Ginette Cameron-Gardner – Teacher Librarian

Classic Literature in the Primary Library

Classic Literature has recently been studied across the grades in Library lessons.

One of the works studied by Year 6 students was ‘The Time Machine’ by H.G.Wells. For those who need a brief reminder of this work Wells used his story ‘The Time Machine’ to talk about contemporary social questions. At that time when there was great technical progress it was thought that human intelligence could make life easier. In his story the Eloi had relied upon machines and those who maintained them, to the extent that they had themselves become frail and had even ceased to have the knowledge that had enabled the invention of such machines. This had left them vulnerable to exploitation as ‘cattle’ by the Morlocks. Progress can have negative as well as positive results he warns.

Year 6 was excited to write their own suggested sequel to ‘The Time Machine’. Over the next few weeks more examples of these will be published in Ma Nishma.

Zac Sidley

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells continued by Zac Sidley

The Time Traveller went back in time and taught the Eloi the secret of fire and came back bringing Weena with him to the present where the Time Traveller’s friends carry out secret tests on her. Eventually they believe the Time Traveller. This time, they too want to come on a trip through time for research. Together they remodel the time machine and create one for multiple people.

Unfortunately, when they were all ready after days and nights of preparation, the time traveller pulls the lever but nothing happens. Too many people are going through dimensions at once. Disappointed after their efforts, they are still determined and build many single traveller time machines, like the original one. When they finish they each go, travelling one at a time, and make it to the time of the Elois and Morlocks. When the Time Traveller gets there he finds a destroyed world as during the time the Time Traveller was in the present, the Eloi had used the fire to their advantage creating lamps, everywhere. The Morlocks, being as smart as they are, had taught and trained themselves to resist light. One night in their world, the Morlocks crept out of their holes and attacked the Eloi, destroying anything and everything, and caused lamps to break and set everything on fire. Unfortunately for the Eloi, none of them were strong enough and the Morlock forces killed them all. The Morlocks were now free and went on a rampage.

The Time Traveller was traumatised and distraught at the fact that his friends had all been killed and that this world was now nothing but a living hell.

Suddenly, a scream was overheard and a horde of Morlocks came rushing over to the Time Traveller. He tried to fight off a few but they kept clinging on to him. In all his efforts he pulled the lever of the time machine and was back in his house in the present. Weena was there and ran to hide behind the couch because she was scared of the Morlocks. By now she had learnt fluent English and in the Time Traveller’s last breath of life, he said: “It’s up to you what you do now Weena. Tell the story, get revenge, anything. It’s just a matter of time,” and with that he lay there on the dining room floor. He had bled to death from the Morlocks’ damage. Fortunately, there was still an Eloi left.

Anna Davis

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells continued by Anna Davis

This time I prepared myself far more wisely, fetching food, blankets, a small shotgun and a plentiful supply of flammable items. As I prepared to pull the lever a sudden fear hit me. What if the Morlocks captured me? I detested them. What if I came to find all the Eloi gone? I reconsidered, shook my head, and turned the knob to 802,701 A.D.

I had thought that this time I would be used to time travel. I was not. I felt a lurching sensation in my stomach as the dizzying change whirled around me. I could not take my eyes from it. I stopped with a thud and toppled off the machine. I found myself to be in the right place, it was late afternoon and the Eloi frolicked around peacefully. A group approached me and made the sound of a fire being lit. They truly are remarkable creatures. They wanted to see my matches. I lit one, reluctantly, for I did not want to waste this precious tool. They clapped their hands and laughed in delight.

I ate a dinner of beautiful fruit with them and after lighting a bonfire in the adjacent hall, counted them and joined them in their sleeping chamber. The following day after I arose from my slumber I counted the still sleeping Eloi and upon finding exact same number as the night before left the sleeping chamber. Outside the bonfire was still burning. I had decided. After breakfast I set off towards the Morlocks’ dreaded towers of evil. Bringing with me matches, lucifers, kerosene – anything flammable.

Perhaps I was not quite in my senses. The sight of the sleeping Eloi had reminded me of Weena. I worked meticulously, my flashlight deterring any Morlocks from interfering. Almost in a trance, I completed my task and ran as fast as I could back to the Eloi’s palace of beauty. When I returned it was evening. As I entertained a few Eloi by teaching them how to light a match, in safe proximity to a river of course, I heard squeals of fear and delight as the Towers of Evil on the horizon were consumed in flame and lit up the darkening sky.

The fire burnt for three hours and the air smelt of smoke and success. The immediate danger had gone up in flames, but the dangers of famine and sickness still remained without the Morlock who would care for the beautiful beings. But after all, I came here to save the Eloi and I will not deter from my task.

Eden Glass

The Time Machine by H. G. Wells continued by Eden Glass 

I set my time machine to 802,698 C.E., three years before my original travel, but I realised something was wrong. I was travelling back in time instead of forward! I looked around. I was standing in a dark storeroom and could only faintly see, but didn’t want to waste my matches as they would be essential later to teach the Eloi about fire.

I realised that I had not travelled far, only a year before I was actually born, but it still worried me. I knew I could not interfere with anything, or it might change the future forever, including me possibly not being born. I had no idea what would happen then. I started to think; how did this happen? I definitely pulled the lever correctly. Could my time machine be malfunctioning? No, that wouldn’t be it. Then what could be the cause? Perhaps someone else damaged my machine? It could have been the Morlocks. They had my machine for a while when they stole it. But it worked fine when I travelled back to my own time period earlier. So what could it be?

Then it hit me; the Morlocks had my machine in their workshop in the Sphinx. In that time they could have found out how it worked or even made blueprints of it. Then they’d be able to make a device to control my machine. They must have realised that I would return to teach the Eloi about fire, and are trying to stop me. I only hope they do not use what they have learnt to eliminate me as a threat permanently. Not long after I saw a sudden movement behind me. It was a contraption identical to mine, but less elegant, as if it was made of odds and ends. Pouring out of it were Morlocks! I was shocked. I could not risk trying to escape in my time machine as the Morlocks might control it again. I could not see any way out of this room, and although I had matches I had nothing to use to build a strong fire. The Morlocks were cunning, they had used my machine against me to meet my doom. I was stunned, for once no plan came to mind. All hope was lost.

Rachel Joseph

The Time Machine by H.G Wells, continued by Rachel Joseph

The Time Traveller set the lever for the time of the Eloi. He had to reach them soon before any more Eloi went missing. The Time Traveller packed some matches even though he knew that he would have to teach the Eloi to make fire without matches. The Time Traveller’s stomach heaved as he travelled through space and time. Whoosh, the Time Traveller landed with a thump on the soft green grass. He looked around him. “It is daylight,” he thought gladly and went off in search of the Eloi. The Time Traveller entered a huge building where all the Eloi were. It was the dining hall.

He quickly whistled to get the Eloi’s attention. The Time Traveller had come because when he thought of Weena, he realised that he would have never been able to save her in time. So he was doing the next best thing – helping the other Eloi’s to stick up for themselves. He thought that maybe he could teach them that fire scares the Morlocks. Also maybe, like the cavemen, they could start the race of humanity again.

So the Time Traveller lit a match stick and showed it to the Eloi. They were astonished. He took another one and mimed lighting it. The Time Traveller passed it to the nearest Eloi. He held the Eloi’s hands in his and mimed doing the action over and over again. Slowly and surely the Eloi got the hang of it and started telling the others. The whole night the Eloi stayed awake fiddling with the matchsticks. They were not afraid of the dark anymore.

The Morlocks came creeping out of the shadows. It was time to eat a juicy Eloi. The Eloi started backing away, with the fire in their hands. Suddenly the Morlock started backing away too! The Eloi were astonished, the Morlock had never done that before. Each night the Eloi played with the matchsticks, and slowly found out that the Morlock were afraid of the fire. The Time Traveller was satisfied and watched the Eloi as they were discovering fire.

Soon enough, as the Time Traveller predicted, the Eloi had run out of matchsticks. It was time to teach them the way of the cave men so that they could make fire without matchsticks.