Mr. Blettsworthy on Rampole Island is a novel by H. G. Wells. The book tells the story of Arnold Blettsworthy, a well-to-do but naive young man from an affluent family. The story begins with Blettsworthy’s sheltered upbringing and education, which leaves him ill-prepared for the realities of the world. His naivety and lack of worldly experience lead him into various misadventures. After a failed romance and a breakdown, he embarks on a sea voyage to recover, which ends in disaster when his ship is wrecked. Blettsworthy finds himself stranded on Rampole Island, a fictional South Pacific island. The island is inhabited by a society that parodies various aspects of Western culture and politics. Blettsworthy observes and interacts with the islanders, gaining insights into human nature and society’s follies and vices.
About the author
Herbert George Wells (1866–1946) was an English writer. Prolific in many genres, he wrote more than fifty novels and dozens of short stories. His non-fiction output included works of social commentary, politics, history, popular science, satire, biography, and autobiography. Wells’ science fiction novels are so well regarded that he has been called the ‘father of science fiction’.