Unsympathetic Short Stories by H.G. Wells

H.G. Wells, the father of science fiction, penned short stories during his younger years. And there was no doubt about his talent back then.

"The Plattner Story and Others" (1897) featured a strange assortment of tales, which readers would see as the author's attempt to find a genre that would suit him. He was an intellectual, which meant he could be good in all genres. But this was an experimentation on his part. Some would see this collection as his attempt to understand human nature, but the heart knew better.

Let's take a look:

An Unsympathetic Love Story. "These potatoes have exactly the tints of the dead leaves of the hazel," Aubrey Vair would explain during dinner. This academician had a promising career and a loving wife. Alas, such a situation would be considered unproductive for a creative fellow like him. He was becoming portly, which won't be good for someone who wanted to play the field. Mister Vair met Annie, a young woman who appealed to his romantic side. He was hoping to make Annie his (literary) muse. She saw her ruin instead. It won't be a mistake to say that this could be the author's story. In fact, his wife didn't mind him having affairs with other women. Wells was looking for a woman who could match his intellect. It didn't win him admirers, but it sealed his legacy. Then again, this short could be a reflection of society's double standard. Will a woman go scotch free if she will be in Vair's place? Maybe the next short can answer it.

The Jilting of Jane. This is Wells's idea, which some women won't like at all. Jane would be the ideal lady in Victorian society, but some men couldn't have enough. Some readers would suggest that the author won't fall for this kind of woman, but they may be wrong. Even an intellectual would be emotional at times. They need company. And opposites do attract. How Jane dealt with the situation would be how Wells saw it. (Some woman prefer company. She could be wallowing in self pity, while listening to love songs.) Perhaps readers should see it as the author's attempt to pull a leg.

The Lost Inheritance. Even someone like Wells would want other people to understand his thoughts and feelings. The outcome was different in this case, though. Readers would be misled at the beginning, as they thought it was a conversation that would go nowhere. The man with a glass eye learned an important lesson. Man had needs, which could influence his views and feelings. This would be one side of the story. Readers must figure out the rest.