Author: Clare Winger Harris
Date of First Publication: Winter 1929
Place of Publication: Amazing Stories
Type: Short Story
Characters: No Characters
Themes: BYRONIC HERO; POSTHUMAN; MAD SCIENTIST/MONSTER; WOMEN WRITING MONSTERS
Critical Summary: “The Evolutionary Monstrosity” follows Frank Caldwell, a recent graduate who is contacted by two classmates, Theodore Marston and Irwin Staley. Ted and Irwin are engaged in experiments that attempt to prove a hypothesis about evolution, and are in need of Frank’s help. When Frank visits Irwin’s home laboratory, he is greeted by Irwin’s cat, who is terrifyingly mutated; it has the ability to speak and walk on two legs. Upon meeting Ted and Irwin in their laboratory, Frank realizes that Ted has proven his hypothesis to be true, but has gone too far in his experiments. Frank tries to stop this, though his attempt to persuade the two to stop their experiments fails.
After returning from the laboratory, Frank embarks on a trip to Europe to teach for several years. When he returns to the states, Frank receives a letter from Irwin’s sister Dorothy, stating that the experiments have gone from bad to worse. When Frank arrives, Dorothy informs him that Ted has been injecting himself with the same evolutionary bacteria he has been using on his specimens. When Frank finally runs into Irwin, he does not even recognize his old friend. Frank uses Irwin to lead him to the laboratory where Ted has not left for a year. Upon his entrance, Frank is amazed to find Ted, who transformed into a creature consisting of a circular body housing two eyes that bear tentacles. During this encounter, Ted reveals that evolution has occurred more rapidly than he could have imagined, causing him to acquire 7 more senses, giving him the ability of mind control. Ted reveals he had been using this power to control Irwin for his benefit. Realizing the experiments have gone too far, Frank grabs a pipe in the laboratory and sneaks up on Ted. With one blow, the evolutionary monstrosity is brought to an end.
Harris portrays Theodore Marston as a Byronic hero comparable to Victor Frankenstein. Although he starts with good intentions to advance scientific study, the experiments get out of hand. Just as Victor becomes seduced by power, Ted becomes a mad scientist who plays God. Unlike Victor, Ted never evaluates whether what he is doing is wrong, nor does he try to stop the evolution. Ultimately, it is Frank who is left to contemplate what will happen to the human race if Ted continues abusing his power.
Administrative Notes: Shaun Haber, CSUF; Alexis Shanley, CSUF (editing)