CHAPTER SUMMARY AND NOTES

CHAPTER 21

Summary

The journey of the Tankadere is described in this chapter. Fogg asks John Bunsby to make the ship move as fast as possible. Fix in the meanwhile was worrying about his next course of action. In the night the wind begins to blow and continues during the next day. Aouda and Fogg were not sea sick but Fix didnÂ’t feel too well. The ship moved well and Bunsby hoped to reach Shanghai in time. Then the ship gets caught in a gale and the wind pushes the vessel northward. Aouda and Fogg face the storm bravely. Fogg insists that they will not take the ship to port, but shall move towards Shanghai. The Tankadere remained at sea, despite the furious storm. When the ship has barely a day left, they are still a distance away from Shanghai. Everybody on board is in a state of suspense as to whether theyÂ’ll reach, in time to board the next ship. When they are three miles from Shanghai, they see the American liner leaving at the appointed time. Fogg asks Bunsby to signal the ship and he lowers his flag to half- mast. They hoped that the American ship would alter her course for a moment so as to stand by the pilot boat.

Notes

The journey on the Tankadere is quite an adventure. Initially, the wind and the currents help the Tankadere move towards Shanghai at a great pace. This is supported by the efficiency of the little ship Tankadere, which is handled admirably by its Captain-John Bunsby.

But later, the little ship is overtaken by a terrible storm. We see that Fogg never ever gives up and when the pilot asks him whether they should stop the ship at a port all he says is that the only port for him is Shanghai. Bunsby seems to understand FoggÂ’s way of functioning and they can both operate at the same level. That is not in the case of the Captain that comes later in the book and is named Andrew Speedy. This character clashes with Fogg, unlike John Bunsby who thinks in the same way as Fogg.

Aouda comes across as the ideal woman for a man like Fogg. She is completely impassive and is not afraid of the storm. She faces it bravely. Meanwhile, Fix feels very small as he is in great debt to Fogg, who gives him a place on the ship Tankadere. When Fix asks Fogg whether he can pay some money for the ship travel, Fogg refuses. This must have made Fix feel even smaller as he has plans to arrest the very same man, who is being so generous to him.

The suspense that is built among the voyagers reaches the readers as well. We are all curious as to whether the Tankadere shall reach Shanghai on time. We see Fogg makes his own Fate and is not swayed by circumstances. When he sees the American ship leaving the port, he asks the little ship master-Bunsby to signal it. They do that and we wait to see whether the bigger ship shall respond. By now, we recognize FoggÂ’s calm demeanor and never say die spirit.

Table of Contents | Message Board | Downloadable/Printable Version