H.G. Wells

EARLY LIFE

• Herbert George Wells was born on September 21, 1866.
• He was born in the small town of Bromley, Endland.
• His mother was a handmaiden and his father a gardener.
• In Victorian and industrialized England, this put him low in society.
• Despite his "bottom feeding," lifestyle he was very intelligent.

EARLY LIFE

• H.G. Wells father's family shop fails.
• This forces Herbert to work as a drapers apprentice
• At age 10 he's being forced to choose a career
• He hated his job the moment he got it and doesn't work well
• Wells gets fired from his first job at age 11.

HIS LOVE IS REALIZED

• At the age of 11 Herbert looses his first job
• This forced his mother to take him to work temporarily
• While at "Up Park," Wells discovered the library.
• While there he saw first hand what upper society was like.
• He soon realizes he not only loves to read, but writing as well.

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

• This is what caused Wells to want to break out.
• The industrial revolution started in England.
• This is when the society went from agrarian to industrial
• The working class was the "basement," of society.
• We see rise in horrid conditions and child labor

EDUCATION

• He leaves his apprenticeship at 15
• Becomes a teacher full time
• Learns 7 years of schooling in 2 years
• Gets accepted to the Normal College of Science

TIME MACHINE

• IN 1895, Wells became and over night sensation.
• His novel "Time Machine," rocks society to its core.
• H. G. Wells was extremely close with his predictions of the 20th century.
• He predicted both world wars, the atomic bomb, and even modern birth control.
• UTILITARIAN and AESTHETICISAN ideas are clearly shown throughout this work.

UTILITARIANISM

• Belief in human rights and equality
• Everyone's happiness is equal
• John Stuart Mills and Jeremy Benthram
• Utilitarians are social reformers
• Adam Smith's policies provided basis of movement

Aestheticism

• The acceptance of artistic beauty an taste as standard
• Ethical and other standards being secondary
• Basis laid by Immanuel Kant in 18th century
• A reaction to the utilitarianism movement
• Amplified by von Goethe, Tieck, Coldridge, and Carlyle

HIS WORKS

• "War of the Worlds"
• "The Invisible Man"
• "The Island of Doctor Moreau"

PERSONAL LIFE

• Married his cousin Isabel Mary Wells
• Divorced then married Amy Catherine "Jane" Robbins
• Had two sons with Jane
• Had many relationships with other women.
• Had a couple children outside of marriage as well

DEATH AND AFTERMATH

• Herbert George Wells is the father of science fiction
• For 50 years he was a figure head on the world stage
• He passed away August 13, 1946, in London
• His legacy has outlived him and he outwitted society