Theme: chaos
The War of the Worlds / Confronting Mortality
“That’s what I’ve been thinking,” he said; “that’s what I’ve been thinking. Most of the people were hard at it squealing and exciting themselves. I’ve...
A Journey to the Centre of the Earth / Primal Confrontation
The gorilla placed himself on the defensive, and clutching a bone some seven or eight feet in length, a perfect club, aimed a deadly blow at the hideo...
Frankenstein / Inner Turmoil
My internal being was in a state of insurrection and turmoil; I felt that order would thence arise, but I had no power to produce it.
The War of the Worlds / Urban Panic
There is no safety from the Black Smoke but in instant flight.” That was all, but it was enough. The whole population of the great six-million city wa...
The War of the Worlds / Conflict and Isolation
Instead of keeping close to me and trying to oust me from the slit, the curate had gone back into the scullery. I snatched in the darkness, and my fin...
The War of the Worlds / Collective Panic
Sparks and burning twigs began to fall into the road, and single leaves like puffs of flame. There were shrieks and shouts, and suddenly a mounted pol...
The War of the Worlds / Panic in Proximity
Then a hoarse murmur and a movement of feet—a splashing from the water. A man, too frightened to drop the portmanteau he carried on his shoulder, swun...
A Journey to the Centre of the Earth / Navigating Perilous Terrain
It is necessary, however, to take great precaution, in order to avoid the weight of falling waters, which would cause the raft to founder in an instan...
The War of the Worlds / Disruption and Isolation
I could just see the curate’s face, a dim, oval shape, and his collar and cuffs. Outside there began a metallic hammering, then a violent hooting, and...
Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea / Naval Tension
it moves; it is moving forwards, backwards; it is darting towards us!” A general cry rose from the frigate. “Silence!” said the Captain; “up with the ...
Around the World in Eighty Days / Train Decoupling Incident
There, suspended by one hand between the baggage-car and the tender, with the other he loosened the safety chains; but, owing to the traction, he woul...
The War of the Worlds / Human Folly and Resilience
All that’s happened so far is through our not having the sense to keep quiet—worrying them with guns and such foolery. And losing our heads, and rushi...
The War of the Worlds / Military Disruption
Patrols of soldiers—here no longer hussars, but grenadiers in white—were warning people to move now or to take refuge in their cellars as soon as the ...
A Journey to the Centre of the Earth / Resourceful Hunter
Hans the hunter is indeed an invaluable man!" It was impossible to deny this fact. As far as the nautical and other instruments were concerned, nothin...
The War of the Worlds / Ordinary Catastrophe
He extended a thin white hand and spoke in almost a complaining tone. The morning service was over, I was walking through the roads to clear my brain ...
Frankenstein / Natures Fury
The most violent storm hung exactly north of the town, over the part of the lake which lies between the promontory of Belrive and the village of Copêt...
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes / Knowledge and Chaos
Among these he rummaged and read, with intervals of note-taking and of meditation, until we were past Reading. Then he suddenly rolled them all into a...
A Journey to the Centre of the Earth / Chaos and Isolation
There is a constant emission of light from the storm clouds; the electric matter is incessantly released; evidently the gaseous principles of the air ...
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes / Holmess Obsession
If you will keep the two corner seats I shall get the tickets.” We had the carriage to ourselves save for an immense litter of papers which Holmes had...
The War of the Worlds / Chaos and Indifference
It was this howling and firing of the guns at Ripley and St. George’s Hill that we had heard at Upper Halliford. The Ripley gunners, unseasoned artill...
Gulliver's Travels / Diplomatic Rescue
Ambassadors arrive from the emperor of Blefuscu, and sue for peace. The empress’s apartment on fire by an accident; the author instrumental in saving ...
A Journey to the Centre of the Earth / Fear and Instability
"What fear you now?" "What do I fear now!" I cried in fierce and angry tones. "Do you not see that the walls of the shaft are in motion?
The War of the Worlds / Urban Despair
My brother supposes they must have filled outside London, for at that time the furious terror of the people had rendered the central termini impossibl...