The Apple, H. G. Wells: Summary & Analysis

H. G. Wells (1866-1946), known for his significant contributions to speculative fiction, crafted some of the most allegorical short stories of his time, with ‘The Apple’ standing out as a tale deeply rooted in symbolism and philosophical exploration. Originally published in Idler magazine in October 1896, the story delves into the themes of knowledge, curiosity, and the human psyche through a fictional encounter with a forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge . Summary Mr. Hinchcliff, a schoolmaster, encounters a mysterious stranger on a train journey through southern England. The stranger reveals he possesses an apple from the Tree of Knowledge , claiming it hails from the Garden of Eden itself. The stranger elaborates on how he acquired this extraordinary fruit from an Armenian who, while fleeing the Kurds, stumbled upon a valley he believes to be the biblical Garden. The apple is strikingly golden-yellow and oddly resembles an orange rather than a typical apple. Hinchcliff, though …