Key Quotations One of the most memorable quotations in "War of the Worlds" comes early in the novel, when the narrator first catches sight of the Martian cylinders descending from the sky: "It was as if some invisible jet impinged upon them and flashed into white flame. It was as if each man were suddenly and momentarily turned to fire." This passage portrays the initial horror of the invasion, as the Martians' advanced technology absolutely obliterates the humans. The image of men being turned to fire emphasizes the suddenness and violence of the attack, and sets the tone for the rest of the novel. Another key quotation in the novel comes from the narrator's encounter with the curate, a religious man who has been driven to madness by the events of the invasion: "It is a law of nature we overlook, that intellectual versatility is the compensation for change, danger, and trouble. An animal perfectly in harmony with its environment is a perfect mechanism. Nature never appeals to intelligence until habit and instinct are useless. There is no intelligence where there is no change and no need of change." This passage highlights the contrast between the Martians, who are perfectly adapted to their environment and lack any need for intelligence or creativity, and the humans, who must struggle, adapt and evolve in order to survive. It also suggests …show more content…
It also suggests that the Martians, in their own way, are simply following a pattern of violence and destruction that has characterized human