# VII explained — The Food of the Gods

> Chapter companion for The Food of the Gods by H. G. Wells.

## What happens

Giant pullets escape into Hickleybrow, attacking a child and causing widespread panic. The villagers chase the birds across the countryside, eventually driving them to Urshot and beyond, where some are captured by a circus proprietor.

## Themes in this chapter

### Fear of the Other and Monstrosity

The giant pullets are monstrous and terrifying, disrupting the normal order of village life and inciting fear and violence.

### Scientific Responsibility and Unintended Consequences

The escape of the giant hens is a direct consequence of Bensington's Herakleophorbia experiments, highlighting the unforeseen dangers of scientific tampering.

## Character check-ins

### Skelmersdale

Little Skelmersdale is attacked and carried off by a giant hen, but is rescued unharmed.

### Miss Durgan

Miss Durgan of the Post Office witnesses the attack and bravely intervenes, grabbing the mail bag.

### Hickleybrow

The village of Hickleybrow is thrown into chaos by the giant pullets.

### The Vicar

The Vicar's wife's new conservatory is smashed by a croquet mallet thrown at a hen.

### Witherspoon

Mr. Witherspoon's cucumber frames are damaged by one of the giant hens.

## Key lines

> The violent bellowing of little Skelmersdale seems to have been the first announcement of anything out of the way.

The first sign of trouble was little Skelmersdale's loud screaming.

_The child's cries alerted the village to the giant hen attack._

> The spectacle of Miss Durgan all across the road, with the entire dayвАЩs correspondence of Hickleybrow in her hand, gave pause to the pullet in possession of Master Skelmersdale.

Miss Durgan, holding the day's mail, stood in the road and momentarily distracted the hen holding Skelmersdale.

_Her brave action created a crucial delay._

> The chief immediate reaction of this astonishing irruption of gigantic poultry upon the human mind was to arouse an extraordinary passion to whoop and run and throw things

The immediate human response to the giant hens was an overwhelming urge to shout, chase, and hurl objects.

_The villagers instinctively reacted with chaotic pursuit._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_food_of_the_gods_se/chapters/vii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_food_of_the_gods_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_food_of_the_gods_se/chapters