Book Anatomy · The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds: Story and structure
20 lenses on story and structure for The War of the Worlds 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: A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 A10 A11 A12 A13 A14 A15 A16 A17 A18 A19 A20
A1. Where do the big beats fall as a % of the book: inciting incident, midpoint, low point, climax? Both
Midpoint at about 46% (Ch 15). See the full lens on the book page.
A2. What is the inciting incident and how many words in does it land? Both
The inciting incident occurs in Chapter 2 when Ogilvy discovers the cylinder is artificial and hollow with something alive inside trying to unscrew the top. This lands at approximately 5,000 words into the 60,403-word book.
Chapters: Ch 2
The cylinder was artificial—hollow—with an end that screwed out! Something within the cylinder was unscrewing the top! (Ch 2, para 9)
A3. How many acts or parts, and how long is each? Both
2 named parts or acts. The longest is BOOK ONE., THE COMING OF THE MARTIANS / I. THE EVE OF THE WAR. / BOOK TWO., THE EARTH UNDER THE MARTIANS / I. UNDER FOOT. / BOOK ONE at 36,734 words.
| Part | From chapter | Chapters | Words | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOOK ONE., THE COMING OF THE MARTIANS / I. THE EVE OF THE WAR | 1 | 17 | 36734 | 61% |
| BOOK TWO | 18 | 10 | 23669 | 39% |
The book has two parts. Book One (Chapters 1 to 17, approximately 30,000 words) covers the discovery and invasion. Book Two (Chapters 18 to 27, approximately 30,000 words) covers the narrator's survival and the Martians' defeat.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 18
A4. Scene log: goal, conflict and outcome for every scene. AI
27 chapters logged. See the full lens on the book page.
A5. Which scenes shift a value (safe to unsafe, love to hate) and which stay flat? AI
Scenes shift value sharply: Chapter 4 moves from curiosity to terror when the Martian emerges; Chapter 5 shifts from hope to despair when the Heat-Ray kills the deputation; Chapter 15 collapses all organised defence. Breather chapters like 1, 3, 8, 23, 27 provide reflection but maintain rising dread.
Chapters: Ch 4, Ch 5, Ch 15, Ch 1, Ch 3, Ch 8
I think everyone expected to see a man emerge—possibly something a little unlike us terrestrial men, but in all essentials a man (Ch 4, para 13)
Those who have never seen a living Martian can scarcely imagine the strange horror of its appearance (Ch 4, para 17)
Suddenly there was a flash of light, and a quantity of luminous greenish smoke came out of the pit in three distinct puffs (Ch 5, para 12)
A6. What changes at the midpoint and how does the lead's plan change? AI
At the midpoint (Chapter 15), the Black Smoke destroys all military resistance, forcing abandonment of organised defence. The narrator's plan shifts from believing human forces can contain the threat to pure survival and escape. Stakes become existential rather than tactical.
Chapters: Ch 15
Sunday night was the end of the organised opposition to their movements. After that no body of men would stand against them, so hopeless was the enterprise. (Ch 15, para 32)
Before dawn the black vapour was pouring through the streets of Richmond, and the disintegrating organism of government was, with a last expiring effort, rousing the population of London to the necessity of flight. (Ch 15, para 35)
A7. How do the subplots weave? Thread map by chapter. Both
6 threads. See the full lens on the book page.
A8. Setups and payoffs: what is planted, where, and where it pays off. AI
8 setups traced. See the full lens on the book page.
A9. How many try and fail cycles before the goal is met? AI
The narrator experiences multiple try-and-fail cycles: attempting to reach Leatherhead (Chapters 9 to 10), hiding with the curate (Chapters 18 to 21), searching the devastated landscape (Chapters 22 to 24), and finally discovering the Martians dead (Chapter 25). Four major cycles before the goal is met.
Chapters: Ch 9, Ch 10, Ch 18, Ch 21, Ch 22, Ch 24
A10. How do the stakes rise chapter by chapter? AI
Stakes rise progressively: Chapter 2 introduces unknown threat; Chapter 4 reveals grotesque aliens; Chapter 5 shows military helplessness; Chapter 15 destroys all organised defence; Chapter 21 traps the narrator with a Martian tentacle; Chapter 25 reveals Martians dead but humanity's future uncertain.
Chapters: Ch 2, Ch 4, Ch 5, Ch 15, Ch 21, Ch 25
Yet across the gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes (Ch 1, para 2)
Those who have never seen a living Martian can scarcely imagine the strange horror of its appearance (Ch 4, para 17)
Sunday night was the end of the organised opposition to their movements. After that no body of men would stand against them, so hopeless was the enterprise. (Ch 15, para 32)
A11. Do scenes link by "but" and "therefore", or only "and then"? AI
Scenes link primarily through 'and then' sequences of events rather than causal 'but' and 'therefore' logic. The narrative follows the narrator's flight and observations chronologically. Few scenes show characters making choices that force plot turns; most show reactions to Martian actions.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 4, Ch 5, Ch 6
A12. Map to the 15 Save the Cat beats. AI
Opening image (1), Catalyst (2), Debate (3 to 8), Break into Two (9), B story (13 with curate), Fun and Games (11 to 12), Midpoint (15), Bad guys close in (18 to 21), All is lost (21), Dark night (22 to 24), Break into Three (25), Finale (26), Final image (27).
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 9, Ch 13, Ch 11
A13. Map to Yorke's five acts. AI
Act One (1 to 8): Setup and discovery. Act Two (9 to 15): Invasion and military collapse. Act Three (16 to 21): Survival and imprisonment. Act Four (22 to 24): Exploration of devastated world. Act Five (25 to 27): Discovery of Martian defeat and reunion.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 9, Ch 16, Ch 22, Ch 25
A14. Map to the hero's journey stages. AI
Ordinary world (1), Call to adventure (2), Refusal (3 to 8), Meeting mentor (11 with artilleryman), Crossing threshold (9), Tests and allies (13 with curate), Approach to inmost cave (18 to 21), Ordeal (21), Reward (25), Road back (26), Resurrection (27).
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 11, Ch 9, Ch 13
A15. Crisis choices: what hard choice does the lead face in each act? AI
Act One: whether to flee or stay (Chapter 7). Act Two: whether to hide or fight (Chapter 12). Act Three: whether to silence the curate by force (Chapter 21). Act Four: whether to follow the artilleryman's plan (Chapter 24). Act Five: whether to accept the Martians are dead (Chapter 25).
Chapters: Ch 7, Ch 12, Ch 21, Ch 24, Ch 25
They may keep the pit and kill people who come near them, but they cannot get out of it (Ch 7, para 21)
To get under water! That was it! (Ch 12, para 50)
I put out my hand and felt the meat chopper hanging to the wall. In a flash I was after him. (Ch 21, para 16)
A16. Reveals and twists: where they fall and how they were hinted. AI
Major reveal: Chapter 2 reveals the cylinder is artificial. Chapter 4 reveals grotesque Martian form (hinted by 'something alive' in Chapter 2). Chapter 15 reveals Black Smoke's unstoppable power (hinted by Heat-Ray's invisibility in Chapter 5). Chapter 25 reveals Martians dead from bacteria (no hint; pure twist).
Chapters: Ch 2, Ch 4, Ch 15, Ch 25
The cylinder was artificial—hollow—with an end that screwed out! Something within the cylinder was unscrewing the top! (Ch 2, para 9)
Those who have never seen a living Martian can scarcely imagine the strange horror of its appearance (Ch 4, para 17)
Sunday night was the end of the organised opposition to their movements. After that no body of men would stand against them, so hopeless was the enterprise. (Ch 15, para 32)
A17. Timeline: story time against page time, gaps and flashbacks. Both
Story spans approximately one week (Friday to following Friday). Narrative time compresses in Chapters 1 to 8 (days), accelerates through invasion (Chapters 9 to 17, days), then expands in hiding (Chapters 18 to 21, days), and contracts again in exploration (Chapters 22 to 27, days). Chapter 26 includes a three-day memory gap.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 9, Ch 18, Ch 22, Ch 26
I remember, clearly and coldly and vividly, all that I did that day until the time that I stood weeping and praising God upon the summit of Primrose Hill. And then I forget. (Ch 26, para 2)
A18. Sequences: which runs of chapters form one mini story? AI
Sequence 1 (1 to 8): Discovery and complacency. Sequence 2 (9 to 12): Invasion and flight. Sequence 3 (13 to 17): Military collapse and brother's escape. Sequence 4 (18 to 21): Imprisonment and conflict. Sequence 5 (22 to 24): Exploration and disillusionment. Sequence 6 (25 to 27): Discovery and reunion.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 9, Ch 13, Ch 18, Ch 22, Ch 25
A19. Ratio of plot chapters to breather chapters. Both
23 plot chapters (tension 3 or more) against 4 breather chapters (tension 1 or 2): about 5.8 plot chapters for each breather.
Tension (AI, 1 to 5), chapter by chapter
Plot chapters (action, conflict, revelation): 17 chapters. Breather chapters (reflection, observation, summary): 10 chapters. Ratio approximately 1.7:1, with plot dominating but reflection chapters providing essential perspective shifts.
A20. Luck count: where does chance help or hurt the lead? AI
Luck helps: Chapter 10, the narrator survives the crash by chance. Chapter 12, one Martian is killed by artillery. Chapter 25, Martians are killed by bacteria (pure chance). Luck hurts: Chapter 9, the narrator is forced to flee. Chapter 18, the cylinder crashes into their refuge. Chance dominates the outcome.
Chapters: Ch 10, Ch 12, Ch 25, Ch 9, Ch 18
And then, very slowly, I realised that by a miracle I had escaped. (Ch 12, para 70)
slain by the putrefactive and disease bacteria against which their systems were unprepared; slain as the red weed was being slain (Ch 25, para 22)
Ask The War of the Worlds 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).
Weekly email: coming soon
One short email a week on new AI tools for authors. Sign up opens soon.