Around the world in 80 days
Q1) Describe the importance of the following places in the development of
the plot and behaviour of the characters.
1) Liverpool: Liverpool is the place where Fogg disembarks from his
steamer, and from where he has to catch a train to London. Liverpool is
also the place where he is arrested by Fix and thus misses his train. He
arranges a special train in an attempt to reach London on time.
2) Reform club: Reform Club is the place which Fogg frequented on a
regular basis. It is at the Reform Club that Fogg gets involved in an
argument over an article, and where the wager with his fellow club
members takes place. It is the place where Fogg was supposed to return
before 8.45 p.m. on 21 December, 80 days later. It is the place where his
antagonists are waiting anxiously for him, and which he reaches at
practically the last second to win his wager.
3) Saville Row: Phileas Fogg’s residence is in Saville Row.
This is also the place where he takes Aouda.
Fogg has always stayed quietly at this place.
When he returned from his trip around the world and thought he had
lost the wager, he remained there so quietly that no one even knew he
had returned.
4) Edinburgh: Detective Fix arrested Phileas Fogg in Liverpool thinking that
he was a bank robber. However, the real bank robber, James Strand, had
been arrested on 17th December at Edinburgh.
Q2) Elaborate the following quotes in the light of the extract of the novel,
‘Around the World in Eighty Days’
1. Quitters never win and winners never quit’.: Even though Fogg loses
time due to being wrongly arrested and imprisoned, he makes every
effort to reach London on time. He arranges a special train from
Liverpool. He does not quit when he feels that there is some faint chance
of a win. Later, when Passepartout discovers that it is Saturday and not
Sunday, and that there is still a chance of winning, Fogg puts aside
everything and rushes headlong to the Reform Club. He does not give up
in spite of all the obstacles, and comes out a winner, both in winning the
bet and the love of a good woman.
2. ‘Time is the only solution to problems.: The most important theme in
the extract is time. Fogg’s wager is a race against time, and his
Notes By Prof Kedar Murdeshwar
adventures illustrate repeatedly that time is fickle, and either works for
or against them. In many cases, time foils their plans, when the delays
build up and the train to Liverpool leaves without them. In the end,
though, it is time that helps wins Fogg his bet, since they gained a day
when crossing the International Date Line. The ultimate message is that
no one can control time; time will work the way it wants to work, and
humans are at its mercy. Time is the only solution to problems.
Q3) Write the central idea of the given extract of the novel, ‘Around the
World in Eighty Days’.
Ans: The central idea of the given extract is how Fogg ultimately wins the bet
even though there are unexpected delays and missed trains. He had
unknowingly gained a day when crossing the International Date Line, and
hence he was still in time to meet the deadline. The final statement is that love
and its attainment is more important than all the challenges and money in the
world.
Q4) Phileas Fogg is as cool as a cucumber whereas Passepartout is as crazy as
a loon. Explain the statement by citing some references from the extract.
Ans: Phileas Fogg was always cool except when he hit the detective Fix. He was
cool and calm in prison. Even when he felt that he had lost the wager, he shut
himself up in his house quietly without any noise. He was cool when dealing
with Passepartout, and also when dealing with Aouda. He could control his
emotions and appear to be expressionless
Passepartout, on the other hand was a very emotional and excitable person. He
was very repentant when he realized that he could have prevented Fogg’s
arrest; he was thrilled when he knew that Fogg was marrying Aouda.
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Notes By Prof Kedar Murdeshwar
