# XIII: A Parley explained — The Island of Doctor Moreau

> Chapter companion for The Island of Doctor Moreau by H. G. Wells.

## What happens

Prendick, standing in the sea, parleys with Moreau and Montgomery, who try to convince him they mean no harm. They offer him revolvers as a sign of trust, and Prendick eventually wades ashore to negotiate. He remains deeply suspicious, especially of Moreau, but agrees to talk. The chapter also shows Prendick's earlier attempt to escape by walking along the beach and his desperate threat to drown himself, which prompts the parley.

## Themes in this chapter

### Science Without Ethics

Moreau's vivisection of animals to humanize them is presented as a morally questionable scientific pursuit, which Prendick condemns.

### Humanity vs. Animality

The beast folk are caught between their animal origins and the humanizing process, and Prendick fears becoming like them.

### Fear and Control

Moreau and Montgomery use whips and threats to control the beast folk, while Prendick's fear drives him to consider drowning.

## Character check-ins

### Edward Prendick

Prendick stands in the sea, threatening to drown himself, then parleys with Moreau and Montgomery. He distrusts Moreau but feels he understands Montgomery.

### Doctor Moreau

Moreau tries to reason with Prendick, offering a loaded revolver as a sign of trust. He explains that the beast folk are vivisected animals, not men.

### Montgomery

Montgomery supports Moreau's efforts to calm Prendick, calling him a 'silly ass' and urging him to come ashore. He cracks his whip to control the beast folk.

### M'ling

M'ling is seen up the beach among the beast folk, as Montgomery's attendant.

### The Beast Folk

The beast folk gather to listen to Prendick's shouts, and some seem to try to remember their human past. They are driven back by Montgomery's whip.

## Key lines

> Hi non sunt homines; sunt animalia qui nos habemus ⁠—vivisected. A humanising process.

These are not men; they are animals that we have vivisected. It is a humanizing process.

_Moreau explains to Prendick that the beast folk are animals that have been surgically altered to become more human._

> Because that is better than being tortured by you.

Drowning is preferable to the torture you would inflict on me.

_Prendick tells Moreau and Montgomery he would rather die than be subjected to their cruelty._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_island_of_doctor_moreau_se/chapters/xiii-a-parley
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_island_of_doctor_moreau_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_island_of_doctor_moreau_se/chapters