Critique of Colonial Mentality in H. G. Wells’ The First Men in the Moon

Abstract

The main two characters in The First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells depict the colonial mentality of the British people, who travel to an unexplored world. The central story revolves around an impoverished businessman Bedford and a scientist Cavor, who land on the moon with the help of an anti-gravity sphere. Their intention for the travel to moon was to explore unused riches of moon from which they can rule the world. They leap in the place which was not their own and also disturbed the peace society of the moon habitant, which give the glimpse of picture of the colonial rule of Britain in the non-western countries. For the communication also Cavor teaches English language to moon habitant but do not try to learn their language. On the one hand, novel intends the readers to know the character’s action and activity with colonial mentality which makes them the colonial agent of British Empire which was then ruling the most part of the world, on the other, by depicting the problems faced by the colonizer when they first encounter in the colonial land which shows Wells’ anti-colonial mentality. So, Wells’ The First Men in the Moon is a perfect example of colonial fiction.