# St. Maël's Navigation on the Ocean of Ice explained — Penguin Island

> Chapter companion for Penguin Island by Anatole France.

## What happens

Saint Maël embarks on a perilous voyage in a stone trough, guided by demonic forces through storms and icy seas. He encounters mythical sirens, a white bear quoting Virgil, and a frozen city, ultimately losing his evangelistary to the ocean before the sea calms and the bear reappears holding the book.

## Themes in this chapter

### Satire of Religion

The demonic manipulation of Maël's voyage and the absurdity of a stone trough sailing at supernatural speed parody religious miracles and saintly legends.

### Human Folly and Vanity

Maël's helplessness against the elements and demonic forces highlights the folly of human endeavor against cosmic powers.

## Character check-ins

### Saint Maël

The holy man navigating the Ocean of Ice in a stone trough, enduring storms and demonic interference.

### Unknown Narrator

The third-person narrator describing Maël's voyage and the supernatural events.

## Key lines

> The Devil, having tucked his clothes up to his armpits, dragged the trough on the sand, and fitted the rigging in less than an hour.

The Devil quickly prepared the stone boat for Maël's journey.

_Demonstrates the demonic agency behind Maël's voyage._

> And Leviathan passed by hurling a column of water up to the clouds.

A massive sea creature spouted water high into the sky.

_Biblical allusion to Leviathan adds to the fantastical setting._

> He saw three demons with wings of black skin having hooks at their ends, who, hanging from the rigging, were puffing with their breath against the sails.

Three hook-winged demons clung to the rigging and blew into the sails.

_Explicit depiction of demonic interference in the voyage._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters/iv-st-ma-l-s-navigation-on-the-ocean-of-ice
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/penguin_island_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/penguin_island_se/chapters