Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea: Part 2, Chapter 18 Summary & Analysis

Arronax, Ned, and Conseil discuss their situation. They have now been “prisoners hand and foot” for six months, and there is no indication that this will change. They’ve noticed that Captain Nemo has become increasingly antisocial, and they wonder what it means. Observing the fauna around him, Arronax wonders how he can give up the research opportunities life on the Nautilus has afforded him. When they reach the Bahamas, Arronax points out that the caves before them tend to hide gigantic poulps (giant squid). Ned is skeptical that such things exist, but Conseil argues that he has personally witnessed a poulp take down an entire ship.

Ned is incredulous, but Conseil insists it’s true. However, he then reveals that he saw the scene was depicted in a painting he saw in a church. Arronax explains that the painting depicts a scene from a myth. He says that myths about giant squids aren’t true, but that there must be some kind of truth that inspires them. While they continue to discuss the myths, Ned alerts them to a giant squid that can be seen from the window. The three men rush to look at it, and Arronax is stunned to realize that the monster seems to have been angered by the presence of the submarine. 

Other poulps then appear, swimming in a kind of “procession” behind the Nautilus. Arronax sees Nemo, who looks more dejected than ever. Nemo calmly remarks that a battle is incoming, because one of the poulps has the submarine in its grip. Ned offers to use harpoon the creatures, and Arronax accepts this proposal. At that moment, a sailor shouts for help, but it is too late—he is already in the grip of one of the poulp’s tentacles. Nemo and Ned immediately begin hacking at the monster’s arms. Having successfully harpooned the poulp in its eye, Ned is grabbed by its tentacles himself. Nemo hacks at the poulp’s mouth, freeing Ned. Yet while Ned is saved, Nemo is overcome with tears at the loss of the first sailor.