The Island of Dr. Moreau: the greatest classic you've never heard of by Massimo

The Island of Dr. Moreau: the greatest classic you've never heard of by Massimo - October 2020 Scholarship Essay

Over the summer, I read numerous books. I started a job as a pool cashier, so I had an abundance of free time. I was able to finish 29 novels. I enjoyed reading the Narnia and Harry Potter series, and the first two books of the Wheel of Time series. I even read a few classics, such as The Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings books, and collections of work by Jules Verne and H.G. Wells.

Out of all the books I finished during the summer, I appreciated The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells the most. This book was unlike anything else I had ever read. It blurred the line between sacrifice for the benefit of science and the atrocities of a madman. The story didn't have any morally righteous characters, nor did it give any of them a chance for redemption. Each character only looked out for themselves, even at the expense of another. Doctor Moreau was working on some very controversial scientific studies when word reached the public that he was vivisecting animals. Vivisecting is the practice of dissecting an animal while it is still alive to learn how various body systems work. Once the scientific community of England found out what the doctor was working on, they forced him to leave the country and expunged all records of his work.

Evicted from his home country, Doctor Moreau met another like-minded individual named Montgomery. The two scientists retreat to a secluded island where they continue their studies. Meanwhile, a man named Edward Prindick is sent adrift in the middle of the ocean after his ship sinks. A drunken sailor and his motley crew rescue Edward and, as chance would have it, cast him onto the Island of Doctor Moreau. During this time, the Doctor and Montegomery had not been idle. They had continued their work and had successfully imbued various animals with human-like characteristics.

When the two scientists found the unfortunate Edward, they brought him into their compound and revived him with some food and drink. Once Edward had recovered, he heard the most horrendous sound of anguish coming from deep within the restricted inner sanctum of the compound. The next day, he found the door to the innards of the complex unlocked. Full of curiosity, Edward entered Dr. Moreau's private laboratory. There, he saw the most wretched creature he had ever seen. The monster appeared to be half man and half puma. Fearing that he was the next test subject, Edward fled the compound and sought refuge in the thick jungles.

After wandering in the jungle, Edward came upon another humanoid; this time, a combination of man and ape. This creature seemed friendly enough and brought Edward to a colony and the rest of the humanoids. That night, during a ceremony, Edward learned that the transformation from man to man-beast wasn't permanent; the transformation went against the laws of nature, and the creature would slowly slip into animalistic habits and would eventually become a full animal. The creatures were horrified by this fate, and so they followed the Law to help stave off their bestial tendencies.
The Creature's Law:
Not to go on all-fours; that is the Law. Are we not men?
Not to suck up Drink; that is the Law. Are we not men?
Not to eat Fish or Flesh; that is the Law. Are we not men?
Not to claw the Bark of Trees; that is the Law. Are we not men?
Not to chase other Men; that is the Law. Are we not men?

After the ceremony, Edward barricades the door and spends the night in an animal hut. When he wakes up, he realizes the Doctor and Montgomery had arrived and were looking for him. Edward escapes through a mountain pass and spends the day on the beach. Towards the evening, he sees Montegomery running at him, but Edward is too tired and hungry to run. When Montgomery reaches Edward, he explains that the humanoids were animals imbued with humanistic traits- not the other way around. He also points out that they had Edward when he was unconscious and could have experimented on him at any point. Reassured, Edward returned with Montgomery to the compound.

A few days passed without incident, until, one morning, when Edward was strolling around the compound, he heard Dr. Moreau shout and saw the puma streak across the yard and leap over the fence. The doctor and Montgomery retrieve their revolvers and set out to bring the puma back. During the hunt, Dr. Moreau died to a humanoid. Without Dr. Moreau, Montgomery wandered aimlessly, and he began to drink uncontrollably. Once he was completely drunk, Montgomery was ambushed by humanoids and torn apart.

Left alone and stranded on an island filled with savage half-humans, Edward had to adapt to survive. He befriended a humanoid that was once a dog, and he hunted down the wild boar. After a few weeks, an abandoned boat washed onto the island. Edward sailed into the sea and rescued by an ocean liner.

This book was amazing. I had low expectations when I started, but the sheer absurdness astounded me. The blend of science-fiction and horror came together to form the perfect thriller. Since England banned vivisection in the 1876s, parts of the book are believable. Overall, this is the best book I have read. I would recommend it highly.