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
On the day the schooner departs, the friendly museum curator provides Lidenbrock with letters of introduction to several powerful Icelandic men. The schooner then sets off, and the captain informs Lidenbrock that the journey takes 10 days. Lidenbrock is seasick the entire time, and Axel feels that his uncle earned that fate. After two days of storms, the schooner docks in Cape Skagen. The governor of Iceland greets Lidenbrock and Axel, and after Lidenbrock presents his letter of introduction, the governor promises to aid the men with whatever they need. The other men for whom Lidenbrock has letters of introduction are similarly helpful. One man, Fridrikson, a professor of natural science, becomes Axel’s only friend in Iceland and hosts Axel and Lidenbrock at his home.
Lidenbrock’s seasickness undermines his status as an irreproachable genius, humanizing him and making it easier for Axel to poke fun at his uncle. When Lidenbrock and Axel arrive in Iceland, Lidenbrock’s connections throughout the scientific community earn them quick friendships. These allies allow Lidenbrock and Axel to continue on their quest, suggesting that adventures are complex operations that cannot be undertaken without help.
Themes
At Fridrikson’s house, Lidenbrock reassures Axel that the hardest part of their travel is over, and all that is left is the descent to the center of the earth. Axel asks how his uncle plans to get back up once they reach their destination, and Lidenbrock says he plans to consult Saknusemm’s research at the library. Axel invites him to explore the town with him, but Lidenbrock rejects his offer. While Lidenbrock researches, Axel walks around the town and finds it “singularly gloomy.” The landscape is barren and volcanic, and the inhabitants are unsmiling. When he returns to Fridrikson’s house, he finds Lidenbrock has already returned from the library.
Lidenbrock dismisses the difficulties the men will face traveling to the center of the earth, as his passion for discovery once again renders him ignorant to practical concerns––and to the concerns of his nephew. He also remains solely focused on his mission, continuing to ignore the landscapes that Axel wants to explore. Axel is enjoying and learning about the world around him while Lidenbrock ignores it.
Themes
