1. Chapter Introduction
“Footprints without Feet” by H.G. Wells is an intriguing story about a brilliant scientist named Griffin who discovers a way to make the human body invisible. However, instead of using this amazing discovery for the benefit of society, he uses it for his own selfish gains and illegal activities. The story follows his chaotic adventures as he struggles to survive in London and later in the small village of Iping, proving that knowledge without character can be dangerous.
2. Characters Detail
- Griffin: A brilliant but “lawless” scientist. He discovers the formula for invisibility but uses it to commit crimes like theft and arson. He has a short temper and is often irritable.
- Mrs. Hall: The landlady of the inn at Iping. She is a friendly woman who tries to be hospitable to Griffin, but her curiosity and the strange happenings in his room eventually lead her to suspect him.
- Mr. Jaffers: A brave village constable who comes to arrest Griffin. Even when faced with an invisible man, he tries his best to perform his duty.
- The Clergyman and his Wife: Residents of Iping who experience a mysterious robbery in their house where they hear money being taken but see nobody.
3. Full Summary
The Invisible Man in London
The story begins with two boys in London following fresh, muddy footprints that seem to appear out of nowhere. These footprints belong to Griffin, a scientist who had successfully swallowed certain rare drugs to become invisible. Griffin was a lawless person. After his landlord tried to evict him, Griffin set fire to the house in revenge. To escape without being seen, he had to remove all his clothes, becoming invisible but homeless and cold in the middle of a London winter.
Misadventures in the Big Store
To escape the bitter cold, Griffin entered a large London store after closing time. He enjoyed himself by wearing warm clothes, eating cold meat and sweets, and drinking wine. However, he fell asleep and didn’t wake up until the employees arrived the next morning. When they chased him, he had to take off all his newly found clothes to become invisible again and escape into the cold air.
The Theatrical Company and Escape to Iping
Griffin then robbed a theatrical shop for bandages to wrap around his face, dark glasses, a false nose, and a large hat to give himself a visible form. He also robbed the shopkeeper of his money. Feeling that London was too crowded, he took a train to the remote village of Iping and booked two rooms at a local inn.
Strange Happenings at Iping
Mrs. Hall, the landlady, found her guest very strange because of his bandaged face and rude behavior. Griffin claimed he had come for solitude and didn’t want to be disturbed. Soon, his stolen money ran out, and a mysterious robbery took place at the clergyman’s house. The clergyman and his wife heard the clink of money being taken from the desk, but they saw no one in the room.
The Final Confrontation
Suspicion fell on Griffin when he suddenly produced ready cash. One morning, Mr. and Mrs. Hall found his room empty and decided to investigate. Suddenly, Mrs. Hall felt a hat fly into her face and a chair attack her. Panic-stricken, she believed the room was haunted. When the village constable, Mr. Jaffers, arrived to arrest him, Griffin began removing his bandages and clothes. A headless man appeared, and a violent fight broke out. Griffin hit everyone who tried to catch him and eventually escaped by becoming completely invisible again, leaving everyone in shock and confusion.
4. Multiple Choice Questions (10 MCQs)
Q1. Who is the author of “Footprints without Feet”?
(a) Ruskin Bond | (b) H.G. Wells | (c) Robert Arthur | (d) Guy de Maupassant
Answer: (b) H.G. Wells
Q2. What did Griffin discover?
(a) A new star | (b) How to make human body invisible | (c) A cure for cancer | (d) How to fly
Answer: (b) How to make human body invisible
Q3. Why did Griffin set fire to his landlord’s house?
(a) To stay warm | (b) In revenge because the landlord tried to evict him | (c) By accident | (d) To hide his experiments
Answer: (b) In revenge because the landlord tried to evict him
Q4. Where did Griffin go to escape the crowded London life?
(a) Paris | (b) New York | (c) Iping Village | (d) Oxford
Answer: (c) Iping Village
Q5. Who was the landlady of the inn at Iping?
(a) Mrs. Higgins | (b) Mrs. Hall | (c) Mrs. Hudson | (d) Mrs. Smith
Answer: (b) Mrs. Hall
Q6. What was Griffin’s appearance when he arrived at the inn?
(a) He was wearing a mask | (b) His head was wrapped in bandages | (c) He was dressed as a clown | (d) He was completely naked
Answer: (b) His head was wrapped in bandages
Q7. What was the strange thing that happened in the clergyman’s study?
(a) A fire broke out | (b) The money was stolen by an invisible person | (c) The furniture started flying | (d) A ghost appeared
Answer: (b) The money was stolen by an invisible person
Q8. Who was Jaffers?
(a) A scientist | (b) The clergyman | (c) The village constable | (d) The landlord
Answer: (c) The village constable
Q9. How did Griffin finally escape from the inn?
(a) He jumped out of the window | (b) He used a smoke bomb | (c) He took off all his clothes to become invisible | (d) He ran through the back door
Answer: (c) He took off all his clothes to become invisible
Q10. Why is Griffin described as a “lawless” person?
(a) He didn’t know the law | (b) He broke the law for his own selfish needs | (c) He was a lawyer | (d) He lived in a forest
Answer: (b) He broke the law for his own selfish needs
5. Short Answer Questions (35 Words)
Q1. How did the invisible man first become visible?
Ans. Griffin became visible when he entered a big London store and put on shoes, an overcoat, and a hat. He looked like a fully dressed, visible person until he removed his clothes again.
Q2. Why was Mrs. Hall prepared to excuse the scientist’s strange habits and irritable temper?
Ans. Mrs. Hall was ready to overlook Griffin’s behavior because he had paid her in advance. Also, she believed he was an eccentric scientist who had been through an accident, as his face was covered in bandages.
Q3. What did the clergyman and his wife hear in the early hours of the morning?
Ans. They were awakened by noises in the study. They heard the chink of money being taken from the desk. When they entered the room with a poker, they were amazed to find it completely empty.
Q4. What curious episode occurred in the scientist’s bedroom?
Ans. Mr. and Mrs. Hall saw the bedroom door open and found the room empty. Suddenly, a hat leapt up and dashed into Mrs. Hall’s face, and a chair started pushing them out of the room as if it were haunted.
Q5. Why did Griffin become a homeless wanderer without clothes?
Ans. Griffin had set fire to his landlord’s house in revenge. To escape without being seen, he had to take off all his clothes and become invisible. Thus, he became a homeless, naked wanderer in the cold.
6. Long Answer Questions (60-70 Words)
Q1. Give a character sketch of Griffin, the scientist.
Ans. Griffin was a brilliant scientist who successfully discovered the secret of invisibility. However, he was a lawless person with a violent temper. Instead of using his discovery for the good of humanity, he used it for stealing, robbing, and attacking people. He lacked a sense of morality and social responsibility. His intelligence made him a powerful scientist, but his character made him a dangerous criminal who eventually became a lonely wanderer.
Q2. “Griffin was a brilliant scientist, but a lawless person.” Explain this statement with examples from the text.
Ans. Griffin’s brilliance is shown by his successful experiment with invisibility. However, his lawlessness is evident throughout the story. He burnt down his landlord’s house in revenge, robbed a big store in London, stole money from a theatrical shopkeeper after attacking him, and committed a robbery at a clergyman’s house. He even attacked the innocent landlady and the village constable. All these actions prove that he used his brilliance for illegal activities.
Q3. Describe the scene of the fight between the invisible man and Mr. Jaffers, the constable.
Ans. When Mr. Jaffers arrived to arrest the “headless” man, a chaotic fight broke out. Griffin started removing his clothes one by one. Jaffers found himself struggling with a man who was becoming more and more invisible. People who tried to help Jaffers were hit by blows that seemed to come from nowhere. In the end, Griffin knocked Jaffers unconscious and made his escape by becoming completely invisible, leaving the crowd in a state of terror.
Q4. What lesson do we learn from the story “Footprints without Feet”?
Ans. The story teaches us that science and knowledge are “double-edged swords.” If used with responsibility and character, they can benefit the world. However, if a person lacks a conscience and uses power for selfish ends, it leads to destruction and chaos. Griffin’s tragic life as a homeless wanderer and criminal shows that misuse of power ultimately leads to isolation and downfall. One must always use their talents for the welfare of others.
Q5. Why did Griffin find London unsuitable and decide to move to Iping?
Ans. London was unsuitable for Griffin because it was too crowded and busy. As an invisible man, he had to remain naked to stay unseen, which was impossible in the bitter January cold. He had to enter stores for warmth, where he was always at risk of being discovered by employees. He wanted a quiet place where he could live in solitude and work on his experiments without being bothered by the hustle and bustle of the city, so he chose Iping.
