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PLOT SYNOPSIS:

The Magic shop, H.G Wells, 1903

A boy named Gip and his father visit a magic shop in Regent Street, London andsoon things seem to be mysterious and the shopkeeper is most mysterious of all.

Gip is excited by all the magic objects while his father gets amused for a shorttime before he becomes distant when he realises things are between reality andillusion.

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The Red Room, H.G Wells, 1894

The narrator challenges himself to stay the night in a room located in FrenchCastle called Lorraine that is believed to be haunted. The narrator having

announced to a couple of elderly people that he has never seen a ghost before

and that he is not afraid of going into the room to sleep. After being warned bythe old caretakers of the Castle, he walks in the red room and places candles atvarious spots and suddenly the candles start to wink out one by one until thedarkness reigns the red room making the man loose his confident and calm.Eventually he fell and gets knocked unconscious, he wakes up the next day andtries to recall what happens to announce that the room is not only haunted by

ghosts but worst, haunted by black Fear.

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AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY:

Herbert George Wells (21september 1866- 13 August 1946) was an EnglishAuthor now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He also writescontemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writingtextbooks and rules for war games. He is referred to as the "Father of science

fiction".Wells used to express his feelings, romantic interest and political views throughdrawings and sketches that covered his diary endpapers.Although the obstacles Wells faced during his early life, he developed an interestin a wide range of subjects such as: Biology, Politics and Art and Design.

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT- INFLUENCES:

Wells had an influence from scientist Darwin that could be noticed in some hisscience fiction novels, for instance The Time Machine where it was set in theyear 802701 and he mentioned that the human being has evolved into twospecies, the brutal ad the animal-like.The main influence for his story The Red Room was the Victorian Era, lastingfrom 1830-1901, a period where dramatic changes happened due to theextension of colonialism through different continents making England a worldpower and allowing it to advance in different areas such as science, technology,

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architecture and medicine but most importantly the supernatural life. Furthermorethe influence of the Archaic period which could be noticed in his story in which heused Archaic language which is believed to make the story more enjoyable.

Concerning the story The Magic Shop and following a further investigation, Magicand illusion was a form of entertainment in the 20th Century and London was

home to many famous magicians who performed in the Egyptian Hall. Thisappears to be the main influence for Wells about his story The Magic Shop.

EXISTING ADAPTATIONS:

Alfred Hitchcock The Magic Shop film is a very good example of Wells Story TheMagic Shop adaptation. The film was released in 1964 and is about Tony, ayoung boy who has been given 15 dollars for his birthday and been taken to a

magic shop by his father to spend money. The owner of the shop insists to teach

the boy his magic tricks despite the father's disapproval when suddenly theshopkeeper and the boy disappear along with the shop leaving the fathershocked. The next day Tony show up as if nothing happened but soon hisparents realise he has become skilled in black magic.