The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896) belongs to the classics of early science fiction. It tells the story of Edward Prendick, a shipwrecked man rescued by a passing boat and left on the island home of Doctor Moreau — a real monster who creates human-like hybrid beings from animals via vivisection. The novel deals with a number of philosophical themes, including pain and cruelty, moral responsibility, human identity, and human interference with nature.