, without clothes, money, and invisible.
His invisibility led to various adventures and difficulties. He first became visible when he happened to step in some mud, leaving footprints that two boys in London followed. Wandering naked in mid-winter London was bitterly cold. He sought warmth in a big London store, putting on clothes, but was discovered by assistants the next morning. He had to take off his newly-found clothes again to escape, becoming invisible but cold once more.
He then went to Drury Lane, the centre of the theatre world, hoping to find clothes and something to hide his head. He acquired bandages, dark glasses, a false nose, bushy side-whiskers, and a large hat. To escape without being seen, he attacked the shopkeeper callously and robbed him of money.
He arrived at an inn in Iping, where the landlady, Mrs Hall, found him eccentric. He paid in advance, which led Mrs Hall to excuse his strange habits and irritable temper initially. However, he soon ran out of money.
A curious episode occurred when a clergyman and his wife heard noises in his study. Creeping downstairs, they heard money being taken from the desk. They found the room empty but the money missing.
Later that morning, when the scientist’s door was open, Mrs Hall and her husband decided to investigate. They found his clothes and bandages lying about and the bed was cold. Suddenly, the furniture in the room seemed to come alive; a hat leapt up and hit Mrs Hall’s face, and a chair charged at them, pushing them out of the room. Mrs Hall became convinced the room was haunted.
The village constable, Mr Jaffers, was called. Mrs Hall confronted the scientist, demanding an explanation for his actions and how he came out of an empty, locked room. Griffin became furious and threw off his disguise, revealing a headless man to the horrified onlookers.
Mr Jaffers attempted to arrest the headless man. As Griffin removed more garments, he became increasingly invisible. Despite attempts by others to help, they were struck by unseen blows. Jaffers was knocked unconscious in his final attempt to hold on. Griffin shook himself free and escaped, and no one knew where to find him.
Questions and Answers
Here are the questions from the chapter and their answers, drawn directly from the provided sources:
READ AND FIND OUT
- How did the invisible man first become visible? The invisible man first became visible when he happened to step in some mud in London, leaving footprints as he walked.
- Why was he wandering the streets? He was wandering the streets because he had set fire to his landlord’s house in revenge for being disliked and threatened with ejection. To escape without being seen, he had to remove his clothes, leaving him homeless and invisible.
- Why does Mrs Hall find the scientist eccentric? Mrs Hall finds the scientist eccentric because of his strange habits and irritable temper.
- What curious episode occurs in the study? A curious episode occurs in the study where a clergyman and his wife hear the sound of money being taken from the desk, but when they enter, the room appears empty and the money is missing.
- What other extraordinary things happen at the inn? Other extraordinary things happen at the inn when the furniture in the scientist’s room seems to come alive, with the hat leaping up and a chair pushing Mrs Hall and her husband out of the room.
Think About It
- “Griffin was rather a lawless person.” Comment. The description “Griffin was rather a lawless person” is directly supported by the sources which state that in revenge against his landlord, Griffin set fire to the house. Later, to escape the shopkeeper in Drury Lane, Griffin callously attacked him from behind and robbed him of all the money he could find.
- How would you assess Griffin as a scientist? The sources explicitly describe Griffin as a “Brilliant scientist”.
Talk About It
The sources provide these as topics for discussion and reflection and do not offer specific answers.