Jules Verne is a great french author who wrote many famous fantasy novels. Thereby he influenced the literature a lot and many of his novels are part of the World Literature. We wanted to present you one of his books in our »Time travel through literature« and decided to take »Around the World in 80 Days«. It was published in 1872 and tells the story of the eccentric rich english Gentleman Phileas Fogg who bet 20.000 pounds, that he will travel around the world in 80 days.
»The chance which now seems lost
may present itself at the last moment.«
»Phileas Fogg, having shut the door of
his house at half-past eleven, and having
put his right foot before his left
five hundred and seventy-five times,
and his left foot before his right
five hundred and seventy-six times,
reached the Reform Club.«
»Anything one man can imagine,
other man can real make.«
After having bat that he will be able to travel around the world in 80 days Phileas and Passepartout, a recently employed french servant of Fogg, start their trip with a train to Paris where they will board a steamboat to Bombay. At the same time the Bank of England is robbed and the overeager detective Mister Fix tries to find the bank robbers. He thinks to recognise Mr Fogg in Paris from the telegraphically forwarded description of the offenders and because of Fogg's behaviour, to of course have a fast progressing in traveling, his suspicion even increases. So he follows Phileas and Passepartout the whole journey trying to get an arrest warrant from England to seize them. While they are traveling around the world they surely have to cope with many problems, for example a broken railway section or angry aborigines. In a jungle in India they have to safe a young woman from execution, who decides to accompany them on their remaining journey. In the plains of Nebraska their train is hijacked and because of many detours they often miss the next mean of transport. These are only some of the adventures they will experience on their journey around the world.
Phileas Fogg is a very eccentric man, who is always punctual and very decent. But if his honour is at risk he does everything for saving it – even imperil half his wealth in a bat. Before the trip around the world Fogg is a person who has got strict daily routines – what you can see in the first quote – but by and by he gets a little bit opener and casual. This is a very important character development because this trip helped him a lot to see his world with different eyes. The only thing we didn't like about him is that especially in the beginning of the journey he was only in his cabin or room. He only did this trip for the bat and not to see other countries and cultures.
Passepartout is very loyal and we really liked him. He helped Fogg everywhere and although he started to work for Fogg because he didn't want to travel a lot and Fogg has got his never-changing routines he travels with him and supports him.
The novel is very interesting and exiting. It is full of adventures and you often ask yourself how this would end and if they will win the bat. We really enjoyed reading it and it is definitely a book you can read again and again. So if you like adventures, tension and a little bit of culture it is the perfect book for you.
I'm afraid I can't do a journey around the world in five hours… But that's my limit in another time. ~Gwen
I will dream of travelling the world tonight. ~Liv
source: Wikipedia