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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does the Time Traveler claim not to be afraid of the first Eloi he meets, even though they are touching him?

2. What year does the Time Traveler say the dials on his machine recorded?

3. In which point of view is Chapter 2 told?

4. Why does the Time Traveler remove something from the machine when he meets the Eloi and prepares to leave the machine?

5. The Time Traveler compares the Morlocks to which kind of monkey or ape?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the Time Traveler think the Morlocks started eating Eloi?

2. Why does the Time Traveler believe that the Eloi did not need intellect?

3. What kind of food does the Time Traveler particularly crave when he returns?

4. What does the Time Traveler see and experience as he approaches his original time period?

5. When the Time Traveler started the fire, was his response to the danger of the Morlocks instinctual or intellectual? Explain your claim.

6. Describe the historical (and technological) setting of this novel.

7. What happens after the Time Traveler mimics the clap of thunder that accompanied his arrival in Chapter 4?

8. Why does the Time Traveler feel instinctual hatred for and fear of the Morlocks?

9. What is one possible reason the Time Traveler postulates for the physical changes from humans to Eloi?

10. According to the Time Traveler, what happened when he sat in the Time Machine and pressed the lever?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

This novel relies on systems of symbols, one of which is the use of light and dark. What ideas, feelings, and conflicts are symbolized by light, and which by dark? On the language level, what are the major strategies Wells uses to convey these symbols? Be sure to consider setting, characterization, figurative language, dialogue, point of view, etc.

Essay Topic 2

While this novel is considered a foundational example of the science fiction genre, Wells grounds it in actual science. Interpret the various roles "real" or actual science plays in this narrative, including a discussion of both the scientific issues discussed in the beginning of the novel as well as the scientific understanding of the world the Time Traveler uses in the future and returns to his own time with. Be sure to discuss the specific ways Wells and his characters employ science in the service of fiction.

Essay Topic 3

One feature of the science fiction genre is "world-building," which describes the ways an author establishes a specific and believable setting with rules of its own. One example of Wells's world-building is his extensive imaginings of Eloi culture. Describe the rules of Eloi culture, show how Wells tries to convince the reader of this culture, and examine the extent to which his fictional Eloi culture is believable, in terms of the novel. You will also want to consider the ideas dramatized by these characters and the setting established by their culture.

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