Abstract

In the latter half of the nineteenth century, Charles Darwin's theories challenged traditional ways of thinking about the world so dramatically that his writings inspired the formation of a new genre: science fiction. Two pioneering authors, Jules Verne and H. G. Wells drew from Darwin's writings in their classic novels, 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas (1870) and The Time Machine (1895). Though the two authors are often compared because they were both early science fiction authors, they approached Darwinian theory in different ways. Verne uses a more extrapolative approach and focusing on specific details of Darwin's texts to tell a didactic adventure story marveling at the wonder of the natural world. Wells uses a speculative approach to incorporate Darwinian theory into a more fantastical story about human evolution geared towards promoting Wells' own vision for an ideal future. The foundational importance of Darwin's ideas to the science fiction genre extended beyond the literature of the nineteenth century; A Darwinian fear of extinction due to nuclear destruction permeates Atomic Age Hollywood films including adaptations of 20,000 Leagues and The Time Machine. Richard Fleischer's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) and George Pal's The Time Machine (1960) both diverge from their source texts to include the threat of nuclear technology in ways that reflect a fear of extinction--something inherently connected to how Darwin challenged the human imagination--and even emotional devolution. This paper will explore the two novels to examine how genre-founders Jules Verne and H. G. Wells incorporated Darwinian theory in different ways, but how Atomic Age adaptations of the two novels demonstrate the same Darwinian anxieties. While Verne focuses on explicit details from Darwin's The Voyage of the Beagle and On the Origin of Species to create an adventure paralleling Darwin's own experiences and pedagogically sharing Darwinian theories, Wells weaves a more fantastic story speculating about the future of human evolution based on Darwin's The Descent of Man. The two film adaptations both include nuclear technology not found in either novel and explore the threat of human emotional regression and nuclear disaster while ultimately suggesting that there can be hope for the future. By examining both novels and important adaptations, we can see how Darwinian theory has permeated science fiction in different ways to infuse the genre with fascination and fear.

Degree

MA

College and Department

Humanities; Comparative Arts and Letters

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2025-08-12

Document Type

Thesis

Keywords

1950s cinema, 20, 000 Leagues Under the Seas, Atomic Age, atomic bomb, Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man, Disney's 20, 000 Leagues Under the Sea, evolution, George Pal, H. G. Wells, Jules Verne, On the Origin of Species, Richard Fleischer, science fiction, sci-fi cinema, sci-fi literature, The Time Machine, The Voyage of the Beagle

Language

english

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