By presenting the concept of a closed door, the opposite idea is supported that, once upon a time, the door was open. With this knowledge comes the possibility that perhaps a closed door can be reopened, suggesting that there are two sides to a door. If we continue with this metaphor, the “closed door” can be seen as the border, a common theme among writers of the 1890s. Both texts – Tennyson's “In Memorium” and Wells's The Island of Doctor Moreau – challenge the that this “closed door” remains as it is. Tennyson's poetry almost seems as if, through the power of language, he wants to open this door that separates the living from the dead, himself and Hallam. Wells uses this idea of ​​the "closed door" less philosophically and more as a metaphor to suggest a permanently open door; this is what bridges the otherwise separate gap between beast and man, epitomized in Dr. Moreau's vivisection. Although each writer explores crossing this boundary through their words, both fail to realize the responsibility that accompanies their actions. Whether reaching a dead man or attempting to turn a beast into a man, all actions have consequences. And this is what sums up both texts as fiction of the 1890s; a sense of progressive but fatal that comes from opening the door to a new century. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The opening quote from HG Well presents an image of the “closed door” as physics. However, in the context of Tennyson's poem, it becomes the symbol of the boundary between past and present. James Spedding suggests that Tennyson is "a man always discontented with the Present until it becomes the Past, and then he aspires to it and worships it." In Memorium presents an obsession with the boundary between these two binaries. As Spedding suggests, Tennyson can neither exist in the present nor fully achieve the ideals of his past. This creates a self-inflicted purgatory as part of his grief, heightened by his physical return to Hallam's house, mirroring the mental journey he takes to this past memory: Dark House, at which I once again find myself […] Doors, where the my heart was used to beatIn addition to the suggested metaphor, the spiritual is also shown in a material door, which leads to the dark house. Because the speaker is physically unable to pass through the door, Tennyson is unable to fully enter the confines of the living. By refusing to exist fully, this almost suggests a willingness to sacrifice his own life to drag the past into the present he is so unhappy with. This concept is furthered by the detachment from Tennyson's mental and physical state. By stating that his heart "beat" within these confines, he suggests that in all other places, which are not active representations of Hallam's life, his heart cannot. In this longing for the past, the narrator also actively rejects the present. He "[stands]", while others continue to move through life around him, suggesting an inability to even emotionally move beyond his grief. Therefore, this "closed door" becomes the one through which Tennyson longs to return, but at the same time cannot. As explored previously, the “closed door” symbol is multifaceted. In HG Wells' fantasy novel, it comes to represent the border between beast and human. After centuries of debate, one of the defining characteristics that separate humans from animals is language. However, Wells's science fiction challenges this concept by suggesting that the boundary – in essence, the closed door – between language and communication is notas defined as previously described. As Dr. Moreau continues his vivisection, the Beast People are introduced to human language. However, as they begin to recede, their understanding also diminishes. Can you imagine language, once clear and exact, softening and crumbling, losing shape and importance, becoming mere lumps of sound? Yet? (Wells, p.93) This ever-developing image presents the reader with a further metaphor; the "closed door" between realism and science fiction is emphasized by the curious. Wells implies that this is a world full of creatures that can only be "imagined"; readers themselves cross the line between the realistic and the imaginary in the act of reading. Furthermore, this literature alludes to the fear of degeneration. As the new century approaches, this implies the fear that human language will be reduced to “mere sound lumps” of a beast. This fear means that "[imagining]" could quickly become reality. We must then consider whether language is connected to understanding. Garner suggests that "a man cannot think without words." This implies that it is not possible to reach the intellectual level of humanity without the ability to form words aloud. However, it also perhaps suggests that if a creature, like Doctor Moreau's beasts, were to speak words, it could gain this intelligence and thus become more human. This concept begins to bridge the gap between man and beast and the door is opened wide through these experiments whether humanity is ready or not. However, the degeneration of language into mere “softened and deflated” lumps of sound perhaps suggests otherwise. Moreau gave these creatures the ability to speak, but that's about it. Like beasts, they cannot reason or think independently, and the mind remains separate from the voice. Therefore what is apparently a process that will unite animal and man in understanding only separates them further. Despite Moreau's best efforts, the door between the animal and human kingdoms remains closed. Until now, the "closed door" has been considered an emotional, intellectual and spiritual barrier. However, it must also be considered a construct that constitutes a social barrier, between the larger world and the culture that each writer creates. Tennyson creates a closed experience of pain and Wells presents the reader with a perverted Eden. Both of their environments are closed off from the outside world, but they also come to represent broader experiences. For example, Doctor Moreau's island, seemingly separated from reality by a "closed door", can be seen as a metaphor for critical and severe Victorian society. I had before me the whole balance of human life in miniature, the whole interplay of instinct, reason and destiny in its simplest form. (Wells, p.77) Wells argues that the island of Doctor Moreau and the struggle between man and beast may represent “the whole balance of human life.” This suggests that vivisection, even if not physically, is perhaps more important in our daily lives than previously thought. A civilized person must conduct a kind of perverse vivisection in his life; they must fight against brute instincts and choose reason to adhere to the ideals of a Victorian society. However, perhaps the most interesting point to note is the perspective. So far, every protagonist has been thought of as being on both sides of a “closed door,” eager to get to the other side. In this case, Prendrick is completely detached and sees a concept as one, rather than separate from this boundary. Furthermore, this suggests a difference in Wells' narrative perspective. Prendrick's extended vision almost suggests an elevated status, similar to.