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
Axel takes a walk through Hamburg to consider the journey before him. He wonders if Lidenbrock’s arguments are “the mad speculations of a fool,” or the “scientific deductions of a great genius.” Axel’s excitement fades and he once again believes Lidenbrock’s proposal to be absurd. On his walk, he encounters Gräuben, who instantly detects that something is wrong. He explains the situation, and she encourages him to go, saying that the journey is an opportunity for Axel to distinguish himself. He marvels at how “female hearts” seem to make decisions based on something unrelated to reason.
Axel’s concerns about Lidenbrock’s arguments continue to emphasize the importance of scientific method in constructing arguments. If the professor came to his conclusions through “scientific deduction,” then Axel must recognize them as brilliant. If Lidenbrock is simply “speculat[ing],” however, then he is a fool. Axel’s understanding of scientific reasoning is also explicitly gendered. He believes women are governed by their hearts, which act on something like feminine intuition rather than logic. This instinct allows Gräuben to intuit that something is wrong, suggesting that intuition is effective for women in the same way that evidence-based inquiry is for men. This line of thinking reflects a common sexist perspective that women are too emotional to be to logical.
Themes
Axel returns home to find the house full of porters carrying luggage. Lidenbrock scolds him for wandering off instead of packing, and he tells his anxious nephew that they will depart in two days. Axel reluctantly goes to bed, and after a restless sleep, Gräuben wakes him. She assures Axel that the men’s journey will bring glory to them and allow Axel to finally be his own man.
Axel locates Lidenbrock and cautiously asks why they must leave in the middle of May when the message specifies the importance of late June. Lidenbrock snaps that the journey to Iceland will be a long one. Axel retreats to his room, where Gräuben helps him pack and calmly comforts Axel about the expedition. Early the following morning, Axel reluctantly prepares to leave. Gräuben assures him that, although he is leaving his betrothed, he will come back to his wife. Axel embraces her and follows his uncle to their coach.
Lidenbrock continues to prioritize discovery over courtesy, snapping at Axel when he doesn’t understand the timeline of the trip. Gräuben, meanwhile, remains a dependable source of support for Axel. Her promise that she will be his wife when he returns reiterates her hope that Axel will mature over the course of the journey, allowing him to be an independent man ready to marry her.
Themes
