THE TIME MACHINE BY H.G.WELLS

 Aisyah Dewi Safitri (30802400051)

The Time Machine, an 1895 classic science fiction novella by H.G. Wells, is a classic story that started the entire time travel genre. When we think of time travel, we usually picture flying cars and futuristic worlds, but here the future is actually scary. This quick read gives us a big warning about where human society might be heading.

The story follows a scientist called the Time Traveler, who travels to the year 802,701 AD using a machine he built himself. At first, the future looks peaceful. He meets the Eloi, small human-like creatures who live comfortably and eat fruit in beautiful gardens. However, he soon discovers that something is wrong.

While looking for his missing time machine, the Time Traveler finds the Morlocks, pale ape-like creatures that live underground and hate the light. He also learns a frightening secret about the relationship between the Eloi and the Morlocks. Through these two groups, Wells criticizes the huge gap between rich and poor people in his time. The Eloi represent rich people who become weak because their lives are too easy, while the Morlocks represent the working class who live and work underground.

What makes this book fun to read is its fast story and creepy atmosphere, especially when the Time Traveler enters the dark underground tunnels. The story is told from his point of view, so readers can feel his fear and shock. One small weakness is that his friends in London feel a little boring because they mostly just listen to his story.

Even though this book was written a long time ago, its message still makes sense today. It reminds us that if life becomes too easy and we depend too much on technology, we might lose our strength and intelligence as humans.

Overall, I still recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick but exciting science fiction story. Even though the ending feels a little hanging and some vocabulary is difficult, the story is interesting and makes readers think about the future of human society. Since it is only 158 pages long, you can finish it quickly, but the story will stay in your mind for a long time.