Instead, he wants to preserve his honor and prove his worth to the men of the Reform Club, to show that he can do what he sets out to do. Though he has the opportunity to double his fortune, Fogg's motivation to embark on such a crazy adventure has little to do with the money. Despite their contrasting goals, both protagonist and antagonist display admirable dedication.

Despite his misguided goals, Detective Fix also perseveres in his attempt to do what he believes is right: arrest Fogg as an alleged bank robber. But Fogg is not the only character that displays strong perseverance. He is constantly calm, cool, and collected as he strives to accomplish what he set out to do. When Fogg resigns himself to his goal of making it around the world in 80 days, he continues on despite numerous obstacles that stand in his way. Above all, this new understanding and appreciation is the greatest thing he has gained from this trip. By the end of the trip, though, he recognizes the importance of human connections, both in the form of love, with Aouda, and friendship and loyalty, with Passepartout. He closed himself off to others and cared little about the way he was perceived by other people. Relationshipsīefore his journey around the world, Fogg lived a solitary life. Today, one country having this sort of control over the world seems impossible-then, though, it was taken as normal. Places like India and Hong Kong hugely display the effects of colonization mixed in with native cultures and customs are traces of English influence. Fix is able to chase Fogg for so long precisely because so many of the territories he ventures into are British-owned.

Written in the 19th century at the height of British colonization, this novel rings with themes of imperialism and Western influence on the world. The ultimate message is that no one can control time time will work the way it wants to work, and humans are at its mercy. In the end, though, time turns out to be what wins Fogg his bet, since they gained a day when crossing the International Date Line.

In many cases, time foils their plans, when the delays build up and ships and trains leave without them. Fogg's wager is a race against time, and his adventures illustrate repeatedly that time is fickle, and either works for or against them. The most important theme in this novel is time.

The journey around the world in 80 days