Final answer:
The novel 'The Time Machine' by H.G. Wells reflects the steampunk genre through its portrayal of Victorian-era technology in a futuristic context, where the Time Machine itself is a key example of retrofuturistic design that blends mechanical elements with speculative science.
Step-by-step explanation:
The genre of steampunk in 'The Time Machine' by H.G. Wells is evident through the novel's depiction of technology and society. Steampunk is a genre that involves technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. In 'The Time Machine,' Wells embodies this by portraying a complex machine capable of traveling through time, which combines Victorian elements with futuristic innovation. The Time Traveller's machine, described with its metallic framework and quartz rods, is rooted in the mechanical and material culture of the industrial era but extends into the realm of the fantastic with its ability to manipulate gravity and transport its operator to different temporal realms.
Textual evidence from 'The Time Machine' reflects this retrofuturistic concept when the Time Traveller talks about his machine: "At first, I say, the handling-machine did not impress me as a machine, but as a crablike creature with a glittering integument." This passage fuses the organic with the mechanical, a hallmark feature of steampunk design, suggesting a synthesis of nature and technology that prefigures modern discussions around subjects like bioengineering and cybernetics. Ultimately, Wells's narrative demonstrates a fascination with the possibilities that industrial technology might afford, which is central to retrofuture themes.