Ashwin Lewis
In H.G. Wells' 1899 novel, *When the Sleeper Wakes*, Graham, a Victorian gentleman and pamphleteer, falls into a coma and wakes up 200 years later in a transformed world. While he was asleep, his wealth had grown to the extent that he is now the owner of almost everything, and the most powerful man in the world. However, he soon finds himself in the middle of a revolution, with rebels led by Ostrog seeking to overthrow the White Council. Ostrog manipulates Graham into becoming a figurehead ruler, but when Graham discovers the brutal reality of life for the lower classes, he confronts Ostrog, leading to a battle for London. So, is Graham dead?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the book | When the Sleeper Wakes |
| Author | H.G. Wells |
| Year of publication | 1899 |
| Genre | Dystopian science fiction |
| Main character | Graham |
| Profession of the main character | Radical pamphleteer |
| Era of the main character | 1890s |
| Reason for the sleep | Insomnia |
| Length of the sleep | 200 years |
| Owner of the world upon waking | Graham |
| Reason for ownership | Compound interest on his money |
| Graham's role in the revolution | Figurehead |
| True leader of the revolution | Ostrog |
| Outcome of the revolution | Betrayal of revolutionary ideals |
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What You'll Learn
Graham falls into a coma
In the 1899 dystopian science fiction novel When the Sleeper Wakes, Graham, a Victorian gentleman and pamphleteer, falls into a coma. Graham had been suffering from insomnia for days and, after taking drugs, finally falls asleep—and into a coma. This coma lasts for 200 years, and when he wakes up, he finds himself in a transformed world.
Before his coma, Graham had money of his own, and his cousin and a man named Isbister, who took him home, left their fortunes to him. During his coma, compound interest accrued on these fortunes, and by the time he woke up, he had become the richest man in the world. In fact, from a legal perspective, he owned the majority of the planet.
When Graham finally wakes up, he is disoriented and alarmed. Word spreads that the "Sleeper" has awakened, and a mob gathers, demanding to see the legendary man. The people around him refuse to answer his questions and instead place him under house arrest.
Graham eventually learns that while he slept, a group called the White Council had invested his money to buy up all major industries and political entities across the world, establishing their own vision of political and social dominance. The White Council wanted Graham dead. Rebels led by Ostrog helped Graham escape, and he joined their burgeoning revolution against the White Council. Ostrog retained power, while Graham became his puppet ruler.
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Graham wakes up 200 years later
In the 1899 dystopian science fiction novel When the Sleeper Wakes by H.G. Wells, Graham, a Victorian gentleman and pamphleteer from London, falls into a coma due to a strange ailment and insomnia. He wakes up 200 years later in the 2090s, in a completely transformed and almost unrecognizable world.
Upon awakening, Graham is disoriented and alarmed, and a mob soon gathers outside the building, demanding to see the legendary Sleeper. The people around him refuse to answer his questions and place him under house arrest. Graham eventually learns that he is now the richest and most powerful man in the world. While he was asleep, his fortune had grown through compound interest, and trustees called the White Council had invested his money to buy up industries and political entities across the world, establishing their own vision of political and social dominance.
Graham reluctantly joins a burgeoning revolution against the White Council, led by Ostrog. He soon discovers the brutal reality of life for the lower classes, which has not improved despite the revolution. Ostrog only wanted power, not change, and he uses Graham as a puppet ruler. Graham eventually attacks Ostrog's aeroplane, but fails, and his own plane crashes.
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Graham is now the richest man in the world
In the novel When the Sleeper Wakes by H.G. Wells, Graham is the richest man in the world. Graham, a Victorian Englishman living in London in 1897, falls into a coma and wakes up 200 years later. During his coma, a trust fund is set up by the executors of his estate, which grows through compound interest over the two centuries he is asleep. By the time he wakes up, Graham is the owner of almost everything and the most powerful man in the world.
While Graham was asleep, the world underwent significant changes. The White Council, a group of trustees, invested his money to buy up major industries and political influence across the world, establishing their own vision of political and social dominance. When Graham wakes up, he finds himself in a mechanized and automated city, with no countryside or agriculture remaining in England. The world is in a state of upheaval, with workers rebelling against the White Council and the plutocracy they have established.
Graham joins the rebels, led by Ostrog, who want him to assume the role of leader. However, Graham is merely a figurehead, while Ostrog retains the true power. Graham leads a carefree life, pursuing his interest in aeroplanes and learning to fly. He discovers that, despite the revolution, the upper classes still control and exploit the lower classes. Ostrog defends the system, revealing that he only sought power for himself.
Graham's wealth and ownership of the majority of the planet make him a pivotal figure in the world he wakes up to. His wealth and status as the Sleeper give him a unique perspective on the state of the world and the changes that have occurred during his long sleep. As the legal owner and master of most of the world, he becomes a symbol and a figurehead for the rebels seeking to overthrow the White Council. Graham's wealth and influence shape the course of events in the novel, highlighting the power and impact of wealth accumulation and the potential consequences of unchecked compound interest.
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Graham is under house arrest
Upon waking, Graham is disoriented. The people around him are alarmed, as they did not expect him to wake up. Word spreads that the "Sleeper" has awakened, and a mob gathers, demanding to see the legendary man. Graham wants to know why he is so special, but those around him refuse to answer his questions. Instead, they place him under house arrest.
Graham learns that he is now the legal owner and master of most of the world. While he slept, his fortune was managed by trustees, the White Council, who invested his money to buy up industries and political entities across the world. They established their own vision of political and social dominance, and upon waking, Graham is, by default, the most powerful man in the world.
The White Council wants Graham dead. However, rebels led by Ostrog help him escape. They tell him that the people need his leadership to rise against the White Council. Ostrog becomes the true leader, with Graham as his puppet ruler. Graham leads a carefree life, taking an interest in aeroplanes and learning to fly. He sees that all agriculture is now run like industry, and that everyone lives and works in one of four massive, windmill-powered cities.
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Graham joins the revolution
In H.G. Wells' 1899 novel, When the Sleeper Wakes, Graham, the main character, finds himself in a completely transformed London after waking up from a 200-year-long coma. He discovers that he has become the richest man in the world due to compound interest accumulating on his fortune while he slept.
Graham is met with a mob demanding to see the legendary Sleeper, and he is placed under house arrest. Rebels led by Ostrog help him escape, and he joins their revolution against the White Council, the true power brokers who have been ruling in his name. Graham reluctantly agrees to become the figurehead of the revolution, with Ostrog as the true leader. Ostrog tells Graham that the rebels have won and that the people want the Sleeper to rule.
Graham leads a carefree life of leisure and develops an interest in aeroplanes, learning how to fly. However, his life takes a turn when Helen Wotton reveals to him the harsh reality of life for the lower classes in post-revolution England. Graham confronts Ostrog, demanding to know why he has not implemented the revolutionary ideals and improved the lives of the lower classes. Ostrog defends his actions, claiming that the lower classes are still necessary for the functioning of society.
Graham uncovers the brutal conditions faced by the workers, including low pay, lack of job security, rampant diseases, and the disintegration of family units. He also discovers that Ostrog has been using African police forces to quell rebellions, which only adds to the atrocities committed against the workers. Graham, still nominally in charge, orders the police forces out of London, and Ostrog reluctantly agrees.
Graham's involvement in the revolution ultimately leads to his confrontation with Ostrog, as he realizes that Ostrog is more interested in maintaining power than bringing about meaningful change. Graham's revolution ends in betrayal, as he fails to overthrow Ostrog, and his aeroplane is shot down.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Graham is not dead. He falls into a coma and wakes up 200 years later.
When Graham wakes up, he is disoriented. The people around him are alarmed as they did not expect him to wake up. A mob gathers and demands to see the Sleeper.
Graham agrees to assume the role of leader, although he is only a figurehead. Ostrog is the true leader. Graham leads a carefree life, taking an interest in aeroplanes and learning to fly.
Graham goes undercover to see what life is like for the workers. He discovers that they face issues such as low pay, lack of job security, rampant diseases, and the disintegration of the family unit.
