Analysis of Style and Structure

Jan Carlo Dela Cruz

Ms. Senger

ENG 2D1

28 May 2015

 The War of the Worlds Analysis of Style and Structure

            There were many literary techniques used by the author to construct the story, and change or impact the reader’s perspective. The Martians play a major role in creating the main theme of the story. This theme that is clear to distinguish is War. This is the central theme of the story, Man versus Martian. The Man and Martians are always involved in death and destruction. This theme is demonstrated throughout the entire novel. The only thing the characters in this novel can do is survive, which links into the main theme. “To carry warfare sunward is, indeed, their only escape from the destruction that generation after generation creeps upon them.” (Wells 2) This quotation revealed that there would be a tremendous amount of warfare, death, and destruction throughout this novel. This quotation was revealed at the very beginning of the novel, creating the reader a glimpse of what will occur in the future text.

            Another literary element used in this novel is diction, or the use of words by characters. Since there are not many characters in this novel, the narrator uses his words uniquely. The narrator speaks as if he is well educated, also because he is a writer. “Yet so vain is man and so blinded by his vanity, that no writer, up to the nineteenth century, expressed any idea that intelligent life might have developed there far, or indeed at all, beyond its earthly level.”(Wells 2)Therefore the information he gives is well detailed and realistic. He is also very courageous and enjoys to observe, there is evidence because he is amazed when encountering the Martians rather frightened. He is always seeking action and wants to learn more about them.

The use of words in the novel are used to reveal the mood. Some major moods throughout this novel are intensity and suspense, as the narrator encounters serious amounts of destruction and death done by the Martians. Since the narrator is always nearby Martians, you never know what can happen to him. It creates suspense because the narrator needs to survive. “I have a dim memory of the foot of a Martian coming down within a score of yards of my head… I realised that by a miracle I had survived.” (Wells 50) This passage reveals an intensifying moment that occurred. The narrator encountered a Martian extremely near him, it was moving out of control, and he couldn’t believe he made it out alive. This is a great example of suspense in the novel since it is a moment where the narrator could have lost his life.

The Narrative Structure is used to underlie the order and methods in which the narrative is presented to the reader. It is also used to create a smooth and well-created storyline. The climax of the novel was the moment of the Martians Death’s. The people now had a feeling of secureness and peace. They knew that Earth was back to normal. The resolution to the novel, War of The Worlds, was similar to the climax, it was the moment when the Earth returned to how it was before, the Martians were killed by a disease that mankind were immune to.

In conclusion, literary techniques are used to construct the story, gain greater ideas, and gaze the reader’s attention to keep them interested in reading the text. In this novel there are techniques used by the H.G Wells such as, Diction, Theme, Mood, and Narrative Structure to help produce a well-created novel as WAR OF THE WORLDS.