Gladiator

"Gladiator" by Philip Wylie is a science fiction story that kicks off with Professor Abednego Danner, a scientist passionate about his work, and his wife Matilda, who has a hard time understanding his drive. The story quickly shows Danner's experiments into boosting physical strength, and the surprising results they have, especially for his son, Hugo, who ends up being a living example of his father's experiments. At the start, we see the Danner family and the friction between Abednego's science and Matilda's more traditional ideas. Danner is shown as a kind but persistent man, dedicated to his lab work, where he believes he can uncover amazing human potential. Conversations point to his innovative, but possibly alarming, theories about changing biology. As the story moves forward, we learn that Danner's experiments lead to Hugo, a child with unbelievable strength and skills. This setup introduces ideas about family trouble, the right and wrong of science experiments, and what it means to create a 'superhuman', getting ready for a close look at Hugo's unique challenges as he becomes someone with incredible power.