The White Mountains

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses enslavement and a hypothetical death by suicide.

“The body of the Watch was of a steel much superior to anything they could make at the forge in Alton, and the works inside were a wonder of intricacy and skill.”

Throughout his childhood, Will’s primary exposure to the technology of the past comes in the form of a wristwatch his father owns. With their complex machinery and the need for technical precision to keep accurate time, watches represent The Wonder of Human Ingenuity and the extent of human achievement prior to the arrival of the Tripods. By contrasting such technology with the medieval standard of living that is the norm in Will’s day, Christopher highlights how far the Tripods have set back human civilization.

“We had no idea what Volts had been, but the notion of danger, however far away and long ago, was exciting.”

On several occasions, Will encounters remnants of modern society that are likely familiar to readers, though they leave him confused. Here, Will’s sense of wonder and intrigue are directed at a relatively mundane target, a power plant. By considering modern society from Will’s perspective, Christopher invites readers to examine their own lives and technologies with newfound wonder. Will’s comment also reveals an underlying desire for adventure that is unlikely to be fulfilled in the course of his normal life in the village.