The War of The Worlds: Characters

Key Characters in The War of The Worlds

1. The Narrator
2. The Artilleryman
3. The Curate
4. The Narrator's Brother

The Narrator

Quote 1: "I suffer from the strangest sense of detachment."

Analysis: This quote highlights the narrator's emotional distance during the Martian invasion. His "sense of detachment" suggests a coping mechanism, allowing him to survive the horror by mentally separating himself from reality. This detachment reflects how extreme stress can lead people to disconnect from their emotions, showing a theme of survival through psychological distance.

Quote 2: "What good is religion if it collapses under calamity?"

Analysis: The narrator's question challenges the value of religion when faced with real danger. He implies that true faith should withstand crises, criticisƒing the curate's collapse into despair. This quote reflects a theme of rationality versus faith, highlighting the narrator's belief in practical survival over spiritual comfort during the invasion.

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The Artilleryman

Quote 1: "We must live like rats."

Analysis: The artilleryman's quote implies that to survive the Martians, humans need to adapt by living underground, much like "rats." This imagery conveys his belief that survival requires abandoning normal life and embracing a more primitive existence. The quote reflects the theme of adaptation, showing how extreme circumstances force people to reconsider what it means to live.

Quote 2: "People have grown soft and weak."

Analysis: This quote reveals the artilleryman's view that society has become too comfortable, losing the toughness needed to survive. He criticises the lack of preparedness among people, highlighting a theme of survival of the fittest. The quote implies that only those willing to endure hardship will survive the Martian invasion.

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The Curate

Quote 1: "Why are these things permitted? What sins have we done?"

Analysis: The curate's question shows his inability to comprehend the Martian invasion within his religious framework. He implies that the invasion is a punishment for humanity's sins, reflecting his despair and confusion. This highlights the theme of religion versus reality, showing how faith can falter when faced with incomprehensible disasters.

Quote 2: "The end! The great and terrible day of the Lord!"

Analysis: The curate's exclamation reflects his belief that the invasion is an apocalyptic event, a punishment from God. His fear and religious interpretation of the invasion shows his inability to adapt to the situation, contrasting with the narrator's rational approach. This quote emphasises the theme of faith under pressure, as the curate's religious beliefs crumble in the face of real danger.

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The Narrator's Brother

Quote 1: **"**He had to give threepence for a copy of that paper."

Analysis: This quote highlights the exploitation of fear during the Martian invasion, as newspapers profit from selling sensational stories. The fact that the narrator's brother has to pay for crucial information reflects the theme of the media's role in spreading panic. It also shows how people are willing to capitalise on fear during a crisis.

Quote 2: "We must escape this place."

Analysis: This simple but urgent statement by the narrator's brother reflects the desperation and need to survive during the Martian invasion. His focus on escape highlights the primal instinct to flee danger, emphasising the theme of survival at all costs. The quote shows how, in times of crisis, survival becomes the primary goal, overriding all other concerns.