The Lord of the Dynamos
"The Lord of the Dynamos" | |
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Short story by H. G. Wells | |
Country | United Kingdom |
Genre(s) | Science fiction |
Publication |
"The Lord of the Dynamos" is a British
Plot summary
Azuma-zi, a character of ill-defined but dark-skinned race, apparently of South-East Asian origin, arrives in London from the
The power station is in the charge of one James Holroyd, an electrician from
Azuma-zi is powerfully impressed by the humming, whirling machinery and comes to believe that the big dynamo is indeed a god. He starts to worship it; he
Holroyd's bullying and Azuma-zi's dynamo worship combine to convince Azuma-zi that his god disapproves of Holroyd and eventually that it desires Holroyd as a human sacrifice. Azuma-zi surprises Holroyd, trips him and throws him against the exposed live terminals on the end of the dynamo, where he is
Holroyd is replaced by a character named only as "the scientific manager"; in contrast to Holroyd's bullying, he takes very little notice of Azuma-zi at all. Nevertheless, impressed by the swift death inflicted on Holroyd by the dynamo, Azuma-zi decides to make the scientific manager a sacrifice as well. The scientific manager fights back, and manages to keep himself clear of the live parts until a third person happens to arrive on the scene, at which Azuma-zi panics, abandons the struggle and seizes the live terminals in his own hands.
Racism
While Holroyd is depicted as a thuggish, unthinking bully who "liked a nigger [as an assistant] because he would stand kicking", the narration, although sympathetic to Azuma-zi, nevertheless describes him in terms that would be considered unacceptable in modern times. He is described as a "savage" and a "mere black", and it is implied that his worship of the dynamo is not merely the result of culture shock, but also owes something to the "negro mind".
References
- ^ Lawrence, T. E. (1997). Patrick Parrinder (ed.). H. G. Wells: The Critical Heritage. Routledge. p. 313.[dead link]