Footprints without Feet

INTRODUCTION

This story is about a scientist. His name was Griffin. One day he discovered a
wonderful drug. This drug could make him invisible. He set his landlord’s house on
fire. Then he took the drug. He became invisible. He could see everybody but
nobody could see him. But it was very cold. He was without clothes. He went into a
store. He passed his night there. He stole money and clothes from there. He went to
a village called Iping. There he stayed at an inn. He stole some money. The police
were called. But he became invisible and escaped from there.

Main Points of the Story

1. Two boys were surprised at the muddy footprints of a pair of bare feet.
2. The boys followed those footmarks until they became fainter and finally
completely disappeared.
3. Griffin was a brilliant scientist who discovered that the human body could
become invisible and transparent.
4. Griffin became a lawless person.
5. His landlord disliked him and wanted to eject him.
6. In revenge, he set his house on fire.
 7. Griffin became a homeless wanderer without clothes and money.
8. The air was bitterly cold in mid-winter and Griffin could not do without clothes.
9. So, he entered a big London store to warm and feed himself
10. The invisible man pleased himself with wine and sweets and fitted himself with
warm clothes. He slept on a pile of quilts.
11. Griffin could be invisible only when he was naked.
12. Next morning, the employees came and saw him because he was dressed up.
13. Griffin ran away and became invisible by throwing off his clothes one by one.
14. He came to Drury Lane where he bandaged himself around the head, dark
glasses, false nose, big bushy side-whiskers and a large hat in a shop.
15. Griffin left crowded London and came to the village of Iping.
16. Mrs. Hall was pleased to have a guest in winter and tried to be friendly with her
guest.
17. The stranger snubbed Mrs. Hall and told her not to disturb her anymore.
18. Griffin had no cash and he burgled a clergyman’s house to get it.
19. The surprised clergyman and his wife found their desks open and the money
missing.
20. They searched for the thief but were surprised not to find him anywhere.
21. One day the landlord and his wife Mrs. Hall, found their guest’s room widely
open which was usually kept shut and locked.
22. They came to the stranger’s room and found his hat hitting into Mrs. Hall’s face.
23. The chair started moving and pushed Mr and Mrs. Hall out of the room.
24. Mrs. Hall felt that the house was haunted by spirits and ghosts. Even the
villagers thought so.
25. One day Mrs. Hall asked her guests what he had been doing to her chair and
how he entered a locked room.
26. The scientist became furious and shouted, “I’ll show you.”
27. Suddenly, he threw off bandages, whiskers, spectacles and even nose.
28. Mrs. Hall and the people in the bar were horrified staring at aheadless man.
29. The constable Jaffers was informed and he came to arrest the stranger.
30. The policeman tried to get a hold of a man who started throwing his garments
one by one and became invisible.
31. Jaffers and the people who came to help him were hit by blows from nowhere.
32. Jaffers was knocked unconscious when he tried to hold on to the unseen
scientist.

Character Sketch - Footprints without Feet

Griffin
 Griffin, the invisible man, is the protagonist of the novel. But his deeds were
more like that of an antagonist. He was an eccentric scientist. Though he was a
gifted scientist, he used his mind in a sinister was. He wanted to unleash a
reign of terror. He devised an experiment to become invisible and then started
looting and murdering whoever came in his way.
He was very irritable and impatient. He lost his temper over pretty things and
started hurting others. He had lost all his sense of conscience and didn’t feel
sorry even after his burglary led to his father’s death. Although he was lonely
and seemed to have been misunderstood from time to time, he failed to gain
sympathy due to his murderous rage and evil ways.

Theme of the Story

The story Footprints without Feet describes the story of a brilliant scientist, Griffin,
who degenerated himself into a lawless person. Griffin discovered that the human
body could become transparent and invisible. But he misused his great discovery. He
did not use the power of invisibility for the welfare of society and humanity at large.
He misused it to threaten, trouble and beat innocent people and rob them. He made
illegal entries in stores and shops and stole things from there. He committed a
burglary in a clergyman’s house in Iping. Griffin remained invisible or unseen only
when he was without clothes. If he puts on clothes, he lost his invisibility and could
be seen by the people around him. The lesson gives a message that misuse of
science and its great discoveries can make even a brilliant scientist like Griffin a
monster and a threatening lawless person.
Worksheet : Footprints without Feet
Q.1. Mrs. Hall felt that the room was haunted by spirits because
(a) She could see evil spirits
(b) She heard a strange noise
(c) Uncanny things happened there
(d) The door slammed shut
Correct Answer is Option (c)

Q.2. The neighbors thought it was ‘witchcraft’. This tells us that neighbors were
(a) Suspicious
(b) Superstitious
(c) Nervous wrecks
(d)Gossip-mongers
Correct Answer is Option (b)

Q.3. Why did Griffin decide to slip into a big London store?
Griffin decided to slip into a big London store, because the season was mid-winter,
due to which it became difficult to wander around without clothes in London.

Q.4. “Griffin was rather a lawless person”. Comment.

Griffin never thought twice before harming anybody. He put his landlord’s house on
fire. Then his stealing acts at shops and later in the village indicate this. When he was
encountered by the landlady of the inn, he threw a chair at her and her husband.
Lawless persons never think about the safety and well-being of others. They are
always preoccupied with their benefits only.

Q.5. How was Griffin a lawless man?

Griffin was lawless because he had committed many anti-social deeds for which he
never felt guilty. He set fire to his landlord’s house and ran away, he stole ‘
foodstuffs and clothes from a London store, stole other goods from a theatrical
company, and also stole money from a clergyman’s house to pay his bills.

Q.6. How did Griffin find himself invisible but naked in the chill January air for
the second time?
As he had overslept in the big London store, when the store opened in the morning
the store assistants came in. Griffin panicked and ran, chased by the assistants. He
had to take off his newly found clothes to become invisible and escape so that he
found himself invisible but naked in the chill January air for the second time.

Q.7. What did Halls see in the scientist’s room?

As the door was open and nobody appeared to be inside, Halls entered the
scientist’s room. They saw that the bedclothes were cold, showing that the scientist
must have been up for some time, and stranger still, the clothes and bandages that
he always wore were lying about the room.
Q.8. Griffin was not a true scientist as he misused his scientific discovery.
Illustrate this point by giving two incidents from the story.
A true scientist is a law-abiding person. A scientist is also called a ‘natural
philosopher’. Griffin was not a true scientist as he did not use his discovery of how to
make himself invisible for good uses. He lost control of himself and behaved like a
criminal. First, he set fire to his landlord’s house and ran away. Then he stole food
without paying for it in a London store. Besides, he robbed the owner of a theatrical
company and stole money from a clergyman’s desk.

Q.9. What extraordinary things happen at the inn?

The landlord of the inn and his wife were surprised to see the doors of Griffin’s room
open. They looked inside and found that nobody was inside the room and decided
to investigate. They found it strange that his room’s door was open as he never liked
anyone even trying to enter his room. All of a sudden, while investigating, Mrs. Hall
heard a sniff next to her ear and was hit by Griffin’s hat on the face. Then the chair in
the room charged toward Mrs. Hall and hit her in her legs. As they both turned in
terror, the chair pushed both of them out of the room and the door was slammed
and suddenly a locking sound was heard. Mrs. Hall was scared and felt that the
furniture was haunted by spirits and it was the stranger’s work. The nearby people
started talking that the work was that witchcraft.

Q.10. Describe the landlord’s and his wife’s experience with the strange
scientist.
Both Mrs. Hall and her husband were surprised to find the scientist’s room door
open because normally it was always locked. So they peeped in but found nobody
there. The clothes and bandages that he always wore were lying about the room.
Suddenly Mrs. Hall heard a sniff close to her ear and the hat on the bedpost leaped
up and dashed itself into her face. Then the bedroom chair sprang into the air and
pushed them both out of the room and then appeared to slam and lock the door
after them. Mrs. Hall became hysterical and almost fell down the stairs. She thought
that her furniture was haunted. They decided to confront the scientist the next time
when they met him.
Short Answer Questions: Footprints
without Feet
Q.1. Why was Mrs. Hall angry with Griffin, the strange scientist?
Ans. Griffin had attacked Mr. and Mrs. Hall and even threw her mother’s chair at her.
Moreover, Griffin had not paid the rent for a long time. This made Mrs. Hall angry.
Q.2. How did Griffin try to get rid of Mrs. Hall’s accusations?
Ans. Griffin got furious with Mrs. Hall’s accusation of stealing money and of not
paying her rent. He threw off his bandages, spectacles and became invisible. He hit
everyone and escaped from there.
Q.3. Why did Griffin set the landlord’s house on fire?
Ans. Griffin was not liked by his landlord. He decided to take revenge on him, so
one day he set his house on fire. Moreover, he did not want anyone to know about
his secret discovery
Q.4. How did Griffin escape from the London store?
Ans. When two attendants of the store discovered Griffin, they chased him. Hence,
in order to protect himself, he threw away his clothes and became invisible and
escaped from the London store.
Q.5. How did Griffin become invisible?
Ans. Griffin swallowed a concoction of certain rare drugs that made his body
transparent like glass, and also, solid as glass.
Q.6. Why were the landlord and his wife surprised to see the scientist’s door
open?
Ans. They were surprised because typically the door to the scientist’s room was shut
and locked, and he would be very angry if anyone entered it.
Q.7. Why did Griffin go inside a big London store?
Ans. Griffin went inside a big London store to gain some warmth, find a place for
the night, and also to put on some clothes.
Q.8. Why did Griffin not get a suitable house to live in?
Ans. Griffin was a lawless person, who was largely disliked by all. When his landlord
tried to evict him, he set fire to the house and escaped due to his invisibility.
Thereafter, it became difficult for him to find a proper place to live in.
Q.9. How did Griffin try to become visible?
Ans. Griffin went into a shop in Drury Lane, the heart of the theatre world, with the
aim of finding something to wear, and becoming visible. He emerged from the shop
wearing bandages round his forehead, dark glasses, a false nose, bushy sideburns
and a large hat.
Q.10. Why were the two boys surprised when they saw the imprints of a pair of
bare feet?
Ans. The two boys could see muddy footprints on the steps of a house in central
London, descending towards the street. It was surprising to see the footprints
without seeing anybody making them.
Q.11. How did he save himself from the chasing staff of the store?
Ans. When Griffin saw that the salesmen of the store were coming near him, he took
off all his clothes and became invisible. He did not have any other choice to save
himself.
Q.12. What was so strange about the furniture of Mrs. Hall?
Or
Why was Mrs. Hall hysterical and fell down the stairs?
Ans. When Mrs. Hall went to see the invisible man in his room, she found the
bedroom chair became alive, springing into the air, it charged straight into her. Then
the chair pushed both husband and wife out of the room. She felt that spirits have
entered into her furniture and she became hysterical.
Q.13. What did he do inside the shop?
Ans. Inside the London store, Griffin wore woolen clothes. He wore shoes, an
overcoat and a hat. He ate cold meat and drank coffee. He enjoyed sweets and wine
also. Then he slept on a pile of quilts.
Q.14. What happened when Griffin didn’t wake up in time?
Ans. Griffin entered a big London store. There he slept on a pile of quilts. The next
morning he did not wake up in time. The shop assistants opened the door. They
found Griffin sleeping.
Q.15. How did he escape from the London store?
Ans. Griffin got up and tried to escape. The assistants ran after him. But Griffin took
off his clothes one by one. He became invisible and escaped.
Q.16. What did Griffin do in the shop of a theatrical company?
Ans. Griffin entered the shop of a theatrical company. He wore bandages round his
forehead. Then he wore dark glasses, a false nose and a big hat. He put side
whiskers also. Then he attacked the shopkeeper. He robbed him of his money and
came out.
Q.17. Why were the landlord and his wife surprised to see the scientist’s door
wide open?
Ans. The scientist always kept his room locked. He got angry if anybody tried to
enter his room. So, the landlord and his wife were surprised when they found his
door wide open. It was an unusual thing.
Q.18. What did the scientist do when he became furious? Why were the people
in the bar horrified?
Ans. The scientist became angry. He took off his bandages, false nose and side
whiskers. But he was still wearing his clothes. The people in the bar were horrified
when they saw a headless man.
Q.19. What happens to the constable?
Ans. The policeman tried to catch Griffin. But he looked a headless man. Griffin hit
the constable. Then Griffin took off his clothes and became totally invisible. The
constable was hit by unseen blows. Griffin knocked him unconscious.
Q.20. Why did Griffin set the house of the landlord on fire?
Ans. Griffin was a lawless man. His landlord disliked him. He tried to eject him from
his house. Griffin became angry. He wanted to take revenge upon him. So he set fire
to his house.
Q.21. What reason did Griffin give Mrs. Hall for coming to Iping?
Ans. Griffin told Mrs. The hall that he had come to Iping for having rest. He said that
he did not want to be disturbed in his work. He told her that his face had been
affected in an accident.
Q.22. What did Griffin do in the house of the clergyman?
Ans. Griffin ran short of money. He decide to steal it from the clergyman’s house. He
entered the house invisibly and stole money from his desk.
Q.23. How did Griffin become a homeless wanderer without clothes?
Ans. Griffin was a lawless scientist. He wanted to take revenge on his landlord. He
set his house on fire. Then he took some rare drugs. He became invisible. He took
off his clothes and came out. Thus he became a homeless wanderer without clothes.
Q.24. Why was the time bad for Griffin, the scientist, to become invisible?
Ans. Griffin removed his clothes and became invisible. It was the month of January.
The air was very cold. He started shivering with cold. Thus the time was bad for
Griffin to become invisible.
Q.25. How did Griffin save himself from the cold of January?
Ans. Griffin was shivering with cold. He entered a big store. After some time, the
store was closed. Griffin Wore warm clothes. Then he slept on a pile of quilts. Thus
he saved himself from the cold.
Q.26. Why was there an empty space above the shoulders even when Griffin
was fully clothed?
Ans. Griffin’s body had become totally invisible. He became fully clothed. But the
space over his shoulders remained uncovered. Therefore, there was an empty space
above his shoulders.
Q.27. What discovery did Griffin make?
Ans. Griffin was a brilliant scientist. He made some experiments to show that the
human body could be made transparent. At last, he discovered a rare drug. He took
this drug and his body became as transparent as a sheet of glass.
Q.28. Why were the two boys in London surprised and fascinated?
Ans. The two boys in London saw the muddy footprints. The footprints were fresh.
But they could not see any man. The footprints moved on. Soon these prints
disappeared. So, the two boys were surprised and fascinated.
Q.29. The scientist (Griffin) slipped into a big London store because:
(a) he wanted to rob the shop.
(b) he wanted to buy clothes.
(c) the cold was unbearable.
(d) he was very hungry.
Or
Why did Griffin slip into a big London store?
Ans. Griffin slipped into a big London store because the cold was unbearable.
Q.30. Why were the two boys surprised and fascinated?
Ans.The two boys were highly surprised. They saw fresh muddy imprints of a pair of
bare feet. They wondered what a barefooted man doing on the steps of a house in
the middle of London. They saw only the footsteps but didn’t see the man whose
marks they were. As they gazed, a fresh foot mark appeared from nowhere. The boys
followed them fascinated. The marks became fainter and disappeared altogether.
Q.31. What was the explanation of the mystery of the footmarks? Who was
responsible for them?
Ans.The explanation of the mystery of the footmarks was really simple enough.
Those footmarks were of a scientist. He was Griffin. Griffin carried out many
experiments. He succeeded in proving that the human body could become invisible.
Those were the footmarks of the invisible scientist Griffin.
Q.32. How did Griffin succeed in becoming invisible? What was the result of his
experiments?
Ans.Griffin was a brilliant scientist. He had carried out an experiment after
experiment. He wanted to prove that the human body could become invisible. His
experiments succeeded. He swallowed certain rare drugs. His body became as
transparent as a sheet of glass. Its status didn’t undergo any change. It remained
solid as glass.
Q.33. How and why did a brilliant scientist like Griffin degenerate into a lawless
and homeless wanderer?
Ans.There can’t be any doubt that Griffin was a brilliant scientist. After all, the man
who discovered invisibility of the human body couldn’t be an ordinary person. But
he misused the discovery. He utilised it for his petty interests. He indulged in petty
thefts, burglaries and beatings of innocent persons. He made illegal and unlawful
entries in stores and shops only to feed and dress without paying anything. All these
illegal activities made him a lawless person and an anarchist.
Q.34. How did Griffin become a homeless wanderer without clothes and
money?
Or
Who set his landlord’s house on fire and why?
Ans. Invisibility made Griffin a lawless person. He was living in a rented house in
London. His landlord disliked him. He tried to eject Griffin. The scientist was
determined to take revenge. In revenge, Griffin set fire to the house. Now he
became a homeless wanderer without money. To become invisible, he had to
remove his clothes completely.
Q.35. What made Griffin enter a big store in London?
Or
What did the clothless and homeless wanderer Griffin decided to get warmth
in mid-winter?
Ans. Griffin was a homeless wanderer without money. He had to be without clothes
to remain invisible. It was a bad time of the year for such a person in London. It was
mid-winter. The air was bitterly cold. He couldn’t do without clothes. So, he decided
to slip into a big London store for warmth.
Q.36. What did Griffin do in a big store in London?
Ans.First of all, a cloth less wanderer in mid-winter needed some warmth. As the
doors of a big London store were shut, Griffin first looked for clothes. He broke open
boxes and fitted himself out with warm clothes. He became fully dressed in shoes,
an overcoat and a hat. Then he fed himself on cold meat, coffee, sweets and wine
taken from the grocery store. Finally, he lay down to sleep on a pile of quilts.
Q.37. What mistake did Griffin make while he was in a big London store? What
should have he done?
Or
Why did Griffin find himself invisible and naked in chill January again after
running from the big London store?
Ans. No doubt, Griffin got what he was searching for in the big London store. He
dressed fully and fed himself on cold meat, wine etc. He lay down comfortably and
slept on a pile of quilts. Had he woken up early before the coming of the employees
in the morning, all might have been well. Fully dressed, he was easily seen now. He
panicked and began to run. He was able to escape only by throwing all his clothes
away. So, once more, Griffin found himself invisible but naked in the chilly January
air.
Q.38. Why did Griffin hurry to Drury Lane, the center of the theatre world?
Ans.The invisible but naked Griffin decided to try the stock of a theatrical company
in London. He hoped of not only finding clothes for himself but also something that
would hide the empty space above his shoulder. He hurried to Drury Lane, the
center of the theatre world. He made his way, invisible, upstairs. He came out a little
later. He was wearing bandages around his forehead, dark glasses, a false nose, big
bushy side-whiskers, and a large hat.
Q.39. Why did Griffin decided to leave London and come to the village of Iping?
Ans.Griffin wanted to get away from crowded London. He wanted to live alone in
isolation away from the searching eyes of the people. So he took a train to the
village of Iping. He wanted to lead a peaceful and undisturbed life in the village. He
booked two rooms at the local inn.
Q.40. How did the arrival of Griffin at the Iping inn was taken by the people
and the landlady Mrs. Hall?
Ans.Griffin arrived at an inn in the village of Iping in winter. It was quite an unusual
event in that season. Moreover, the stranger was of an unusual appearance. It set all
tongues wagging in the village. Mrs. Hall, the landlord’s wife, tried to be friendly
with him but was snubbed. She was prepared to excuse Griffin’s strange habits and
irritable temper because the eccentric scientist had paid her in advance.
Q.41. Why did the landlady Mrs. Hall try to be friendly and prepared to excuse
Griffin’s irritable habits?
Ans.It was winter. It was quite unusual to visit Iping in winter. So, Mrs. Hall, the
landlady felt obliged to get a guest in such a season. So, she tried to be friendly with
him. Griffin snubbed her and asked her not to disturb him for nothing. Mrs. Hall was
prepared to excuse the strange guest because he had paid her in advance. She
thought him an eccentric scientist. She tolerated the strange habits and irritable
manner of the eccentric scientist.
Q.42. Why did Griffin have to burgle a clergyman’s house in Iping?
Ans. All the stolen money didn’t last long. He had no more ready cash. He
pretended to Mrs. Hall that he was expecting a cheque to arrive at any moment. He
needed money immediately. The burglary committed by Griffin in a clergyman’s
house very early in the morning was a desperate attempt to steal some cash.
Q.43. Describe the burglary committed very early in the morning at a
clergyman’s house in ping.
Ans.A clergyman and his wife were awakened by the noises in the study. When they
came downstairs, they heard the chink of money being taken from the clergyman’s
desk. He flung open the door and cried, “Surrender!” They were surprised to realise
that the room was empty. The desk was open and money missing. They looked
under the desk, behind the curtains and even up the chimney. They found nobody
anywhere. The poor couple couldn’t realise that the invisible man, Griffin, decamped
unseen with the money.
Q.44. What did Mr. and Mrs. Hall do when they found Griffin’s room wide
open? Why were they surprised?
Ans.The landlord and his wife woke up early. They were surprised to see the
scientist’s door wide open. Usually, it was shut and locked. He was furious if anyone
entered his room. They peeked around but found nobody. The bedclothes were
cold. It meant that the scientist must have woken up long ago. The bandages and
clothes that the stranger always wore were lying about in the room.
Q.45. Describe the strange behavior of Mrs. Hall’s furniture. How did the chair
start moving and push Mr. and Mrs. Hall out of the room?
Ans.All of a sudden, Mrs. Hall heard a sniff close to her ear. A moment the hat on
the bed-post of Griffin’s room leapt up. It dashed itself into her face. Then, the
bedroom chair started moving. Mrs. Hall and her husband turned away in terror. The
chair pushed them both out of the room. The door was locked after them. All these
strange activities were done by the invisible man.
Q.46. Why did Mrs. Hall think that the room was haunted by ghosts? What did
the neighbors think about the strange incident, the movement of furniture in
the stranger’s room?
Ans.Mrs. Hall was highly surprised and terrified to see the furniture in her guest’s
room moving and dancing. She saw how out chair the prior, should an uh der the dd
ohoerr whuss bsahnudt and locked. She thought that the room was haunted by
spirits and ghosts. The stranger had somehow caused those spirits to enter into her
furniture. The neighbors thought that the trouble was caused by witchcraft.
Q.47. What and why did Griffin show himself to Mrs. Hall and why were the
people in the bar horrified?
Ans.Mrs. Hall wanted to know how the stranger came out of an empty room and
how he entered a locked room. And what he had been doing to her chair upstairs.
This made Griffin furious and he cried, “Very well—I’ll show you.” Suddenly he threw
off bandages, whiskers, spectacles and even nose. Mrs. Hall was shocked and the
people in the bar were horrified and found themselves staring at a headless man!
Q.48. Why did no one know where to lay hands on Griffin during the encounter
of the invisible man with the constable, Mr. Jaffers?
Ans. Mr. Jaffers was informed and he arrived to arrest Griffin. He was quite surprised
to find that he had to arrest a man without a head. The policeman ran to get hold of
a man who was throwing off one garment after another. At last, Griffin became
invisible when he threw off his shirt finally in the air. The constable was struggling to
arrest him. Those who came to Jaffer’s help were hit by blows that came from
nowhere. Jaffers was knocked down unconscious. Griffin had shaken himself free
and no one knew where to lay hands on him.

Long Answer Questions: Footprints without

Feet
Q.1. How would you assess Griffin as a scientist and a human being? What
qualities or values would you suggest will make him a better person?
Ans.
Griffin was an eccentric scientist who had discovered a rare drug that could
make him invisible. Griffin became invisible not for the welfare of the society
but to satisfy his own ego and carry out satanic deeds.
 He was a brilliant scientist but not a law-abiding person. He was a criminal
scientist who had no respect for humanity. He stole money from the
clergyman’s house, set the landlord’s house on fire and even killed his father
for his own benefit.
He was also not a good human being. He was rude to everyone. When
everyone asked about his secret, he hit them and escaped becoming invisible. I
would like to suggest him to imbibe empathy, kindness, helpfulness, honesty,
generosity, social responsibility, etc. These values will make him a better
person. He should have used his discovery for the benefit of society and his
country.

Q.2. Mrs. Hall found the scientist rather eccentric. How can he be helped to
lead a normal life? Highlight the values that can help him become a better
person.
Ans.
Griffin was an eccentric scientist who had come to Ping in a desire for solitude.
He did not wish to be disturbed and moreover, he had come to the town at
that time of winter when no one comes.
 Mrs. Hall found him eccentric also because of his looks. He was overdressed
with all parts of his body covered. He was wearing dark glasses, big bushy side-
whiskers and a large hat all the time, even at night.
He could be helped to lead a normal life by guiding him patiently. He should
be counseled to work for the welfare of society. The values of empathy, social
responsibility, kindness, helpfulness, honesty to his profession, generosity can
help Griffin to become a better person.
Q.3. Griffin was his own enemy. What typical traits of his character led to his
downfall? Mention some of the values he should have possessed.
Ans. Griffin was truly his own enemy. He was short-tempered, violent and lawless.
Being a person prone to anger, and a scientist, proved to be a dangerous
combination. He would attack without provocation, as he did the Drury Lane
shopkeeper. Despite being invisible, he was careless enough to be ‘discovered’
stealing at the clergyman’s house. Thus, all these character flaws, i.e., inexplicable
anger, aggression, hostility, restlessness, vexation and uncontrolled behavior led to
his downfall.
Q.4. Griffin’s unlawful activities devalue his scientific discovery. What are some
of the qualities that he should develop?
Ans. Griffin was a scientist who had actually made a major discovery, that of
invisibility. However, his illegal activities greatly undermined his discovery. People
were afraid of him and did not recognize his achievement due to his anger and
violent nature. Griffin ought to have been more tolerant and patient. Instead of
terrorizing people with his discovery, he should have exercised discretion, and
gradually revealed himself to the world. Patience would have been an asset for him,
as would have common sense!
Q.5. How did Griffin steal money from the clergyman’s house? How did he
escape arrest?
Or
Narrate the adventure of Griffin in the village Iping.
Ans.
Griffin came to live at village Aping. One day, he ran short of money. He had to
pay rent to the innkeeper. He made himself invisible. He entered the
clergyman’s house. He took money from the desk. When he was taking away
the money, the clergyman and his wife heard the sound. They came downstairs
to look into the matter. They opened the door and looked into the room. But
nobody was there.
 Griffin came back to his room and paid the dues to the landlady. But the
neighbors suspected Griffin. Mrs. Hall called a policeman. He tried to arrest
Griffin. But Griffin made himself invisible and escaped arrest.
Q.6. What was the curious episode that took place in the clergyman’s study?
Ans.
One day, early in the morning some sounds came from the study. The
clergyman and his wife were awakened. They came downstairs. They heard the
chink of money from the study. It was clear that someone was taking away
money from the clergyman’s desk. The clergyman took a poker in his hand. He
carefully opened the door.
He expected to find a thief in the room. So he shouted and asked the man to
give in. But he found the room empty. They were surprised. He and his wife
looked under the desk. They looked behind the curtains. They even checked
the chimney. But they did not find anybody. However, the desk had been
opened. They found that money was missing from the desk. This was really a
curious episode.
Q.7. Why did Griffin enter the big London store? What did he do there? How he
was finally obliged to leave it?
Or
Describe Griffin’s adventures in a London store?
Ans.
Griffin set fire to his landlord’s house. Then he took a drug and became
invisible. But he had to remove his clothes. It was the middle of winter. The air
was very cold. He reached a London store.
Before the closing time, he entered the store. After some time, the store was
closed. Now he was free. He broke open boxes and wrappers. He took out
some clothes and wore them. He was feeling hungry. So he went into the
kitchen. He ate cold meat and drank coffee. Then he lay on a pile of quilts.
The next morning, he did not get up in time. The shop assistants reached. They
found Griffin sleeping on quilts. He woke up and tried to run away. The
servants ran after him. Griffin again took off his clothes one by one. He became
invisible once again. Thus, he was able to save himself.
Q.8. Why was the arrival of the stranger in a village in an unusual event? Give
two reasons.
Ans.
Griffin was a scientist. He reached the village inn in winter. He was a stranger in
that village. It was not a proper time to visit the village. People did not come
here in winter. So the event was unusual.
 Secondly, Griffin looked very strange. He was wearing dark glasses, a false nose
and a big hat. His forehead was covered with bandages. He did not talk to
anyone in the village. He said that he wanted to live alone. He asked Mrs. Hall
not to disturb him. The people of the village were attracted towards his strange
appearance and habits. Thus, his coming to the village was an unusual event.
Q.9. Describe the policeman’s fight with the invisible man.
Or
Describe the scene when Mr. Jaffers tries to arrest “a man without ahead”?
Ans. One day. Griffin stole money from the clergyman’s house. The people of the
village suspected Griffin. They thought that he had stolen the money. Mrs. Hall
called a policeman. When the policeman reached there, he was surprised. Griffin had
removed his spectacles, false nose and side-whiskers. Now, he looked headless. The
policeman was surprised as he had to arrest a headless man. He tried to catch
Griffin. But Griffin started taking off his clothes one by one. He was becoming more
and more invisible. In the end, he became totally invisible. The constable tried to
fight with him. Some villagers also tried to help the policeman. But they received
blows from nowhere. Then Griffin hit the policeman. He fell unconscious. Then
Griffin became free and walked out.
Q.10. Give a character sketch of Griffin. Why did his discovery of invisibility
make the brilliant scientist a lawless person who brought sufferings to himself
and the people around him?
Or
Was Griffin a true scientist in spite of his great discovery? Didn’t he misuse his
discovery for his petty gains and thefts rather than for the welfare of humanity?
Or
Griffin’s great discovery did not make him a popular and respectable person.
Explain with examples from the text. Was he a disaster for himself and for
society?
Ans.
No doubt, Griffin was a brilliant and competent scientist. He discovered that
the human body could become invisible and transparent as a sheet of glass. It
was the result of his long and constant experimentation. However, he misused
his discovery only for his personal gains, committing theft and burglaries and
beating and robbing innocent persons. He could have earned fame and
respect had he utilised his great discovery for the welfare of humanity. But
activities made him a lawless person and an anarchist.
Griffin proved how the misuse of science and its great discoveries can be
misused. An eccentric scientist can degenerate himself into a lawless anarchist.
He can become devilish and a disaster for himself and society. Lawlessness and
anarchist behavior make him a homeless wanderer, without clothes and
money. He has to remain without clothes even in the chilly weather of mid-
winter to remain invisible. He has to make illegal entries and burglaries in a
clergyman’s house, a big store in London and a shop in Drury Lane. This brings
him to disrepute and dishonour instead of fame and respect.
Q.11. Why were the two boys surprised and fascinated when they saw fresh
muddy imprints of a pair of bare feet? What was the explanation of this
mystery and who was causing it and why?
Or
Why did Griffin have to remain without clothes and naked even in the chilly
weather of mid-winter?
Ans.
 The two boys were highly surprised and fascinated. They saw fresh muddy
imprints of a pair of feet. They wondered how those footmarks came there.
They were surprised not to see the man who caused those footprints. They
only followed them till they grew fainter and finally disappeared.
The explanation of the mystery was simple. Those were the footmarks of a
brilliant but eccentric scientist Griffin. Griffin had carried out an experiment
after experiment to prove that the human body could become transparent and
invisible like a sheet of glass. He discovered certain rare drugs. He swallowed
them and his body became invisible and transparent like glass.
But this invisibility was possible only when he didn’t wear any clothes. If
dressed up, he could lose his invisibility. He could be seen by others if he was
not naked. So his invisibility became a curse for Griffin. He had to be without
clothes in the chilly weather of mid-winter. This made him a homeless
wanderer without clothes and without money. He had become a lawless man
committing thefts and burglaries to clothe and feed himself.
Q.12. How did Griffin become a homeless wanderer, without clothes and
without money? What did he do in revenge and what was the result?
Or
Why did Griffin set fire to his landlord’s house? What difficulties did he face
after that?
Ans.
No doubt, Griffin was a brilliant scientist. He had a great discovery to his credit.
He discovered how to make human body transparent and invisible. It was the
result of his long researches and experimentations. However, success went to
his head. He misused the power of being invisible to settle personal scores
with the people. The revenge he took with his landlord speaks of his
degenerated mentality. He became a lawless person and an anarchist.
Griffin’s landlord didn’t like him. He wanted to eject him. Griffin was furious
and decided to take revenge. In revenge, he set the house of the landlord on
fire. After setting the house on fire, he had to escape without being arrested.
To get away without being seen, he had to remove his clothes. So, he took off
his clothes, became invisible and ran away.
But Griffin had to bear the consequences of his misdirected revenge. He
became a homeless wanderer, without clothes and without money in the chilly
weather of mid-winter. He had to make an illegal entry and resort to a burglary
in a store in London to warm himself with clothes and to feed himself. His
regeneration was complete.
Q.13. Why did Griffin have to resort to a burglary at the house of a clergyman
in the village of Iping?
Ans.
Griffin had booked two rooms at the local inn in the village of Iping. The
landlady Mrs. Hall tolerated the strange habits and irritable temper of her
strange guest because he had paid her in advance. But the stolen money didn’t
last long. Griffin had no more ready cash. He pretended to Mrs. Hall that he
was expecting a cheque to arrive at any moment. Griffin had to find ready cash.
So, the result was the burglary at a clergyman’s house.
Very early in the morning, the clergyman and his wife were awakened by the
noises in the study. When they came downstairs, they heard the chink of
money being taken from the clergyman’s desk. Without making any noise, the
clergyman flung open the door shouting, “Surrender!” But he was amazed to
find the room empty. He and his wife looked under the desk and behind the
curtains. They even looked up the chimney. There was no sign of anybody. Yet,
the desk had been opened and the money was missing. The clergyman could
only utter, “Extraordinary affair!” The invisible man had already decamped with
the cash.
Q.14. Why did Griffin leave London and came to live in the village of Iping?
How was he received there?
Ans.
Griffin was eager to get away from crowded London. There he could be an
easy target of so many searching eyes. Therefore, he took a train to the village
lonte’ So, the landlady Mrs. Hall was more than happy to receive him. She
tried to be friendly with him. However, Griffin snubbed her. He told clearly that
his reason for coming to Iping was “a desire for solitude”. He didn’t want to be
disturbed. He also told that an accident had affected his face.
Mrs. Hall was convinced that her strange guest was an eccentric scientist. She
excused his strange habits and irritable behavior because he had paid her in
advance. The opinion of the people towards Griffin changed after the burglary
in the clergyman’s house and the strange behavior of Mrs. Hall’s furniture.
Mrs. Hall thought that the room was haunted by spirits and her guest Griffin
had caused those spirits to enter into her furniture. The neighbors thought that
the trouble was caused by witchcraft. The news of the burglary at the
clergyman’s house made them suspect that it was caused by the stranger.
Griffin had no money earlier but when he produced ready cash suddenly, their
suspicion rested on him.
Q.15.When and how did the landlady Mrs. Hall and her husband see their
furniture moving and behaving strangely in the stranger’s room? What was the
result?
Ans.
The landlord and his wife were up very early. They were surprised to see the
scientist’s room widely open. Usually, it was shut and locked. They decided to
investigate. They peeped round the door but found nobody. In the room, the
bedclothes were cold. That proved that Griffin had woken up quite early. They
found the clothes and bandages that he always wore lying about the room. All
of a sudden, Mrs. Hall heard a sniff very close to her ear. A moment later the
hat leaped up from the bedpost. It dashed itself into Mrs. Hall’s face. Then the
bedroom chair started moving. She and her husband turned away in terror.
The `extraordinary chair’ pushed both of them out of the room. Then the door
was shut and locked after them. Mrs. Hall almost fell down the stairs. She was
very nervous and confused. She was convinced that the room was haunted by
spirits. The stranger, Griffin had caused those spirits to enter into her furniture.
Her mother used to sit in the chair which rose up against her. The feeling
among the neighbors was that the trouble was caused by witchcraft.
Q.16. Describe Griffin’s encounter with the village constable Jaffers. Why did
nobody lay his hands on Griffin?
Ans.
The village constable Jaffers had been informed about the wrongdoings of the
stranger staying at the inn. And he appeared on the scene. He was completely
surprised to find that he had to arrest a man without a head. But Jaffers was a
determined person. He couldn’t be easily prevented from doing his duty. There
followed a wonderful scene. The policeman tried to get hold of Griffin.
As he came near, Griffin started throwing off his clothes one after another. As
Griffin threw off his clothes more invisible he became. Finally, a shirt flew into
the air and Griffin became absolutely invisible. The constable was trying to
catch hold of a person whom he couldn’t see at all. Some people tried to help
Jaffers. They were beaten back by the invisible man.
In the end, Jaffers made the last attempt to hold on to the unseen scientist,
Griffin. Jaffers was knocked down unconscious. The people were nervous and
excited. They were crying, “Hold him!” Griffin had shaken himself free. No one
knew where to lay hands on Griffin.
Q.17. How did invisibility help Griffin in escaping on different occasions in the
story? When did invisibility become a curse for Griffin?
Ans.
 Griffin, once a brilliant scientist, had worked hard to discover that the human
body could become transparent and invisible. He didn’t utilise this great
discovery for the welfare of the society but only for his petty crimes, thefts and
burglaries. He became a lawless man hitting, beating and robbing innocent
people. But invisibility helped him in escaping when there was a danger of his
being caught and arrested.
The first time when his invisibility helped Griffin was when he lay asleep fully
dressed on a pile of quilts. In a big London store, when the employees saw
him, he panicked. When he was being chased, he threw away all his clothes
and saved himself after being invisible.
The second time Griffin’s invisibility helped him was when he burgled a
clergyman’s house. He decamped with all the money that was in the
clergyman’s desk. The invisible Griffin created a scene when he hit Mrs. Hall
with a hat into her face and pushed both of them out by using a chair. This led
Mrs. Hall to think that her house was haunted by spirits.
In revenge, Griffin had set the house of his landlord in London on fire. He had
to throw off all his clothes to become invisible and save himself Finally when
the village constable Jaffers came to arrest him, he made him unconscious and
hit all those who came to his help. Nobody knew how to face an invisible man.
But invisibility was also a curse for him. He had to be without clothes to
become invisible. And to be without clothes in the chilly weather was very
challenging and dangerous. Invisibility made him a lawless and homeless
wanderer, without clothes and without money.
Q.18. Describe Griffin’s adventures or misadventures in the village of Iping.
Why did he come there?
Ans.
Griffin left crowded London to live peacefully in the village of Iping. He wanted
to be away from the searching eyes of the people of crowded London. He had
booked two rooms at a local inn. Mrs. Hall, the landlady was snubbed when
she tried to be friendly with him. He had no ready money now. So in order to
get the much-needed ready money, he burgled into the house of the
clergyman in Iping.
 The clergyman and his wife heard the chink of money being taken from their
desk. They were helpless as the invisible man, Griffin was doing all this. They
only found the desk open and all their money missing. Griffin’s adventures
didn’t end here. He threatened Mrs. Hall and her husband by hitting them with
his hat and the bedroom chair. He forced them out of the room. Poor Mrs. Hall
thought that the house was haunted by spirits. Her strange guest had caused
those spirits to enter into her furniture.
When Mrs. Hall tried to question him how he entered a locked room, Griffin
became furious. He threw away his bandages, whiskers, spectacles and false
nose. She and the people in the bar found themselves staring at a headless
man!
The most remarkable adventure of Griffin in Iping was his encounter with the
village constable Jailers. When Jailers came to arrest him, he threw away all his
clothes and became invisible. The constable found himself struggling with
someone he could not see at all. The invisible man Griffin hit all those with his
mighty blows who came to help Jailers. In the end, Jailers was knocked down
unconscious. Griffin had shaken himself free and no one knew where to lay
hands on the invisible Griffin.
Q.19. Give a character-sketch of Mrs. Hall.
Ans. (a) Mrs. Hall Welcomes the Guest: The arrival of a strange guest in winter at
the local inn in Iping was quite an unusual event. So Mrs. Hall, the landlady, was very
pleased to receive her strange guest.
(b) Tries to Make him Comfortable: Like a good landlady, Mrs. Hall tries to make
her strange guest quite comfortable. She even tries to be friendly with him.
However, she is snubbed as Griffin doesn’t want to be disturbed by anyone. He
wants to live in solitude and peace.
(c) Prepared to Excuse Griffin’s Strange Habits and Irritable Behavior: Mrs. Hall
was convinced that her guest was an eccentric scientist. She was prepared to excuse
his strange habits and irritable temper. The reason was quite simple. Griffin had paid
her in advance. Such a guest in the lean season was a blessing for the landlady.
(d) Believes in Spirits: When Mrs. Hall noticed the strange behavior of her furniture
in her guest’s room she was shocked and surprised. She saw the hat flying up and
hitting her face. She saw the bedroom chair-throwing her and her husband out of
the room. She was convinced that the room was haunted by spirits. The stranger had
caused those spirits to enter into her furniture.
(e) Dares to Question Griffin: Mrs. Hall dared to question even the eccentric
scientist, Griffin. She asked what he had been doing to her chair. She also asked how
he entered a locked room. She made him furious. Suddenly, he threw off bandages,
whiskers, spectacles and the false nose. She and the people in the bar were shocked
to find themselves staring at a headless man.