Around The woRld In 80 days form 3 literature

Around the world in 80 days

Synopsis

The story begins with Phileas Fogg, a wealthy but meticulous bachelor dismissing his former butler, James Forster, for bringing him his shaving water two degrees too cold. He then hires Jean Passepartout, a Frenchman, as his new butler. Fogg is shown to be a very punctual person who plans his day to the very last detail.

While discussing a recent bank robbery with his friends at the Reform Club, Fogg gets into a debate whether it would be possible to travel around the world in eighty days. He believes that it is possible to do so and places a bet of £20,000 against his friend, Andrew Stuart’s wager of £4,000. The terms are that he would be able to complete his journey around the world in eighty days and be back at the Reform Club at 8.45 p.m. on Saturday, 21 December or he would lose his £20,000 bet. Fogg then starts off his journey with his butler, 
Passepartout, to Dover on the evening of 2 October along with £20,000 cash.

While at the Suez Canal, Egypt, Fogg arouses the suspicion of Detective Fix who is sent by the Bank of England to catch the bank robber. Since Fogg matches the description of the bank robber, Detective Fix mistakenly believes that Fogg is the man that he is looking for. In order to catch him, Detective Fix decides to follow Fogg on his sea voyage to India, while at the same time requesting for Fogg’s arrest warrant from Scotland Yard. Detective Fix also befriends Passepartout in order to learn more about Fogg.

Fogg and Passepartout’s travel across India is filled with adventure. Passepartout gets into trouble with Indian authorities for trespassing into an Indian temple. They also rescue a rich merchant’s daughter, Aouda, from bandits and take her along in their journey.

While in Hong Kong, Detective Fix’s plan to delay Fogg fails as he manages to get a boat to bring him and Aouda to catch up with the steamer that they had missed earlier to Yokohama, Japan. After being reunited with Passepartout, Fogg and Aouda are also attacked by outlaws while in America. Fogg’s intelligence and quick thinking when faced challenges help them to arrive in  Liverpool on time but he is soon arrested by Detective Fix on the charge of robbery.

Despite being released later due to mistaken identity, Fogg is unable to arrive in London as planned and loses the bet. However, Passepartout soon realises that they have actually arrived in London a day earlier than planned and are initially confused by time difference. Fogg still has a chance to win the wager with only minutes left. Fogg then rushes out of the house and manages to arrive at the Reform Club with seconds spare and wins the bet. Fogg also wins the heart of Aouda and they get married.