CBSE Class 10 Footprints Without Feet Chapter 5: The Invisible Man NCERT Solutions

The invisible man, a scientist named Griffin, achieved invisibility by swallowing certain rare drugs. It was the middle of winter when he conducted this experiment, making it impractical to remain without clothes. To find shelter, he entered a London store. After the store closed for the night, he opened some boxes, took out clothes, and adorned himself with shoes, an overcoat, and a wide-brimmed hat. This act of dressing himself transformed him from an invisible entity into a fully visible and clothed person.

Although Griffin was a brilliant scientist, his actions often disregarded the law. His landlord had a strong dislike for him and intended to evict him from his house. In retaliation, Griffin set the house on fire. To escape being apprehended for this act and to avoid the consequences, he removed all his clothes, rendering himself invisible and naked, and began wandering the streets without any possessions or money.

Griffin, the invisible scientist, booked two rooms at a local inn located in the village of Iping. Mrs. Hall, the wife of the innkeeper, attempted to be friendly and hospitable towards him. However, she began to perceive him as eccentric when he expressed his desire for complete peace and quiet during his stay, stating that he had come to Iping specifically for this reason and did not want anyone to disturb him.

One morning, the clergyman and his wife were awakened by unusual noises coming from downstairs. Upon investigating, they heard the sound of money being taken from the clergyman's desk. The clergyman, suspecting something amiss, stealthily picked up a poker for defense and opened the study door. The situation became even more mysterious when they found the study empty, with no one present, yet the desk was open and the money that had been kept there was missing.

Besides the unexplained theft from the clergyman's desk, several other bizarre incidents occurred at the inn. Griffin's room was usually kept locked, but one day, Mr. and Mrs. Hall found the door ajar and entered to investigate. Although Griffin was not visible in the room, his clothes and the bandages he habitually wore were found there. Suddenly, Mrs. Hall felt a sniff near her ear, and then the hat on the bedpost moved and struck her face. Shortly after, a chair seemed to come alive, hitting her on the legs, and the couple was forcefully pushed out of the room before the door shut and locked itself.

The statement that Griffin was a lawless person is strongly supported by his actions throughout the story. Despite being a brilliant scientist, his behavior consistently demonstrated a disregard for societal rules and laws. For instance, when his landlord threatened to evict him, Griffin retaliated by setting the landlord's house on fire. Furthermore, to escape detection and consequences, he entered a store without permission, took clothes and food from a grocery store, and behaved in a manner that caused fear and confusion at the inn, indicating a pattern of unlawful and selfish conduct.