Book Anatomy · Science fiction
Anatomy of The Invisible Man
H.G. Wells, 1897. Public domain in the UK and the US. The idea's cost; comic to tragic.
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48,955 words
28 chapters
37% dialogue
12.2 words a sentence
third person
3.3 hours to read
Lessons to borrow
- A protagonist's extraordinary power becomes a curse when combined with moral corruption and isolation from society; Griffin's invisibility grants him capability but destroys his humanity and ultimately leads to his destruction.
- Betrayal and loss of trust accelerate a character's descent into villainy; Griffin's paranoia and Kemp's betrayal transform Griffin from a desperate fugitive into a murderous terrorist seeking revenge.
- Collective action and community solidarity can overcome even seemingly invincible individual power; the townspeople's organized response defeats Griffin where individual confrontation would have failed.
All 180 lenses
The 20 lenses below are the most asked for. The full set of 180 is grouped in 12 pages:
Beat positions Both
Story and structure · lens A1 · compare across books
| Beat | Where | Our reading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inciting incident | Ch 7 (CHAPTER VII), about 23% through | Griffin removes his bandages and reveals his complete invisibility to the village, forcing him to flee. | |
| First turning point | Ch 9 (CHAPTER IX), about 28% through | Griffin coerces Marvel into becoming his unwilling accomplice, establishing his need for a visible helper. | |
| Midpoint | Ch 17 (CHAPTER XVII), about 49% through | Griffin reveals himself to Kemp as a former university acquaintance and explains his scientific discovery. | |
| Low point | Ch 24 (CHAPTER XXIV), about 82% through | Kemp betrays Griffin to the authorities, forcing him to flee and abandon his plans for a reign of terror. | |
| Climax | Ch 27 (CHAPTER XXVII), about 91% through | Griffin lays siege to Kemp's house, kills Colonel Adye, and pursues Kemp through the town. | |
| Resolution | Ch 28 (CHAPTER XXVIII), about 97% through | The townspeople capture and kill Griffin; his body becomes visible in death, revealing him as a young albino man. |
Half-way across the road a woman screamed as something pushed by her; a dog, kicked apparently, yelped and ran howling into Huxter’s yard, and with that the transit of the Invisible Man was accomplished. (Ch 7, para 71)
They’re boots, anyhow,” said the Voice. (Ch 9, para 4)
Fool that I am!” said the Invisible Man, striking the table smartly. “I’ve put the idea into your head. (Ch 17, para 100)
And it is killing we must do, Kemp. (Ch 24, para 27)
Percent is the middle of that chapter as a share of all words. The beat labels are our AI reading of the chapter notes.
Chapter length chart Count
Pace · lens D1 · compare across books
28 chapters. Median 1,771 words, shortest 160, longest 3,521. Whole book 48,955 words, about 3.3 hours at 250 words a minute.
Each bar is one chapter in reading order. Hover for the title and count.
Dialogue share per chapter Count
Dialogue and voice · lens C1 · compare across books
37% of all words are dialogue. A further 9% is long told stories inside quote marks (a narrator within the story), which we count apart. Speech tags: "said" is 78% of tag verbs we found.
Cast and presence map Count
Character · lens B1, B2 · compare across books
| Character | Role (our reading) | Share of mentions | Chapters on page | First appears |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Griffin | lead | 23% | 21 of 28 | Ch 4, para 9 |
| Dr. Kemp | antagonist | 20% | 13 of 28 | Ch 15, para 2 |
| Mrs. Hall | minor | 12% | 9 of 28 | Ch 1, para 2 |
| Mr. Hall | minor | 12% | 9 of 28 | Ch 1, para 2 |
| Mr. Marvel | ally | 10% | 11 of 28 | Ch 9, para 2 |
| Colonel Adye | minor | 5% | 5 of 28 | Ch 18, para 32 |
| Teddy Henfrey | minor | 4% | 6 of 28 | Ch 2, para 2 |
| Mr. Bunting | minor | 4% | 5 of 28 | Ch 4, para 13 |
| Mr. Huxter | minor | 3% | 7 of 28 | Ch 3, para 10 |
| Dr. Cuss | minor | 2% | 4 of 28 | Ch 4, para 10 |
| Constable Jaffers | minor | 2% | 5 of 28 | Ch 7, para 35 |
| Fearenside | minor | 1% | 2 of 28 | Ch 3, para 2 |
Who is on the page, chapter by chapter
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Griffin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dr. Kemp | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mrs. Hall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mr. Hall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mr. Marvel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colonel Adye | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teddy Henfrey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mr. Bunting | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mr. Huxter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dr. Cuss |
Most shared chapters: Dr. Kemp and Griffin (13), Griffin and Mr. Marvel (10), Mr. Hall and Mrs. Hall (9), Mr. Hall and Teddy Henfrey (6), Mrs. Hall and Teddy Henfrey (6).
Counts use the names and aliases in our cast list. A name in narration or speech counts as a mention.
Chapter ending hooks AI
Pace · lens D8 · compare across books
Chapter endings: 9 reveal, 7 cliffhanger, 6 quiet, 6 question.
Chapters typically end with cliffhangers or reveals that propel the reader forward: Griffin's escape, Marvel's captivity, Kemp's discovery, and the final manhunt. The pacing alternates between quiet moments of explanation and intense action sequences.
Every chapter ending
- Ch 1: quiet. The stranger sits alone in darkness, smoking and pacing, his true nature still hidden
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)
- Ch 2: question. Hall is left vaguely suspicious, wondering about the stranger's true nature and intentions
And after the stranger had gone to bed, which he did about half-past nine, Mr. Hall went very aggressively into the parlour (Ch 2, para 44)
- Ch 3: reveal. Fearenside reports seeing blackness under the torn clothing, suggesting the stranger is not human or is severely disfigured
That marn’s a piebald, Teddy. Black here and white there—in patches. (Ch 3, para 43)
- Ch 4: cliffhanger. Cuss's account of the invisible hand leaves the vicar and reader in shock and disbelief
Something—exactly like a finger and thumb it felt—nipped my nose. (Ch 4, para 27)
- Ch 5: question. The Buntings stand confused, unable to explain how an invisible person stole from their locked house
Daylight found the vicar and his wife, a quaintly-costumed little couple, still marvelling about on their own ground floor (Ch 5, para 15)
- Ch 6: reveal. The stranger appears downstairs, fully dressed and composed, pointing out a bottle of sarsaparilla before slamming the parlour door
And suddenly and most wonderfully the door of the room upstairs opened of its own accord, and as they looked up in amazement, they saw descending the stairs the muffled figure of the stranger (Ch 6, para 20)
- Ch 7: cliffhanger. The invisible man escapes into the night, leaving the constable injured and the village in chaos
Half-way across the road a woman screamed as something pushed by her; a dog, kicked apparently, yelped and ran howling into Huxter’s yard, and with that the transit of the Invisible Man was accomplished. (Ch 7, para 71)
- Ch 8: quiet. The invisible man's voice fades into the distance toward Adderdean
- Ch 9: question. Marvel agrees to help but is uncertain and fearful of what the invisible man will demand
I’ve chosen you,” said the Voice. “You are the only man except some of those fools down there, who knows there is such a thing as an invisible man. (Ch 9, para 71)
- Ch 10: cliffhanger. Huxter is knocked down and injured; Marvel escapes with the invisible man's belongings
He had hardly gone ten strides before his shin was caught in some mysterious fashion, and he was no longer running, but flying with inconceivable rapidity through the air. (Ch 10, para 8)
- Ch 11: question. The invisible man demands his belongings and threatens violence if they do not comply
When I came into this room,” continued the Invisible Man, after presenting the poker to the tip of the nose of each of his visitors, “I did not expect to find it occupied (Ch 11, para 35)
- Ch 12: cliffhanger. The invisible man vanishes completely from Iping after hours of destruction and violence
And after that, as his peculiar qualities allowed, he passed out of human perceptions altogether, and he was neither heard, seen, nor felt in Iping any more. He vanished absolutely. (Ch 12, para 51)
- Ch 13: quiet. Marvel and the invisible man disappear into the darkness beyond the village lights
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)
- Ch 14: reveal. The mariner later learns the truth about the flying money, understanding how close he came to the Invisible Man
Hoax,” said a Voice. “It’s a hoax,” said Mr. Marvel. (Ch 14, para 53)
- Ch 15: cliffhanger. The chapter ends with the cry 'The Invisible Man is coming!' as panic takes hold
The Invisible Man is coming! The Invisible Man! (Ch 15, para 12)
- Ch 16: quiet. The bearded man fires five shots into the yard, then suggests getting a lantern to find the body
Five cartridges,” said the man with the black beard. “That’s the best of all. Four aces and a joker. (Ch 16, para 36)
- Ch 17: reveal. Griffin reveals he has put the idea of escape into Kemp's head, suggesting his own paranoia
Fool that I am!” said the Invisible Man, striking the table smartly. “I’ve put the idea into your head. (Ch 17, para 100)
- Ch 18: question. Kemp wonders what he should do about the dangerous man upstairs
- Ch 19: reveal. Griffin reveals he robbed his father, who then shot himself
The money was not his, and he shot himself. (Ch 19, para 44)
- Ch 20: reveal. Griffin reveals he fired his lodging house to cover his tracks
Fired the house. It was the only way to cover my trail—and no doubt it was insured. (Ch 20, para 56)
- Ch 21: reveal. Griffin sees his lodging burning and realizes he has destroyed his resources
It was my lodging burning; my clothes, my apparatus, all my resources indeed, except my cheque-book and the three volumes of memoranda that awaited me in Great Portland Street, were there. (Ch 21, para 19)
- Ch 22: quiet. Griffin leaves the store frustrated, having failed to secure adequate supplies
- Ch 23: reveal. Griffin realizes invisibility is a curse, not a blessing, and has no clear purpose
The more I thought it over, Kemp, the more I realised what a helpless absurdity an Invisible Man was—in a cold and dirty climate and a crowded civilised city. (Ch 23, para 48)
- Ch 24: cliffhanger. Griffin escapes violently, Kemp cries 'the game's up! He's gone!' leaving his fate uncertain
My God!” cried Kemp, “the game’s up! He’s gone! (Ch 24, para 44)
- Ch 25: question. The chapter ends with Kemp's urgent plea to prevent Griffin from escaping, leaving the outcome uncertain
- Ch 26: quiet. The chapter ends with Griffin regaining composure after a night of rest, preparing for his final struggle
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)
- Ch 27: cliffhanger. Kemp escapes the house but is now being hunted through the town by the Invisible Man
The dining-room window was wide open, and neither housemaid nor Kemp was to be seen. (Ch 27, para 90)
- Ch 28: reveal. Griffin's body becomes visible in death, revealing his true appearance as a young albino man, ending with the epilogue about Marvel and the manuscript books
Griffin, the first of all men to make himself invisible, Griffin, the most gifted physicist the world has ever seen, ended in infinite disaster his strange and terrible career. (Ch 28, para 30)
Viewpoint per chapter Both
Viewpoint and narration · lens E2 · compare across books
Counted: the narration is mostly third person (first person words per 1,000 outside speech: 11.3).
The novel shifts viewpoint strategically: early chapters focus on the village's perspective, middle chapters centre on Kemp's observations and Griffin's narrative, and final chapters alternate between Kemp and the narrator during the manhunt. This shifting perspective allows readers to experience both Griffin's isolation and society's collective response.
- Ch 1: Third person, primarily Mrs. Hall's perspective
- Ch 2: Third person, shifting between Henfrey and Hall
- Ch 3: Third person, primarily Hall's perspective
- Ch 4: Third person, primarily Cuss's perspective
- Ch 5: Third person, primarily the Buntings' perspective
- Ch 6: Third person, primarily the Halls' perspective
- Ch 7: Third person, multiple perspectives
- Ch 8: Third person, Gibbons's perspective
- Ch 9: Third person, primarily Marvel's perspective
- Ch 10: Third person, multiple perspectives
- Ch 11: Third person, primarily Cuss and Bunting's perspective
- Ch 12: Third person, multiple perspectives
- Ch 13 to 14: Third person, primarily Marvel's perspective
- Ch 15: Third person, primarily Kemp's perspective initially, then the townspeople
- Ch 16: Third person, primarily the pub patrons' perspective
- Ch 17 to 19: Third person, primarily Kemp's perspective
- Ch 20: Third person, Griffin's narrative with Kemp's reactions
- Ch 21 to 23: Third person, Griffin's narrative
- Ch 24: Kemp
- Ch 25: Kemp and Adye
- Ch 26: Narrator
- Ch 27: Kemp
- Ch 28: Kemp and narrator
Want and need of the lead AI
Character · lens B3 · compare across books
| Lead | Griffin |
|---|---|
| Wants | To use his invisibility to establish a reign of terror and dominate society through fear and violence. |
| Needs | To accept the limits of his power and rejoin humanity rather than isolate himself through his obsession with scientific achievement. |
| False belief | That invisibility grants him superiority and the right to rule others through terror, and that his scientific genius justifies any moral transgression. |
| Arc | negative. Griffin descends from a brilliant but desperate scientist into a murderous madman, ultimately destroyed by the very society he sought to dominate. |
Scene log AI
Story and structure · lens A4 · compare across books
One line per chapter: goal, conflict, outcome
| Ch | Summary | Goal | Conflict | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A mysterious stranger arrives at an inn in Iping during winter, heavily bandaged and wrapped, arousing curiosity and suspicion among the locals. | The stranger seeks shelter and warmth at the Coach and Horses inn | His extreme wrappings, bandages, and refusal to remove his clothing puzzle and unsettle Mrs. Hall | He takes a room and begins unpacking mysterious bottles, avoiding conversation and maintaining his disguise |
| 2 | Teddy Henfrey, a clock-jobber, visits the inn and finds the stranger unsettling; later he spreads suspicion about the guest to Hall, planting seeds of doubt. | Henfrey wants to repair the parlour clock and perhaps learn about the stranger | The stranger's hostile silence and strange appearance unnerve Henfrey, who feels watched and uncomfortable | Henfrey finishes quickly and leaves annoyed; he then tells Hall the stranger seems suspicious and possibly disguised |
| 3 | The stranger's luggage arrives, revealing hundreds of mysterious bottles; a dog bites him and tears his clothing, exposing something strange underneath. | The stranger wants to receive and unpack his luggage quickly | A dog attacks him, tearing his glove and trousers; he must hide whatever is beneath his wrappings | He rushes upstairs, later returns claiming he was not bitten, and begins unpacking countless chemical bottles |
| 4 | Dr. Cuss visits the stranger to solicit for a nurse fund and witnesses something impossible: an empty sleeve with an invisible hand that pinches his nose. | Cuss wants to collect a subscription and learn about the stranger's scientific work | The stranger becomes angry about a lost prescription and demonstrates his invisible arm to Cuss | Cuss flees in terror after being pinched by an invisible hand, convinced something supernatural is occurring |
| 5 | A burglary occurs at the vicarage during the night; the Buntings hear an invisible intruder moving through their house and stealing money. | An unseen burglar wants to steal money from the vicar's study | The Buntings hear the burglar but cannot see him; they search the empty room in confusion | The burglar escapes through the back door, leaving the Buntings bewildered and the money gone |
| 6 | The Halls discover the stranger's room empty with his clothes scattered about; furniture attacks Mrs. Hall violently, suggesting supernatural possession. | The Halls want to check on the stranger and understand what has happened | They find the room empty but clothes present; furniture suddenly animates and attacks Mrs. Hall | Mrs. Hall is driven from the room by violent furniture; the group suspects witchcraft or spirits |
| 7 | The stranger removes his bandages and reveals his complete invisibility to the shocked crowd at the inn; he fights with the constable and escapes into the countryside. | The stranger wants to confront Mrs. Hall about his breakfast and bill | Mrs. Hall demands answers; the stranger reveals his invisibility by removing his bandages and false features | Panic erupts; the constable attempts arrest; the invisible man fights his way free and escapes |
| 8 | Gibbons, an amateur naturalist on the downs, hears an invisible man coughing, sneezing, and swearing as he passes through the countryside. | The invisible man is fleeing across the open downs | He cannot hide his presence due to involuntary sounds | Gibbons hears him pass and rushes back to the village in alarm |
| 9 | The invisible man encounters Thomas Marvel, a tramp, on the downs and convinces him to become his helper by throwing stones and demonstrating his reality. | The invisible man needs a helper to obtain clothes and shelter | Marvel initially thinks he is mad or drunk; the invisible man must prove his existence | Marvel agrees to help after feeling the invisible man's body and being convinced of his reality |
| 10 | Marvel returns to Iping to retrieve the invisible man's clothes and books; Huxter spots him and chases him, but is knocked down by the invisible man. | Marvel must retrieve the invisible man's belongings from the inn | Huxter sees Marvel acting suspiciously and chases him as a thief | The invisible man trips Huxter, and Marvel escapes with the bundle |
| 11 | Cuss and Bunting examine the invisible man's diary in the parlour when he suddenly appears, holds them at gunpoint with a poker, and demands his clothes and books. | The invisible man wants to recover his diary and clothing from the parlour | Cuss and Bunting are examining his private papers; he must force them to comply | He threatens them with the poker and forces them to reveal where his clothes are |
| 12 | The invisible man loses his temper and rampages through Iping, attacking villagers and destroying property while Marvel escapes with his books and clothes. | The invisible man wants to cover Marvel's retreat and retrieve his belongings | Villagers pursue Marvel; the invisible man becomes enraged and attacks indiscriminately | The invisible man destroys the village and escapes into the night; Marvel vanishes with the books |
| 13 | Marvel and the invisible man travel through the countryside toward Bramblehurst; Marvel expresses despair about his role as the invisible man's unwilling helper. | The invisible man wants to reach safety with his books and clothes | Marvel is exhausted, frightened, and doubts his ability to help; the invisible man threatens him | They continue toward a village, with the invisible man maintaining control through threats and violence |
| 14 | Mr. Marvel sits nervously at Port Stowe with the books, and a mariner questions him about the Invisible Man before the Invisible Man forces him away. | Marvel wants to avoid suspicion while guarding the books; the mariner wants to discuss the newspaper story | The mariner's questions make Marvel increasingly anxious, and the Invisible Man intervenes | Marvel denies the Invisible Man exists, quarrels with the mariner, and is dragged away by the Invisible Man |
| 15 | Dr. Kemp watches a man running frantically down the hill toward Burdock, then learns the Invisible Man is coming as panic spreads through the town. | The running man (Marvel) wants to escape; the townspeople want to understand the danger | The Invisible Man pursues Marvel; panic and confusion spread | Marvel reaches town ahead of the Invisible Man; fear seizes the streets |
| 16 | Marvel bursts into the Jolly Cricketers pub seeking refuge as the Invisible Man attacks, leading to a chaotic struggle with the patrons. | Marvel wants safety; the patrons want to protect him and stop the Invisible Man | The Invisible Man breaks in and fights the men; they cannot see or effectively stop him | The Invisible Man escapes after a violent struggle; the men fire shots but miss |
| 17 | Dr. Kemp discovers the Invisible Man bleeding in his bedroom and learns it is Griffin, a former university acquaintance who has made himself invisible through science. | Griffin wants help and shelter; Kemp wants to understand what is happening | Griffin is wounded and desperate; Kemp is frightened and skeptical | Griffin forces Kemp to help him; they reach an uneasy agreement |
| 18 | Griffin sleeps in Kemp's bedroom while Kemp reads the newspapers and realizes Griffin is not only invisible but also violent and dangerous. | Griffin wants rest; Kemp wants to understand the situation and consider his options | Kemp is locked out of his own room; he discovers evidence of Griffin's violence in the papers | Kemp begins to fear Griffin and considers contacting the authorities |
| 19 | Griffin explains to Kemp the scientific principles behind his invisibility, beginning with his discovery of optical density and the refractive index. | Griffin wants to explain his work; Kemp wants to understand the science | Kemp struggles to believe the explanation; Griffin becomes impatient | Griffin outlines the theory but becomes evasive about the practical application |
| 20 | Griffin recounts his life in London, his experiments with invisibility, and the traumatic process of making himself invisible. | Griffin wants to explain his past; Kemp wants to understand his motivation | Griffin's story reveals moral descent and violence; Kemp becomes increasingly disturbed | Griffin completes the account of his transformation and burning of his lodgings |
| 21 | Griffin describes his first experiences as an invisible man in London, including encounters with people, animals, and the harsh realities of invisibility. | Griffin wants to survive and escape detection; London wants to catch him | Griffin's invisibility creates unexpected dangers and difficulties | Griffin escapes but realizes invisibility is not the advantage he imagined |
| 22 | Griffin breaks into the Omnium department store, steals clothing and supplies, and narrowly escapes when discovered by staff. | Griffin wants clothing and supplies; the store staff want to catch the intruder | Griffin must avoid detection while gathering what he needs | Griffin escapes with some supplies but loses his clothing in the struggle |
| 23 | Griffin breaks into a theatrical costumier's shop, assaults the hunchbacked owner, steals a disguise, and reflects on the limitations of invisibility. | Griffin wants a disguise and supplies; the hunchback wants to protect his property | Griffin must overcome the hunchback's alertness and suspicion | Griffin assaults the hunchback, steals a disguise, and escapes into the world |
| 24 | Griffin reveals his plan for a reign of terror to Kemp, but Kemp betrays him to the police who arrive to arrest him. | Griffin wants Kemp to help him establish a reign of terror; Kemp wants to stop him | Police are climbing the stairs; Griffin realizes Kemp has betrayed him | Griffin escapes but is forced to flee, leaving his clothes behind |
| 25 | Kemp and Adye organize a massive manhunt across the countryside to capture the Invisible Man before he can escape. | Adye and Kemp want to organize forces to capture Griffin and prevent his escape | Griffin is invisible and dangerous; time is running out | A coordinated hunt is launched with dogs, armed men, and roadblocks |
| 26 | Griffin kills an innocent man named Wicksteed in a fit of rage, then hides as the countryside organizes a massive hunt against him. | Griffin seeks refuge and revenge; the authorities seek to capture him | Griffin is hunted by armed men and dogs; he is desperate and furious | Wicksteed is murdered; Griffin goes into hiding as the hunt intensifies |
| 27 | Griffin lays siege to Kemp's house, kills Colonel Adye, and forces Kemp to flee into the town where a crowd gathers to help capture him. | Griffin wants to kill Kemp; Kemp wants to survive and escape | Griffin attacks the house with an axe and revolver; police and townspeople arrive to help | Kemp escapes through a window and flees down the hill toward town |
| 28 | Kemp flees through the town pursued by the Invisible Man; a crowd of townspeople helps capture and kill Griffin, whose body becomes visible as he dies. | Kemp wants to escape; the crowd wants to capture Griffin; Griffin wants to kill Kemp | Griffin pursues Kemp through the town; the crowd intervenes and fights the Invisible Man | Griffin is beaten to death by the crowd; his body becomes visible, revealing a young albino man |
Setups and payoffs AI
Story and structure · lens A8 · compare across books
| Planted | Pays off | |
|---|---|---|
| Griffin's complete wrapping and mysterious bottles in his room at the inn. (Ch 1) | The bottles are revealed to contain the chemicals used in his invisibility experiment. (Ch 19) | |
| The dog bites Griffin and tears his clothing, exposing blackness underneath. (Ch 3) | The blackness is revealed to be Griffin's invisible body, confirming his inhuman state. (Ch 7) | |
| Cuss witnesses an invisible hand pinching his nose. (Ch 4) | The invisible hand is confirmed as part of Griffin's invisible body when he removes his bandages. (Ch 7) | |
| Marvel becomes Griffin's unwilling accomplice and carries his books and stolen money. (Ch 9) | Marvel retains the three manuscript books at the end, becoming the landlord of an inn and keeping the secret of invisibility. (Ch 28) | |
| Griffin's diary is examined by Cuss and Bunting, written in cipher and multiple languages. (Ch 11) | The diary's contents remain largely unexplained, but the three books of notes become the focus of Griffin's obsession. (Ch 24) | |
| Griffin reveals his plan for a reign of terror to Kemp. (Ch 24) | Griffin attempts to execute this plan by killing Wicksteed and laying siege to Kemp's house. (Ch 27) | |
| Kemp organizes a manhunt with powdered glass and dogs to track Griffin. (Ch 25) | The townspeople use these methods to corner and kill Griffin in the final confrontation. (Ch 28) | |
| Griffin's body remains invisible throughout his life as an invisible man. (Ch 7) | Griffin's body becomes visible in death, revealing him as a young albino man. (Ch 28) |
Looks a bit like a disguise, don’t it? I’d like to see a man’s face if I had him stopping in my place (Ch 2, para 39)
I’m an Invisible Man. It’s no foolishness, and no magic. I really am an Invisible Man. And I want your help. (Ch 17, para 35)
I found a general principle of pigments and refraction—a formula, a geometrical expression involving four dimensions. (Ch 19, para 23)
Speech fingerprints Count
Dialogue and voice · lens C3 · compare across books
| Character | Share of attributed speech | Lines | Words a line | Questions per 100 lines | Exclaims per 100 | Pet words |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Kemp | 30% | 157 | 8.0 | 22.3 | 31.8 | it's, he's, invisible, don't, fools, griffin |
| Griffin | 26% | 120 | 8.9 | 9.2 | 22.5 | it's, invisible, don't, keep, i've, kemp |
| Mr. Marvel | 18% | 119 | 6.5 | 22.7 | 27.7 | it's, don't, lord, blessed, where, didn't |
| Colonel Adye | 6% | 32 | 7.9 | 37.5 | 15.6 | else, it's, i'll, once, station, bloodhounds |
| Dr. Cuss | 5% | 21 | 9.7 | 0.0 | 57.1 | it's, greek, wasn't, bunting, tell, cuff |
| Teddy Henfrey | 4% | 33 | 5.4 | 15.2 | 24.2 | clock, hope, it's, glad, mending, sakes |
| Constable Jaffers | 3% | 18 | 6.5 | 0.0 | 27.8 | it's, rest, warrant, you're, damned, customer |
| Mr. Bunting | 3% | 24 | 4.7 | 12.5 | 29.2 | candle, course, surrender, sworn, drawer, money's |
| Fearenside | 2% | 9 | 10.8 | 11.1 | 11.1 | tell, he's, brute, you'd, better, hurt |
| Mr. Huxter | 2% | 8 | 11.1 | 25.0 | 25.0 | door, once, it's, let's, bustin', open |
We give a line to a speaker only when one cast name appears in the narration of that paragraph, so many lines stay unattributed. Treat the figures as a sample.
Sentence length per chapter Count
Pace · lens D2 · compare across books
Mean sentence 12.2 words, median 9. 52% of sentences are under 10 words and 6% over 30. In the last fifth of the book, chapters run at 110% and sentences at 105% of the earlier average.
Emotional arc shape Count
Pace · lens D7 · compare across books
Computed shape: Riches to rags (fall) (fit 0.78 on a scale of 0 to 1).
We score the mood of each paragraph with a standard word list, then average across 20 equal slices of the book and smooth it. It is a rough reading of word mood, not of plot, and old styles of English can fool it. Shapes follow Reagan and others (2016).
When the lead and the first dialogue arrive Count
Openings and endings · lens F3, F4 · compare across books
First line of dialogue: after 4 words (Ch 1, para 2), 0.0% into the book.
The lead, Griffin, is first named after 6,355 words (Ch 4, para 9).
Mystery clue list AI
Genre craft · lens G4 · compare across books
| Clue | Kind | Laid | Explained | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The stranger's pink nose is the only visible part of his face. | clue | Ch 1 | Ch 7 | |
| Fearenside sees blackness, not skin, under the torn clothing after the dog attack. | clue | Ch 3 | Ch 7 | |
| An invisible hand pinches Cuss's nose with physical force. | clue | Ch 4 | Ch 7 | |
| Bare feet padding through the vicarage house during the burglary. | clue | Ch 5 | Ch 7 | |
| The stranger's room is empty but his clothes remain scattered about. | clue | Ch 6 | Ch 7 | |
| The invisible cat may still be at large from Griffin's experiments. | clue | Ch 20 | ||
| Muddy footprints appear on steps despite no visible person walking there. | clue | Ch 21 | Ch 21 | |
| A little girl sees Wicksteed pursuing something on the ground with his walking stick. | clue | Ch 26 | Ch 26 | |
| Griffin's body becomes visible as he dies, showing he was a young albino man. | clue | Ch 28 | Ch 28 |
It was the fact that all his forehead above his blue glasses was covered by a white bandage (Ch 1, para 14)
This chap you’re speaking of, what my dog bit. Well—he’s black. Leastways, his legs are. (Ch 3, para 41)
No hand—just an empty sleeve. Lord! I thought, that’s a deformity! (Ch 4, para 20)
Antagonist AI
Character · lens B7 · compare across books
| Who | Dr. Kemp |
|---|---|
| Goal | To stop Griffin and protect society from his reign of terror by alerting the authorities. |
| Methods | Befriending Griffin to learn his secrets, then betraying him to Colonel Adye and the police; organizing a manhunt with powdered glass and dogs. |
| Shows their hand | Ch 24 |
| Our note | Kemp begins as Griffin's confidant but becomes his greatest enemy when he realizes Griffin's true intentions. |
Tension curve AI
Pace · lens D6 · compare across books
Tension score per chapter, 1 to 5 (our AI reading). The narrative accelerates from slow mystery in Iping through Griffin's explanations to Kemp, then builds rapidly toward the climactic manhunt and death. Early chapters establish mystery and suspicion; middle chapters provide exposition and character development; final chapters deliver sustained action and violence.
Subplot thread map Both
Story and structure · lens A7 · compare across books
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Griffin's scientific discovery and the process of invisibility | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Marvel's captivity and role as Griffin's unwilling accomplice | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The village of Iping's discovery and panic over the Invisible Man | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kemp's involvement with Griffin and his eventual betrayal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Griffin's plan for a reign of terror and its execution | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The three manuscript books containing the secret of invisibility |
- Griffin's scientific discovery and the process of invisibility: Griffin's obsession with making himself invisible through optical physics drives the entire narrative.
- Marvel's captivity and role as Griffin's unwilling accomplice: Marvel is coerced into helping Griffin and ultimately becomes the keeper of his secret through the manuscript books.
- The village of Iping's discovery and panic over the Invisible Man: The small village becomes the first to encounter Griffin and experiences chaos and violence as a result.
- Kemp's involvement with Griffin and his eventual betrayal: Kemp transitions from curious listener to Griffin's greatest enemy, orchestrating his capture and death.
- Griffin's plan for a reign of terror and its execution: Griffin attempts to establish dominance through violence and murder, culminating in his siege of Kemp's house.
- The three manuscript books containing the secret of invisibility: The books become a symbol of Griffin's power and knowledge, ultimately remaining hidden with Marvel.
Motif tracker AI
Theme and motif · lens J3 · compare across books
- Wrapping, bandages, and concealment (Ch 1, 2, 3, 6, 7): Physical wrapping represents Griffin's attempt to hide his invisible nature from society before his true form is revealed.
- Invisibility as isolation and curse (Ch 7, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26): Griffin's invisibility isolates him from human connection and gradually drives him toward madness and violence.
- Violence and chaos (Ch 6, 7, 10, 12, 16, 24, 26, 27, 28): Griffin's power to harm others without being seen manifests in escalating violence that destroys his plans and life.
- Scientific discovery and moral corruption (Ch 1, 3, 19, 20, 22, 23): Griffin's brilliant scientific achievement becomes corrupted by his willingness to harm others and his descent into madness.
- Hunting and pursuit (Ch 8, 9, 13, 15, 25, 26, 27, 28): Griffin is hunted by society after his invisibility is revealed, ultimately cornered and killed by collective action.
- Visibility and revelation (Ch 3, 4, 6, 7, 17, 28): The gradual revelation of Griffin's invisible nature and his final visibility in death expose the truth hidden throughout the narrative.
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)
My mood, I say, was one of exaltation. I felt as a seeing man might do, with padded feet and noiseless clothes, in a city of the blind. (Ch 21, para 3)
But you begin now to realise,” said the Invisible Man, “the full disadvantage of my condition. (Ch 23, para 2)
He stopped this quiet man, going quietly home to his midday meal, attacked him, beat down his feeble defences, broke his arm, felled him, and smashed his head to a jelly. (Ch 26, para 7)
Signature words Count
Prose style · lens H3 · compare across books
Words this book uses far more than the other books on our shelf (log odds, at least 8 uses). Names often top the list.
Commercial facts card Research
Commercial facts · lens L1, L2, L4 · compare across books
| First published | 1897 |
|---|---|
| Author died | 1946 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the UK (author died 1946, so life plus 70 years has passed) and in the US (first published 1897, before 1931). |
| Length | 48,955 words in 28 chapters; about 3.3 hours to read |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Sales and adaptations | Coming in a later phase, with sources. |
Method: counts come from a clean public domain plain text, split into chapters and paragraphs with stable IDs (for example c3p12 is chapter 3, paragraph 12, in reading order). Lenses marked AI are our AI reading of each chapter, made once and stored. Every quote shown was checked word for word against the text; 9 AI quotes for this book failed that check and were dropped.
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