20 000 Leagues Under The Sea Summary

Opposites are found everywhere in the world. Almost everything in the world is an opposite and this can be seen in people as well. In the novel 20,000 leagues under the sea, by Julius Verne, Pierre Aronnax is a scientist and studies organisms. Then the news starts reporting about a monster and Arronnax wants to find out what it is. So, he boards a government ship called the Abraham Lincoln with Conciel, his assistant. While on the Abraham Lincoln, professional harpooner, Ned Land is also on the ship. The monster shows up and attacks the ship. When the monster rams into the ship, Land, Aronnax, and Conciel fall off the ship. They soon find a submarine instead of the monster. Then they meet the Captain, Nemo. The submarine's name is Nautilus.
Land just wants to be on the shore and not in the submarine under water. Aronnax wants to find out the secrets of the submarine. Land does not realize that they are on a transportation way ahead of its time. Aronnax does realize that they are on a ship way ahead of its time. This is why Aronnax wants to stay on the ship to find out all the secrets. Land saying to Aronnax ,"' But don't you realize, Professor ... that one might perfectly well die of hunger in this iron cage?'" (Verne 56). Land does not realize how the submarine is a work of art, calling the submarine the iron cage. Land does not care about the submarine at all. Land cannot stand being submerged under water. Land just wants to be connected to the world instead of having only the crew, Aronnax, and Conciel. Aronnax saying to Land,"' we must not give up hope. We have been in more difficult situations than this. Do me a favor of waiting a while before you jump to any conclusions about the captain and the crew of this boat'" (Verne 56). Aronnax sees how the submarine and the crew is a magnificent work of art and a true marvel. Aronnax wants to find out all the secrets to the submarine and that is why he want to keep Land quiet, so that he can find out more about the submarine. Arronax and Land are character foils because they both have different points of views on the submarine. Land also just want to do anything he can to get off the submarine. Aronnax rephrasing saying,"' Do you mean you would seriously consider seizing the ship' ' I very much so'" (Verne 63). Land just wants to get off the submarine any way possible even if he will have to take over the submarine. Aronnax thinks that this is not a good idea at all and they will have to fight with the odds of three men against a whole crew of men. Plus, if they fail, they would be prisoners instead of being able to walk around the submarine. Aronnax is a character