20000 Leagues

Under The Sea

 
 

 

 

 


                                                                 

 

 

 

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STUDY QUESTIONS

 

  1. Jules Verne spends much time discussing the scientific principles of the Nautilus. He is so convincing that few readers question his explanations. From what we know today, are they scientifically possible? For instance can electricity really be produced from salt water?

 

  1.  The ending leaves the fate of the Nautilus unanswered. Why?

 

  1. What is the relationship of Ned Land to Captain Nemo? What do they admire and dislike about each other?

 

  1. Why has Captain Nemo renounced living on land? Is he a tragic figure?

 

  1. Nemo uses the miraculous technology of the Nautilus to destroy. Might he use the submarine to benefit humankind?

 

SETTING

 

Starts of in New York in the spring of 1867 and finishes over a year later in Northern Norway.  The books action mostly takes place in the Nautilus.  The Nautilus is a huge 200 or 300 foot submarine in full armor, the only of its kind.  A lot of the book also takes place in different underwater places in the ocean.

 

STYLE

 

Verne’s style was the use of a lot of futuristic and scientific gadgets through out his book.  He wrote most of his stuff in a scientific way, using true beliefs of science.  His trademark was called a “futuristic fantasy.”

 

IRONY

 

There is a certain irony in the character of Captain Nemo. The man who hates mankind is benefiting it through his exploration and scientific achievements.

 

THEME

 

Man’s Quest for Adventure and Exploration- Mankind has an impulse to explore and classify everything around them.  We also must understand the world in which we live in.  Captain Nemo has a knack for exploring the deep blue underworld, and classifying the wildlife below.

 

The Man of Action Vs. The Man of Intellect- We have a foil of characters with Ned Land and Aronnax.  Ned land is your typical courageous harmonists.  Aronnax is the smart and passive character.  Together they compliment each other well, but disagree on ways to handle certain situations.    

 

Science Fiction is Futurism- He used futurism in his writing which would turn into science fiction.  This is because he would write on submarines or underwater exploration, and those things would be created later.  He wrote on a level much before his time.

 

ABOUT JULES VERNE

 

Jules Verne was born February 8, 1828, in Western France.  He had one son named Michel which he had difficulties with.  He wrote his first book in 1863, which was called 5 Weeks in a Balloon.  In 1870 he was awarded the Legion of Honor.   Verne died at Amiens on March 24, 1905, from complications due to diabetes. He is remembered for anticipating many scientific advances—including helicopters, television, incandescent lighting, air conditioning, missiles, tanks, skyscrapers, the aqualung, and manned space flight—and for his contributions to the development of science fiction.