What is the theme of Journey to the Center of the Earth?

In the
famous adventure novel by , Professor Lidenbrock and his nephew Axel
discover a message left by explorer Arne Saknussemm in the pages of an ancient Icelandic saga.
It tells of a passageway to the center of the Earth through the crater of a volcano in Iceland.
They follow this path along with a guide named Hans and eventually discover many awesome wonders
such as a vast underground sea, prehistoric creatures, strange plants, and even human-like
giants. They are finally ejected through the vent of a volcano onto Stromboli, an island in
Italy.

In order to appreciate the numerous themes of Journey to the
Center of the Earth, it is important to understand its historical context. The novel
was published in 1864, and the events in it take place in 1863. At that time, much of the Earth
was still being explored and discovered. Additionally, it was a time of scientific inquiry when
many educated people had a thirst for new knowledge and new ideas. Charles Darwin's
groundbreaking book On the Origin of Species had only been published a few
years previously.

Some of the main themes in the novel include the value of
exploration and the thrill of discovery. Professor Lidenbrock does not hesitate to embark on his
quest once he has deciphered the message, and the new worlds that the explorers see for the
first time offer them great delight.

Related to the themes of exploration and
discovery are the themes of courage and perseverance. The hardy explorers continue to advance
toward their goal despite the many dangers that they encounter. This brings us to another theme
of survival. When the explorers are faced with one life-threatening difficulty after another,
they must cope with these problems in order to survive. This is related to the theme of man
versus natureat least supposed nature as it is presented in the novel.