Here in this post you’ll will get the detailed summary of
chapter 1 to 5 from the novel The Invisible Man.
Detailed Summary of Chapter
1. The Strange Man’s Arrival
The Stranger at Iping
The story began with a stranger arriving at the Bramblehurst
railway station. It was February and the snowstorm was at its fury. He was
wrapped from head to toe with only his shiny pink nose in the view. He was also
wearing blue spectacles with sidelights. He entered into the “Coach and Horses”
and asked for a room.
An Unusual Time for the Visit
It was nail biting cold. in Iping and the appearance of a
guest in the winter season was something unheard of. Mrs Hall, the owner of the
inn, was delighted to have a guest at this time of the year, She made him some
supper and went to his room. Though the fire was on, the man still persisted in
keeping himself covered. Mrs Hall asked hi to take the coat and the hat off,
but he refused. Later, when she went to serve him lunch, he was still standing
at the window, all covered up.
The Strange Appearance of the Visitor
The next time Mrs Hall saw the stranger, he had his
over-coat and hat removed. She met a ghastly sight that made her heart skip a
beat. The stranger’s forehead above his blue glasses was covered by white
bandage, and that another covered his ears, His hair escaping through the
bandages looked like tails and horns, giving him the most unimaginable
appearance.
The Stranger Finally Talks
Mrs Hall perceived that probably the visitor had a very bad
accident and that had disfigured his face. She felt sorry for him. The next
time when she went to clear his lunch, the stranger finally talked to her. He
asked if his luggage could be bought from the station that very day. Mrs Hall
replied in negative. Mrs Hall initiated further conversation, but then he
abruptly told her to bring some matches. She found his behaviour quite rude,
but realising the sovereigns that he had given, she went to get the matches for
him. The visitor spent the night in the loneliness without making much audible
noise.
Detailed Summary of Chapter 2. Mr. Teddy Henfrey’s First
Impressions
Mr Teddy Henfrey
Mr Teddy Henfrey was a clock-repairer who arrived at the inn
in bitter cold. Mrs Hall used this opportunity to take him to the stranger’s room
and also ask the stranger if he wanted some tea. Mrs hall opened the door
without knocking and in the dim light noticed the stranger.
She was dazzled to see that the stranger had no lower jaw
beneath his bandaged mouth. However, she overcome her perception and thought
that the dim light must have deceived her.
The Stranger Asked not to be Disturbed
Mr Henfrey was taken aback by the ghostly appearance of the
stranger. The stranger said that he didn’t like be disturbed, but the
clock-mending would certainly be helpful. He further asked Mrs Hall about his
luggage and informed the two that he was an experimental investigator. Hence,
his luggage was very important. he further told them that he had come to Iping
for solitude and after the ‘accident’ – that supposedly left him in bandages –
it had become a necessity.
Moreover, he explained to them the reasons for what others
might perceive as his strange behaviour.
Mr Teddy was Snubbed by the Stranger
Mrs Hall left Henfrey to fix the clock. Henfrey took a long
time with the clock on purpose, so that he could see more of the stranger. The
stranger kept staring at this and this made Henfrey uneasy. Je tried to start a
conversation with the stranger, but the stranger caught him wasting time. He
told him to finish it fast and get out. Henfrey was very annoyed, but left his
room.
Teddy Met Mr Hall; told him about the Stranger
On his way, Henfrey though that the stranger was perhaps
wanted by the police as he was all wrapped and bandaged to conceal his
identity. He met Mr Hall at a crossing, mr Hall has recently married Mrs Hall
and drove a carriage. He appeared to be drunk the way he was driving. he told
him about the stranger and said that his appearance looked a sort of disguise.
Mr Hall Ran Home but got Rebuked
When Mr Hall inquired about the stranger, he got rebuked by
his wife for returning home drunk. Still he was determined to know more of
their guest. He scrutinised his papers left in the parlour. he further told his
wife to search the stranger’s luggage the next day, but she snapped and told
him to mind his own business. However, it was clear from the dream, that Mrs
hall had that she herself was little suspicious about the stranger.
Detailed Summary of Chapter 3. The Thousand and One Bottles
A Dog Attacked the Stranger
The luggage of the stranger man arrived. It was a
“remarkable” luggage. It had six trunks and with them were big, fat books, of
which some were in unreadable writing. There were crates and cases containing
objects packed in straw.
The cart driver, Fearenside and Mr Hall were talking when
the stranger came running for his luggage.
At that very instant, Farenside’s dog jumped at the
stranger. The dog tore off the glove and the trowser of the stranger.
Mr Hall Got a Concussion
The stranger was probably hurt and he ran inside. Mr Hall
went after the guest to ask if he was
fine. He entered the stranger’s room without announcing himself.
The room was dim. He saw something coming towards him. But
he couldn’t make out what it was. The next thing he knew was being struck
violently in the chest, hurled back and the door slammed in his face.
The Stranger Started Working
The stranger comes down. He had changed his trouser and
gloves. Fearenside apologised for his dog, but the stranger assured him that he
was not hurt.
As soon as the first box was bought in the parlour, the
stranger began to unpack. There were bottles of all the shapes and sizes in all
of the crates.
Mr Hall Again Experienced Something Obscure
The stranger was deeply engrossed in his work. The fire was
out and the straw was scattered all over when Mrs Hall dropped in.
He was so busy that he didn’t hear her knocking or even
coming in. When she put down the tray, he turned to look at her, but
immediately looked away.
Mrs Hall thought that his eye sockets were hollow. The
stranger complained that he was being disturbed.
The Stranger Created a Mess
All afternoon he worked silently only once there was a bang
as though something bad had happened. Fearing that something had gone wrong,
she went near his room, but didn’t enter. She heard him talking to himself.
Thinking that the stranger must have resumed his work, she
went down. When she came again with his dinner, she found a broken glass in the
corner. She complained and received the unusual response that she could put the
expenses of the damage in his bill.
Fearenside’s Impressions
Fearenside and Teddy were later talking about the stranger.
Fearenside said that the man was probable a spotted one as his nose was pink
his legs and hands were black. He must be ashamed of himself and that is why,
kept himself covered all the time Teddy said that “it was a rummy case
altogether”.
Detailed Summary of Chapter 4. Mr. Cuss Interviews the
Stranger
Money Kept Mrs Hall Mum
The narrator tells us that nothing much happened later, but
two incidents would certainly draw reader’s attention.
The stranger kept having small issues with Mrs Hall over his
domestic demeanour, but he always shut her up by asking her to bill him extra.
The Stranger was a Loner
The stranger did not go to church. However, there were days
when he would work round the clock and days when he wouldn’t work at all.
His behaviour was always unpredictable. He was also violent
sometimes. He had no communication with the outside world and rarely went out
in broad daylight.
The stranger was Talk of the Town
The stranger had become the talk of the town. Opinion was
greatly divided about his occupation. Mrs Hall kept defending her guest by
saying that the man was an ‘experimental investigator’ and he had an accident
which had left him discoloured.Some thought that he was a criminal and thus,
remained in hiding. Then, there were talks of him being a piebald. But all of
the Iping disliked him.
Mr Cuss was Curious
Mr Cuss, the general practitioner, was very much interested
in the stranger. He wanted to know why the man possessed a thousand and one
bottles. He used the excuse of a nurse fund and visited the stranger. While the
two men were talking, Mrs stood outside and tried to hear what was happening.
She heard a cry of surprise, then a curious laughter and
then Cuss Appeared. No sooner that he had appeared, Mr Cuss ran across the hall
and right down the road.
“A Most Remarkable Story”
Mr Cuss went straight to Mr Bunting, the Vicar. He thought
that he had gone mad. He started narrating the things that he had just seen. He
told Mr Bunting that the stranger was a man of irritable temper.
He saw that the stranger threw something in the fire, but
was unable to see his hand. He was astonished and then the stranger scared him.
he showed his his sleeves, but there was no hand. Then he
touched Mr Cuss’s nose, but Mr Cuss could not see anything. Mr Bunting
concluded that it was a most remarkable story.
Detailed Summary of Chapter 5. The Burglary and the Vicarage
The Buntings were Awaken
The day was about to come up when Mrs Bunting was suddenly
awoken. She thought that perhaps the door of their bedroom was opened and
closed simultaneously. Then she heard te sounds from someone’s footsteps.
She made sure that a burglar was at work before waking her
husband up. They both went down and heard someone searching in their study.
There was no Burglar
Rev Mr Bunting armed himself with the poker and went after
the burglar. It was around four in the morning. Mr Bunting moved towards the
study cautiously. They could hear the rustle of papers.
Then a candle was lit in the study, but no one was visible.
Mr Bunting reached near the study. From the crack of the door, he could see the
open drawers and the lit candle, but there was no burglar.
The Couple was Left Astonished
Then they heard the chink of money. Realising that the
robber had found the gold coins, Mr Bunting barged into the room. They were
certain that someone was there, but there was no one in the study. They
searched the room and found that their money was gone.
At that moment, there was a sneeze in the passage. Mr
Bunting ran towards that way. He heard the kitchen door being opened. The
couple kept staring, but they could see no one. There was not a soul in the
house.