Captain Nemo In 20, 000 Leagues Under The Sea

In Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Jules Verne uses characterization to create the theme that appearances can be deceiving. Specifically Jules Verne uses the character Captain Nemo. He portrays Captain Nemo as seemingly helpful, but in reality he is a deeply disturbed and conniving man. Aronnax is torn between staying with Captain Nemo and learning the ocean’s secrets. His other option is to escape with his trusty servant Counseil and the canadian harpooner Ned Land. Throughout the novel on multiple occasions Ned Land tried to escape the Nautilus showing his desire for freedom. At the beginning of their voyage with Captain Nemo, Arronax and Counseil believed they weren’t imprisoned, but after multiple events that occurred on the Nautilus

His other option is to escape with his trusty servant Counseil and the forty two year old canadian harpooner Ned Land. Throughout the novel Aronnax is intrigued by the Nautilus and wants to stay on the ship and explore the ocean. Even after being given the choice of life or death Aronnax still believed Captain Nemo was a good man, “I give you choice of life or death. If you grant me a passive obedience, and submit to my consigning you to your cabins for some hours or days, as occasion calls, you are safe. You have been cast by fate on my vessel. Here you remain. You, Monsieur Aronnax, have least cause to complain, for you have written on the life in the sea, and will benefit most when I shall show you its marvels. I love it. It does not belong to despots.” (Verne ch. 17). At the climax of the novel when Captain Nemo spotted the warship, the Man-of-War, and destroyed it without it even posing a threat to the Nautilus (Harris). This is when Aronnax knew he had to escape the Nautilus with Counseil and Ned Land. Even after his plan to escape the Nautilus, Aronnax stayed awed by Captain

Jules Verne uses the character Captain Nemo to create this theme. Captain Nemo is actually a very disturbed and conniving man, but in the novel he is portrayed as helpful and caring. Throughout the novel Aronnax is torn between staying with Captain Nemo or escaping with Counseil and Ned Land. On one hand he is able to explore and learn about the ocean 's secrets, but on the other hand he has to make a decision to escape so he isn’t imprisoned on the Nautilus forever. Throughout the novel Ned Land tried to escape the Nautilus multiple times because of his envy for freedom. At the beginning of their voyage with Captain Nemo, Arronax and Counseil believed they weren’t imprisoned, but after multiple events that occurred on the Nautilus they became aware of their terms of stay. Also within the novel, Jules Verne gave people and things specific names. For example Nemo in Captain Nemo, means no one, no man, or nobody. Overall, Jules Verne makes great use of characterization that really makes the reader feel like they know who the characters