Chapter 23- The Invisible Man Summary Notes and Extra Questions

CHAPTER 23: Summary (In Drury Lane)

Griffin continued with his story and told Dr Kemp that he was at a disadvantage due to his condition as he could not eat in front of people as food could be seen until it was assimilated. He had no shelter, he could wear no clothes as it would make him visible and it was snowing which was another disadvantage as snow, rain and fog could settle on him and expose his outline as would dirt and dust.

 In Great Portland Street, Griffin had a flash of inspiration that he could put on a disguise and become visible again. So he entered a shop in Drury Lane. It was an old-fashioned shop with a four storey house above it. There was no one in the shop when Griffin entered. The gate had a clanking bell and immediately the owner of the house, a short hunchback man, came running down. On finding the house empty he presumed that the boys on the street were playing pranks on him. Griffin tried to follow the man, but he sensed it and the quickness of his ear surprised Griffin a lot.

 The man was very suspicious and when Griffin was following him on the stairs, he suddenly stopped and was just an inch away from Griffin’s face.

The man was becoming aware of Griffin’s movements inside his house and nearly caught him when he was searching for clothes. He started locking the doors of the house and before Griffin could do anything, he was locked in the room. Now Griffin could hardly control himself and he knocked him out cold at the first instance that he got.

Dr Kemp was horrified to hear this but Griffin justified that the occasion needed such an action. He further tied him securely in a bag made of sheets. He was not bothered about what had happened of this man.

 Griffin then began his search. Firstly, he went looking for some food. He also found some make-up material, some masks, glasses and other stuff. There was money also. After getting dressed up, he was not sure and checked his appearance thoroughly until he was convinced that he could pull it off. Griffin grew over-confident only to realise that he could not even eat out in the open. He found himself a private room saying that he was badly disfigured. He had never dreamt that so many troubles would encounter him after getting invisible. He was trying to get visible again.

Q1. Griffin thought that as he was invisible, he could easily rob anyone. However, the hunchback made it a hard task. Elaborate.

Ans. Griffin reached a shop in Drury Lane selling theatrical costumes. There was no one in the shop when Griffin entered. The gate had a clanking bell and immediately the owner of the house, a short hunchback man, came running down. Griffin tried to follow the man, but he sensed it. The quickness of his ear surprised Griffin. The man was busy washing his plates when Griffin put some coal in the fire. Immediately, the man came running upstairs. When Griffin was following him on the stairs, he suddenly stopped and was just an inch away from Griffin’s face. Griffin was nearly caught when he was searching for clothes. This made the hunchback furious. He started locking the doors of the house and before Griffin could do anything, he was locked in a room. Griffin could hardly control himself and he knocked him out cold. He explained that the hunchback gave him no choice.

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