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Q.Why was Mrs. Hall happy to have a guest at 'Coach and Horses' Inn? How did the stranger behave at the inn?

CBSECBSE Class XII Board 2019Subjective· 6mImportance★★★★★
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Mrs. Hall welcomed the stranger eagerly because winter brought few guests and money was scarce; the stranger, however, proved rude, secretive, and violently temperamental, demanding absolute privacy while conducting mysterious experiments.

This question asks us to examine two aspects of the opening of H.G. Wells's The Invisible Man: the innkeeper's motivation and the guest's peculiar conduct. Understanding these elements reveals the story's initial tension between economic necessity and unsettling strangeness.

Mrs. Hall's Motivation

The reason for Mrs. Hall's happiness is straightforward and rooted in practical economics.

  1. Seasonal hardship at the inn

    The story opens in February, the dead of winter at Iping. This was the off-season for rural English inns—few travelers ventured out in harsh weather, and local custom alone couldn't sustain a business like the Coach and Horses.

  2. Financial relief

    A paying guest in winter meant income when it was desperately needed. Mrs. Hall wasn't particular about the stranger's oddities initially because his money was good and immediate. She even overlooked his bizarre appearance (bandaged head, hidden face, dark goggles) because he paid in advance and without complaint.

  3. Hope for extended stay

    The stranger indicated he wanted to stay for some time, which promised steady revenue. For a struggling innkeeper, this was a windfall worth tolerating eccentricities.

Note

Wells establishes this economic dependency early to explain why the villagers tolerate the stranger's behavior for as long as they do—fear of losing income outweighs suspicion, at least initially.

The Stranger's Behavior

The guest's conduct was anything but ordinary, marked by hostility, secrecy, and explosive anger.

  1. Immediate rudeness and impatience

    From arrival, the stranger was curt and irritable. He snapped at Mrs. Hall, demanded his luggage be brought up immediately despite the cold, and showed no social grace. His tone was consistently imperious.

  2. Obsessive privacy

    He insisted his room remain undisturbed, locked himself in for hours, and flew into rages if anyone entered unexpectedly. When Mrs. Hall tried to be hospitable or curious, he rebuffed her sharply.

  3. Mysterious appearance

    His entire head was wrapped in bandages, leaving only a shiny pink nose visible. He wore dark goggles, gloves, and a wide-brimmed hat even indoors. He claimed to have been in an accident affecting his eyes and skin, but offered no details.

  4. Strange laboratory work …

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