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Chapter 32
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Around the World in Eighty Days, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Modernity, Time, and Control
Imperialism
Chance, Adventure, and Human Connection
Honor, Reputation, and Duty
Summary
Analysis
Fogg, Passepartout, Aouda, and Fix embark on the Henrietta an hour later, and by the next day Fogg has paid the crew to overtake Captain Speedy and they lock him in his cabin in order to gain control of the boat. As Fogg directs the boat toward Liverpool “like a gentleman,” it is clear he was once a sailor. Passepartout is impressed, while Fix is confused and assumes they must be headed somewhere else where Fogg (whom he still believes is the bank robber) can elude the authorities.
This is the only notable instance in the novel when Fogg compromises his morals to get what he wants. The reader can infer, then, that he is acting out of desperation. Fogg is, ironically, willing to compromise his honorable standing among his companions in order to win the wager—a bet that was made primarily to uphold his gentlemanly reputation with his friends at the Reform Club.
Themes
Although the rough waves and winter winds have not yet managed to delay the Henrietta, Captain Speedy’s engineer informs Fogg that the ship has enough coal to reach Bordeaux, but not Liverpool. Fogg orders the engineer to keep feeding the fires and brings Speedy on deck and convinces him to sell the boat for £60,000 so that Fogg can burn everything but the engine and the iron hull for fuel.
The extreme measure of burning the Henrietta demonstrates just how far Fogg is willing to go in order to maintain control over his situation and reach England in time to win the wager. Burning the boat is extremely dangerous and costly, yet Fogg is willing to take on the risk in order to beat the clock.
Themes
Just before the Henrietta runs out of steam, they reach Queenstown, Ireland. Since this is British soil, Detective Fix is tempted to arrest Fogg right away, but he hesitates, perhaps having changed his mind about “his man.” Instead, he follows Fogg, Passepartout, and Aouda on the train to Dublin and then onto the steamer bound for Liverpool. When they disembark on the Liverpool quay, he finally arrests Fogg.
Although the reward money has long expired by this time, Fix is still committed to arresting Fogg. His decision to apprehend Fogg despite all they have been through together throughout the trip shows that fulfilling his societal duty as a detective is more important to Fix than any personal accountability he owes to Fogg.
Themes
