First Impressions Journal

First Impression Journal

By: Jordan Chang
           
                20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, is a classic adventure book of great imagination. Published by the french novelist  Jules Verne in 1870. It explores the adventure of professor Pierre Aronnax, on his adventure to find and eliminate the giant sea creature causing havoc to several ships.
           
                In the first twenty pages, we have been revealed to some really interesting characters that are important to the story. Even though, two characters really stood out to me. One of these characters is the protagonist and narrator Pierre Aronnax. We learn a bit about his character in these few pages and his motives. Pierre is a professor of natural history, to be more specific he is a marine biologist. When this monster started to appear and cause havoc he was deployed to find out what this creature was. He fully believes that it is a giant narwhal, and dismisses any other options. This shows his arrogance because he is not looking at any other possibilities. His motives are also revealed throughout these pages. Pierre just wants fame, and to come back to France as a hero. Overall I see his character more as an arrogant jerk, than a scientist who would like to increase his knowledge.

                 Another character that really interested me is Conseil, a serving boy to Pierre. He is shown as very loyal and respectful. Over 10 years of travelling with Pierre, he has not complained about the long journey's or any of the tasks he has to do. But he has no confidence and never speaks his mind even when told to. With his loyalty, he is a good friend to have around when things go wrong, and when you are chasing a giant sea monster things will not be smooth sailing.

                The setting of the novel was set in 1866 all around the world. The setting then specifies to  New York, where the ship Abraham Lincoln was leaving port to catch the monster, but later on it is set on the ship at sea. Considering the title and the information on the back of the book, the rest of the book will be set in the Nautilus 20,000 leagues under the sea.

                The type of language the author uses is very sophisticated. For example instead of using devoted, the author used the word zealous. This type of word is not used often in most pieces of writing. This shows that this book is not any piece of literature it is a classic. It is also difficult to sometimes understand because it gets really sophisticated at some points. The tone is stressful because the main character is going on an adventure that could change his life forever. If he does succeed, fame and fortune goes to him, but if he fails, he could pay for it with his life.

               Reading these first 20 pages of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, I am really curious of what is going to happen next in the novel. Will Aronnax's prediction be right, or will it be a different sea creature. Just from these 20 pages I have so many questions and want to know more about the characters. Maybe my first impression was off about these characters because I only assumed based on these 20 pages, but throughout the novel my opinions of the characters might change. From only 20 pages it has really intrigued me to read more of this classic novel.

First Impressions Journal

By: Klementz Terrence

The Science Fiction Novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea has an intriguing story plot that captivates its readers with the first few pages. The publisher was the French writer Jules Verne in the year 1870. The novel’s protagonist, Pierre Aronnax is set on the motive of exploring the oceans in search of a phantasmic creature that is supposedly wrecking havoc to the passing by ships. His theory is that the creature either resembles or is a “Unicorn of the Sea”.

In the first twenty or so pages of the novel, readers are given back stories of past ships being terrorized by the sea monster, this mysterious creature has been leaving triangle shaped marks that puncture through the victimized ships. Though the novel starts off with a small introduction to the monstrous “Unicorn”, most readers will focus on the protagonist Pierre Aronnax. He has caught my eye from the start of the second chapter where he is first introduced into the story. Readers learn that Aronnax is an assistant professor in the museum of natural history, but his field of work expands to being a marine biologist. As news spread about the mythical creature that roams the four corners of the ocean Aronnax is puzzled by the reports and cases of the remnants left behind of this destructive beast. He puts his whole belief into his theory of it being a narwal or more commonly known as “The Unicorn of the Sea”. This give me the impression that he is a well educated man and is capable of producing theories but not great ones, that is because he does not leave any other option open, and quickly decides that his belief is right. This reveals that he is a very conceited man since he is a marine biologist, he believes that he knows the answer to any marine related problem. It seems to me that Aronnax just wants to be of some importance to the society, and become the man that solved one of  the great ocean riddles.   

The author of the novel uses a sophisticated language that proves that he is an experience writer. Reading the novel gives the readers a sense that a professional had written the story because of the use of complex terms such as phosphorescent, meaning; the glow of light that can be held without the feeling of heat radiating within the object. Terms like this are not used in everyday literature. The tone of the story is written in a somewhat mysterious and adventurous way.   

The author has done well in captivating his readers into wanting more out of the story. In the first twenty pages of the novel we are already though the first three of the chapters out of twenty three and left with some questions in hand. Will Aronnax gain notoriety from his new found ambition, Is his theory correct?, and what will await for the ambitious professor?. My verdict based on the first 20 twenty pages of the novel is that the story will only keep pulling me in further and further into its compelling plot line. I will indeed be anxious to read deeper into the novel as I am revealed to what is behind all the commotion.   


First Impressions Journal

By: Jakob Miskiw 
           
           My first impression of the book 20'000 Leagues Under the Sea was that it will be a good book. I find the story to be very suspenseful, and exciting. The element of mystery of not knowing adds a good sense of mystery. The book has a good plot, the author has set up the story very well and logically. He advances the story at a decent pace, he takes time to explain important characters and plot, but he doesn't drag on the explanations. The author establishes well thought out back-story for each main character. He brings a certain realness to each character, which helps you get attached to the characters more easily. He makes each character so unique in character that you can't help but worry for them in their adventures. Overall I think that this book will be a pleasure to read, and I look forward to reading further into this story.