The War of the Worlds: Chapter 12

And so it begins...

Everything in The War of the Worlds, thus far, has been in spurts. Like flashes here and there of this horrific happening intruding upon what would otherwise have been considered ordinary, mundane days.

Chapter 12 saw an end to that nonsense, did it not?

First off, let's give credit. The man wants to return to his wife and then find somewhere to hunker down in safety.

Secondly, some logical thinking is occurring with stuffing pockets and everything with food. Tho later in the water... soggy biscuits. (p. 53)

Thirdly, how surreal it would be to start making your way out of town with charred bodies and broken buildings and smoldering ruins all around you? (p. 53)

Fourthly, everything was strangely still. (Egads!) Every now and then stopping to listen to sounds extraordinarily smart to me! (p. 54)

Fifth, low and behold, there are 5 now! (p. 59)

Sixth, the WATER!!!!

This was a scary/yikes!/egads! kind of chapter. What did you think about it?

What some of our members said:

"The sheer chaos of it all made me nervous. Wells was very crafty at creating these descriptions that came fast and furious, which magnified the chaotic scramble of it all. But the Martians were carrying away their dead comrade so they must have some feeling of connection and 'family'."

"Remarking upon the leaving town amongst the ruins of buildings and charred bodies- he was so matter of fact about writing those lines that it made it so much more real to me, ergo more horrible. I really don’t see how every person who has lived through a traumatic experience such as that doesn’t have PTSD; the absolute horror of recognizing parts of bodies and even parts of people you know! If Wells had gone into more detail or more description it would have lessened the impact, I think. Because in the real world, that is how it would happen. No fanfare, no preparation, just- there it is."