Sixth Grade
Worksheets
H. G. Wells
Some great writers want to touch our hearts with inspiring words. Others like to make us laugh until we cry and our stomachs hurt. One great science fiction writer inspired another emotion: pure panic. A radio broadcast based on H. G. Wells' famous novel, The War of the Worlds, created a national uproar.
H. G. Wells' name at birth was Herbert George Wells. He was born on September 21, 1866, in Kent, England. His parents did not have a lot of money, but they worked hard. When Herbert's father, Joseph Wells, received an inheritance, he bought a china shop. This business did not do well, so he became a professional cricket player in order to make ends meet. The family also made money by selling cricket bats and balls.
In spite of the fact that his family did not have much money, "Bertie" used his vivid imagination to have fun. When he broke his leg at age eight, he couldn't play the same games as he used to with his three siblings. But books saved him. He loved reading them so much that he made up his mind that he would become a writer when he grew up. His British school had a rigid curriculum and a strict, cranky teacher, so Herbert couldn't always use his creative ideas in his homework. Herbert held on to the hope that someday he would find a way to create fantastic worlds and weird creatures with words.
Herbert's education was interrupted when his father broke his leg. Joseph Wells was no longer able to play cricket. The family finances became even tighter. Herbert had to quit school and go to work to help support the family. He became an apprentice to a draper when he was fourteen years old. He didn't like the job too much, but it did help his family survive. He was later fired, so he tried being a chemist's assistant. Then, he tried teaching. Unfortunately, Herbert could never seem to find work that suited him very well.
Herbert had another chance to study when he won a scholarship to the Normal School of Science in London in 1883. His scientific studies there influenced his later writings. He learned how to observe things closely, which made him fill his stories with sharp details. Among other subjects, Herbert studied biology and evolution. Herbert faced another setback when he was not able to complete the requirements for his degree. He then lost his scholarship and had to start working again.
