The_Invisible_Man

Personal Response Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Society is a masked ball, where everyone hides his real character, and reveals it by hiding.” This quote sums up a lot of what I took from the book The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells. Society plays a huge role in everyone’s lives no matter who we are; some of us more than others. Griffin was among the less fortunate; he allowed society to rule his life. From the time he was a young boy, Griffin was always trying to fit in. He was an albino and looked different from all the other people. But he had a solution to his problem: invisibility. He slaved endless hours trying to become what he felt would be socially welcomed. If he could find out how to become invisible, society would name him a hero. Even at his death a woman said, “For Gawd’s sake, cover that face!”(136) Personally, I find it horrible that anyone ever feels they have to try to change themselves because “society says so.” Griffin should have been accepted for being albino because people should have been able to get past his looks to realize that he had a personality just like they did. The ignorance of society was also prevalent throughout the novel. They were all scared of the invisible man because they did not know how he was invisible. Nobody asked him how he was invisible or gave him a chance to explain himself. Everyone just assumed he was a terrible person and wanted him dead. When Cuss realized Griffin was invisible he ran away yelling, “It’s all very well for you to laugh, but I tell you I was so startled, I hit his cuff hard, and turned round, and cut out of the room—I left him.”(22) Like many others would have done, Cuss ran away from the unknown. After reading this book, I want to applaud H.G. Wells for criticizing society. Most authors are afraid to do so because they want society to buy their books. This book reminded me how important it is to accept others for who they are. It also reminded me that what is socially right isn’t always truly right. “Society is a masked ball, where everyone hides his real character, and reveals it by hiding.” Griffin hid underneath his invisibility. It makes you think, “What am I hiding under'”