Ella Wheeler Wilcox once wrote in her poem Determination, “There is no chance, no destiny, no fate that can hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul”. In the Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Edmond Dantes has his promising future stolen from him and is wrongly placed in prison. He is a man of confidence, ambition, and a certain naivety. As the Pharaon was pulling into Marseilles, Dantes gives the crew orders “‘But,’ said the ship owner, watching Dantes preparing to drop anchor, ‘it seems to me a man doesn’t have to be old to do his work well, Danglers. Our friend Edmond there doesn’t look as though he needs advice from anyone’”(3).The confidence of the crew in the first mate and the first mate in his orders became apparent early in the novel. His ability to display his confident attitude can help …show more content…
Coming aboard the Pharaon, the shipowner decided “he was wrong to waste a day and a half at the Isle of Elba, unless it needed some sort of repairs”(3). Despite the shipowners initial disapproval, Dantes honestly explained the reason for stopping as carrying out the orders of a dying captain. Through his well mannered, respectful account of the ship’s adventure, Dantes won over the favor of the shipowner. Because of his confidence, honesty, and good manners, the shipowner decided he would make Dantes captain. During his interrogation with Villefort, he believed that his arrest was a simple mistake and he would be released at any moment. Villefort, understanding that Dantes thinks he has no enemies, asks about the possibility of someone accusing him out of jealousy. Dantes replied “If these envious people are among my friends, I’d rather not know who they are, because then