Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Journey to the Center of the Earth, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Science and Discovery
Maturity and Independence
Intuition vs. Evidence
Nature vs. Civilization
Adventure
Summary
Analysis
At dinner, Lidenbrock complains that his visit to the library was unfruitful. Fridrikson explains that the valuable books of Iceland are spread over the country, since “the love of study is in the Icelandic blood.” These books are only shared with foreigners who join the national literary society. Lidenbrock agrees to join, and Fridrikson asks what books he is looking for. After a moment of hesitation, Lidenbrock asks if Fridrikson knows of any works by Arne Saknussemm.
Axel forms strong opinions about the nations and peoples he encounters, characterizing the people of Iceland as gloomy but also studious. His burgeoning understanding of the world around him speaks to his growing maturity. It also reflects the book’s setting; the 19th century was a period of European expansion and imperialism, with European explorers visiting foreign lands and forming superficial understandings of the people who lived there. These opinions were often more damaging than Axel’s, and they led to oppression and colonization around the world.
Themes
Fridrikson expresses great admiration for Saknussemm, but he explains that the adventurer’s books were burned when he was convicted of heresy in the 16th century. Lidenbrock concludes that Saknussemm hid his discoveries about the center of the world to prevent them from being destroyed. Fridrikson describes Iceland’s remarkable geological features, and Lidenbrock pries information from him about Snäffel with such blatant excitement that Axel has to hide a smile. Despite Lidenbrock’s obviousness, the “innocent guilelessness of [Fridrikson’s] Icelandic nature” prompts Fridrikson to take his guest at his word. He promises to secure Lidenbrock a guide to Snäffel.
Axel continues to define the Icelandic national character, attributing Fridrikson’s “guilelessness” to his nationality. Saknussemm’s conviction for heresy likely occurred during the Icelandic Reformation, the 16th century spread of Protestantism across Iceland. Many Icelandic people opposed this new religion, but the king established Lutheranism as the country’s official religion.
Themes
