Compare and contrast the. CHaracters of Dr Kemp with that of Griffen
Answers
Griffin was a man who had no conscience, was callous towards other people and simply self-centered. He appeared to be at war with the entire mankind. All his actions stemmed from his desire to save himself, with not a thought of care and sympathy for others. He did many mean acts in the novel. When he was short of money he continued his experiments, without any thoughts of the consequences, he robed his own father, who committed suicide because the money was not his. He attended his father’s funeral without feeling sorry for his own act; instead he blamed his father for being a sentimental fool. He experimented on a cat, with no concern for the poor creature’s cries of pain. He threw it out and never tried to find whether it was alive or dead. He burnt down the house at Great Portland Street when the landlord and his sons found about his experiments and were horrified. He was only worried about covering his trail.
Even after becoming invisible he committed one brutal act after another, not because they were necessary for his survival, but simply because he enjoyed doing them. The way he looted his owner of a small costume shop, and left after striking the old man on his head, spoke volumes about his inhumanity. He terrorized Marvel when he was on the run, fought with the policemen. His plan to spread reign of terror among people using his powers of invisibility really shocked Dr. Kemp. He even tried to kill him for betraying him. In his final run from the people hunting him, he killed an old man with a rod because he bumped into him.
Dr. Kemp on the other hand was a man of principles and understood his responsibilities to his fellow men and women. Not only he helped Griffin in his hour of need but also dared to risk his life for saving his fellow men and women from the cruel plans of Griffin.
He was quite observant and self-confident scientist. He examined the first traces of the Invisible man’s presence in his house objectively. On coming face with him, Kemp did not at all get started. Without losing his composure, he heard Griffin’s entire story with patience and assured to provide all the help he could. However, after he read all the reports about the invisible man as printed in the newspapers, he sent a word to the police chief, Colonel Adye to come and arrest this criminal.
After he became sure Griffin was a danger mankind, he took decisions in the larger interest of the welfare of the society. The manner in which he got Griffin arrested – by making himself bait, shows he was capable of putting his life in danger for the larger interests of society. Griffin was selfish; but Kemp could sacrifice his own life, this was the main difference between them.
Dr Kemp, a fellow student with Griffin, shares the same interests of science. Apart from it, there is hardly anything common between the two. Dr Kemp is a introvert, rational genius who has maintained his sense of maturity. He does not let the gained knowledge jeopardise the peace of humanity. Absconding Griffin takes shelter in his house and confides in him his plan to begin the 'Reign of Terror' by using his invisibility. Being a civilized law-abiding citizen Kemp has denounced Griffin to local authorities in order to avoid havoc that Griffin's act would cause. Dr. Kemp puts his own life in jeopardy when Griffin chases him but Griffin is eventually subdued and killed. The readers applaud his courageous attempt to save the village from the Invisible Man's plan to unleash a "Reign of Terror" by using Dr Kemp as his accomplice.