How Does The Island Of Doctor Moreau Symbolize Scientific Progress

The Problems Concerning the Principles of Progress The 19th century gave way to some of the most innovative and revolutionary scientific advancements that humanity hasd ever witnessed. These advancements lead to machinery and mechanization that dramatically changed how people in the western civilizations lived. Yet, in light of the improvements, science stirred controversy as it challenged religion and the ideal that humans were fundamentally different from their animal counterparts. Many thought the scientists were overstepping human barriers and researching what should be left to the divine. H.G. Wells observed this dilemma and represented it in his book, The Island of Doctor Moreau. The Island of Doctor Moreau symbolizes the dangers of

Wells describes the corrosive effect that unchecked and rampant scientific progress can have on ethics and morality. Moreau’s disregard for inflicting pain upon the animals and for acting morally embodies what many common people from the Victorian Era feared about scientists. Moreau practiced vivisection, the dissection of still living animals, all for scientific progress: “The creatures I had seen were not men, had never been men. They were animals—humanised animals—triumphs of vivisection.” (Wells 65). By vivisecting animals for scientific discovery, Moreau demonstrates how morality can be abandoned in the wake of scientific progress. The Island of Doctor Moreau also conveys how intellectualism can be morally corrupting. Throughout the story, Moreau justifies his cruel actions by attributing them to science and curiosity: "You cannot imagine the strange colourless delight of these intellectual desires. The thing before you is no longer an animal, a fellow-creature, but a problem." (Wells 69). The Doctor once again shows how in his quest for attaining scientific knowledge he disregards morals and acts inhumanly cruel to the victims of his experimentation. To conclude, The Island of Doctor Moreau is used by H.G. Wells to criticize and expose the lack of morality in some parts of Victorian sciences such as