Hey AI, help me outline Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
Certainly, “Around the World in Eighty Days” by Jules Verne is a classic work of fiction.
Origin Scene & Worldview: Phileas Fogg is introduced as a meticulous, stoic man of routine who values precision and punctuality. This very structured worldview is rooted in his past experiences, which have led him to become a man of habit. His origin scene might be imagined as a series of experiences where lateness or unpredictability caused him problems or distress, shaping him into a man obsessed with timeliness and order.
Primary Desire: To travel around the world in eighty days, based on a wager.
Personal Significance: This journey isn’t just about winning the bet. For Fogg, it’s a test of his worldview that precision and exactitude can overcome any challenge, even one as unpredictable as a trip around the world.
Misbelief: Life can be perfectly planned, predicted, and accounted for.
Unavoidable External Force: Upon a discussion at his club, Fogg makes a wager of 20,000 pounds that he can travel around the world in eighty days. This bet and the enormous sum at stake force him to take on this adventure, pushing him out of his comfort zone.
Story Blueprint for “Around the World in Eighty Days”:
For the sake of brevity, I’ll give a more generalized blueprint rather than a scene-by-scene account:
- Alpha Point: Fogg bets he can travel the world in eighty days.
- What happens: Fogg and his new servant, Passepartout, embark on their journey.
- Why it matters: Fogg’s reputation, principles, and a significant sum of money are on the line.
- Consequence: The journey begins.
- Realization: Challenges will arise that precision alone cannot address.
- And so?: They continue their travels, facing multiple obstacles.
- Alpha Point: They face various challenges (missed connections, cultural misunderstandings, etc.)
- What happens: Fogg manages to find solutions to most challenges, but also faces accusations of robbery.
- Why it matters: These challenges test Fogg’s worldview.
- Consequence: Fogg is occasionally delayed, but persists.
- Realization: Some problems can’t be planned for.
- And so?: Fogg continues to adjust his approach and plan.
- Alpha Point: Fogg is arrested for a bank robbery he didn’t commit.
- What happens: The delay from the arrest makes the journey’s timeline even tighter.
- Why it matters: Fogg’s reputation is on the line, beyond the journey itself.
- Consequence: Once released, they have almost no time to complete the journey.
- Realization: Determination is as crucial as precision.
- And so?: They make a desperate final push to complete the journey on time.
- Alpha Point: Return to London, believing they’ve lost the bet.
- What happens: Fogg arrives thinking he’s a day late but realizes he miscalculated the date.
- Why it matters: It’s a twist that might allow him to win the bet after all.
- Consequence: Fogg rushes to his club.
- Realization: Precision and routine, while valuable, can also blind one to bigger pictures.
- And so?: Fogg wins his bet.
- AHA! Moment:
- What happens: Amid all the challenges and the race against time, Fogg realizes he has fallen in love with Aouda, a woman they rescued during their travels.
- Why it matters: It’s a human, unpredictable emotion that can’t be timed or planned.
- Realization: Life’s unpredictability, represented by love, can be its most rewarding aspect.
- And so?: Fogg proposes to Aouda, embracing life’s unpredictability.
Misbelief Challenged: Through his journey, Fogg learns that while precision and punctuality are virtues, life’s unpredictability and challenges can’t always be planned for. Furthermore, it’s these unpredictable moments (like falling in love) that can be the most rewarding.
The journey reshapes Fogg’s misbelief by showing him that adaptability, understanding, and human connections are as vital as his beloved routines and schedules.
What might the author’s underlying motivations or purposes be for writing the novel?
Based on “Around the World in Eighty Days” by Jules Verne and the described emotional transformation of the protagonist, the most likely change Jules Verne might have intended for the readers is to challenge the notion of a life strictly governed by precision, routine, and predictability. By immersing readers in Phileas Fogg’s emotional journey — from a man of unwavering routine to someone who learns to embrace life’s unpredictabilities and the nuances of human connection — Verne might have aimed to evoke a realization in readers: that while order and structure have their merits, it’s the unexpected, spontaneous moments and relationships that often bring the most profound meaning and joy to one’s life.