La porta nel muro

The tales selected here follow the principle often adopted by Wells, who with his 1895 The Time Machine can be considered a pioneer of science fiction: the adoption of only one single fantastic event in the narrative to avoid scepticism on the reader’s part. The Door in the Wall, set in London, shows an allegorical nuance that is unusual in Wells’ production. This tale, perhaps autobiographical for the author, is also autobiographical for all of us due to the desolation of its references. Like The Time Machine, The Plattner Story, stems from the pathetic possibilities offered by the hypothesis of a fourth dimension. Once again, the hero stands alone. A good variant of the ancient theme of the double is The Story of the Late Mr Elvesham, centred on absolute cruelty. Two very different elements are found in The Crystal Egg: the sad condition of the protagonist and an unpredictable projection encompassing the whole universe. The Magic Shop is a dream that turns into a nightmare and that leads to wakefulness to calm the reader.