The Invisible Man · Chapter
The Burglary at the Vicarage explained
In the early hours of Whit Monday, Mrs.
What happens
In the early hours of Whit Monday, Mrs. Bunting wakes to the sound of bare feet and wakes her husband, the Rev. Mr. Bunting. He investigates and hears someone fumbling at his study desk. Armed with a poker, he confronts the intruder, but the room appears empty despite clear signs of burglary—an open drawer, a lit candle, and missing gold coins. A sneeze in the passage and the slamming of the back door suggest the invisible presence has escaped, leaving the Buntings bewildered.
Themes in this chapter
Fear of the Unknown
The Buntings' terror stems from an invisible presence that defies explanation, highlighting the fear of unseen forces.
Invisibility and Identity
The burglar's invisibility allows him to evade detection, challenging the Buntings' perception of reality and identity.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Bunting
The vicar who bravely investigates the burglary, armed with a poker, and is baffled by the empty room.
- Mrs. Bunting
The vicar's wife who first hears the intruder and accompanies her husband in the search.
- Griffin
The invisible burglar who sneezes, opens drawers, and escapes through the back door unseen.
Key passages
“The facts of the burglary at the vicarage came to us chiefly through the medium of the vicar and his wife.”
The story of the vicarage burglary is told mainly by the vicar and his wife.
Establishes the narrative source for the event.
“He is certain that nothing went out of the door. It opened, stood open for a moment, and then closed with a slam.”
Mr. Bunting is sure nothing left through the door, yet it opened and slammed shut on its own.
Highlights the mysterious, invisible nature of the intruder.