Three years after The War of the Worlds, H.G. Wells published another "space alien-oriented" science fiction novel titled The First Men In the Moon (initially published as a serial in The Strand from December 1900 to August 1901). The First Men In the Moon has several very interesting aspects which differentiate it from Wells' previous science fiction explorations. For one thing, the narrator, Mr. Bedford, is a somewhat unprincipled entrepreneur, whose primary drive for financial gain makes for an interesting contrast with Mr. Cavor's interest in pure scientific advancement. Although The Invisible Man also featured an anti-hero as its main protagonist, that novel was not told from a first person perspective. The aliens which Bedford and Cavor encounter have a fascinating insectoid nature, which was fairly novel at that time. He also suggests the concept of living (organic) computer brains when describing the specially-bred Selenites who function as cultural encyclopedias.
From a practical standpoint, Wells book cleverly describes how an anti-gravity element could be used to navigate through space (through the use of shutters which allow gravity to re-exert its hold in certain desired directions). Various other well thought-out considerations for space travel and for a "first contact" scenario are also explored.
Many of Wells' novels (such as The Time Machine) contain a sociopolitical subtext, and this novel is no exception. The latter half of the novel clearly takes an anti-war/anti-imperialism stance, and criticizes mankind's tendency towards racial conquest.
From a literary viewpoint, it both looks backwards and points the way forwards. Because most of the action takes place miles below the lunar surface, it can be see as a fusion of three separate Jules Verne books: Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864), From the Earth to the Moon (1865), and Around the Moon (1870) (Wells even mentions Verne's work in the novel itself). The Selenites are bred from birth for specific societal functions, a concept which would be further explored in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World (1932). The decidedly un-romantic idea of leveraging travel to the moon for monetary gain would later see one of it's most thorough treatments in Robert A. Heinlein's The Man Who Sold the Moon, half a century later.
Synopsis
- Mr. Bedford Meets Mr. Cavor at Lympne: The narrator, Mr. Bedford, moves to the small village of Lympne in order to work on a play with which he hopes to sell and satisfy some outstanding debts. By accident, he runs into a strangely-attired inventor named Cavor, who has been working on a substance (“Cavorite”) which will negate the effects of gravity. When Cavorite is properly treated, its “opacity” to gravitational waves will allow it to become weightless. Bedford convinces Cavor that they must go into business together to market this scientific breakthrough.
- The First Making of Cavorite: One day, a “cyclone” erupts over Cavor’s house, causing damage for miles around. It turns out that, due to a boiler accident, Cavor had successfully created a Cavorite shield, which had then forced all of the air above the surface of the shield to funnel out into space. This event could have theoretically drained the entire atmosphere of Earth if allowed to continue indefinitely, but fortunately the shield had also been sucked up in the chaos.
- The Building of the Sphere: Cavor comes up with the idea of covering a sphere in Cavorite panels so that they can use it to journey into space and visit the moon. By opening “window blinds” of Cavorite panels, they can use the restored gravitational pull of bodies in space to pull the sphere where they want to go. Bedford is at first skeptical, but then the idea of an interplanetary travel franchise restores his enthusiasm.
- Inside the Sphere: After grabbing some last-minute reading material for the journey, Bedford and Cavor seal themselves in the sphere. The Cavorite is “activated” in a final heating stage and the sphere takes off into space. A sense of weightlessness affects everything inside the capsule.
- The Journey to the Moon: During the journey, Cavor discusses the possibility of insectoid life on the moon. After a while they fall asleep.
- The Landing on the Moon: Cavor uses the shutters to slow the capsule’s descent (using the attraction of the sun), and the sphere eventually lands in the shadow of a crater wall. Inside the sphere, Bedford and Cavor wait for the sun to rise so that it will be warm enough to go outside.
- Sunrise on the Moon: As sunlight spreads over the landscape, the material on which the capsule sits (frozen air) begins to evaporate, which sends the sphere tumbling once more. Fortunately, the travelers are only slightly injured due to the lower gravity of the moon.
- A Lunar Morning: As the sun continues to rise, Bedford and Cavor marvel as the lunar landscape come to life: seed beds burst and grow at amazing speed, instantly producing a colorful flower bed.
- Prospecting Begins: The two men carefully test the atmosphere outside the sphere and discover that breathable air exists on the moon. After a period of leaping amongst the vegetation (with the aid of the low gravity), they realize they have lost sight of the sphere.
- Lost Men in the Moon: While searching for the sphere, the men hear a rhythmic booming sound coming from below. They decide to hide from whatever may emerge from below the surface. They soon hear the “bellowing of great beasts”.
- The Mooncalf Pastures: Gigantic “mooncalfs” (pale, flabby cattle-like creatures) come into view, herded by armored, insectoid “Selenites”. Terrified, Bedford and Cavor desperately search for the sphere. Eventually succumbing to hunger, they begin eating some lunar mushrooms, which causes them to become intoxicated. Emboldened by the food’s effects, Cavor charges the Selenites but falls unconscious. The two men are captured and brought below.
- The Selenite’s Face: The two men awake bound in a chamber and realize that they are a mile underground. Bedford gets a close look at a Selenite.
- Mr. Cavor Makes Some Suggestions: The two men begin blaming each other for their situation. The Selenites eventually give them some slices of mooncalf, which they greedily eat.
- Experiments in Intercourse: The two men are led out of their small chamber into a much larger cavern which is dominated by a gargantuan engine of some sort. In order to demonstrate to the Selenites that the two men are not brainless cattle, Cavor tries to communicate interest in the engine. The Selenites prick the two outraged men with a goad rod.
- The Giddy Bridge: When the men are motioned to cross over a plank bridge into a dark abyss, they resist due to its flimsy, dangerous nature. When one of the Selenites pricks Bedford with its goad again, Bedford explodes in pent up anger and smashes a few of the fragile Selenites. The two men escape into a tunnel which leads towards a glowing light.
- Points of View: Taking a rest in a phosphorescent cavity, the two men debate their next course of action. Cavor believes that the Selenites they have met so far are probably of a “rustic” nature, and that the more advanced members are deeper down inside the moon and may be more sympathetic to communication. Bedford however, has noticed the existence of gold on the moon, and can only think of escaping back to Earth and returning with an armed party in order to plunder it. When sounds of Selenites approach, they ascend further.
- The Fight in the Cave of the Moon Butchers: The men emerge into a cavern where groups of Selenites use axes to harvest meat off of dead moon calves for processing. Soon more Selenites begin to emerge from behind the men, armed with crossbow-like weapons. Meanwhile, the moon butchers begin throwing their hatchets at them. Surrounded, Bedford finds an iron bar and goes on a maddened, murderous rampage. Due to the low gravity, Bedford’s strength is enhanced and he drives off the Selenites.
- In the Sunlight: After Bedford and Cavor finally reach the surface, the two men continue to argue about how this discovery will affect both the moon and Earth. Cavor fears that his scientific breakthrough will result in a great war between men and the Selenites. Nonetheless, the men split up in order to more efficiently search for the sphere.
- Mr. Bedford Alone: Bedford eventually finds the sphere, but when he goes back to inform Cavor, he finds a bloody note, indicating that Cavor has been recaptured by some of the more “civilized” Selenites. With the lunar night coming (and the Selenite cavern entrance now sealed), Bedford barely makes it back to the sphere before he freezes to death.
- Mr. Bedford in Infinite Space: During the ensuing weeks-long journey through space, Bedford begins to lose his sense of self-identity, and struggles to maintain his sanity.
- Mr. Bedford at Littlestone: Bedford lands in the sea near the English shore town of Littlestone. When he finally drifts onto the beach, he goes inside a hotel and orders some food. When news gets around that Bedford has two bars of gold with him (stolen from the Selenites), a curious boy named Tommy Simmons sneaks into the sphere and takes off with it into the sky, never to be heard from again. With his plans of riches (and attempted rescue of Cavor) now shattered, Bedford changes his name to Blake and publishes an account of his travels.
- The Astonishing Communication of Mr. Julius Wendigee: Two years later, an astronomer searching for signals from space begins receiving transmissions from the moon, apparently from Cavor, who has managed to survive amongst the Selenites. Bedford works with Wendigee to decipher and organize the transmissions.
- An Abstract of the Six Messages First Received from Mr. Cavor: To Bedford’s chagrin, Cavor first describes his former traveling partner as being a hot-headed fool. He then continues to describe the interior of the moon as being a kind of hollowed-out sponge, with a great sea at its core. The Selenites breed mooncalves on the surface and harvest bizarre lunar fish from the central sea. They travel back and forth between the surface and the sea (a distance of 200 miles) by balloon.
- The Natural History of the Selenites: Cavor describes Selenite culture: Each member of Selenite society is bred to handle a specific task (such as farming, carrying, thinking, remembering, etc.), and when workers are not needed, they are drugged into complacency. The Selenites have no books, since individual Selenites are bred with gigantic brains which function as living storage devices (organic computers). Selenite young are borne by queens who then distribute the newly-born to celibate nursemaids.
- The Grand Lunar: Cavor is brought before the leader of the Selenites, the Grand Lunar, who is essentially a gigantic brain with eyes supported by a small torso. Cavor is asked to describe how Earth society works, as well as the wars that are fought upon the surface of the planet. The Selenites generally find the ways of man to be inefficient or insanely dangerous. At this point a jamming signal begins to “censor” Cavor’s messages to Earth.
- The Last Message Cavor Sent to the Earth: Cavor reveals to the Selenites that he is the only Earthman who has the secret of Cavorite (and thus, space travel). The Selenites apparently begin actively limiting his transmissions. In his last recorded message, he expresses regret for being so forthcoming to the Selenites and tries to pass on the secret of Cavorite, but this last message is cut off.
