Around the World in Eighty Days

This book is insightful on culture, loyalty, and diversity. The reading of this story can be tedious at times, but in the end there is a fairy tale ending. This book started out in England and was made into a movie multiple times, which was more exciting and able to hold the viewer's attention better than the book. It was very repetitive and slow-developing at times. From the outside looking in, you would think this story is fast-paced, suspenseful, and exciting. Fogg was rather adventurous in this story, but the main underlying theme was the culture and religion of this time period.

When Aouda came into the storyline, Fogg and Passepartout were trying to rescue her from the Brahmin Indians. In their religion, when the husband dies, the woman is subject to be a burnt offering. The reader gets caught up in the rescuing of the princess, especially when Fogg lays in place of the corpse and they think he is a prophet when he jumps up and runs off with Aouda. The love story between Fogg and Aouda develops in the rest of the book, supplying the reader with another story on the side to be entertained with. At times, however, it seemed as if Aouda and the manservant might have feelings for each other. This was because Verne shows us her concern for him whenever he leaves the master. However, Fogg and Aouda marry when they return home from the 78 day journey.

Passepartout's loyalty is very commendable in this story. Even though he was hired the day they left, he was willing enough to travel around the world with his master. As they experience the adventures together, Passepartout's loyalty and trust in Fogg only increase. There was a time when the manservant did go and take part in the effects of opium, which put the bet in jeopardy. He was also skeptical of his master's innocence because of what Fix told him. Passepartout is scolded for wearing shoes in a church, and is convicted in a trial, in which he admits to his ownership of the shoes. In the end, Fogg bails him out of the situation, and the rest for this adventurous pair is history.

Fogg proves his honesty when he stops at every city to get a stamp on his passport. The stamp proved that he went to these places, rather than cheating his friends out of the bet. Personally, we become caught up in Fogg's character and the wise decisions and bold moves that he makes throughout the plot.

The different locations that Fogg's team travels to throughout the 78 days are incredible. Passepartout wanted to view every stop they made and take in all the scenery, which we cannot blame him for. Traveling around the world would be an eye-opening journey to learn new diversities.

In conclusion, Jules Verne uses imagery in a powerful way to describe scenes and scenarios. This was an insightful book that taught us many things about relationships and priorities. But, it was tedious and tough to get through the plot.