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Literary Devices
Definition of Allegory
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and events. The story of "The Tortoise and The Hare" is... read full definition
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and events. The story of "The... read full definition
An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaning—usually moral, spiritual, or political—through the use of symbolic characters and... read full definition
Chapter 5
Explanation and Analysis—Class Allegory:
A central facet of The Time Machine is the class allegory that runs through the novel. The narrative serves as a social commentary on the relationship between capitalists and laborers in the 19th century. Through his depiction of the future, H.G. Wells depicts how the imbalance of power between the two groups could lead to mutual destruction. In doing so, The Time Machine delivers a warning about the dangers of blindly pursuing progress without consideration for the down-stream effects of social inequality on human civilization.
In assessing the futuristic human society he encounters, the Time Traveller states:
At first, proceeding from the problems of our own age, it seemed clear as daylight to me that the gradual widening of the present merely temporary and social difference between the Capitalist and the Laborer, was the key to the whole position. No doubt it will seem grotesque enough to you - and wildly incredible! - and yet even now there are existing circumstances to point that way.
Related Themes:
