Excerpt

Excerpt from The War in the Air, by H. G. Wells

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Of all the productions of the human imagination that make the world in
which Mr. Bert Smallways lived confusingly wonderful, there was none
quite so strange, so headlong and disturbing, so noisy and persuasive
and dangerous, as the modernisations of patriotism produced by imperial
and international politics. In the soul of all men is a liking for kind,
a pride in one's own atmosphere, a tenderness for one's Mother speech
and one's familiar land. Before the coming of the Scientific Age
this group of gentle and noble emotions had been a fine factor in the
equipment of every worthy human being, a fine factor that had its less
amiable aspect in a usually harmless hostility to strange people, and a
usually harmless detraction of strange lands. But with the wild rush of
change in the pace, scope, materials, scale, and possibilities of human
life that then occurred, the old boundaries, the old seclusions and
separations were violently broken down. All the old settled mental
habits and traditions of men found themselves not simply confronted by
new conditions, but by constantly renewed and changing new conditions.
They had no chance of adapting themselves. They were annihilated or
perverted or inflamed beyond recognition.

Bert Smallways' grandfather, in the days when Bun Hill was a village
under the sway of Sir Peter Bone's parent, had “known his place” to
the uttermost farthing, touched his hat to his betters, despised and
condescended to his inferiors, and hadn't changed an idea from the
cradle to the grave. He was Kentish and English, and that meant hops,
beer, dog-roses, and the sort of sunshine that was best in the world.
Newspapers and politics and visits to “Lunnon” weren't for the likes of
him. Then came the change. These earlier chapters have given an idea of
what happened to Bun Hill, and how the flood of novel things had poured
over its devoted rusticity. Bert Smallways was only one of countless
millions in Europe and America and Asia who, instead of being born
rooted in the soil, were born struggling in a torrent they never clearly
understood. All the faiths of their fathers had been taken by surprise,
and startled into the strangest forms and reactions. Particularly did
the fine old tradition of patriotism get perverted and distorted in the
rush of the new times. Instead of the sturdy establishment in prejudice
of Bert's grandfather, to whom the word “Frenchified” was the ultimate
term of contempt, there flowed through Bert's brain a squittering
succession of thinly violent ideas about German competition, about
the Yellow Danger, about the Black Peril, about the White Man's
Burthen--that is to say, Bert's preposterous right to muddle further the
naturally very muddled politics of the entirely similar little cads to
himself (except for a smear of brown) who smoked cigarettes and rode
bicycles in Buluwayo, Kingston (Jamaica), or Bombay. These were Bert's
“Subject Races,” and he was ready to die--by proxy in the person of any
one who cared to enlist--to maintain his hold upon that right. It kept
him awake at nights to think that he might lose it.

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Explanation

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The War in the Air by H.G. Wells

H.G. Wells’ The War in the Air (1908) is a speculative fiction novel that explores the devastating consequences of modern warfare, particularly the rise of aerial combat and global conflict. The novel follows Bert Smallways, a working-class Englishman swept up in the chaos of a world war triggered by technological advancements and imperial rivalries. The excerpt provided critiques the transformation of patriotism in the modern era, contrasting the stable, localized identity of Bert’s grandfather with the confused, jingoistic nationalism of Bert’s generation.

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Context & Themes

1. Historical & Political Context

   • Written in the early 20th century, The War in the Air reflects Wells’ anxieties about imperialism, militarism, and the arms race leading up to World War I.
   • The Scientific Age (Industrial Revolution, technological progress) disrupted traditional social structures, replacing them with mass media, rapid transportation, and globalized conflict.
   • The excerpt critiques jingoism—extreme patriotism used to justify war and empire—particularly the Yellow Peril (fear of Asian powers, especially Japan and China) and the White Man’s Burden (the racist ideology that Europeans had a duty to "civilize" non-white peoples).

2. Key Themes

   • The Corruption of Patriotism – Traditional local pride is twisted into aggressive, imperialist nationalism.
   • The Disorientation of Modernity – Rapid change leaves individuals like Bert rootless and susceptible to propaganda.
   • Class & Imperialism – Bert, a lower-class man, is manipulated into supporting wars that benefit elites, not himself.
   • Technological Alienation – The "torrent" of modern life (industrialization, media, global politics) overwhelms individuals, making them pawns in larger conflicts.

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Literary Analysis of the Excerpt

1. Contrast Between Generations: Stability vs. Chaos

Wells juxtaposes Bert’s grandfather (a static, pre-modern figure) with Bert (a product of the chaotic modern world):

• Grandfather’s World (Pre-Scientific Age)

  • "Knew his place" – Social hierarchy was fixed; identity was tied to locality (Kent, England) and tradition (hops, beer, dog-roses).
  • "Hadn’t changed an idea from the cradle to the grave" – Stability, but also ignorance (no exposure to politics, newspapers, or London).
  • Patriotism was gentle, localized pride, with only "harmless hostility" toward foreigners.

• Bert’s World (Scientific Age)

  • "Born struggling in a torrent" – Modern life is unstable, overwhelming, and incomprehensible.
  • "All the faiths of their fathers had been taken by surprise" – Traditional beliefs (religion, local identity) are eroded or distorted.
  • Patriotism becomes aggressive, racialized, and imperialist—fueled by fear (Yellow Danger, Black Peril) and entitlement (White Man’s Burden).

Literary Device: Juxtaposition – The contrast highlights how modernity destroys organic identity and replaces it with manufactured nationalism.

2. The Perversion of Patriotism

Wells describes how gentle, natural affection for one’s homeland is weaponized by modern politics:

• "Fine old tradition of patriotism got perverted and distorted"

  • Originally, patriotism was innocent pride in one’s culture and land.
  • Now, it is hijacked by imperialism, turning into xenophobia and racial superiority.

• Examples of Modern "Patriotism" in Bert’s Mind:

  • "German competition" – Economic rivalry framed as a national threat.
  • "Yellow Danger" – Racist fear of Asian powers (a real propaganda trope in Wells’ time).
  • "Black Peril" – Fear of Black resistance to colonial rule.
  • "White Man’s Burthen" – Kipling’s phrase, justifying colonialism as a "civilizing mission."

Literary Device: Irony & Satire

• Bert’s "patriotism" is absurd—he is willing to die by proxy (let others fight) to maintain dominance over people just like him ("little cads... except for a smear of brown").
• The idea that Bert owns Buluwayo, Jamaica, or Bombay is ridiculous, yet he is convinced of his right to control them.

3. The Role of Media & Propaganda

Wells suggests that modern patriotism is artificially constructed through mass media and political rhetoric:

• "Squittering succession of thinly violent ideas"

  • Bert’s thoughts are fragmented, superficial, and inflamed—a product of newspapers, politicians, and jingoistic slogans.
  • "Thinly violent" – His beliefs lack depth but are easily provoked into aggression.

• "It kept him awake at nights to think that he might lose it."

  • Bert’s fear is manufactured; he has no real stake in empire, yet he is terrified of losing dominance over people he’s never met.

Literary Device: Metaphor of the "Torrent"

• The "flood of novel things" represents uncontrollable modern change—Bert is drowning in information and propaganda, unable to think critically.

4. Class & Imperial Hypocrisy

Bert is a working-class man, yet he buys into elite imperialist ideology:

• "His preposterous right to muddle further the naturally very muddled politics of the entirely similar little cads to himself"

  • The people in colonies are no different from Bert—just poorer and browner.
  • Yet he believes in his superiority and right to dominate them.

• "Ready to die—by proxy"

  • Bert won’t actually fight—he’ll let other poor men enlist while he stays safe.
  • This exposes the hypocrisy of jingoism: the working class is manipulated into supporting wars that benefit the rich.

Literary Device: Sarcasm & Dark Humor

• Wells mocks Bert’s self-importance—he thinks he’s a great patriot, but he’s really a dupe of imperial propaganda.

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Significance of the Passage

1. Critique of Modern Nationalism

   • Wells warns that patriotism, when distorted by imperialism and media, becomes dangerous.
   • Instead of uniting people, it divides them along racial and national lines.

2. Prediction of World War I

   • Written six years before WWI, the novel foreshadows how technological advancement + nationalism = global catastrophe.
   • The "War in the Air" (aerial bombing) would soon become a horrific reality.

3. Relevance Today

   • The excerpt remains prophetic in an era of social media propaganda, populist nationalism, and imperialist wars.
   • Wells’ critique of manufactured outrage and racialized fear is still applicable to modern politics.

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Conclusion: Wells’ Warning

This passage is not just about Bert—it’s about how modernity alienates people from their natural identities and replaces them with artificial, destructive loyalties. Wells shows that:

• Traditional patriotism (love of home) is corrupted into imperialist aggression.
• Ordinary people (like Bert) are manipulated into supporting wars that do not benefit them.
• Technology and media accelerate this process, making critical thought nearly impossible.

In the end, The War in the Air is a cautionary tale—one that warns of the dangers of unchecked nationalism, racial hatred, and the dehumanizing effects of modern warfare. Wells’ message is clear: when patriotism becomes a tool of empire, it ceases to be virtuous and becomes a force of destruction.