Science and Discovery
Journey to the Center of the Earth follows eccentric scientist Professor Lidenbrock as he and his nephew Axel travel underground in an attempt to find the center of the earth. Both Lidenbrock and Axel are geologists and mineralogists, and they delight in identifying and classifying the geological curiosities they encounter underground. Lidenbrock’s desire to complete the adventure is driven in large part by his desire to prove his unpopular theory that the earth lacks a…
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Maturity and Independence
Axel begins Journey to the Center of the Earth as the meek, put-upon assistant of his domineering uncle Lidenbrock. He reiterates often that he feels “compelled to obey” Lidenbrock, reluctantly yielding to the professor’s whims without voicing his complaint. For instance, when Lidenbrock is trying to solve Saknussemm’s cipher, he won’t let anyone in his household leave to purchase food. Axel does not challenge these terms, and he eventually reveals the decryption out…
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Intuition vs. Evidence
Professor Lidenbrock is renowned for his intelligence by both the academic community and his own nephew. Axel repeatedly refers to Lidenbrock as a “savant,” a term he uses to explain the professor’s eccentricities and dedication to knowledge. Lidenbrock and Axel are scientists, and both of them value the scientific principle of measuring a hypothesis against concrete evidence. When they argue with each other, each man only discusses facts that he can prove, structuring each argument…
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Nature vs. Civilization
As Lidenbrock, Axel, and Hans travel to reach the center of the earth, Axel’s narration repeatedly remarks that the natural structures around them rival the civilization’s creations. He describes Iceland’s basalt formations as perfectly geometric and unsurpassed by the “splendours of Babylon and the marvels of Greece,” two ancient societies viewed as pillars of Western civilization. He emphasizes that the formation seems orderly and deliberate, granting traits to nature that are often deemed…
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Adventure
The driving action of Journey to the Center of the World is the titular journey: Professor Lidenbrock and his nephew Axel travel to Iceland, where their guide Hans accompanies them down a volcanic crater to search for the center of the earth. The voyage is an incredibly perilous one, as the men face sea monsters, a hurricane, and the constant threat of becoming lost underground. The dangers that most directly threaten the characters’ lives, however…
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