‘Aepyornis Island’, also referred to as ‘Æpyornis Island’, is a captivating short story written by the renowned author H. G. Wells (1866-1946) in 1894. This tale first appeared in the Pall Mall Budget on December 27, 1894. The narrative can be classified as a Robinsonade, showcasing a man's struggle for survival on a deserted island.
Summary of ‘Aepyornis Island’
The narrative structure of ‘Aepyornis Island’ employs a framed storytelling technique, which enhances the authenticity of the central plot. The story begins with a narrator who strikes up a conversation with a scarred individual, who shares his knowledge about orchids. As their discussion progresses, it transitions to the topic of an extinct flightless bird known as the Aepyornis.
The scarred man's name is Butcher, and he recounts his harrowing expedition to a secluded island in the Indian Ocean, where he was ultimately abandoned by the natives who had initially brought him there. In a moment of desperation, Butcher shoots one of the natives, causing the man to fall overboard. Butcher then swims to the canoe and drifts away with the sole survivor.
However, after falling asleep, he awakens to find the native man lifeless in the canoe. Without hesitation, he tosses the body overboard and continues to drift for ten days under the relentless sun. During this ordeal, Butcher sustains himself with a few biscuits, sips from the limited water supply in the canoe, and consumes one of the Aepyornis eggs he discovered on the island.
Eventually, Butcher reaches an atoll and paddles to shore. There, he discovers a freshwater spring but soon becomes weary of his surroundings. A violent thunderstorm strikes, destroying his canoe, which forces him to construct a makeshift shelter from the wreckage.
The pivotal moment arrives when the last remaining Aepyornis egg hatches. Butcher greets the arrival of the bird, initially about the size of a hen, naming it ‘Man Friday’ as a nod to the character from Robinson Crusoe. He decorates the island with the name ‘Aepyornis Island’ using shells and sea urchins, and he observes the bird’s growth. Initially content in this idyllic setting, he finds himself yearning for a simple pleasure: tobacco.
However, the tranquility of this life is short-lived as the Aepyornis becomes increasingly restless when food supplies dwindle. In a sudden turn of events, the bird attacks him, leaving a scar on Butcher's face, and chases him in a fit of rage. Injured and bleeding, he swims across a nearby lagoon and climbs a palm tree to escape the wrath of the bird.
Desperate for a solution, Butcher devises a plan to capture the aggressive creature. He successfully ensnares the bird and throws it into the lagoon, where he resorts to sawing at its neck with a knife to kill it. The bird's remains are quickly consumed by fish, leaving behind only bones. Soon after, a passing yacht rescues Butcher from his isolation.
In his conversation with the narrator, Butcher reveals that he sold the bones of the Aepyornis to a man named Winslow, and the species was later classified as Aepyornis vastus.
Analysis of ‘Aepyornis Island’
‘Aepyornis Island’ invites comparisons with another of H. G. Wells’ significant island narratives, particularly his 1896 novel, The Island of Doctor Moreau. Both stories feature an island setting and explore the blurred lines between humans and animals. In ‘Aepyornis Island’, this relationship is emphasized through the hatching of the extinct bird, which ultimately poses a threat to its human counterpart.
The theme of extinction is further underscored by the historical context of flightless birds on islands, exemplified by the infamous Dodo, which fell victim to human exploitation. Similarly, the Aepyornis faces a grim fate at the hands of Butcher, yet it also represents a formidable adversary before he ultimately reestablishes his dominance through cunning and resourcefulness. Butcher’s ironic name may symbolize both his violent actions and his ultimate survival instinct.
“However, I hit on a way of settling him at last. It is a South American dodge. I joined all my fishing lines together with stems of seaweed and things, and made a stoutish string, perhaps twelve yards in length or more, and I fastened two lumps of coral rock to the ends of this. It took me some time to do, because every now and then I had to go into the lagoon or up a tree as the fancy took me. This I whirled rapidly round my head, and then let it go at him. The first time I missed, but the next time the string caught his legs beautifully, and wrapped round them again and again. Over he went.”
Additionally, the narrative shares thematic similarities with another of Wells' stories, ‘In the Avu Observatory’, published shortly before ‘Aepyornis Island’. Despite its Borneo setting, both narratives revolve around a solitary man confronting a mysterious creature in a struggle for survival.
Conclusion
In summary, ‘Aepyornis Island’ by H. G. Wells serves as a fascinating exploration of human survival, the dynamics of man versus nature, and the underlying themes of extinction and dominance. Butcher's journey from isolation to confrontation with the Aepyornis highlights the fragile balance between humanity and the natural world, inviting readers to ponder the consequences of human actions on the environment.