“Footprints Without Feet” is a thrilling story about Griffin, a brilliant but short-tempered scientist who discovers a way to make himself invisible. Though his scientific achievement is extraordinary, his choices lead him into trouble.
Griffin first experiments on himself and succeeds, but soon realizes that being invisible creates many difficulties. Since he has no clothes and cannot be seen, he suffers in the cold weather of London. To save himself, he steals food, clothes, and money. His footprints in the mud create panic because the people see footprints appearing without any person around.
He later enters a department store, uses the things inside, eats freely, and sleeps comfortably. But when discovered, he escapes by removing his clothes again and becoming invisible. He then goes to a theatrical company to get a disguise— a coat, dark glasses, a hat, bandages, and a fake nose—so people will not know he is invisible underneath.
Griffin finally reaches the village of Iping and stays at an inn. His strange appearance and secretive behaviour make the villagers suspicious. When money goes missing, the villagers suspect him even more. Griffin becomes angry and uses his invisibility to create fear and chaos in the village.
The story highlights how brilliant knowledge without moral values becomes dangerous. Griffin had intelligence, but his misuse of invisibility turned him into a criminal instead of a great scientist.
Summary in Hindi
“Footprints Without Feet” एक रोमांचक कहानी है Griffin नाम के वैज्ञानिक की, जो अदृश्य होने का तरीका खोज लेता है। वह अत्यंत बुद्धिमान है, पर गुस्सैल और अनुशासनहीन भी। उसके वैज्ञानिक प्रयोग उसे अदृश्य तो बना देते हैं, लेकिन उसका दुरुपयोग उसे मुसीबतों में डाल देता है।
प्रयोग सफल होने के बाद Griffin को ठंडे मौसम में बिना कपड़ों के घूमना पड़ता है। अदृश्य होने का फायदा उठाकर वह खाना, कपड़े और पैसे चोरी करता है। उसके नंगे पैरों के निशान मिट्टी में दिखते हैं, जिससे लोगों में डर फैल जाता है क्योंकि कोई व्यक्ति नज़र नहीं आता।
एक डिपार्टमेंटल स्टोर में वह आराम से खाना खाता है और रात बिताता है, लेकिन पकड़े जाने पर फिर से अदृश्य होकर भाग जाता है। बाद में वह एक नाटक कंपनी में घुसता है और भेष बदलने के लिए कोट, टोपी, चश्मा, नकली नाक और पट्टियाँ ले लेता है जिससे लोग उसे साधारण इंसान समझें।
इसके बाद वह Iping गाँव पहुँचता है। उसका अजीब रूप और छिपा हुआ व्यवहार ग्रामीणों को संदेहास्पद लगता है। पैसे गायब होने पर लोग उसे चोर मानने लगते हैं। क्रोधित होकर Griffin अपनी अदृश्यता का उपयोग गाँव में डर और भयंकर अव्यवस्था फैलाने के लिए करता है।
कहानी यह संदेश देती है कि यदि बुद्धि और ज्ञान गलत रास्ते पर इस्तेमाल हों, तो परिणाम खतरनाक होते हैं। Griffin में प्रतिभा थी, पर नैतिकता की कमी ने उसे वैज्ञानिक से अपराधी बना दिया।
Character Sketch
Griffin (The Invisible Man): Griffin is a brilliant but lawless and eccentric scientist. His discovery of invisibility doesn't lead to noble deeds but instead fuels his antisocial and violent tendencies. He is quick-tempered, arrogant, and uses his power for theft, revenge, and causing panic. He represents the danger of scientific advancement without ethics or morality—a genius who becomes a monster due to his own flawed character.
Mrs. Hall: The landlady of the Coach and Horses inn. She is curious, talkative, and initially tolerant of Griffin's strange behaviour because he pays in advance. However, she becomes increasingly suspicious and fearful as weird events unfold. She represents the ordinary public's reaction to the inexplicable—a mix of curiosity, greed (for his money), and eventual terror.
10 Previous Year Questions & Solutions
1. How did Griffin become invisible? (2019)
Answer: Griffin became invisible through a long series of experiments in optics. He discovered a way to change a body's refractive index to that of air so that it neither absorbs nor reflects light. He tested the formula on a cat and then on himself, drinking certain rare drugs that made him become a transparent, invisible person.
2. Why was Griffin wandering the streets of London in winter? (2020)
Answer: Griffin was wandering the streets of London in winter because he was invisible, naked, and desperate. He needed clothes to keep warm and hide his invisibility. However, being invisible made it impossible for him to enter a shop and buy things without causing panic, so he was stuck outside in the bitter cold.
3. How did Griffin manage to get clothes and food in London? (2022)
Answer: In London, Griffin entered a large store after it closed to get clothes. He broke boxes and put on shoes, an overcoat, and a hat. For food, he went to a restaurant and ate cold meat and coffee, but had to flee when he realized he couldn't pay without being seen. Later, he robbed a theatrical company for clothes and a shopkeeper for money.
4. Why did Griffin set fire to his landlord's house? (2023)
Answer: Griffin set fire to his landlord's house out of revenge. His landlord, who was also his landlord in his previous visible life, tried to evict him. Griffin, filled with anger and a sense of persecution, decided to take revenge. The fire also helped destroy his notes and cover his tracks as he escaped.
5. Describe the strange incidents at the Coach and Horses inn. (2018)
Answer: The strange incidents included the door of Griffin's room opening and closing by itself, sounds of bottles smashing, money from the landlady's desk mysteriously vanishing, and Griffin's furniture moving on its own. Most frighteningly, when Mrs. Hall and others confronted the "empty" room, the hat on the bedpost leapt up and charged at them, followed by the chair.
6. What was Griffin's purpose in coming to Iping? Did he achieve it? (2021)
Answer: Griffin came to Iping to work in solitude to find a formula to make himself visible again. He wanted a quiet place to continue his experiments. No, he did not achieve it. His violent temper, theft, and the suspicions he aroused led to chaos. Instead of finding a solution, he was exposed and forced to flee, becoming a hunted man.
7. How does the story explore the theme of the abuse of power? (2019)
Answer: The story explores the abuse of power through Griffin's actions. His invisibility gives him immense power—to steal, spy, assault, and terrify without being seen. Instead of using it for good, he uses it for selfish, criminal, and violent purposes. The story shows that power without morality and self-control corrupts absolutely, turning a scientist into a criminal.
8. What is the significance of the title 'Footprints Without Feet'? (2020)
Answer: The title 'Footprints Without Feet' directly refers to the first clue of Griffin's presence—the muddy footprints that appear from nowhere on the steps of a house in London, created by an invisible man. It is a vivid, mysterious image that introduces the core scientific fantasy of the story and creates immediate intrigue and suspense.
9. What message does H.G. Wells convey through this story? (2022)
Answer: H.G. Wells conveys a warning about the dangers of unchecked scientific ambition and the ethical responsibility of scientists. He shows that a great discovery in the wrong hands (or a wrong mind) can become a tool for terror. The story argues that science must be guided by ethics and that human nature, with its flaws, can corrupt even the greatest inventions.
10. Do you think Griffin's invisibility is a blessing or a curse? Justify. (2023)
Answer: For Griffin, invisibility became a curse. While it initially seemed like the ultimate scientific triumph, it isolated him completely. He couldn't interact normally, was always cold and naked unless dressed, and lived in constant fear of exposure. His power corrupted him, leading to a life of crime, paranoia, and violence. It stripped him of his humanity, making it a curse.
