Famous writer Jules Verne has created a huge library of adventure books. His works are filled with interesting facts from many fields of science. Inventions, achievements and discoveries, about which he first spoke on the pages of his books, came true. He introduced readers to the airplane, scuba gear, submarine and television - things that were not even heard of at that time, but became a reality many years later.
A little about the main thing
The novel attracts not only secrets, but also the realistic, lively characters of the heroes and the author’s good humor. In a brief summary of "Traveling to the Center of the Earth" it is difficult to convey these points. But the landscape plays a large role in the novel, depending on what is depicted, its character and functions change. Ground travel is geographically accurate and real. For example, the writer notes with good irony that the governor’s house is just a shack compared to the town hall. But it seems like a "palace" next to the houses of "Icelandic parishioners."
Some underground landscapes are geologically accurate, and the landscape of the cave with the underground ocean is fantastic, as is the "mushroom forest." Rising a raft with a lava flow is also fantastically described. But the scientific material is still noticeable: a description of Iceland, Lidenbrock's reasoning about the language of the note, about the causes of the underground sea, about the period of occurrence of the "fossil" person. The same can be said of the battle of the plesiosaurus with the ichthyosaurus.
Humor in the work is present as a means of giving credibility and liveliness to an eccentric scientist who, without hesitation, will go on an unprecedented journey. This is the unfading popularity of the novel - in realistic heroes, lively characters, interesting secrets and humor of the writer.
Letter from the past
Getting to the brief content of the novel “Journey to the Center of the Earth”, it is necessary to clarify that the events described in the novel take place in 1863. Otto Lidenbrock, an eighty-year-old wayward professor of mineral studies, finds an old manuscript. With Axel’s nephew, the professor discovered an encrypted message that tells you that you can reach the center of the earth.
Lidenbrock managed to find out that the author of the letter is a certain Arne Sacknussem, an Icelandic chemist of the 16th century. He claimed that he had made such a journey, but for this it is necessary to find a volcano in Iceland, in the crankcase of which there is a path into the bowels of the Earth. The professor cannot miss such an opportunity and soon, along with Axel, sets off on a dangerous journey.
Journey to the center of the earth
We will continue the summary of the book with the story of how Professor and Axel leave Germany. To gain strength, they are forced to stop. Having a rest in Denmark, they go to the capital of Iceland. Here they get acquainted with Hans Bielke, who becomes their guide. Together they get to the very volcano that the ancient alchemist spoke about in his message. When they reached the volcano, they found a descent going inside the mountain.
Inspired by success, they rush to the center of the Earth, but along the way they meet a fork. Having chosen the wrong road, they end up in a dead end and are forced to return, since they are running out of food and water. They are increasingly visited by the idea that their venture failed and the expedition was in vain.
Mountain spring
Gathering the last forces and the remnants of the will, they continue the dangerous path. Hans is taken to replenish their meager supplies and sent to search for water. A long search was not in vain, he finds a mountain spring in the rock. Here he leads his travelers. They break a stone with a pickax, and a barely noticeable string of water turns into a small stream, which they call the name of the discoverer - their comrade.
We continue the summary of “Journey to the Center of the Earth” (chapters in 45). Having rested and replenished water supplies, they continue their journey. However, they soon realized that they were lost. They decided to split up. After which they had to wander for several days in search of each other. An unusual sound effect created in the mountains helped them find each other.
Long way home
The next obstacle for them was the underground sea. To overcome it, travelers had to build a raft and move to the opposite shore. Huge mushrooms and plants never seen before appeared before their eyes. Travelers witnessed the battle of two huge prehistoric animals.
A summary of Travel to the Center of the Earth is drawing to a close. Travelers, having crossed to the other side, discovered the remains of ancient people. A little later they found traces of the alchemist’s stay here, whose message fell into their hands. They still have to overcome many difficulties before they return to the crankcase to get to the surface.
Jules Verne left behind a rich legacy: stories and tales, essays and notes, plays and more than 60 novels. And the noble heroes of his works remain young and carry away on attractive trips and unknown worlds.