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Chapter 16
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Around the World in Eighty Days, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Modernity, Time, and Control
Imperialism
Chance, Adventure, and Human Connection
Honor, Reputation, and Duty
Summary
Analysis
Detective Fix continues to converse with Passepartout throughout the ship journey, and Passepartout starts to grow suspicious about Fix’s motives and the strange coincidence of the detective following the same route as Fogg through these different countries. He concludes that Fix is a spy from the Reform Club sent to verify Fogg’s travels.
Again, Fix is willing to feign a genuine interest in Passepartout for personal gain. Passepartout, however, has clearly developed a sense of loyalty for Fogg and values their relationship enough to be suspicious of Fix’s motives.
Themes
After the Rangoon makes a brief stop in Singapore, a storm causes the ship to fall behind schedule. Fix notices the stress that this delay causes Passepartout, and Passepartout hints that he knows what Fix is up to. Fix cannot make sense of whether Passepartout is Fogg’s accomplice, but decides that he will reveal his motivations to Passepartout in Hong Kong if he is not able to arrest Fogg when they arrive.
Passepartout’s strong reaction to the ship’s delay demonstrates his ongoing desire for control, as well as his loyalty to Fogg. He will not personally benefit from winning the wager, yet the thought of Fogg losing his fortune and reputation causes Passepartout immense stress.
Themes
Literary Devices
