Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea: Part 2, Chapter 15 Summary & Analysis

The next morning they prepare to leave “Nemo Land.” Before long, the Nautilus has descended back into the water and is underneath the Great Ice Barrier again. At three a.m. Arronax wakes up suddenly, feeling the submarine be tossed violently around. Everyone else aboard the vessel is awake, too, and shouts in confusion, although Nemo is nowhere to be seen. They sit in the saloon, hoping he might appear. Just at the point when the tension builds to an unbearable degree, Nemo appears and says there’s been a “very serious” accident. He explains that there’s nothing they could have done to prevent—a gigantic iceberg turned over, and in doing so knocked the Nautilus onto an ice bed.

Nemo is attempting to drive the Nautilus back up to the surface of the ocean, but as it goes up, the ice bed goes with it. Eventually, they manage to get moving, and as they go Arronax, Ned, and Conseil gaze out the vessel’s window at the beauty of the ice. However, suddenly this ice turns blinding—the submarine is going at its highest speed, causing the ice to flash like “diamonds.” Around five a.m., the vessel starts going backward. Arronax feigns confidence, but is worried that this plan won’t work. He picks up a book and reads absently. Fifteen minutes later Conseil comments on the book Arronax is reading, which Arronax immediately realizes was the one he wrote. Furthermore, he’s holding it upside down.

Everyone sits together for the ensuing hours, worried. Finally, there is another jolt to the boat, and Arronax grabs Conseil’s hand in terror. Nemo enters, and says that they are walled in by ice on every side.