Braden Ryan
Annotated Bibliography
Bulwer-Lytton, Edward. The Coming Race. Ed. Peter W. Sinnema. Buffalo: Broadview Editions, 2008. Print.
The Broadview edition of The Coming Race has really helpful Appendix’s in the back which deal directly with the issue of evolution, as well as others. The Appendix includes segments from Darwin’s, On the Origin of Species, as well as The Descent of Man, among other readings. I think these are important because they are directly linked to The Coming Race, which has a lot to do with the idea of separate evolution, and what evolution means to a society completely separate from the rest of man kind. I plan to use both the book itself and the appendix as a source of material, as well as an idea of where to find more, including the works of Darwin directly.
Graff, Ann-Barbara. “‘Administrative Nihilism’: Evolution, Ethics and Victorian
Utopian Satire.” Utopian Studies 12.2 (2001): 33-52. JSTOR. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.
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In her essay, Graff examines how Darwin’s thinking influenced the use of satire in Victorian novels. She argues that through Darwin, writers were able to use satire in an entire new sphere through the new expectations of a Utopia, based off of evolutionary perfection as well as degeneration, to captivate audiences who were new to the idea of Darwin and natural selection. I think this essay will be very crucial to me because it has a lot to do with Darwin’s, On the Origin of Species, and the reception it had during that time, as well as the use of evolution and degeneration in specific novels such as, The Coming Race, Erewhon, The Time Machine, and especially The Island of Doctor Moreau, which are all essential books to my paper topic, which has to do with Science fiction and the use of evolution to create an sense of fear in the reader.
Hale, Piers J. “Of Mice and Men: Evolution and the Socialist Utopia. William Morris,
H.G. Wells, and George Bernard Shaw.” Journal of the History of Biology 43.1
(2010): 17-66. JSTOR. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.
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Hale examines a lot on the different types of politics William Morris, H.G. Wells, and George Bernard Shaw, believed in, and how it affected their writing. While it is a very long essay and focuses more on the politics, and how they affect these authors belief in evolution, I think the part that focuses on H.G. Wells can be useful to me in understanding his politics, and how that affects both his belief of evolution, and my understanding of how that affects his writing. It offers a pretty in-depth look at Wells life and allows the reader to see how he was raised, and even reveals that he studied zoology in school. While the essay may take a more political stance on the theory of evolution, it nonetheless allows me to see where Wells fits in the spectrum, which will help me understand and analyze his work in relation to my larger thesis topic.
Mccarthy, Patrick A. “”Heart of Darkness” and the Early Novels of H. G. Wells:
Evolution, Anarchy, Entropy.” Journal of Modern Literature 13.1 (1986): 37-
60. JSTOR. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.
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Mccarthy ‘s article deals specifically with the use of evolution in some of Wells novels, with an importance on War of the Worlds. It reveals where Wells got some of his thinking from, as well as other authors who drew inspiration from Wells during this time. It does do a good job of examining the use of evolution in Wells novels, however it might put a little too much importance on their effect on other authors. It will take a finer combing of the material to tell whether of not it will be useful enough to use in my essay.
Pearson, Richard. “Primitive Modernity: H. G. Wells and the Prehistoric Man of
the 1890s.” The Yearbook of English Studies 37.1, From Decadent to Modernist:
And Other Essays (2007): 58-74. JSTOR. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.
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Pearson talks about the culture and beliefs in sociology that surrounded Wells thinking and in effect his work. He argues that a lot of Wells writings are based on the primitive past, which he attributes to anthropology being a big thing during that time. He discusses Wells use of the prehistoric man, in different stages, throughout his works. The text asserts that this idea of the prehistoric man was very popular during the time he was writing, and looks more into the use of the prehistoric man, and the effects on audiences and critics alike. I think this article will be useful in its content of Wells understanding of primitive people and the way he recreates them in his novels as examples of degeneration.
Philmus, Robert M. “”The Time Machine”: Or, The Fourth Dimension as
Prophecy.” PMLA 84.3 (1969): 530-35. JSTOR. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.
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Philmus examines how Wells thought of his early works, especially The Time Machine, and gives insight to some of his inspiration and meaning of the texts, and focuses mainly on his reasoning for making the future setting in The Time Machine the way it is. It also quotes an essay Wells wrote called, “Zoological Retrogression”, which has a lot of good quotes about how Wells views Evolution, and Devolution. I think this essay will be useful because it will give me information about Wells, and allows me to see some reasoning in his views of evolution, and writing about them the way he did
Wells, H. G., and Martin A. Danahay. The War of the Worlds. Peterborough, Ont.:
Broadview, 2003. Print.
Like the version of The Coming Race, this edition of War of the Worlds will be helpful in finding primary sources, such as an excerpt from Wells essay, “Zoological Retrogression”, which I have struggled to find in its entirety. It also includes many other writings by Wells, which give great introspection into why Wells wrote the way he did. I think these appendix’s and the book itself will be important in helpful in supporting my claims, and providing evidence.
Worth, Aaron. “Imperial Transmissions: H. G. Wells, 1897–1901.” Victorian
Studies 53.1 (2010): 65-89. JSTOR. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.
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Worth examines the outlying theme of imperialism in War of the Worlds, and how it was supposed to reflect British Imperialism. It does a really good job of analyzing the text and allowing the reader to see the likeness to Britain during that time, including cultural importance, technology, and scientific innovations. While this text deals more with imperialism in War of the Worlds, I think it will also be useful in helping me examine British culture during this time and the fear of evolution as a means of creating a superior society that Britain.