The Mysterious Island

“‘We’re on an islet!’ said Pencroff. ‘We’ve just crossed it from one end to the other!’ The sailor’s observation was correct. The castaways had been tossed not onto a continent, nor even an island, but onto an islet no more than two miles in length, and clearly little wider.”

When the men first arrive on the island, they have no idea where they are. Once they determine that they have crashed on an “islet,” or small island, they must adjust their expectations about the possibility of rescue and the lengths they will need to go to in order to survive, introducing the theme of Man Versus the Natural World.

“Here in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the presence of man was very likely more to be feared than desired.”

In the 19th century, crash-landing on a previously undocumented island might lead to encounters with inhabitants hostile to strangers. With plenty of stories of sailors and explorers being captured or killed on their journeys, the men are wary. However, their own commitment to The Importance of Friendship and Camaraderie will transform their island into a beacon of community and harmony.

“The sailor examined the device, then looked at the engineer, still silent. But the look in his eyes spoke volumes! If Cyrus Smith was not a god, he was at least, and most certainly, more than a man in Pencroff’s eyes.”

Cyrus never views or speaks of himself as superior to the others—however, the other men look up to Cyrus in a special way. His character, virtue, and intelligence make him a natural leader, and the men instinctively follow him. Cyrus’s engineering prowess and knowledge embody The Wonders of Human Ingenuity and Technology.

“None of them expressed the slightest anxiety concerning their situation. They had faith in themselves, to be sure, but it must be noted that the foundation of Cyrus Smith’s faith was not identical to that of his companions. The engineer was confident that they would wrest from the grasp of untamed nature everything required for their survival, while the others feared nothing simply because Cyrus Smith was with them.”

The men never lack confidence in their ability to survive their newfound circumstances, and in many ways, they act like a well-coached team. Cyrus’s own attitude, believing that they can “wrest from the grasp of untamed nature everything required for their survival,” reflects the theme of Man Versus the Natural World.

“Here, my friends, is the modest patch of land onto which the hand of the Almighty has cast us. This is where we shall live, perhaps for some time. Perhaps, too, we will be rescued someday, if by chance some ship should happen by.”

Cyrus leads the men in embracing their situation. Cyrus admits that they may be stranded “for some time” and that rescue is a possibility, not a certainty (“perhaps”). Reorienting their expectations helps them make the best of this new life, while Cyrus’s invocation of “the hand of the Almighty” alludes to the men’s Christian beliefs in divine providence.

“It should also be said that these colonists were ‘men’ in the fullest and most admirable sense of the word. The engineer Smith could not have been backed up by a more intelligent set of companions, nor ones more devoted and zealous.”

The five men are all strong, intelligent, capable, willing to work hard, and willing to open themselves up to one another in friendship. The high character of each of the men allows them to make the most of their circumstances and to quickly build up a cohesive team. Their efforts will constantly reflect The Wonders of Human Ingenuity and Technology.

“These tasks occupied the colonists until April 15^th […] But—since the next day was a Sunday, and not just any Sunday, but Easter—they unanimously agreed to sanctify it with a day of rest. These Americans were religious men, conscientiously observant of the Bible’s teachings, and their present circumstances could only heighten their faith in the Author of all things.”

The men’s decision to “sanctify [Easter Sunday] with a day of rest” reflects their commitment to religious timekeeping and their Christian worldview (See: Symbols & Motifs). Their belief in “the Author of all things” is even further strengthened by “their present circumstances”—instead of letting misfortune weaken their faith in divine providence, they become all the more devoted to the idea.

“The engineer never once interrupted Pencroff’s wild flights of fancy; he would not have dreamed of crushing even one of his worthy friend’s exaggerated dreams. He knew how contagious enthusiasm can be.”

In addition to his physical and intellectual abilities, Cyrus is a good judge of character as well. His emotional intelligence is on display here, as he recognizes that Pencroff’s enthusiasm is good both for his own sake and for the sake of the group—enthusiasm like that tends to rub off on the rest of the social group, resulting in increased morale.

“The colonists spent the first week of January tailoring the new linen they so desperately needed. The needles from the crate were manipulated with vigor, if not delicacy; and we need not doubt that whatever was sewn was sewn sturdily.”

With the great gift of the chest of supplies—an example of the deux ex machina motif in the novel (See: Symbols & Motifs)—the men make the most of everything they find. One of the most precious things is the supply of linen with which they make new clothing, once more demonstrating The Wonders of Human Ingenuity and Technology.

“The colony was flourishing, then, thanks to the tireless labor of these brave and intelligent men. Providence had done them many favors, to be sure; but, faithful to the great precept, they helped themselves first, and only then did Heaven come to their aid.”

The men live by the dictum that God helps those who help themselves. The men always work hard and make plans and yet always express hope that things will turn out for the best, especially regarding those things over which they have no control. Their humility reflects their continuing belief in divine providence.

“‘My dear Cyrus, with all your predictions of endless progress for our world’s vast commerces and industries, do you not see that one day, sooner or later, it must come to an end?’ ‘An end! Why?’ ‘For lack of coal, of course, which we might well call the most precious of all minerals!’”

Verne’s technological knowledge comes through the page in many conversations that the men have together. Here, Cyrus and Pencroff discuss the reality that one day they will need to find new sources of energy for the increasing technological prowess of modern civilization. In this sense, Verne was quite prescient.

“The reporter spoke the truth. If this castaway had ever been a civilized being, isolation had clearly made him a savage, and even, perhaps, a veritable wild man…He must have lost his memory long before, and with it the knowledge required to use his tools, his weapons—even the knowledge required to make fire! He was remarkably quick and agile, but clearly his moral qualities had atrophied as his physical prowess grew!”

One of the novel’s major themes is The Importance of Friendship and Camaraderie. While the men clearly benefit from the community they are able to maintain, there is an explicit contrast in the effects of Aryton’s isolation and abandonment. Ayrton is reduced to “a veritable wild man” and has lost all his “knowledge” of how to make tools and survive through human ingenuity. Aryton’s situation illustrates Verne’s conviction that society and community are vital aspects of what it means to be human.

“Two years cut off from the civilized world, stranded on an island as lonely as the remotest asteroid of the solar realm! What was happening in their mother country? Their minds were full of memories of home, of a nation they had left in the grip of a terrible civil war, a nation still bleeding, perhaps, from the wounds dealt by the Southerners’ rebellion! Such thoughts lay heavy on their minds, and many an evening was spent discussing their fears for their homeland.”

Even though the men build up a veritable society on Lincoln Island and have created a happy life for themselves, they are not immune to the memories of their past. Several times, the men express their desire not to return to their former home and life, but simply to know what is happening there and have news from America. Their longing reflects their isolation and the difficulties of their situation.

“An inexplicable influence—obviously favorable to the colonists, but highly irritating to their curiosity—had made itself felt on numerous occasions, and always just when it was needed most. Did some strange being lurk in the deepest recesses of Lincoln Island? This was a question to which they must imperatively find the answer, no matter what the cost!”

The novel is punctuated by instances of mysterious (and sometimes miraculous) events that serve to aid the castaways in times of need, forming a deus ex machina motif (See: Symbols & Motifs). While a number of the events could be attributed to mere chance or good fortune, the men start to suspect that there is a “benefactor” at work behind the scenes and become determined to find out what or who it is.

“‘The Duncan!’ Ayrton murmured. ‘Already!’ This last word seemed to burst from Ayrton’s lips unbidden, and he buried his face in his hands. Did he not find twelve years’ isolation on a desert island punishment enough? Could the repentant wrongdoer not yet consider himself amply pardoned, either in his own eyes or in others?”

Though the other men consider Ayrton’s crimes atoned for, Ayrton himself takes far longer to see himself in the same light. His feelings of guilt and shame reflect the moral and personal growth he has undergone since joining the community on Lincoln Island.

“A wave of anxiety had run through Cyrus Smith when he saw the black flag flying from the sinister ship. Was this not a direct threat to all that he and his companions had accomplished? Had the pirates—for such the brig’s sailors surely were—set foot on this island before, since they had raised their colors as they approached? Could the strange events that had so baffled the colonists be explained by a previous landing of the pirate ship?”

Faced with the impending invasion of the pirates, Cyrus rethinks their previous conviction that the island was uninhabited or that it had never been visited before. With the ship’s appearance, the possibility of their circumstances being much more perilous than they had previously assumed becomes a reality. The pirates represent “a direct threat” to all that the men have “accomplished” on the island, forming a significant contrast to The Importance of Friendship and Camaraderie by which the island community lives.

“The time had come for Ayrton to rejoin his companions and report his findings…But, as Ayrton had said, he wished to do more than his duty, and into his mind there now came a heroic thought. It would mean sacrificing his own life, but at least he would save the island and its colonists […] He thought of those who had made him a man again, and an honest man; they were his saviors, and he owed them everything.”

Ayrton continues to feel as though he has not yet fully atoned for his sins, and he views his duty to his companions in a particular light. Blowing up the pirate ship offers Ayrton the chance to make peace with himself, offering up his own life for the sake of his friends who saved him. In reflecting that the men “made him a man again,” Aryton alludes to The Importance of Friendship and Camaraderie as a force of civilization.

“A great column of water had lifted the helpless brig high above the surface of the sea. All at once the ship broke in two, and in less than ten seconds it had sunk, with all its felonious crew!”

While most of the previous mysterious events could be explained away, this event is completely impossible to explain without direct human intervention. This is proved correct when the men find evidence of a sea mine on the shoreline some days later, proving once and for all the presence of man-made technology on the island and its surrounding waters and foreshadowing their eventual discovery of Captain Nemo.

“‘Mr. Smith,’ answered Ayrton, ‘I believe we should do everything we can to find our unknown benefactor. Perhaps he is lonely? Perhaps he is suffering? Perhaps it is time he rejoined the company of men? I, too, owe him a debt of gratitude, as you say.’”

The men determine to discover their unknown benefactor for two reasons. The first reason is that they are curious, as they have been wondering about the mysterious lucky events on the island. The second reason illustrates their high character, as they wish to find the benefactor to express their gratitude and lend their aid if needed. Aryton’s suggestion that “[p]erhaps it is time he rejoined the company of men” is another allusion to The Importance of Friendship and Camaraderie.

“Hearing Harbert’s shout, Pencroff dropped his weapon and ran to his side. ‘They’ve killed him!’ he cried. ‘My child! They’ve killed him!’”

Pencroff’s love for the boy Harbert is mentioned at the start of the novel. When faced with the possibility of Harbert’s death, Pencroff expresses his deepest feelings toward the boy, speaking like a father about his own son. This moment is another illustration of the strong interpersonal ties between the island men.

“As they had so many times before, the colonists had relied on the unfailing logic of simple common sense, and once again their wide knowledge of the world had served them well! But might there come a time when all their learning would come to naught? They were alone on this island. And it is only in society that humanity can flourish, for men need nothing so much as the aid and company of other men.”

While the novel celebrates The Wonders of Human Ingenuity and Technology, even Cyrus is forced to admit that there are things simply beyond their control while stranded on the island, as Harbert’s wounding and illness remind him. His reflections that “it is only in society that humanity can flourish” and “men need nothing so much as the aid and company of other men” invoke The Importance of Friendship and Camaraderie.

“To return, if only for a few days, to reestablish the social bond with the outside world, to create a link between their homeland and their island, and then to spend the greater part of their existence—perhaps the finest part—in the colony they had founded, now become a satellite of the mainland: was this truly an impossible dream?”

When the men first landed on the island, their thoughts were filled with the possibility of rescue and return to America. After years on the island, the men love their new home. They still desire, however, to reestablish contact with America, even hoping to “become a satellite of the mainland.” This desire speaks to both their ongoing patriotism and their longing for continuing contact with human civilization.

“Such are the hearts of men. The imperious need to produce some lasting work—something that will live on when we are gone—is the sign of mankind’s superiority over every other creature that lives on this earth. This is the very foundation of our dominance, justified every day the world over.”

This passage reflects both The Wonders of Human Ingenuity and Technology and Man Versus the Natural World, with Verne asserting that what makes human beings distinct from the other animals and the rest of the natural world is their desire to leave a permanent mark. It is this desire that causes human beings to build, expand, and make progress in a wholly unique way.