# XXVII explained — The Survivors of the Chancellor

> Chapter companion for The Survivors of the Chancellor by Jules Verne.

## What happens

The wind shifts to the northwest, driving the sinking Chancellor further from land. Curtis and the crew struggle to complete the raft as the ship sinks lower. Mr. Kear, Captain Huntly, and three sailors are discovered to have escaped in the whaleboat, abandoning the others. The crew reacts with fury, while Mrs. Kear remains unaware of her husband's desertion.

## Themes in this chapter

### Survival and Sacrifice

Kear and Huntly's selfish escape contrasts with the crew's labor on the raft, highlighting the tension between individual survival and collective duty.

### Hope and Despair

The shift in wind and the desertion deepen despair, yet the continued work on the raft represents a fragile hope.

### Leadership and Authority

Curtis assumes command in the crisis, while Huntly's abandonment of the ship represents a complete failure of leadership.

## Character check-ins

### Robert Curtis

Shouts orders in the storm, leads the crew in raft construction, and discovers the desertion of Kear and Huntly.

### M. Letourneur

Stands by the narrator with his son, expressing concern about the maintop's stability.

### André Letourneur

Supported by his father, reassures Miss Herbey that the maintop is their best refuge.

### Miss Herbey

Points out Mrs. Kear's condition and asks what should be done, showing concern for others.

### Mr. Kear

Deserts the ship with Captain Huntly and three sailors, stealing the whaleboat.

### Silas Huntly

Plots with Kear to escape, abandoning his command and the passengers.

## Key lines

> Dead against us! then, thought I, the wind had shifted to the southwest, and my last night’s forebodings had been correct.

The narrator realizes the wind has turned against them, confirming his earlier fears.

_The change in wind direction seals the ship's fate, driving it away from land._

> The miserable husband had deserted his wife, the faithless captain had abandoned the ship that had once been under his command.

Kear abandoned his wife, and Huntly deserted the ship he was supposed to command.

_This line condemns both men for their cowardice and betrayal._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_survivors_of_the_chancellor_se/chapters/xxvii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_survivors_of_the_chancellor_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_survivors_of_the_chancellor_se/chapters