English Class-XII

Question Bank – English - XII 199

Chapter - 16

In The Jolly Cricketers

Glossary
Anaemic – suffering from anaemia
Convulsive – having spasms
Truncheon – a short thick stick carried by a police officer as a weapon
Irresolutely – doubtfully
Leveret – a young hare in its first year
Lodgement – the act of lodging

Summary
‘‘The Jolly cricketers’’ is a building with a bar, where a group of people gather and engage in chatting. In

the midst of the casual conversation there a commotion heard outside. While the gathering inside guessed
the reasons for the noise, a weeping and dishevelled Marvel ran claiming that he was being chased by the
invisible man. Screaming with fear he shouts for help that the invisible man was coming. Though everyone
reassures him, Marvel is convinced he would be killed.

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Suddenly doors are opened and windows are broken in, which indicates the invisible man is certainly there.
The bar man hides Marvel in a room at the back but people see Marvel being caught and dragged into the
kitchen, abruptly hit but he escaped from the grip of the Invisible Man. The invisible man’s voice is heard
when a policeman treads on his foot. An American with a gun gets ready to shoot and fires at the Invisible
Man and is confident that he killed him. He tells everyone to get a lantern and feel the body of the Invisible
Man.

Solved Example
1. Describe the commotion outside “The Jolly Cricketers” and the reaction it drew from the visitors there.
Ans. The Jolly Cricketers is a tavern. The barkeep, a cabman, an American and an off duty policeman are

engaged in the idle chat when Marvel bursts through the door. Marvel begs for help, claiming the Invisible
Man is after him. A pounding begins at the door and then a window is broken in. The Invisible Man
doesn’t come in immediately, however. The barman checks the other doors, but by the time he realizes the
yard door is open, the Invisible Man is already inside. Marvel, who is hiding behind the bar, is caught and
dragged into the kitchen. The policeman rushes in and grips the invisible wrist of the hand that holds onto
Marvel, but is abruptly hit in the face.
People stumble over and into each other as all try to catch the Invisible Man. He yelps when the policeman
steps on his foot, then flails wildly about with his Invisible fists and finally gives them the slip. The American
fires five cartridges from his gun, sweeping his gun in a circular pattern as he fires. The chapter ends with
the men feeling around for an invisible body. Griffin is injured in this commotion and is thus forced to find
shelter and help in the nearest possible place.
2. Why did the people gather at “The Jolly Cricketers”?
Ans. ‘‘The Jolly Cricketers’’ was a building with a bar, where a group of people gathered to drink together and
engaged in conversation.
Unsolved Questions
1. Define the impact of the Invisible Man upon Marvel.
2. How Marvel escaped from the grip of the Invisible Man?

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Chapter - 17

Dr. Kemp’s Visitor

Glossary
Interstices – an intervening very small space
Abstraction – the quality of dealing with ideas rather than events
Balustrade – a railing supported by balusters
Syphon – a tube used to convey liquid upwards from a reservoir and then down to a lower level of its own

accord
Inklings – a slight knowledge or suspicion
Albino – a person having a congenital absence of pigment in the skin and hair
Decorous – in keeping with good taste and propriety
Confederate – an accomplice
Summary
Doctor Kemp is still working in his study when he hears the shots fired at the Cricketers. He opens his

window and watches the crowd at the bottom of the hill for a few minutes, then returns to his writing desk.
A few minutes later, he hears his doorbell ring, but his housekeeper says it was only a “runaway” ring.
The doctor is at his work until 2 AM when he decides to go downstairs for a drink. On the way he notices
a spot of drying blood on his linoleum floor. Then he finds more blood on the doorknob of his own
bedroom. In his room, his bedspread is smeared with blood, his sheet is torn, and bedclothes are depressed
as if someone has been sitting there.
The Invisible Man introduces himself to Kemp. He is Griffin, of University College. He explains that he
made himself Invisible, but is wounded and desperately in need of shelter, clothes and food.
Kemp loans him a dressing gown along with some drawers, socks and slippers. Griffin eats everything
Kemp can rustle up in the middle of the night and finally asks for a cigar. He promises to tell Kemp the
story of his bizarre situation but insists that he must sleep first as he has had no sleep in nearly three days.
Solved Example
1. In spite of being busy at work, what was it that caught Dr. Kemp’s attention? What did his investigations
reveal?
Ans. Doctor Kemp was still working in his study when he heard shots fired in “The Jolly Cricketers”. He
opened his window and watched the crowd at the bottom of the hill for a few minutes and then returned
to his writing desk. A few minutes later, he heard his doorbell ring, but his housekeeper said it was only
a “runaway” ring. After working late, when he went downstairs for a drink, he noticed a drying drop of
blood on the floor. Looking further, he found more blood about the house, which led him to investigate
further. He returned upstairs, trying to account for the blood-spot. On the landing he was astonished to
see the door-handle of his own room blood-stained. He went straight into his room, glancing around his
eyes fell on the bed: the counterpane was a mess of blood, and the sheet had been torn. On the futher side
the bedclothes were depressed as if someone had recently sitting there.
Then he had an odd impression that he had heard a low voice say, “Good Heavens!–Kemp!”. Closing the
door of the room, he came forward to the dressing-table, and suddenly, with a start, he perceived a coiled

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and blood-stained bandage of linen rag hanging in mid-air, between him and the wash-hand stand. It was
an empty bandage, a bandage properly tied but quite empty. Before he could advance to grasp it, a touch
arrested him, and he was introduced to the invisible man-Griffin.
Unsolved Questions
1. Dr. Kemp was a scientist, didn’t believe voices’. What chain of events convinced him that there was an
Invisible Man in his bedroom?

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Chapter - 18

The Invisible Man Sleeps

Glossary
Grotesque – comically or repulsively ugly or distorted
Flagrant – obviously offensive
Ejaculating – saying something quickly and suddenly
Profound – deep
Fabrication – creation of a false story
Homicidal – capable of or tending towards murder

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Summary
Griffin examines the windows of the room, then extracts a promise from Kemp that he will not be betrayed

in his sleep and finally locks the door, barring Kemp from his own room.
Kemp retires to his dining room to speculate upon the strange events. There he sees the day’s newspaper,

which he had ignored earlier. He reads it eagerly, but assigns the more terrifying elements of the stores to
“fabrication.”
In the morning he sends his housekeeper for all available papers and reads those as well. The papers contain
stories of the previous evening’s events at “The Jolly Cricketers” along with a rather badly written account
of Marvel’s experience. Marvel doesn’t disclose how he came upon the money found in his pockets, nor
does he mention the location of the three books. Kemp becomes alarmed at the possibilities of what Griffin
could do because of what his own intelligence reveals to him rather than from the hysterical reports in the
papers. When he recalls the behaviour of Marvel, he realizes that Marvel-a mere tramp-was being pursued
by Griffin. He suddenly realizes that Griffin is probably insane and writes a note to Colonel Adye at Port
Burdock. Then he hears Griffin wake up. As usual, Griffin starts his day off by tossing some furniture
around.
Solved Example
1. After being barred out of his own bedroom, how does Kemp spend the night?
Ans. Dr. Kemp lit the dining room lamp and began pacing the room, pondering and arguing with himself,
wondering whether there could be such a thing as an invisible man. Meditating profoundly, he went into
his little consulting room where the day’s newpapers lay. He went through each paper reading incredulous
accounts linked to the invisible man. Too excited to sleep, he spent the entire night smoking and pacing
the room, trying to grasp the incredible.

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In the morning he gave his servants, extraordinary but quite explicit instructions to lay breakfast for two in
the belvedere study – and then to confine themselves to the basement and ground-floor. Then he continued
to pace the dining-room until the morning’s paper came. Since the morning papers merely confirmed
the previous stories with a few more details, but there was nothing to show the connection between the
invisible man and the tramp. He then sents the housemaid to get the morning papers and devoures them
eagerly. He then wrote a note, took out an envelop and addressed it to “Colonel Adye, Port Burdock”.

Unsolved Questions
1. What is Kemp’s opinion of Griffin and what action does he take because of this?

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Chapter - 19

Certain First Principles

Glossary
Confound - to amaze, bewilder or confuse
Belvedere – an architectural feature of a building designed to look out
Translucencies – permitting the passage of light
Suffices - to be enough or adequate
Bounder – an obtrusive, ill – bred man
Incredulous – skeptical, showing disbelief
Transcend – to rise above or go beyond
Exasperation – extreme annoyance

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Summary
Actually, Griffin threw some stuff around because he’s just angry, as Kemp notes. Kemp tells Griffin that he

wants to help, but first, he needs to know his story. We thus get the story from Griffin’s point-of-view, in
which he defends his violence and how he thinks about himself.
Griffin was a medical student as Kemp, but Griffin switched to Physics because he was interested in light.
He came up with a loose theory for how to make objects invisible, but needed to develop out a method to
actually do it. After Griffin gives a long comment on reflection, refraction, and absorption of light, Kemp
remarks: “That is pretty plain sailing” that is clear. Griffin left London (and University College) six years
ago and went to Chesilstowe, where he was a teacher and a student. What he really wanted to do, though,
was continue his research into invisibility.
Still – and this is his big problem – his professor (Oliver) was “a scientific bounder, a journalist by instinct, a
thief of ideas—he was always prying!” Griffin didn’t want to publish his research because then Oliver would
get a lot of credit for it. Griffin had done all this work himself. As he notes, “In all my great moments I
have been alone”. One night, alone, Griffin figured out how to make a human invisible. Pretty soon he was
thinking about making himself invisible, since it would get him out of his life as “a shabby, poverty-struck,
hemmed-in demonstrator, teaching fools in a provincial college”
However after three years of teaching and research, he didn’t have the money he needed to complete his
research. So he did the obvious thing: he robbed his father. Unfortunately, the money he stole was not
actually his father’s, and so his father shot himself.
Solved Example
1. How did the idea of invisibility dawn on Griffin?
Ans. Griffin was fascinated by light specially the subject of optical density and decided to devote his life to its
study. Then suddenly six months later light coming through one of the meshes made him find a general
principle of pigments and refraction. He realized that objects were visible only because they absorbed

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light. If they reflected all the light then they would be transparent. He also came to the conclusion that
a transparent thing became invisible if it is put into any medium of almost the same refractive index.
Consequently there are many things transparent that do not appear to be so like the whole fabric of a man
except his blood and hair because of the pigment in them. So he took up the study of pigments, trying to
make his formula a reality--- and flash his work upon the world with crushing effect and become famous at
a blow! Accidently he discovered that blood could be made colourless while keeping all its functions. And
then the idea came to him, if one could make an animal -a tissue ---transparent that is invisible, all except
the pigments................then, he an albino, could be invisible!
Unsolved Questions
1. Do you think the little of this chapter, “Certain First Principles” is apt? Give your views.

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Chapter - 20

At The House In Great Portland Street

Glossary
Vivisecting – performing experiments on live animals
Iridescent – showing luminous colors that seem to change when seen from different angles
Apathetic – uninterested
Transient - short – lived; temporary
Palaeolithic – relating to early stone age
Languid – relaxed; unhurried
Impunity – freedom from liabilities

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Summary
Griffin reminisces about how his invisibility experiments had come about. He remembers how he had found
himself a room near Great Portland street, how he had used his father’s money to buy himself the appliances that
he required. The books which had the processes written in them had been hidden by the tramp. He returned to
his rented room after his father’s funeral. He not only explained to Kemp how the refractive index of an object
had to be lowered to make it invisible, he also explained his experiments and the conclusions he reached. He
tried out his invisibility experiment on a bit of wool and then on a sedated cat placed on a pillow. The results he
was working for in his experiments seemed to be within sight, when he was disturbed by his landlord looking
for the old lady’s cat, who he felt had been performed a vivisection upon. Somewhere he felt his motivation to
reach his goal had diminished and that he required a good rest to recover his enthusiasm. When the landlord
disturbed him, he evicted the landlord from his room, fearing the uninvited curiosity, believing it would be
detrimental to his work. The fear of having his work exposed/ interrupted had already led him to direct his
three books and cheque book from the post office to a house of call for parcels and letters in Great Portland
Street. He then resumed his preparations and was sleepy, under the effect of drugs to decolorize the blood.
The landlord was scared looking at Griffin’s white face while Griffin found the process extremely painful and
discomforting. Griffin finished his experiment and imagined all kinds of things. When the landlord knocked at
the door, Griffin was sleeping. The landlord and his stepsons broke into the room to find it empty. Griffin was
present there but was invisible to them. Before leaving the house, Griffin set it on fire so as to cover his tracks.
Solved example
1. Why did the visit of Griffin’s Polish landlord lead to a crisis? What did it force Griffin to do?
Ans. Griffin’s Polish landlord came to inquire whether he had been tormenting a cat that night, obviously the old

woman had complained to him. He warned him that the laws against vivisection were very severe. Griffin
denied the cat but the landlord insisted that the vibration of the little gas engine could be felt all over which

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was true. He came into the room, peering about and Griffin dreaded that he might carry away something of
his secret. The landlord wanted to know what he was doing, why he was always alone and secretive, whether
it was legal and if it was not dangerous. All this questioning suddenly gave way to Griffin’s temper. He told
him to get out and when the Pole protested and jabbered his right to entry, Griffin held his collar and sent
him spinning out into his own passage. Griffin then slammed and locked the door and sat down quivering.
Though the landlord left after a fuss it brought matters to a crisis: Griffin did not know what he would do,
nor even what he had the power to do. To move to fresh apartments would have meant delay altogether he
had barely twenty pounds left in the world, for the most part in a bank, and he could not risk taking that
out. The only option left for him was to vanish --- the idea was irresistible.
Unsolved Questions
1. What did Griffin’s experiment on the cat fail? Give details.

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Chapter - 21

Glossary
1. Exaltation - a feeling of elation or extreme joy
2. Concussion - confusion
3. Incontinently - lacking voluntary control
4. Perambulator - A four-wheeled carriage for a baby, pushed by a person on foot.(pram)
5. Amenable - agreeable
6. Scoffing - mockingly

Summary
Griffin is elated about being invisible. He is hit by a man carrying soda-water syphons. Taking advantage

of his condition, Griffin twists them out of his hand, leaving the man flabbergasted.
Soon he realizes that invisibility has some drawbacks. He is hurt by the crowd crushing his feet. He is cold

and starts sniffling. A dog catches his scent and pursues him. Griffin tries to take advantage of the milling
crowds and is successful in shaking off the dog. Some street urchins suddenly notice muddy feet marks that
seem to be moving. Griffin runs madly around Russell Square to evade detection. Finally the mud on his
feet dries up. It soon starts to snow and Griffin catches a cold.

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By now his living quarters are on fire. He has nowhere to go.
Solved Example
1. What were the disadvantages of invisibility that Griffin hadn’t anticipated?
Ans. Griffin could hardly revel in his extraordinary advantage when he was hit violently behind by a man

carrying a basket of soda-water siphons. In the confusion that followed, a crowd soon collected and Griffin
was hemmed in --- bruised and knocked around. He somehow managed to dodge his way out. Then he
staggered out of the way of the cab, avoided a permbulator by a convulsive movement, and found himself
behind the hansom. Though it was a bright day in January and he was stark naked and the thin slime of
mud that covered the road was freezing. Foolishly he had not reckoned that, transparent or not, he was still
amenable to the weather and all its consequences. Duly chilled, he whimpered as he ran at the strangeness
of his situation. Avoiding being trod upon, jostled and hit, he was followed by two sharp youngsters who
trailed his footsteps but finally escaped them. However, he had caught a cold and every dog that came in
sight, with its pointing nose and curious sniffing was a terror to him. He could not eat as the food showed
till it was assimilated.
Unsolved Questions
1. Describe all that occured to Griffin when he plunged into the afternoon crowd of Oxford Street, till he
noticed two urchins, looking at his footmarks.

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Chapter - 22

Glossary
1. Impregnably - unable to enter even with force
2. Festoons - chains or ornamental ribbons
3. Slouch - a hat with wide flexible ring
4. Vociferating - shouting or arguing
5. Scrambled - moved awkwardly
6. Bedstead - framework of bed
7. Depredations - plundering, ravaging
8. Insurmountable - which cannot be overcome

Summary
Griffin continues his story. His dangers were increasing every day. With a January snowstorm blowing in

London, Griffin needed to find a place to stay and clothes to wear. He couldn’t get into a house, so he
decided to do the next thing which was shopping. He went to a giant department store named Omniums.
Griffin waited until the place closed, then he started searching around for things he could use. He stole

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some food and clothes. Over by the toys, he saw some fake noses, which made him think about wigs and
other costume stuff that could help him pretend to be normal. He slept in Omniums, living out every
child’s dream. Unfortunately, he had nightmares about being forced into his father’s grave and buried
because no one could see him. He woke up when the workers came back the next morning, and he almost
got caught. The workers chased him around the store as they could see him because he was wearing clothes.
He again takes off his clothes to become invisible. Since he couldn’t steal clothes,Griffin had to leave the
store with nothing into the cold again.
Solved Example:
1. “And then I had a brilliant idea,” says Griffin and he proceeds to Omniums. Was his idea good? What was
the outcome?
Ans. In January, weary, cold, painful, inexpressibly wretched, and with no human being in the world in whom
he could confide, he suddenly had a brilliant idea. He proceeded towards Omniums, the big establishment
where everything could be bought. He had thought, to rob the place for food and clothing, and prowl
through it examining its resources, perhaps sleep on some of the bedding. He entered the store unnoticed
and found a resting-place among a huge pile of folded flock mattresses. Closing time arrived quickly
enough and he managed to get himself warm clothes, shoes, socks and gloves, cold meat and coffee and
finally he went to sleep in a heap of down quilts, very warm and comfortable.
However, after a night of disorderly dreams he woke up to see two men approaching, he scrambled to his
feet looking for a way to escape, but the movement caught the attention of the men who rushed at him, the
workers chased him around the store and once again, Griffin had to take off his clothes to become invisible.
Then he went to the refreshment store, drank a little milk and reviewed his position. Realising that the
Omniums was hopeless he went out again, exasperated at his want of success, with only the vaguest plans
of action in his mind.
Unsolved Questions
1. Why couldn’t the policemen and people in the store find Griffin? In what state of mind did Griffin leave
the store?

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Chapter - 23

Glossary
1. Unassimilated - undigested
2. Tomfoolery - foolish or silly behaviour
3. Rummage - search thoroughly
4. Exasperating - intensely irritating
5. Scullery - rear kitchen room for dish washing
6. Pugnaciously - quarrelsome
7. Infernal - hellish, awful
8. Cashmere - fine soft wool
9. Purblind - partially blind

Goes to a costume shop Steals money, clothes, a mask with
for wigs, nose, clothes moustache, wig and make-up etc
etc, knocks down the and dresses up in them so he can
owner and ties him up
move about

Realises that Dr. Kemp keeps him He cannot eat anything
invisibility is busy talking so he won’t in public without
not so great
look out the window exposing his invisible face

Griffin talks of about reversing Shows his worry as
the invisibility formula once he people were interfering
has used the invisibility to do
in his plan.
what he wants

Summary
Griffin continues his story. He was getting more and more upset about the whole situation.He made his

way to a costume shop to find wigs etc. so that he may appear ä grotesque but still a credible figure.
The shop owner almost caught him.The shop owner had a revolver and he kept locking doors behind him.

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This made Griffin angry, which seems to be his only emotion. So he knocked out the shop owner and tied
him up.
Kemp interrupts Griffin’s story to tell him that he isn’t following the “common convention of humanity”
when he knocks people out in their homes. Griffin points out, though, that he’s not a common person.
Back to the story: he went ahead and stole money and clothes. At least now people would be able to see
him.He stops his story for a minute in order to give Kemp a long speech about how being invisible isn’t
so great. For one thing, he can’t eat in public because he can’t reveal his mouth. Kemp wants him to keep
talking, so he asks what happened after he got all dressed up.
Griffin continues his story:
He got his books and ordered the equipment he would need. All he wanted was to figure out how to reverse
his invisibility treatment. Unfortunately, those gossipy people of lping interfered with this plan. He asks,
“Why couldn’t they leave me alone?”
Now that everyone had gotten in his way- especially Marvel, Griffin is even angrier than before and planned
to kill people.

Solved Example
1. Why couldn’t Griffin revel in his invisibility?
Ans. Griffin was in a fix. He could not go outdoors in snow as it would settle on him and expose him. The rain

would make him a watery outline, a glistening surface of man – a bubble. And in the London air he would
gather dirt about his ankles, floating smuts and dust upon his skin. He was fasting because to eat and to fill
himself with unassimilated matter would make him grotesquely visible again.
Unsolved Questions
1. How did Griffin treat the hunchback and get rid of him ?

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Chapter - 24

Glossary
1. Implied - without having said directly
2. Confederate - an accomplice
3. Eavesdropping - secretly listening
4. Wanton - deliberately causing harm or damage
5. Disrobe - undress
6. Aghast - filled with terror or shock

Summary
Kemp tries to engage Griffin in a conversation as he sees some people coming up the hill to his house.

Griffin says he had planned to go someplace warm, like South America, where he wouldn’t have to wear
clothes.Griffin informs him that he has changed his plans after meeting Kemp. Griffin has now realized
how little one person can do on his own. He plans to use invisibility for killing people and plans to establish
a new Reign of Terror. To execute his plan, he needs to get his books back from Marvel, who is locked up
in the jail for his own safety. Suddenly, Griffin hears footsteps coming upstairs in the house, and he realizes
that Kemp has betrayed him. Sad and angry, Griffin takes off his clothes to become invisible. Kemp tries to
catch Griffin with the help of the three men, including Colonel Adye. Griffin hits them and flees.

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Chapter - 25

Glossary
Inarticulate - not able to express ideas and feelings clearly
Furious - very angry
Tramp - a person with no home and who travels from place to place
Astir - awake and out of bed , in a state of excited movement
Assimilated - absorbed
Garrison - a body of troops

Summary
Kemp discusses with Adye that they have to catch Griffin because he’s insane, a person of “pure selfishness”.
They have some advantages, though. For one thing, they know that Griffin wants to get to Marvel and his stolen
books. Also, Griffin has already told Kemp his life story, so they have all the information about him which will
help them to catch him. Kemp knows that they can keep him unstable by making sure he doesn’t get a moment
to eat or sleep and he knows that they can use dogs against Griffin. Kemp even suggests that they put powdered
glass on the roads, but Adye objects that “it’s unsportsmanlike’, Kemp argues that Griffin is inhuman, that he
has cut himself off from his kind and he will surely establish a ‘Reign of Terror. Adye agrees to have powdered
glass ready.

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Solved Examples from Chapter 24 & 25
1. What does Griffin plan to do with his invisibility? How does he wish to involve Dr. Kemp?
Ans. Griffin tells how his original plan, after being discovered by the people of Iping, had been to get his books

and get out of the country, but that plan had changed upon meeting Kemp. Without realizing that Kemp
had betrayed him he elaborates his plans saying that together they could set up a “Reign of Terror” to
take full advanage of the invisibility. Griffin says that he realized what a huge mistake it was “carrying this
thing through alone”. He had wasted strength, time, and opportunities as being alone there was little a
man could do! What he wanted was a goal-keeper, a helper, and a hiding-place, an arrangement whereby
he could sleep and eat and rest in peace unsuspected. He needed Kemp as a confederate; then with a
confederate, food and rest they would be able to make a thousand things possible.
Realizing that his invisibility was only good in two cases: away in approaching his target unnoticed.
Therefore it was particularly useful in killing. He could walk around any man, choose a weapon and strike
as he liked. They would establish a ‘Reign of Terror’, killing and slaying people to terrify and dominate an
entire town. They would issue orders and kill those who disobeyed them. And of course he could always
escape because of his invisibility.
Unsolved Questions
1. How do Kemp and Adye plan to capture Griffin?

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Chapter - 26

The Wicksteed Murder

Glossary
Thickets - dense group of bushes and trees
Exasperated - greatly irritated
Antagonist - an opponent or enemy
Splintered - sharp piece of wood broken from larger piece
Prowled - move in a stealthy or restless way
Malignant - harmful

Summary
After Griffin runs out of Kemp’s house, the narrator (and everyone else) loses track of him for a day: “No

one knows where he went nor what he did”.
The narrator also has a brief moment of sympathy for Griffin. After all, Griffin was betrayed by a friend.

But no one else is going to be nice to Griffin: everyone else seems to be out hunting him with guns and
dogs. To make things worse, Kemp spreads the news that people need to keep the Invisible Man from
eating or sleeping.

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Unfortunately, that doesn’t keep Griffin from killing an old man named Wicksteed. Since no one was there
but Griffin (and Wicksteed, we guess), we’ll never know what happened, only that Wicksteed was beaten
to death with an iron rod. This is getting intense.

Although there were no witnesses, some men around there heard a voice “wailing and laughing, sobbing
and groaning”. The narrator thinks that maybe Griffin was upset after killing Wicksteed (of course, not as
upset as Wicksteed probably was about being killed).

Griffin has trouble finding shelter. All the houses are locked and everyone is on guard against him. What’s
worse is that everyone seems to know the secrets he shared with Kemp.

Sometime in that day, Griffin found the time to rest and eat, since the next day he was “himself again,
active, powerful, angry, and malignant, prepared for his last great struggle against the world”. One Invisible
Man versus the world – we wonder who will win.

Solved Example
1. How was the siege laid to catch Griffin?
Ans. By 2:00 in the afternoon, the entire countryside around Burdock had been mobilized. Men set out with

guns, clubs and dogs, and the police warned the village people to lock their doors and stay inside. Every
passenger train which ran between Southampton, Manchester, Brighton and Horsham, travelled with
locked doors, and the goods traffic was almost entirely suspended. And in a great circle of twenty miles
round Port Burdock, men armed with guns and bludgeons were presently setting out in groups of three and
four, with dogs, to beat the roads and fields. Mounted policemen rode along the country lanes, stopping at
every cottage and warning the people to lock up their houses, and keep indoors unless they were armed, and
all the elementary schools had broken up by three o’clock, and the children, scared and keeping together
in groups, were hurrying home. Kemp’s proclamation—signed indeed by Adye—was posted over almost
the whole district by four or five o’clock in the afternoon. It gave briefly but clearly all the conditions of
the struggle, the necessity of keeping the Invisible Man from food and sleep, the necessity for incessant
watchfulness and for a prompt attention to any evidence of his movements. Before nightfall an area of
several hundred square miles was in a stringent state of siege.
Unsolved Questions
1. Who was Mr. Wicksteed ? How was he killed?
2. Why is it said that at least for that day ‘he lost his heart’?

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Chapter - 27

The Siege of Kemp’s House

Glossary
Execution - carry out
Armour - the metal covering
Assaulted - a violent attack
Incontinently - lacking self restraint

224 Question Bank – English - XII

ey bravely attack 2 policemen come I.M. gets into
him. One is hit on the in the back way kitchen and
helmet, above ear with smashed the door;
with the servant and
the axe hear the smashing Kemp takes
policemen into
sounds Dining Room and
arms them with
I.M. enters and
warns the pokers

policemen that he
only wants Kemp

Other hits I.M. and ere is the sound Policemn check on
his axe falls to the of Dining Room Kemp to ë nd he
window opening has run away while
ground and Rushing Feet they fought to

protect him

Summary
In the worst letter ever, Griffin tells Kemp that he is taking charge: “Port Burdock is no longer under the

Queen, tell your Colonel of Police, and the rest of them; it is under me—the Terror! This is day one of year
one of the new epoch—the Epoch of the Invisible Man. I am Invisible Man the First”. The letter also says
that Griffin will kill Kemp that day. No big deal.
What’s even better is that Griffin sent that letter without a stamp, so Kemp had to pay for it upon delivery.
As we said, worst letter ever.
Kemp has his housekeeper lock up all the windows and gets his revolver ready. He writes a note for Adye,
saying that Kemp will act as bait to catch Griffin.
Adye shows up later, saying that Griffin grabbed the note from Kemp’s servant. So now Griffin knows that
Kemp wants to set a trap..
Then Griffin does what he does best: he breaks some windows. But there’s no way for him to get into
Kemp’s house because they’ve anticipated his arrival. This is the siege of Kemp’s house. Adye borrows
Kemp’s gun and tries to go for help, but Griffin trips him up and grabs the gun.
At first, Adye refuses to help Griffin, but he changes his mind when he realizes “That life was very sweet”.
The narrator switches point-of-view here, and goes from Adye to Kemp, who is watching all this from an
upstairs window. Suddenly, he sees Adye attack Griffin and get shot. It sure looks like Adye is dead, but
we’re not sure.
Kemp’s housemaid is coming up the hill with two policemen. At the same time, Griffin has found an axe
and is using it to break through the shutters over a window. This is what we call suspense.

Question Bank – English - XII 225

Luckily for Kemp, the police get there in time, and he gives them some fireplace pokers to use as clubs. So
it’s pokers vs. axe-and-revolver, though Griffin isn’t a great shot.

Griffin knocks out one of the cops, but the other cop hurts Griffin (by aiming near the axe). There’s a
snapping sound, so maybe his arm gets broken. Griffin drops his weapons and runs away. But when the
cops look around, they find that Kemp and his housemaid have also run away.

Solved Example
1. Briefly summarize the letter received by Kemp and his course of action thereafter.
Ans. The letter threatened that the game of ‘Terror’ had just began and Port Burdock was no longer under the

Queen. It was under the ‘Epoch of the invisible Man’. The very first day of this ‘Epoch’ would begin with
the execution of Kemp. He should take all possible precautions to protect him like getting guards, wearing
armour but nothing could save him. He was sure to die.
Kemp after reading the threatening letter, got up leaving his lunch unfinished--the letter had come by the
one o’clock post. He went into his study. He rang for his housekeeper, and told her to go round the house
at once, examine all the fastenings of the windows, and close all the shutters. He closed the shutters of his
study himself. From a locked drawer in his bedroom he took a little revolver, examined it carefully, and put
it into the pocket of his lounge jacket. He wrote a number of brief notes, one to Colonel Adye, gave them
to his servant to take, with explicit instructions as to her way of leaving the house. He remained meditative
for a space after doing this, and then returned to his cooling lunch.
Unsolved Questions
2. How does Kemp act as a bait?

226 Question Bank – English - XII

Chapter - 28

The Hunter Hunted

Glossary
Sturdy - confident and determined
Vehemently - violently
Shrubbery - an area in the garden planted with shrubs
Bellowing - a deep roar of pain
Blistering - fierce or forceful
Shamming - pretending

Question Bank – English - XII 227

Summary
Before Kemp’s neighbour, Heelas, didn’t believe in the Invisible Man. But when he wakes up from a nap

and sees Kemp’s house broken into and Kemp running toward him, Heelas locks himself inside his house
and refuses to help his neighbour.
From Heelas’s point-of-view, we see Kemp run through the garden followed closely by the Invisible Man.
Kemp continues running towards Burdock (just like Marvel did in Chapter 15). It sounds something like
a nightmare: the road is long and empty, and no one in the nearby houses will help him.
Still, when Kemp arrives in Burdock, he finds a couple of workmen (navies) on the road. When he yells
about the Invisible Man, everyone nearby tries to find and hit the IM – shovels and all.
When the Invisible Man grabs Kemp, the navies knock the Invisible Man down. The narrator notes that
the next scene might have looked like a game of rugby, but it was actually a big fight between the crowd
and the Invisible Man.
Spoiler alert: the Invisible Man loses. “There was, I am afraid, some savage kicking. Then suddenly a wild
scream of ‘Mercy! Mercy!’ that died down swiftly to a sound like choking”
Kemp tries to get people off Griffin, but the Invisible Man is not breathing and possibly dead. Everyone
crowds around to see what happened, and slowly, the Invisible Man starts to become visible (but still
naked): That’s how Griffin’s experiment in invisibility ends, with people covering up his “naked and pitiful”
body.

228 Question Bank – English - XII

Solved Example
1. Who is Mr. Heelas? How did he meet the brunt of the Invisible Man?
Ans.Mr. Heelas was Kemp’s nearest neighbour and was one of the villa holders. He is described as one of the

‘sturdy minority’, as he was one of the few who refused to believe “in all this nonsense” about an Invisible
Man. His wife, however, as he was to be reminded subsequently, did. He insisted upon walking about
his garden just as if nothing was the matter, and he went to sleep in the afternoon in accordance with
the custom. He slept through the smashing of the windows, and then woke up suddenly with a curious
persuasion of something wrong. He looked across at Kemp’s house, rubbed his eyes and looked again.
Then he put his feet to the ground, and sat listening. He said he was damned, and still the strange thing
was visible. The house looked as though it had been deserted for weeks--after a violent riot. Every window
was broken, and every window, save those of the belvedere study, was blinded by the internal shutters. He
became aware of a measured concussion and the clash of glass, far away in the distance. And then, as he
sat open-mouthed, came a still more wonderful thing. The shutters of the drawing-room window were
flung open violently, and the housemaid in her outdoor hat and garments, appeared struggling in a frantic
manner to throw up the sash. He finally realized that the Invisible Man had appeared.
Unsolved Questions
2. Describe how the Invisible Man slowly becomes visible after his death.
3. Bring out the qualities exhibited by Kemp in the last struggle with the Invisible Man.

Question Bank – English - XII 229

PHY DESC- About 30 Selë sh and Short tempered Rude and Antisocial
years old, Albino, Six Self and impatient (curses, avoids company
feet muscular and broad, (responsible for his
pink and white face, red Centred problems, bcoz Arrogant/Full of his
revealed invisibility own Importance
eyes
Gifted Scientist Cruel and Violent (loses
Uses Science for own and Physicist control when angry)
Beneë t; Planning Mass

Genocide

Vindictive, wants No sense of Morality
revenge for Kemp’s (steals, knocks out people,
betrayal and Kemp uses
this to catch him destroys anything or
anyone he feels is a threat

Lack of consideration for Paranoid/Obsessed with No Filial Love (steals
others (Mrs Hall should his experiment, does not from father, does not
want others to take credit- protect reputation, calls
serve him even if he burns landlord’s house him emotional fool)
doesn’t pay

230 Question Bank – English - XII

MR HALL- Responsible for All nosey and
Henpended I.M.’s downfall inquisitive; love
husband, walks into
I.M.’s room to (aggravate) gossip
show it is his house
PEOPLE OF Henfrey and
MRS HALL- IPING fearenside start
money minded,
listens at doors gossip

CUSS jealous of his Call him Highlight I.M.’s
numerous bottles bogeyman rudeness, violence,

Copy his gait, peek (afraid) ill temper and
in through his arrogance
window

Question Bank – English - XII 231

Money minded Nose (Always Is snubbed but
businesswoman trying to start a accepts it because
conversation,
Superstitious Offers Help to ë nd stranger gives
what is under money

bandages) Listens at doors
and in corridors
Has a strong Mrs
personality (takes Hall Loves to gossip
stranger to task for (spreads it around that
misbehaviour and Dominates he wears bandages and
not paying bill) husband, tells
him to mind is an experimental
She’s a cheat (mixes Scolds her investigator
water and sarsparilla maid millie his own

with beer)

Extremely choosy JOBLESS Physical description
about shoes (hates TRAMP poor, ragged,
dampand roomy shoes
unkempt beard, large
Highlights the face, fat, red cheeks,
cruelty and violence protruding nose, furry
silk hat, torn socks,
of IML
big toes
Greedy (unable to Marvel
outrun I.M. but Does thing in a
leisurely way
not emptying
pockets) Bachelor (uses twine
and shoelaces for
Opportunist (runs Superstitious Easily buttons)
away with I.M.’s (thinks he is talking manipulated,
afraid of I.M.,
money) to spirits
coward

232 Question Bank – English - XII

Question Bank – English - XII 233

Scared of I.M. (fees Vicar (Priest, Trusted by People
humiliated at having educated man) (Cuss comes to
to run through town him with his
wrapped in newspaper conë dences)

but does so Finds cuss
story of
Courageous BUNTING invisibility
during hard to believe
robbery Very aware of his
position in lping Mocks cuss but
(does not want Cuss realises he is
to know he does not terrië ed
remember Greek)

Runs tobacco NOSEY Observes
shop opposite (always interested marvel acting
coach and horses in what goes on
strangely
Highlights I.M.’s in inn)
violence (is Responsible and
tripped, fails HUXTER good citizen (tries

badly, becomes Loves gossip to help jaffers
unconscious) (stands outside catch marvel)
inn when I.M.

is bitten)

234 Question Bank – English - XII

Kemp Studying, Kemp shocked, Struggles and is
hears shots loses his cool knocked down and

Looks out window, I.M. recognises him pinned to bed
sees crowd at Jolly as a senior from
university Kemp calms down and
Cricketers I.M. identië es himself.
Goes in and sees blood
Back to work, hears on counterpane and en demands food
doorbell ring but and drink
no one there then a ì oating bandage
Tells of Marvel
Comes down for Bedroom door escaping and then
whisky, sees drying handle also bloodied tells Kemp he will
blood on linoleum sleep and then tell the

story

Question Bank – English - XII 235

First Term - Chapters (1 - 15)

1. Griffin is a graphic example of science without humanity and morals. Elaborate.
Ans: Griffin is the Invisible Man. As a college student he had changed his area of study from Medicine to Physics

and had become interested in refractive index of tissue. During his studies, he stumbled across a formula
that would render tissue invisible. Eventually he tries the formula on himself, thinking of all the things he
could do if he were invisible.
He becomes so obsessed with his experiments that he hides his work lest anyone else should receive credit.
When he runs out of money, he steals money from his own father who then commits suicide - a crime
that makes the rest of his crimes pale in comparison. He begins to focus all of his attention merely on the
concept of invisibility and neglects to think about the consequences of such a condition. The irony is, that
his invisibility is good only for approaching unseen and for getting away. Any gains from his crimes are
useless to him. He cannot enjoy any of the normal comforts of life-such as food, clothes, and money. Thus
the condition that would make him invulnerable also renders him helpless.
In spite of this predicament, Griffin at no time expresses any remorse for his behaviour or for the crimes,
which he merely described as “necessary.” His only regret is frustration over not having thought about the
drawbacks of invisibility. For nearly a year, he works to perfect an antidote; when time runs out for that
activity, he first tries to leave the country, and then, trying to find an accomplice for himself so he can enjoy
his invisibility and have all the comforts of life as well. He goes from obsession to fanaticism to insanity.
2. Discuss the plot of ‘The Invisible Man’.
By plotting the story around the challenging probability of human invisibility, Wells examines how
societal ignorance about the same could generate strange reactions and ultimately lead to insane rage and
destruction of the victim.
The plot of the story is very straightforward. It begins in third person as the narrator introduces the
Invisible Man midway through his experiences. Once the Man is revealed, Griffin himself takes over and
tells Kemp how he began his experiments and what happened to him after he had taken the potion. At the
end, the point of view once again changes to that of an objective narration.
As Griffin tells his story, one can see that his behaviour becomes increasingly reprehensible. In a very logical
way, people first in Iping, and then in surrounding towns, become aware of the strange being in their midst.
The people are curious, frightened and then determined in their attempts to bring him down and to find
out who and what he really is.
His encounter with fellow scientist and former acquaintance, Dr. Kemp, who first befriends and then
betrays him, provide some nail biting moments, with the police and Kemp in hot pursuit.
The climax of the story occurs when Griffin returns to take revenge on Kemp for betraying him. The plot
is resolved with the Invisible Man’s death by road workers, and the horrible sight of his return to visibility.
The epilogue narrates how Marvel, now the sole custodian of the coded diaries, perplexed by their content,
remarks, ‘Full of secrets’.
3. Corruption of morals in the absence of social restriction is a prominent theme running through the
novel. Elaborate.

236 Question Bank – English - XII

The narrator uses the ‘Invisible Man’ to experiment with the depth to which a person can sink when there
are no social restrictions to suppress his behaviour. When Griffin first causes his father’s death, he excuses it
away by saying that the man was a “sentimental fool.” When he takes the potion himself, he endures such
pain that he “understands” why the cat howled so much in the process of becoming invisible. Nevertheless
he has no compassion for the cat, for his father or for any of the people he takes advantage of in the course
of trying to survive invisibility. On the contrary, he descends from committing atrocities because they are
necessary for his survival.

This theme of corruption in the absence of social law has become a motif that is explored in the literary works
of H. G. Wells who created his story with very little psychological elaboration or character development.

Although Wells, does not have his characters elaborate on the idea, the theme of science without humanity
is all too apparent. Both Kemp as well as Griffin exemplify it. Kemp wants to stop Griffin more out of fear
for himself than out of concern for the community, but he is nonetheless fascinated by the accomplishment
of this misguided college student. The problem with the entire experiment is that Griffin pursued the idea
of invisibility without regard to whether or not there would be any real benefit to society because of it.
Hence in this, the novel also highlights as well as warns that a person’s intellectual achievement must still
contend with his more primitive drives.

4. Why was Mrs. Hall shocked to see the visitor when she came to him with a mustard pot?
When Mrs. Hall had put the mustard pot over the table in the stranger’s room and turned towards him she

was shocked to see his face. She had come to put the mustard pot in his room and ask him to give his hat
to let dry and was facing him for the first time. The stranger had raised his head and was looking at her. For
a moment she stood there shocked and gaping wide at him. He held a white cloth over the lower part of
his face, so that his mouth and jaws were fully hidden. This was also causing his voice to be muffled. What
shocked Mrs. Hall the most was that his forehead, above his blue glasses, was fully covered by a white
bandage. Another bandage covered his ears, not leaving even an inch of his face to be exposed except his
pink nose. This made Mrs. Hall assume that he might have met with an accident.
5. Why was Mrs. Hall happy to show hospitality to the stranger?
Though Mrs Hall was frustrated as she had continuously failed to make polite conversation with her guest,
yet she tolerated him. The reason was simple. It was unusual for a guest to stop by in the cold and snowy
month of February. Moreover, he had paid in gold coins and had not haggled about the price. In fact,
there was no condition from his side. He just wanted food and shelter in that cold winter night. Mrs. Hall
was so excited to see the visitor and the gold coins that she even forgot her guest’s name.
6. What impression do you form of Mrs. Hall from this first encounter with her?
Mrs. Hall is the wife of the owner of ‘Coach and Horses Inn’ at Iping in Sussex. She is very friendly
and down to earth woman who enjoys socializing with her guests. This she had proved by asking
her guest to let her dry his coat and hat in the kitchen. She also is curious to know the reason
why the stranger’s face is covered with a white bandage. She tries to draw him into a conversation
and narrated to him details of her nephew’s injury by a knife.
7. What were the different views in Iping regarding the stranger?
The stranger’s identity became a topic of speculation among the people of Iping. The general view of the
townspeople was that he was a criminal trying to escape the law and that is why he wrapped himself up
in bandages. Mr. Gould, the probationary assistant thought the man to be an “anarchist” engaged in
preparing explosives. Another group of people believed that he was a piebald who could make a lot of

Question Bank – English - XII 237

money if he chose to show himself at fairs, while a few others regarded him as a harmless lunatic. Everyone
mutually agreed that they disliked him due to his habits of secrecy. The young men began to mock the
stranger by imitating him. They would raise their coat collars and pull down their hat brims and follow him
everywhere he went. A song called ‘Bogey Man’ was popular at that time and children followed the stranger
at a distance calling out, ‘Bogeyman.’
8. What made Mrs. Hall think of the spirits?
On Whit Monday Mr. and Mrs. Hall went down to the cellar as they had some private business pertaining
to do with their wine cellar. In passing by the guest’s room, Mr. Hall noticed that the door was ajar and
that the stranger was not in his room. Instead, his clothes, shoes and hat were scattered about. As the Halls
were busy investigating, the bed-clothes suddenly gathered into a bundle and tossed over the bottom rail.
The stranger’s hat hopped off the bed-post, whirled in the air and then dashed straight at Mrs. Hall’s face.
This was followed by a sponge from the washstand and then a chair flew towards Mrs. Hall, which made
her scream and turn around. The legs of the chair were brought to rest against her back, propelling her out
of the room. The door slammed violently and was locked behind them. The chair and bed seemed to be
executing a dance of triumph for a moment, and then everything became still.
9. The chapter ‘The Invisible man’ depicts the external conflict that Griffin causes between Griffin and
various members of the town as his invisibility is gradually discovered. Describe the circumstances
that lead to the unveiling of his identity.
The chapter indeed depicts the external conflicts caused by Griffin himself and various members of the
town, as his visibility is gradually discovered.
This is evident from the instance of Mrs. Hall being annoyed and giving a cold shoulder to him, in the light
of the burglary at the Vicarage. She is extremely outspoken in chiding him for his non-payment of bills.
When Mr Bobby Jaffers, the village constable and Mr Wadger reach armed with a warrant to arrest him,
he is in a turmoil and insists on ‘No handcuffs’ as he dreads his arrest and being caught.
Making the most of his invisibility factor, he still has to face the wrath of everybody, fencing at random and
hitting at nothing – a perfect Babel of noises made by them. No matter what, he hits hard Sandy Wadgers,
breaks the front tooth of Phipps, and injures the cartilage of Henfrey’s ears. Jaffers’s is being hit under the
jaw,etc. but the conflict goes on.
10. Bobby Jaffers, the village constable was deputed to arrest the stranger, but he could not be worthy of
his responsibility. What swayed him away from being successful? Narrate the incident that leads to
the failure of his mission?
Bobby Jaffers, the village constable, could not prove worthy of the responsibility, because he lacked
professionalism in his approach to the problem. He should have lead from the front and come with his
police team. On the contrary, in an immature manner, he orders the people to hold him. The extraordinary
conflict swayed swiftly toward the house door. This resulted in a panic, uncalled for, which lead to smooth
transit of the Invisible man, despite his arrest being within their reach. Yet the opportunity was lost because
of the lack of proper planning to carryout the mission.
11. Explain: “It grew to a climax, diminished again and died away in the distance, going as it seemed to
him in the direction of Adderdean”.
It seems that The Invisible Man was furious at the behaviour of the people gathered at the little parlour
of the “Coach and Horses”. So he had lost his cool,which lead to his savage swearing becoming loud and
high till it reached its climax, started diminishing and further, was unheard, as he seemed to have gone far

238 Question Bank – English - XII

off towards the village Adder dean. The encounter at the inn had left him tired and shaken. As a result, he
wanted to get over it and move along, believing in the ‘out of sight out of mind’ philosophy.
12. Justify the title - ‘ In Transit’.
The title – ‘ In Transit’ is justified as the chapter focuses upon the journey of the stranger from the ‘Coach
and Horses’, in Iping to the village Adderdean, about a mile and a half out of Iping. It seems that this
journey of the Invisible Man was a consequence of the happening and the hullabaloo created by the Sussex
peasants, who fenced at random though hit at nothing. The babble of noises made by them must have been
too much for the Invisible Man. So he tries to make a noisy move.
13. Has ‘In Transit’, something to do with the appearance and disappearance of The Invisible Man
through the downs? Justify or refute.
Gibbons, the amateur naturalist, of the district, seems to be a peace loving and relaxed person with a great
philosophical tranquillity within him. But he is totally perplexed because of the strange happenings around
him, like, which was a man’s loud coughing, sneezing and sweating savagely to himself repeatedly, and
reaching the climax and then withering away in the distance. He had not encountered any such instance
before. So he is totally bewildered and in a turmoil, about the happenings around him. In the process, he
loses his equilibrium. He seems to be anxious by nature, seems pretty disturbed as someone interested in
knowing about the phenomenon, he does not want to waste his time.
14. Marvel appears to be eccentric, unassuming and a loner who perfectly matches to be as bait to Griffin.
Do you agree / disagree? Give reasons.
Marvel, on account of his traits like a loner, unassuming and eccentric is definitely, bait to Griffins, who
in turn is very smart and focussed. He, out of his simplicity commits all his help to Griffins. Marvel looks
like a believer in people and goes at their face value. He, being a loner does not have many expectations
from life, so as a simple natured man, he is forced to extend his helping hand to Griffin. Marvel proves his
eccentricity by his frequent substitution of twine shoe laces for the button in and sitting with his feet in the
ditch by the roadside towards Adder dean.
15. Describe the strange behaviour and the stranger who entered the village from the direction of the
downs.
About four o’clock a stranger entered the village. He was a short and, stout person adorning an extraordinarily
shabby top hat, and he appeared to be very much out of breath. His cheeks were alternately limp and
tightly puffed. His mottled face was apprehensive, and he moved with a sort of reluctant alacrity. He turned
the corner of the church, and directed his way to the Coach and Horses. Many were struck by his peculiar
agitation.
This stranger, to the perceptions of the proprietor of the coconut shy, appeared to be talking to himself,
and Mr. Huxter remarked the same thing. He appeared to undergo a severe internal struggle before he
could induce himself to enter the house. Mr. Huxter heard voices from within the room and from the bar
apprising the man of his error. However, he reappeared, wiping his lips with the back of his hand with an
air of quiet satisfaction. Then Mr. Huxter saw him walk in an oddly furtive manner towards the gates of the
yard, upon which the parlour window opened. The stranger, after some hesitation, leant against one of the
gate-posts, produced a short clay pipe, and prepared to fill it. His fingers trembled while doing so. He lit it
clumsily, and folding his arms began to smoke in a languid attitude. Suspicious of his attitude Mr Huxter
continued to observe him. Suddenly he felt that the stranger was a thief and he ran to get him. However
an unseen force made him fall on the earth with his face close to the ground.

Question Bank – English - XII 239

16. What chaos followed when the Invisible Man lost his temper?
From the moment the Invisible Man screamed with rage he set to smiting and overthrowing, for the mere

satisfaction of hurting.
The street was full of running figures, of doors slamming and fights for hiding-places. The tumult suddenly

striking on the unstable equilibrium of old Fletcher’s planks and two chairs,—with the cataclysmal results.
An appalled couple was caught dismally in a swing. Finally, when the whole tumultuous rush had passed
and the Iping streets were deserted save for the still raging unseen, and littered with cocoanuts, overthrown
canvas screens, and the scattered stock in trade of a sweet stuff stall. Everywhere there was sound of closing
shutters and shoving bolts, and no visible humanity.
The Invisible Man continued to amuse himself for a little while by breaking all the windows in the Coach
and Horses, and then he thrust a street lamp through the parlour window of Mrs. Gribble. He probably
cut the telegraph wire to Adderdean just beyond Higgins’ cottage on the Adderdean road. And after that,
as his peculiar qualities allowed, he passed out of human perceptions altogether, and he was neither heard,
nor seen, or felt in Iping anymore. He vanished absolutely.
17. The old mariner shares the outlandish activities around Iping with Marvel. What were the unusual
happenings ?
The old mariner tells Marvel all about this amazing Invisible Man that he read about in the newspaper.
This, according to him isn’t some crazy hoax from America, but a story about some unusual things going
on in England. He heard about “fist full of money” travelling by itself along St. Michael’s Lane. A brother
mariner had tried to snatch it but was knocked down by an unknown object. Then there were reports of
money disappearing from homes, business places and floating along by walls and shady places in butterfly
fashion. According to the newspaper, the man afflicted injuries on the constable at Iping. Certain evidence
indicates that he took the road to Port Stowe. The mariner ponders the strange things such a man might be
able to do such as trespass, rob or even slip through a cordon of policeman.
Marvel begins to confide in the mariner, saying he knows some things about this Invisible Man. Suddenly
Marvel is interrupted by an attack of some kind of pain. He says it is a toothache, then goes on to say that
the Invisible Man is a hoax. Marvel begins to move off and recedes obliquely with violent forward jerks.
Marvel tries to take advantage of a short respite to let someone else know about the Invisible Man, but he
is caught by Griffin before he can complete his story.
18. What attracted Dr. Kemp’s attention as he sat in his study in the villa ? What does this tell us about
his attitude ?
Dr. Kemp was in his study overlooking the town of Burdock. Since his study was full of science stuff, he
happened to look out of his window, where he spots a short, fat man with a shabby high hat running down
the hill as fast as he can go. The doctor notices that the man is running “heavy” as if his pockets are “full
of lead.” he thought he might just be another fool who was afraid of the Invisible Man. Dr. Kemp was too
scientific to believe in the story of the Invisible Man. Everyone around freaked out. Kemp’s reaction is one
of contempt, but the people on the street who see him approaching react a bit differently. The running man
is Marvel; his expression is one of terror. A short distance behind him, people hear the sound of panting
and a pad like hurrying bare feet. Soon cries of “The Invisible Man is coming” are heard in the streets along
with the slamming of doors as people bolt into their houses.
Kemp’s attitude is representative of the average established, self-confident, and self-sufficient individual.
He sees a man in trouble, but his reaction in contemptuous instead of concern. He has heard warning cries

240 Question Bank – English - XII

about an Invisible Man, but clearly doesn’t believe any of it. He is a man who keeps himself apart from the
concerns of the general public, is buried in his work, interested only in what award it will ultimately bring
him.

Unsolved Questions
Answer the following questions in about 120-150 words each:
1. What is the major theme underlying the story, ‘The Invisible Man’?
2. What are the essential points in the plot of the novel, ‘The Invisible Man’?
3. ‘Marvel knows how to take advantage of circumstances to thrive in life’. On the basis of this comment,

draft a pen picture of Thomas Marvel.
4. What was the conversation made between the visitor and Mrs. Hall, when the visitor was smoking

a pipe?
5. Describe the way the stranger was dressed.
6. How did Mrs. Hall try to draw the stranger into a conversation? How did he respond to this

attempt?
7. What two reasons did the stranger give to Mrs. Hall, for not being interrupted by anyone ?
8. What did Fearenside tell Henfrey about the stranger?
9. Describe Cuss’s encounter with the stranger.
10. Describe the mysterious burglary at the vicar, Mr. Bunting’s house.
11. How did the blacksmith, Mr. Sandy Wadgers investigate the strange happenings at the Vicar’s house?
12. “It was the strangest thing in the world to hear the voice coming as if out of empty space, but the Sussex

peasants are perhaps the most matter of fact people under the sun.” Which ‘strangest thing’ is mentioned
in the lines and how are the Sussex peasants concerned and affected by it?
13. “It is a terrible paradox that the pursuit that was dedicated to improving the human condition bears the
greatest potential to destroy humanity.” How far is the The Invisible Man the victim of this dictum.
14. Gibbons, the naturalist of the district, was lying out on the spacious open downs and pondering over the
philosophical tranquillity. But the tranquillity soon vanished. Narrate the experience that was responsible
for it.
15. ‘An invisible man is a man of power’. In the light of this statement draw the character sketch of The
Invisible Man keeping in mind his conversation with Mr Thomas.
16. How did The Invisible Man convince M. Marvel that he was real?
17. How does a festival influence the life of a village society? Write with reference to the village of Iping.
18. The Reverend Mr. Bunting is a man of much pretension. Do you agree? Justify your answer.
19. What was the general feeling at Iping about the existence of an Invisible Man?
20. What excuses did Mr. Marvel give the stranger in order to resign from his job?

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21. What reaction did the invisible man give to Mr. Marvel on his pleading for resignation?
22. What did Mr. Marvel tell the mariner about the invisible man? Why did his expression change suddenly?
23. Why did the old mariner get annoyed with Mr. Marvel after the conversation on the topic of the invisible

man?
24. Why did panic break out among the people in Burdock?

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Long Answer Questions
Second Term (Chapters 17-28)

Answer the following questions in about 150 words:
1. Why did Dr. Kemp have an ‘eerie’ feeling?
After finishing his work Dr. Kemp decided to call it a day. The very observant man of science crossed the

hall on way to his room and noticed a dark spot on the linoleum at the foot of the stairs. He went upstairs
but returned to study the spot more carefully. He discovered that the red spot had the stickiness and colour
of drying blood. He went up again wondering about the red spot. Suddenly he stopped short. The door-
handle of his own room was blood stained. He looked at his hands but they were clean. He went straight
to the room and his eyes fell on the bed. The sheet was torn and the counterpane had blood. The sides
of the bed sheet were depressed as if someone has been recently sitting there. Then he felt as if he heard a
sound. As he was still wondering about this he heard a movement across the room. All men, however highly
educated, retain some superstitious inkling. A feeling of ‘eeriness’ descended upon him.
2. How did Griffin manage to stop the six to seven people following him?
Griffin was bare foot when he left his lodging, while leaving he ran over the white steps of a house and
stood their until the entire procession of Salvation Army passed by. As a result his feet were creating foot
marks and some people were able to detect this and were astonished. They followed him using his foot
marks.
As soon as he observed that these people were following him with the help of the white footmarks created
by his barefeet twice he moved across the corners and thrice he crossed the road and returned to mislead
them and with the feet growing hotter and drier, the damp impression gradually faded away and finally he
cleaned his feet with hands to wipe it out completely
3. How did the people grab the Invisible man?
Finally, the hunter was hunted at the end of a hair rising chase by the navvy and Kemp. As Kemp could
sense the presence of the Invisible Man in the vicinity he yelled out for people to chase him. The Invisible
Man was hit hard under his ears and went reeling in pain. Just as he was trying to get back on his feet he
was struck again. Then the Invisible man threw off a couple of his antagonists and rose to his knees but
Kemp clung on to him like hound to a stag. A dozen hands gripped clutched and tore at the unseen. The
tram conductor suddenly caught the neck and the shoulders and lugged him back. Down went the heap of
struggling men again and rolled over. There was a brief scuffle to clear the space and the doctor bent down
to check the invisible. The crowd gave way to Kemp as he approached the naked and pitifully bruised body
of a young man in his thirty lay on the ground. Someone brought a sheet from the “jolly cricketers” and
covered him. As Griffin, the first of all men to make himself invisible, the most gifted physicist the world
has ever seen.
Unsolved Questions
4. What instructions did Dr. Kemp give his servants?
5. ‘To do such a thing would be to transcend magic.’ What do these words mean?
6. How did the cat respond to the experiment?

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7. Describe the scene at the Departmental complex at the closing time.
8. Write the character sketch of the owner of the costumer shop?
9. What were the plans of Griffin before meeting Dr. Kemp ? How did they change after they both met?
10. Griffin ultimately sees Kemp as an enemy although he had at first believed that Kemp would be both

sympathetic and cooperative. Explain.

244 Question Bank – English - XII

Long Answer Based On
The Entire Text

Solved
1. What is the theme of the novel ?

Corruption of Morals in the Absence of Social Restriction:
The narrator uses the Invisible Man to experiment with the depth to which a person can sink when there

are no social restrictions to suppress his behaviour. When Griffin first kills his father, he comes up with an
excuse saying that the man was a “sentimental fool.” When he takes the potion himself, he endures such
pain that he “understands” why the cat howled so much in the process of becoming invisible. Nevertheless
he has no compassion for the cat, for his father or for any of the people he takes advantage of in the course
of trying to survive invisibility. On the contrary, he descends from committing atrocities because they are
necessary for his survival.
This theme of corruption in the absence of social law has become a motif that is explored in other literary
works. H. G. Well created his story with very little psychological elaboration or character development.
Other writers, however, have taken the idea much farther; we are thus blessed with novels such as Lord of
the Flies, and Heart of Darkness, along with short stories by Poe and Melville.
Science without Humanity:
Although Wells does not have his characters elaborate on this idea, the concept is represented in the
character of Kemp as well as in Griffin himself. Kemp wants to stop Griffin more out of fear for himself
than out of concern for the community, but he is nonetheless fascinated by the accomplishment of this
misguided college student. The problem with the entire experiment is that Griffin pursued the idea of
invisibility without regard to whether or not there would be any real benefit to society because of it.
2. Write a character sketch of Griffin.
Griffin is the model of science without humanity. He begins his road to decline in college when he becomes
so obsessed with his experiments that he hides his work lest anyone else should receive credit. When he runs
out of money, he kills his own father-a crime that makes the rest of his crimes pale in comparison. He goes
from scientist to fanatic when he begins to focus all of his attention merely on the concept of invisibility
and neglects to think about the consequences of such a condition. He may not have had any intention
initially of trying the potion on himself, but the interference of his landlord and prying neighbour lady
motivate him to cover his work and remove himself from further confrontation. The evil that he could
commit does not occur to him until after he has swallowed the potion and seen the reaction of the landlord
and others. The irony is, that his invisibility is good only for approaching unseen and for getting away. Any
gains from his crimes are useless to him. He cannot enjoy any of the normal comforts of life-such as food,
clothes, and money. He cannot eat without hiding the action, as the food in his system will render him
visible. Clothes, when he is able to wear them, must be used to cover him from head to foot in order to
conceal his real “concealment”--hardly a comfortable state in the heat of the summer. He can steal money,
but cannot spend it on his own accord. Thus the condition that would make him invulnerable also renders
him helpless.

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In spite of his predicament, Griffin at no time expresses any remorse for his behaviour or for the crimes,
which he merely describes as “necessary.” His only regret is frustration over not having thought about the
drawbacks of invisibility. For nearly a year, he works on trying to perfect an antidote; when time runs out
for that activity, he first tries to leave the country, and then, that plan failing, tries to find an accomplice for
himself so he can enjoy his invisibility and have all the comforts of life as well. He goes from obsession to
fanaticism to insanity.

3. Why does Mrs. Hall tolerate the Invisible Man as long as she does ?
4. Why do you think Griffin smashes bottles and swears behind the locked door of his room ?
5. How do the speculations of the people in town exemplify human nature ?
6. Marvel is introduced as a tramp and ends up a business owner. How realistic is this? What does it say about

Marvel himself?

246 Question Bank – English - XII

Section D
Sample Papers