Around the World in Eighty Days · Chapter
XXIV explained
Phileas Fogg, Aouda, and Fix board the General Grant to cross the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco.
What happens
Phileas Fogg, Aouda, and Fix board the General Grant to cross the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco. Passepartout reunites with them after his opium-induced absence. Fix, now aboard, reveals his change of strategy to Passepartout, agreeing to help Fogg reach England where the warrant can be executed. Passepartout and Fix form a wary alliance. Aouda's growing affection for Fogg is noted by Passepartout. The journey proceeds smoothly, and Fogg's watch remains on London time, leading to Passepartout's mistaken triumph over timekeeping.
Themes in this chapter
Time and Punctuality
Passepartout's watch, kept on London time, aligns with the ship's chronometers at the 180th meridian, highlighting the theme of timekeeping and its role in Fogg's journey.
Determination and Resilience
Fogg's steady progress across the Pacific, despite past obstacles, underscores his unwavering commitment to completing the journey within the wager's timeframe.
Characters to notice
- Phileas Fogg
Remains calm and taciturn during the Pacific crossing; his devotion and honesty are praised by Passepartout to Aouda.
- Passepartout
Reunites with Fogg after his opium den misadventure; joyfully discovers his London watch matches ship's chronometers; confronts Fix and agrees to an alliance.
- Fix
Boards the General Grant with the now-useless warrant; reveals his change of tactics to Passepartout, promising to help Fogg reach England.
- Aouda
Grows increasingly attached to Fogg; takes keen interest in his journey and chats with Passepartout about Fogg's virtues.
Key passages
“He took pains to calm Aouda's doubts of a successful termination of the journey, telling her that the most difficult part of it had passed, that now they were beyond the fantastic countries of Japan and China, and were fairly on their way to civilised places again.”
Passepartout reassured Aouda that the hardest part of the trip was over, as they had left the exotic lands of Japan and China and were heading toward more familiar, civilized regions.
Passepartout comforts Aouda about the journey's success.
“Now, on this day, though he had not changed the hands, he found that his watch exactly agreed with the ship's chronometers. His triumph was hilarious.”
Passepartout was overjoyed to discover that his watch, still set to London time, perfectly matched the ship's clocks.
Passepartout's watch aligns with the ship's time at the 180th meridian.
“I've changed my game, you see, and simply because it was for my interest to change it. Your interest is the same as mine; for it is only in England that you will ascertain whether you are in the service of a criminal or an honest man.”
Fix explained to Passepartout that he now had a new strategy: helping Fogg reach England, where the truth about his guilt or innocence could be determined.
Fix reveals his shift from hindering to aiding Fogg's journey.