What Lessons Might Mankind Learn From “the War Of The Worlds“

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Ever since time began mankind has regarded itself as the controller and ruler of planet Earth, a superior species. We appoint ourselves kings, emperors and leaders and we automatically assume that if there is indeed a God, he must take a human form. Humanity behaves as if it is invincible and untouchable, assuming that the earth will be under its control for eternity.

This assumed ownership has led us to carve up our planet in an arrogant manner. We harness and control the elements disregarding local ecology and long term effects. Water is separated by dams and teased through pipes for our comfort. Fire is produced at the flick of a switch whilst windbreaks temper the four winds. The earth is fought over and bought and sold everyday, people dying for a patch of dirt, our planet is being carved up because we assume that we have the right to do so.

“The War of the Worlds” illustrates this flawed and arrogant view. We lie in our beds and lead our lives assuming that we are safe, but the truth is that we are constantly threatened with invasion and natural disasters. People die everyday from natural disasters. Despite this, mankind still assumes that it is superior and separate from nature and that the natural world can always be bent to its will. The throne on which we have placed ourselves could be toppled at anytime. We have a very fragile grasp on planet earth, which may be loosened within a day, a week, a month, or a year. The fossil record bears witness to many species now extinct. The time we have on this planet should be cherished, not wasted on money making, personal greed and war. This is the main theme and message of Well’s novel “The War of the Worlds” which was written in 1897 and set at the beginning of the twentieth century.

The novel is separated into two books. Book one, entitled “The Coming of the Martians”, is the story of how the Martians arrived, invaded and took over in a matter of a few months....