About Journey to the Center of the Earth
In Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne, the competition for survival is challenged by the never-ending plagues of the natural world. Verne utilizes the setting similar to a character, a villain of sorts, in the manner that nature is consistently foiling the plans of Axel and Otto Lindenbrock. This dominating role nature plays ties into the current scientific discoveries of Verne’s lifetime. When the novel was written in 1863, the scientific community was expanding with revolutionary theories regarding geology and paleontology.
Thesis
Through depictions of fantastical settings and natural phenomena, Verne establishes the theme of nature’s dominance over the power of man; Verne intended that Journey to the Center of the Earth would generate skepticism among the audience regarding the scientific discoveries of the nineteenth century.
Activity and Challenge
Can you think of any other text you have read recently that references Darwinism or the impact of On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin? Why do you think Darwin’s novel is accepted as fact today but received criticism during Verne’s time? (What changed and what stayed the same?)
Challenge: Name another author who utilized the science of their time to create a fantasy world.
My example: H.G. Wells
