A Study Of Spatial Construction In Wells' Science Fiction

Herbert George Wells is known as a pioneering British science fiction author,social activist,and historian.In the 1940s,Britain is leading the Industrial Revolution with its mastery of advanced science and technology,and vast accumulation of wealth and capital.Britain is rapidly undergoing a process of urbanization and modernization.Science fiction,a new literary genre,steps onto the scene.Through his work,Wells seems to tap into the lifeblood of the times with a literary focus on scientific and technological development and urban transformation throughout his career.Up until this period,domestic and foreign scholars have had an awareness of universal themes like scientific ethics,human evolution and degradation,and the oppressive nature of capitalism.However,due to subtle distinctions between key emphatic points,there remains room for further interpretation in the study of spatial construction based on the modern urban environment.This thesis examines five of Wells‘science fictions;namely,The Time Machine,The War of the Worlds,The Island of Dr.Moreau,The Invisible Man and The First Men in the Moon.Spaces in literary works convey symbolic meaning.Wells innovatively incorporates numerous urban scenes and scientific fantasies into his works,constructing various urban spaces such as railways,underground factories,slums,pubs,dwellings,and so on.Based on the theory of space criticism,it would be meaningful to study the types of spaces,spatial construction techniques,and the modernity of spatial construction in Wells‘science fictions,thereby supplementing the research on Wells‘literary works and reinforcing the significance and value of the science fiction genre in literary research.This thesis consists of three parts:the introduction;the main part;and the conclusion.The introduction presents a general overview of Wells and his works,a literary review and an introduction of the theoretical framework and structure of the thesis.The main part is subdivided into three chapters.In the first chapter,the purpose is to analyze the overall characteristics of the spaces in Wells‘science fictions.The spaces constructed by Wells in his science fictions are primarily urban spaces.Following the Industrial Revolution,Britain transforms from an agricultural society into an industrialized society.The functions of spaces in Wells‘science fiction become more diverse,and the spatial dimensionality becomes more complex.The second chapter analyses the multi-level spatial construction found in Wells‘science fictions.As pointed out in chapter two,spatial elements in science fiction closely relate to the theme of urban industrialization.Based on Gabriel Zoran‘s theory of spatial construction,this section mainly explores various forms and techniques of spatial construction employed in Wells‘science fictions on three different levels:the topographic level;the textual level;and the chronotopic level.The third chapter analyses the modernity of spatial construction in Wells‘science fictions,reflecting the common values and ideology of British city-dwellers at the turn of the 19^th century.During this period,the manipulation of spaces through industrialized capitalism triggers a spatial crisis and affects the way modern people experience spaces.In the concluding part,this thesis points out that,underneath the fantasy of science fiction,Wells‘works accurately convey the experience of modern urban spaces.With a rich imagination and keen insight,Wells artistically expresses his concerns about modern life in London,and beautifully crafts industrialized urban spaces.