The novel is cleverly conceived overall, and such fast-paced, multi-background, multicultural tensions were a model of innovative novel success 150 years ago. But the characters are not deeply depicted, just Jolly, dexterous and loquacious servants are slightly better written, and the other characters are dull. Literary value is better than nothing.
First, this is not science fiction
The story takes place in 1872, and the novel was published in 1872. I found this to be not science fiction at all, and all the technology of 1872 already existed. The first flying novel of mankind in 1903 is not mentioned. The trans-American railway becomes an important background for the novel. In fact, it was only on May 10, 1869, three years before the story, that the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad were connected to Utah, and the major artery across the East and West of the United States was announced. More precisely, the author presents to the reader the latest technologies and discoveries learned at the Library of Paris, skillfully combines the fruits of literature and contemporary technological developments, and succeeds in the closed age by satisfying the curiosity of European readers about the World Orient and the United States. In 1872, the US GDP surpassed Britain for the first time in terms of purchasing power, and Europeans naturally had to be curious about this latecomer. Especially the subjects of the Empire that never sets, although they still proudly rule Suez, India, Singapore, and Hong Kong, but the rapid development of the vast United States certainly makes them sour. Similarly, china's total GDP in terms of purchasing power has already caught up with the United States in 2015, and the world needs another Jules Verne to write a novel to tell European and American readers about the experience of taking the high-speed train from Harbin to Guangzhou in China, using 5G mobile phones and online shopping.
France, Britain, and the United States made the West great for 300 years. France led the Enlightenment in the 18th century, Britain led the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, and the United States rose in the 20th century in two world wars. As Macron puts it, "When your values can no longer be exported to emerging countries, that's the beginning of your decline." After GDP catches up and social governance is modernized, then the splendid Chinese culture that has assimilated the two ruling nations will form an export situation, and China will be unstoppable on the world stage! At that time, the 21st century of Chinese will truly arrive.
Second, mango
The author writes that mangoes in Singapore have a white pulp melting in the mouth and a red brownoutside. Today I deliberately picked an unripe mango from the tree and found that the white juice was indeed flowing from the roots, which was my first discovery. But where is the white slurry of the mangoes that we usually buy and eat? The shell is also mostly green or bright yellow! Europe must have seen no mangoes 150 years ago.
Third, the regenerative power of money
With £20,000 in 1872, he was a top rich man in London. Losing £20,000, Fogg is poor.
Victorian £20,000, how much is the equivalent of today? 100 taels of silver = 18 pounds, 20,000 pounds of silver at that time was almost 111,000 taels of silver, now a gram of silver is 3.5 yuan, so 111,000 taels = 111,000 * 50 * 3.5 = more than 20 million yuan (assuming that all 20,000 pounds are replaced by silver and do not make any investment and industrial operation). 20 million yuan in China can not participate in any club seems to make money, just to keep money is not enough. Now London to reach the threshold of fogg club, I am afraid it will cost 2 billion yuan, that is, 200 million pounds. It seems that in 150 years, Britain's wealth has increased by 10,000 times.
Fourth, the pioneer of traveling around the world
There was no national date line in 1872 when Fogg traveled around the world, so he, who had always lived precisely, also overcounted the date by one day, and thought that the behindhand was 5 minutes. In fact, it was only at the International Longitude Conference of 1884 that an international date line was laid down, presumably related to the impetus of Mr. Verne's novel.
Three years later, on December 17, 1903, the Wright brothers successfully flew their first test flight, and mankind entered a new era of aviation. The Wright brothers' "Flyer One" flew very unevenly that day, even a little stumbling, but it flew in the air for 12 seconds for a total of 36.5 meters. It is housed in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. On October 5, 1905, Aviator 3 conducted one of the longest test flights, flying 38.6 kilometers. According to the International Aeronautical Association, the distance of the round-the-world flight must exceed the length of the Tropic of Cancer or Tropic of Cancer (36,787.6 km). Antipodes. Now at a speed of 1,000 kilometers per hour, you can fly continuously for 40 hours to complete the circumnavigation of the world. Humans have increased their speed by 48 times.
1． Who was the first person to circumnavigation?
Magellan of Portugal was the first to begin a circumnavigation of the globe. Dispatched by the King of Spain, his expeditionary fleet of more than 200 men set out on September 20, 1519, proved that the earth was round.
According to the agreement, any land discovered during the expedition belonged to the king, and Magellan served as governor, and one twentieth of the total income of the newly discovered land belonged to Magellan. After more than 100 days of sailing in the Pacific Ocean, it has not encountered strong winds and waves, and Magellan gave it an auspicious name, called "Pacific". In order to make a contribution, Magellan wanted to conquer the indigenous peoples of the Philippine Islands and turn the small kingdoms of the island into Spanish colonies. Magellan led the crew, armed with muskets and swords, forcibly landed on the shore, conquered the area with bloody means, and named the area after King Philip II of Spain, and the name of the Philippines was derived. However, there was resistance from the indigenous population. The indigenous population used arrows and javelins against intruders. A poisonous arrow hit Magellan, killing the seafaring explorer.
After Magellan's death, Juan Elcano, who was with him, led the rest of the crew back to Spain and completed the world's first voyage, so the first person to complete the circumnavigation of the world was Juan Elcano. The "Victoria" ocean-going sailing ship crossed the Indian Ocean, bypassed the Cape of Good Hope, crossed the Cape Verde Islands, and returned to Spain on September 6, 1522, which lasted 1082 days and completed the first human voyage around the world. Magellan's route has a total length of 60,440 km. Only the 5 ocean-going ships of Magellan's fleet remained, the Vitator, and only 18 crew members of the more than 200 crew members returned at the time of departure.
2． Who was the first person in human history to circumnavigate the earth without borrowing power?
He is Pan Deming of China. Pan Deming went abroad in the summer of 1930, and he returned to Shanghai in July 1937 by bicycle or on foot. He was received by Hitler and Goebbels. After returning to China, he donated all the US$100,000 in inspection expenses donated by overseas Chinese around the world to the cause of resistance against Japan.
Five. British gentlemanly demeanor
Old-fashioned, tough and respectful of women are the labels of british gentlemen. This is especially true of Mr. Fogg. Dueling for honour, enigmatical，least communicative, unwearyingly, phlegmatic,stoical, impassible, play cards indefatigably and inveterately，fastidious，sedentary, imerturbable。 Fogg still has to deduct 80 days' gas bills after giving the life-and-death maid bonus; if he wants to detain the thief, he must get an arrest warrant or he will have to track around the world; even if he is favored, he will have to arrest the suspect Fix. In fact, these are also Britain's cultural exports to the world. Without the two wars, Britain would not have declined so quickly. The deepest reason for Brexit may also be the British people's adherence to their own culture and confidence.
Remnants of World War II in Europe - Hamburg and Hanover
Remnants of World War II in Europe - "Eagle's Nest"