Destiny and Destination explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Adventure and Exploration

  The chapter centers on planning a voyage to a mysterious, floating island, embodying the spirit of discovery.

• Education and Curiosity

  Tommy's questions about the island, the Jabizri beetles, and the map's question mark highlight the theme of learning and inquiry.

Characters to notice

• Doctor Dolittle

  Uses his spectacles to read the tiny print on the map and identifies Spidermonkey Island as the place where Long Arrow was last seen.

• Tommy Stubbins

  Excitedly picks Spidermonkey Island with his pencil-point and eagerly plans the voyage with the Doctor.

• Miranda

  Wakes up and informs the Doctor that Spidermonkey Island is a floating island that moves around.

• Chee-Chee

  Tommy runs to the kitchen to share the news of the voyage with Chee-Chee.

• Dab-Dab

  Comes in with plates and scolds Tommy after he trips over her in his excitement.

Key passages

• “The atlas lay open at a map called, Chart of the South Atlantic Ocean . My pencil-point was resting right in the center of a tiny island. The name of it was printed so small that the Doctor had to get out his strong spectacles to read it.”

  The open atlas showed a map of the South Atlantic, and Tommy's pencil had landed on a tiny island whose name was so small the Doctor needed his reading glasses.

  Highlights the serendipitous selection of Spidermonkey Island.

• “Spidermonkey Island is a floating island. It moves around all over the place—usually somewhere near southern South America.”

  Miranda explains that Spidermonkey Island is not fixed but drifts, typically near southern South America.

  Reveals the island's unusual nature, adding to the adventure.