“A Journey Into The Center Of The Earth”, originally “Voyage au Centre de la Terre”, is a classic science fiction novel that follows the narrator, Axel, his uncle, Professor Otto Lidenbrock, and later their Icelandic guide Hans as they attempt to travel all the way into the center of the earth. This timeless piece of literature was written by the Frenchman Jules Verne, and was completed in 1864, translated to English in 1871. In the first few chapters, Axel is treated as if he was his uncle’s underling or subordinate. It is my opinion however that as the story progresses Professor Lidenbrock’s nephew becomes more and more of his uncles intellectual equal.
In the beginning of the novel, Axel is ordered around and treated like some kind of servant by his uncle, as is evident in the following quote:
…With this persuasion I was hurrying away to my own little retreat upstairs, when the street door creaked upon its hinges; heavy feet made the whole flight of stairs to shake; and the master of the house, passing rapidly through the dining-room, threw himself in haste into his own sanctum. But on his rapid way he had found time to fling his hazel stick into a corner, his rough broad brim upon the table, and these few emphatic words at his nephew:
‘Axel, follow me!’
I had scarcely had time to move when the Professor was again shouting after me:
‘What! Not come yet?’
And I rushed into my redoubtable master’s study…
(Verne, 1871)
This quote shows the reader that Professor Lidenbrock was impatient, rude and barked orders at his nephew. This is the way that you would talk to someone who you view as not as important as yourself. This changed later on, however as is evident in the following quote:
… ‘Good morning, Axel,’ he cried cheerily.
‘I feel sure you are better.’
‘Yes, I am indeed,’ said I, sitting up on my couch.
‘You can hardly fail to be better, for you have slept quietly. Hans and I watched you by turns, and we have noticed you were evidently recovering.’
‘Indeed, I do feel a great deal better, and I will give you a proof of that presently if you will let me have my breakfast.’….
….Whilst he went on talking, my uncle prepared a few provisions, which I devoured eagerly.
(Verne, 1871)
In the above excerpt you can clearly see how the professor had changed the way that he addressed Axel. He is cheery, caring and even cooked a breakfast in bed for his nephew.
Another reason I believe that the uncle and the nephew became equals through out their journey is because they have intellectually challenging conversations. An example of one such conversation occurred sometime after Axel had solved the secret Icelandic message:
….“but what of Sneffels?” I was hoping that this question would be unanswerable; but I was mistaken.
“Follow my finger along the west coast of Iceland. Do you see Rejkiavik, the capital? You do. Well; ascend the innumerable fiords that indent those sea-beaten shores, and stop at the sixty-fifth degree of latitude. What do you see there?”….
…. “A very fair comparison, my lad.”….
…. “It is. It is a mountain five thousand feet high, one of the most remarkable in the world, if its crater leads down to the centre of the earth.”….
“…But that is impossible,” I said shrugging my shoulders, and disgusted at such a ridiculous supposition.
“Impossible?” said the Professor severely; “and why, pray?”
“Because this crater is evidently filled with lava and burning rocks, and therefore—”
“But suppose it is an extinct volcano?”
“Extinct?”….
This excerpt demonstrates that Axel becomes more of professor lidenbrook’s equal because they have intellectually challenging conversations. If Professor Lidenbrook saw his nephew as being his subordinate, he likely would not take the time and effort that was required to explain his theories and to try to quell Axel’s fears.
Another instance in which I believe it is demonstrated that Axel becomes his uncle’s intellectual equal through out the novel is when the three travelers, professor Lidenbrook, Axel, and Hans, seem to have depleted all of their water stores and Axel collapses due to exhaustion and dehydration. After Professor Lidendbrock realizes what had happened, he quickly rushes to the aid of his nephew. He then reveals that he had saved the last bit of water for his nephew. This is demonstrated in the following quote:
Then I saw him take the flask that was hanging at his side. To my amazement he placed it on my lips. “Drink!” said he. Had I heard him? Was my uncle beside himself? I stared at, him stupidly, and felt as if I could not understand him. “Drink!” he said again. And raising his flask he emptied it every drop between my lips.
The quote demonstrates that the professor sees his nephew to be at leased as important as himself. If Professor Lidenbrock had seen himself as being more important than Axel, then would have saved the last bit of water for the person who he thought was the most important person, himself.
Another reason why I believe that Axel becomes his uncle’s equal through out the novel “A journey into the center of the earth” is because professor Lidenbrock decides to name an underground islet after his nephew. This is demonstrated in the following quote: “….‘That is what we shall see.’ So says the Professor, who, having named this volcanic islet after his nephew, gives the signal to embark again.” This quote tells us that Proffesor lidenbrock saw his nephew as being important because he named an islet in a new frontier after him. Lending your name to a new discovery is usually reserved for members of royalty, for example: Prince Edward Island (Prince Edward Augustus), The Victoria islands (Queen Victoria), and Prince of Whales island.
Another reason why I believe that Axel becomes his uncle’s intellectual equal through out their amazing journey to the center of the earth is from the begging of the novel. When Axel decrypts the old Runic message hidden inside of Professor Lidenbrock’s copy of Heims Kringla (Snorre Turlleson), he accomplished something that his famous uncle couldn’t for the life of him. In fact, he managed this feat rather easily. The first major shift in how the professor saw his nephew came when Axel revealed to his uncle that he had solved the encrypted message that Arne Saknussemm had left in his book. This shift can be demonstrated in the following quote:
‘You are a very ingenious young man; you have done me a splendid service, at a moment when, wearied out with the struggle, I was going to abandon the contest. Where should I have lost myself? None can tell. Never, my lad, shall I forget it; and you shall have your share in the glory to which your discovery will lead.’
It is at precisely moment that it is decided that they will journey down into the center of the earth with or against Axel’s will.
Axel also has his own theories and beliefs, separate to those of his learned uncle. This means that he thinks independently of Professor Lidenbrock, while someone who was only there to learn under the professor would share all of the same theories and beliefs as him. An example of Axel thinking independently of his uncle is when they are discussing there journey. Axel has a plethora of theories and reasons why this journey would be impossible. These theories are clearly completely opposite of Professor Lidenbrock’s because he believes it is very possible to get to the center of the earth after reading Arne Saknussemm’s decrypted message.
When Axel and his uncle are still in the planning stages of their amazing journey, Axel expresses many times that doesn’t think that it is possible to get to the center of the earth. He comes up with many reasons like: It would be too hot; they could not verify the authenticity of the message, the possibility of lava stopping them and the possibility of being “Put into a state of fusion” (Verne, 1871). Despite these fears that Axel harbored, he still went through with the plan and accompanied his uncle on this epic journey. He most likely would have been able to put his foot down and tell his uncle that he didn’t want to risk his life but he didn’t. He went through with the plan in the name of scientific discovery and the accompaniment of his uncle. This decision no doubt was acknowledged by his uncle as a sign of courage and perseverance, which would help him become a more worthy person.
