The Island of Dr. Moreau is a novel about a shipwreck survivor who ends up on an island with Dr. Moreau, his assistant Montgomery, and a slew of strange creatures, amalgamations of human and beast, that the doctor has created in an attempt to (presumably) improve upon nature. The beast-humans have characteristics of both, the most intriguing similarities to the latter being in their talk of law, and worship of their creator.
This work intrigued me in several ways. First, novels of this variety- I'd group this with Shelley's Frankenstein, for example- I find much more horrifying than their modern "horror" counterparts. Tackling difficult life questions, and exploring those who go to great lengths to answer those questions, with no regard to cost or consequence, can be much more fear-inducing than the modern horror tale.
Second, this novel gives intriguing treatment to creation and evolution, topics of extreme popularity in Wells' time. It looks at the possibility that creatures can evolve down as well as up, and that creatures require the presence of their creator, or at least belief in a being greater than themselves, providing law and structure, to avoid reverting back into beasts. I confess, I'm not entirely sure where Wells stands on the issues of God or evolution, but it doesn't matter, for the book accomplishes what I believe is an important aim in any literature- it forces the reader to think over the issue(s) presented, and evaluate their own stance on the matter. Whether or not the author provides answers is irrelevant- the reader must decide where he or she stands.
Wells ends the book with the following: "I hope, or I could not live." A fitting quote, after seeing the horrors inflicted on the island. In this life is evil, brokenness, and failure; we must hope that something better can be attained, whatever our beliefs, for refusing to do so will lead only to a quick descent into either denial, or chaos and madness.
Rating: A
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