Book Presentation - The Time Machine
Transkript
Book Presentation - The Time Machine
TOMAS BATA UNIVERSITY IN ZLIN Faculty of Management and Economics THE TIME MACHINE H. G. Wells Author: Tomáš Míča Group: II/21 The Time Machine Presentation INTRODUCTION When this book was first published as a book in England in 1895, it was hailed by the Daily Chronicle as “something new under the sun.” What the paper had in mind was its originality and its exciting new topic – “Time-travelling”. But (and this is very important), it also meant the first appearance of a writer who was to achieve worldwide fame and prominence during the next fifty years – Herbert George Wells. Brought up in a lower class, the author witnessed the conspicuous class distinctions of the late 19th Century. He portrays what he felt could happen to mankind as the divisive gulf between the indolent rich and hard-working poor became wider and wider. Though written in the late 1800s, Wells' descriptions of the weak Eloi and the predatory subterranean Morlocks are rooted in scientific hypotheses that are at once interesting, feasible and frightening possibilities for humanity's future. HERBERT GEORGE WELLS Herbert George Wells was born on the 21st of September 1866, in Bromley, Kent, in England. The son of working-class parents, Wells first took up serious reading when he was eight years old, while recuperating from a broken leg. Wells was withdrawn from school in 1879 as his family's finances worsened, and began an apprenticeship to a draper. When dismissed in 1883, he was able to go back to school, where he did quite well for the next four years, fostering a keen interest in politics, especially socialism. In 1891, he married his cousin Isabel Mary Wells, though the marriage didn't last very long. He married again in 1895, to one of his students, Amy Catherine Robbins. At this time, Wells began writing and over the next few years, he wrote the classics The Time Machine (1896), The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897) and The War of the Worlds (1898). His first real success came with the prophetic novel Anticipations, in 1901. H.G. Wells is also well known for his massive survey of world history, entitled The Outline of History, published in 1920. Toward the end of his life, Wells became increasingly disillusioned with society, including that of the Soviet Union - which at first he had admired. His later books reflect this bitterness. H. G. Wells died in London on the 13th of August 1946, and is remembered today as one of the pioneers of the science fiction genre. Tomáš Míča -2- The Time Machine Presentation MAIN CHARACTERS THE TIME TRAVELLER His name is never given. He is an inventor, living in Richmond, London, who creates a machine allowing him to travel in time. He likes to speculate on the future and the underlying structures of what he observes. THE NARRATOR His name is Mr. Hillyer and he is one of the Time Traveller’s dinner guests. THE ELOI The Eloi are one of the two post-human races from this novel. They are the rich, attractive upper class, which lives in luxury on the surface of the Earth. In this nation, Wells satirizes Victorian decadence. WEENA She is one of the Eloi. The Time Traveller saves her from drowning and they become friends. MORLOCKS Morlocks are the second race from this novel - which lives underground. They tend machinery, and occasionally surface to eat the Eloi. STORY A group of men, including the narrator, is listening to the Time Traveller and discussing his theory that time is the fourth dimension. The Time Traveller produces a miniature time machine and makes it disappear into thin air. The following week, the guests return, to find their host stumbling, looking dishevelled and tired. They sit down after dinner and the Time Traveller begins his story. The Time Traveller had finally finished work on his time machine and it brought him into the future. When the machine stops - in the year 802,701 AD, he finds himself in a paradisiacal world of small humanoid creatures called the Eloi. They are frail and peaceful and give him fruit to eat. He explores the area but when he returns he finds that his time machine is gone. He decides that it has been put inside the pedestal of a nearby statue. He tries to pry it open but cannot. In the night, he begins to catch glimpses of strange ape-like creatures called Morlocks who live below ground. Tomáš Míča -3- The Time Machine Presentation Meanwhile, he saves one of the Eloi, Weena from drowning and they become friends. The Time Traveller finally works up enough courage to go down into the world of Morlocks to try to retrieve his time machine. He finds that matches are a good defence against the Morlocks, but ultimately they chase him out of their realm. He goes to what he calls the Palace of Green Porcelain, which turns out to be a museum. There, he finds more matches, some camphor, and a lever he can use as a weapon. That night, retreating from the Morlocks through a giant wood, he accidentally starts a fire. Many Morlocks die and Weena is also killed. The exhausted Time Traveller returns to the pedestal to find that it has already been opened. He goes in and - just when the Morlocks think that they have him trapped, he springs onto the machine, and whizzes into the future. He travels thirty million years into the future where he sees the last few living things on a dying Earth before returning to his own time to tell his story to his friends. Then he attempts to time travel again and disappears forever into time. MY OPINION In my opinion, it must be said that The Time Machine was written in the 19th Century, and therefore it may not be so attractive for some readers today. I think that if somebody doesn’t like the science fiction genre, then he probably won’t like this book. On the other hand, I think that reading this book is an obligation for science fiction lovers because it is a classical story - and it laid the foundations of this genre. Since I belong to the second group, I must say that this book was interesting for me and I liked it. Tomáš Míča -4- The Time Machine Presentation WORDLIST 1. abominable odporný, ohavný 2. absent-minded roztržitý, duchem nepřítomný 3. abundant hojný, oplývající, bohatý 4. acutely akutně 5. adjustment úprava, přizpůsobení, nastavení 6. adroitly obratně, šikovně 7. air-tight vzduchotěsný, neprodyšný 8. ameliorating zlepšování, zušlechťování 9. ancestor předek, praotec, předchůdce 10. apace rychle, spěšně, valem 11. appalling děsivý, strašný 12. appropriate vhodný, příslušný 13. assertion tvrzení 14. astonishment úžas, údiv 15. atrocious ukrutný, brutální, surový 16. beneath pod, vespod, dole 17. bewilderment zmatek, rozčarování 18. blockhead ťulpas, hlupák, pitomec 19. camphor kafr 20. cautiously opatrně 21. cheerfulness veselost, veselá mysl, veselá nálada 22. childish dětinský 23. chuckle pochichtávat se 24. cicerone průvodce cizinců 25. clumsy nemotorný, neohrabaný, neobratný 26. come off utrhnout se, upadnout 27. consent dát souhlas, souhlasit 28. creak vrzat, skřípat 29. crystalline krystalický 30. cupola kopule 31. dash uhánět 32. deficiency nedostatek 33. desertion zběhnutí, opuštění 34. despair zoufalství, beznaděj Tomáš Míča -5- The Time Machine Presentation 35. diminish zmenšit se, ubývat 36. diminution úbytek, snížení, pokles 37. discord nesouhlasit, neladit 38. disengage uvolnit se, vyprostit se, osvobodit se 39. disinclination neochota, odpor, nechuť 40. disorder uvést do nepořádku, přeházet 41. distant vzdálený, odlehlý 42. distinction rozdíl, rozlišení, odlišnost 43. dwarf převyšovat, čnět nad 44. dwindling slábnoucí 45. eager horlivý, chtivý, nedočkavý 46. endure vytrvat, vydržet, přetrvat 47. expostulation výtka, napomenutí 48. extinction vyhasnutí, vyhynutí, zaniknutí 49. exultation jásání, jásot, plesání 50. fecundity úrodnost, plodnost 51. flagstone dlaždice 52. framework rámec, konstrukce, kostra 53. garment oděv, roucho, šat 54. glittering třpytivý, jiskřivý, zářící 55. grasp uchopit, sevřít 56. grindstone brousek 57. harshly krutě 58. hearthrug rohož před krbem 59. hitherto dosud, až do dneška 60. inaccessible nepřístupný, nedosažitelný, nedostupný 61. incandescent zářící 62. incredulous nevěřící, nedůvěřivý 63. inequalities nerovnosti 64. inextinguishable neuhasitelný, nepotlačitelný, nezničitelný 65. infirmity slabost, vetchost, ochablost 66. inflict zasadit ránu, způsobit bolest 67. innumerable nespočetný, nesčetný 68. knuckle kotník 69. lawn trávník 70. malign zlý, škodlivý, zlomyslný Tomáš Míča -6- The Time Machine Presentation 71. meddle vměšovat se, míchat se, plést se 72. meek mírný, poddajný 73. murmuring mumlavý, huhlavý 74. nausea mdlo, nevolnost, zvedání žaludku 75. peculiar zvláštní, podivný, nezvyklý 76. perceive povšimnout si, uvědomit si, postřehnout 77. plaintively naříkavě, smutně, žalostně 78. plausible hodnověrný, pravděpodobný 79. prodigious podivuhodný, zázračný 80. ramification rozvětvení, větvení 81. recondite skrytý, nejasný 82. reluctantly neochotně 83. restlessness nervozita, nesoustředěnost, neklid 84. rudimentary základní, počáteční 85. rustle šustit, šelestit, šumět 86. scatter rozptýlit, rozházet 87. sea-urchin mořský ježek 88. seedless bezsemenný 89. shaft šachta 60. sharpen zostřit, zbystřit 91. sleight-of-hand kejkle, kouzlo 92. slumbrous ospalý, uspávající 93. smother zadusit, udusit 94. spasmodic křečovitý, trhavý 95. startle poplašit, polekat, vyděsit 96. steadily neustále, pevně, soustavně 97. stillness ticho, klid 98. subjugation podrobení 99. subterranean podzemní, jeskynní 100. tint odstín, zbarvení, nádech 101. trickery podvod, darebnost, lest 102. unfathomable bezmezný, nesmírný 103. vaguely nejasně 104. verdigris měděnka 105. verification ověření, přezkoušení 106. vigour síla, ráznost, vitalita Tomáš Míča -7-