The War of the Worlds Overview

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Questions and Answers

How did the curate die?

The curate died when he went to take food and yelled to summon the Martians, leading to the narrator knocking him out. Soon, a Martian heard his yelling, came into the ruined house, and took the curate.

Why did the Martian enter the ruined house?

The Martian entered the ruined house because the curate, mad with hunger, yelled loudly until he was allowed food, which summoned the Martian.

What do the Martians eat?

The Martians eat the blood of other living creatures by injecting it into their own bloodstream.

Why can't the Martians eat food?

The Martians cannot eat food because they do not have a digestive system. Signup and view all the answers

How does the author describe the physical appearance of the Martians?

The author describes the Martians as having huge round bodies similar to heads, no nostrils, about 4 feet in diameter, a cavity in the back of their heads assumed to be an ear, dark eyes, and many tentacles. Signup and view all the answers

What other differences does the narrator describe between Martians and humans?

The organisms did not sleep, and they reproduced by budding off their parents. Signup and view all the answers

On which day was the narrator free to leave the ruined house?

On the fifteenth day. Signup and view all the answers

What did the narrator do from the 11th through the 15th day he was trapped in the ruined house?

The narrator sat in the scullery, risked himself by going out to the creaky rainwater pump, drank more water, grieved the death of the curate, noticed the color of the light turned blood red, found the red weed around the house, and then escaped. Signup and view all the answers

Why were the Martian tripods picking up people and throwing them into their metal baskets?

They were using the dead humans as nutrition. Signup and view all the answers

Why do the narrator and the curate stop at Sheen?

They began to look for abandoned houses because they were tired and hungry. Signup and view all the answers

What do the curate and the narrator fight about at the beginning of chapter 3?

They fight over the peephole because they both wish to observe the Martians. Signup and view all the answers

Why did the narrator hit the curate in the back of the head?

The curate was threatening to scream and yell to get food, and when he passed the narrator shouting towards the food, the narrator knocked him out. Signup and view all the answers

When the narrator escapes the ruined house, what does he see?

The narrator sees nothing; the tripod had been cleaned up, the Martians had left, and there was no sign of people anywhere. Signup and view all the answers

What causes the flood that stops the narrator from continuing westward?

The red weed had backed up some of the rivers, causing them to overflow. Signup and view all the answers

After the narrator escaped, how did he end his hunger?

The narrator found a nearby garden filled with young onions, a couple of gladiolus bulbs, and a quantity of immature carrots. Signup and view all the answers

In chapter 6, where did the narrator go?

The narrator went to Roehampton and did not see any human beings or Martians. Signup and view all the answers

Who does the narrator see on his way to London?

The narrator sees the artilleryman who was in his garden; initially, the artilleryman tells him to go away, but then invites him in after realizing who he is. Signup and view all the answers

What are the three things that the narrator thinks most about?

The killing of the curate, the whereabouts of the Martians, and the possible fate of his wife. Signup and view all the answers

What type of machine have the Martians developed in chapter 7?

The Martians created some sort of flying machine. Signup and view all the answers

What is the artilleryman's plan for survival?

To make an underground civilization with only the finest, most obedient men and women. Signup and view all the answers

What does the artilleryman think is going to happen to the remaining humans?

They will be used for breeding or cut up to investigate the human body and experiment on them. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

The Death of the Curate

The curate's death resulted from his cries for food, attracting a Martian to their location.
The narrator incapacitated the curate to prevent him from summoning the Martians.

Martians' Behavior and Diet

Martians consume the blood of living creatures, injecting it into their own systems.
Lacking a digestive system, Martians cannot process solid food.

Martian Physical Appearance

Described as large, bulbous bodies with no nostrils, measuring about 4 feet in diameter.
Features include dark eyes, multiple tentacles, and a cavity presumed to be an ear.

Biological Differences

Unlike humans, Martians do not require sleep and reproduce by budding from their parents.

Timeline of Events for the Narrator

The narrator was trapped for fifteen days before escaping.
Activities during those days include searching for food, mourning the curate, and observing changes like the blood-red light.

Martian Interaction with Humans

Martian tripods capture and dispose of humans for nutrient purposes.
The narrator and curate sought shelter in Sheen, led by exhaustion and hunger.

Conflict Between the Narrator and Curate

A dispute arose over the use of a peephole to observe Martian activity.
The narrator knocked out the curate to stop his incessant shouting for food.

Encounter After Escape

Upon leaving the ruined house, the narrator found the place deserted; Martians had vacated and left no signs of human life.

Environmental Impact on Survival

Flooding, caused by the red weed damming rivers, obstructed the narrator's journey westward.
Post-escape, the narrator satisfied his hunger with vegetables from a nearby garden.

Journey Toward London

The narrator traveled to Roehampton, where he found no signs of life.
He encountered an artilleryman who initially assumed authority but later welcomed the narrator into his home.

Major Themes and Concerns

The narrator grapples with guilt over the curate's death, worries about the Martians' intentions, and the fate of his wife.
New Martian technology includes a flying machine, which demoralizes the narrator.

Artilleryman's Plan

The artilleryman proposes to create an underground society composed of the most capable individuals.
He foresees a grim future for survivors, believing they will be used for breeding or experimentation by Martians.

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Description

Explore the events, characters, and biological details surrounding Martians in H.G. Wells' 'The War of the Worlds.' This quiz delves into the curate's death, Martian behavior, and the timeline of the narrator's harrowing experience. Test your knowledge about this iconic science fiction novel.