Book Anatomy · The Invisible Man
The Invisible Man: Pace
16 lenses on pace for The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D11 D12 D13 D14 D15 D16
D1. Chapter length in words, as a chart. Count
28 chapters, median 1,771 words. See the full lens on the book page.
D2. Mean sentence length per chapter. Count
Mean 12.2 words. See the full lens on the book page.
D3. Paragraph length per chapter. Count
Paragraphs average 43 words.
Mean paragraph words, chapter by chapter
D4. Scene against summary: how much is shown live? AI
The book is heavily scene-based, especially chapters 1 to 12 and 24 to 28. Chapters 19 to 23 shift to Griffin's extended narrative summary of his past, breaking the live action pattern.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 7, Ch 12, Ch 19, Ch 24, Ch 28
For the most part he was quite still during that time; it would seem he sat in the growing darkness smoking in the firelight (Ch 1, para 35)
From the moment when the Invisible Man screamed with rage and Mr. Bunting made his memorable flight up the village, it became impossible to give a consecutive account of affairs in Iping. (Ch 12, para 49)
I found a general principle of pigments and refraction—a formula, a geometrical expression involving four dimensions. (Ch 19, para 23)
D5. Action against reflection, per chapter. AI
Early chapters (1 to 12) balance action and reflection through dialogue and character reaction. Middle chapters (19 to 23) are almost pure reflection as Griffin recounts his story. Final chapters (24 to 28) return to action with minimal reflection.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 19, Ch 24
Don’t move, little men,” whispered a voice, “or I’ll brain you both! (Ch 11, para 27)
I found a general principle of pigments and refraction—a formula, a geometrical expression involving four dimensions. (Ch 19, para 23)
And it is killing we must do, Kemp. (Ch 24, para 27)
D6. Tension score per chapter (1 to 5) as a curve. AI
Peak 5 of 5, mean 4.0. See the full lens on the book page.
D7. Emotional arc of the whole book, matched to the six shapes. Count
Riches to rags (fall). See the full lens on the book page.
D8. Chapter endings: cliffhanger, question, reveal or quiet close. AI
22 of 28 chapters end on a hook. See the full lens on the book page.
D9. Chapter openings: in scene, in summary, or after a time jump. AI
Most chapters open in scene with immediate action or dialogue. Chapters 13, 15, 18, 21, 25, 26 open in summary or after time jumps. Chapter 8 opens with a new character encountering the invisible man mid-flight.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 8, Ch 13, Ch 18, Ch 25, Ch 26
He was a shortish little man, and he wore a high hat, and he was running so fast that his legs verily twinkled. (Ch 15, para 3)
raging and despairing at his intolerable fate, and sheltering at last, heated and weary, amid the thickets of Hintondean (Ch 26, para 2)
D10. Do chapters and sentences get shorter near the climax? Count
In the last fifth, chapters run at 1.1 times the length of earlier ones, and sentences at 1.05 times. So the end does not speed up by these measures.
D11. Dialogue density against pace. Count
Link between dialogue share and chapter length: 0.25 (1 is a perfect match, 0 none). Between dialogue share and tension: -0.3.
Dialogue % per chapter, chapter by chapter
D12. Time jumps and how they are signalled. Both
3 time jump phrases in the narration, such as 'next morning' or 'years later'.
| Where | Phrase |
|---|---|
| c2p44 | next day |
| c3p2 | Next day |
| c14p2 | next morning |
Time jump phrases, chapter by chapter
Ch 2, para 44: Instead of “seeing ’bout it,” however, Hall on his return was severely rated by his wife on the length of time he had spent in Sidderbridge, and his …
Ch 3, para 2: So it was that on the twenty-ninth day of February, at the beginning of the thaw, this singular person fell out of infinity into Iping village. Next day …
Ch 14, para 2: Ten o’clock the next morning found Mr. Marvel, unshaven, dirty, and travel-stained, sitting with the books beside him and his hands deep in his pockets, looking very weary, …
Time jumps are signalled through summary passages and scene breaks. Chapter 13 jumps to the next day with Marvel and Griffin travelling. Chapter 18 uses newspaper reading to compress time. Chapter 26 summarises the manhunt across days.
Chapters: Ch 13, Ch 18, Ch 26
The unhappy-looking figure in the obsolete silk hat passed up the street of the little village with his burdens, and vanished into the gathering darkness beyond the lights of the windows. (Ch 13, para 40)
Barred out of my own bedroom, by a flagrant absurdity!” he said. (Ch 18, para 9)
In the night, he must have eaten and slept; for in the morning he was himself again, active, powerful, angry, and malignant, prepared for his last great struggle against the world. (Ch 26, para 13)
D13. Info dump spots: long runs with no action or speech. Both
0 stretches of 900 words or more with no speech at all. These are where description, summary or backstory pile up.
Chapters 19 to 23 contain long info dumps where Griffin explains his scientific discovery and past without action or dialogue interruption. Chapter 25 has extended planning dialogue between Kemp and Adye with no action.
Chapters: Ch 19, Ch 20, Ch 21, Ch 22, Ch 23, Ch 25
I found a general principle of pigments and refraction—a formula, a geometrical expression involving four dimensions. (Ch 19, para 23)
flesh, Kemp, hair, Kemp, nails and nerves, Kemp, in fact the whole fabric of a man except the red of his blood and the black pigment of hair, are all made up of transparent, colourless tissue. (Ch 19, para 32)
Fired the house. It was the only way to cover my trail—and no doubt it was insured. (Ch 20, para 56)
D14. Reading time per chapter. Count
About 3.3 hours to read at 250 words a minute. The longest chapter takes 14.1 minutes.
Minutes per chapter, chapter by chapter
D15. Micro tension in quiet scenes. AI
Quiet scenes gain tension through mystery and dread. Chapter 1 uses the stranger's silence and wrappings to unsettle. Chapter 18 uses Kemp's locked-out anxiety. Chapter 21 uses Griffin's reflection on invisibility's harsh reality.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 18, Ch 21
For the most part he was quite still during that time; it would seem he sat in the growing darkness smoking in the firelight (Ch 1, para 35)
Barred out of my own bedroom, by a flagrant absurdity!” he said. (Ch 18, para 9)
But you begin now to realise,” said the Invisible Man, “the full disadvantage of my condition. (Ch 23, para 2)
D16. Section breaks per chapter. Count
0 section breaks marked in the text, in 0 of 28 chapters.
Ask The Invisible Man a question about its craft (free beta)
Answers cite chapter and paragraph, and every quote is checked against the text. (3 free questions a day).
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