ANSWER KEY

1.) B
2.) A
3.) C
4.) A
5.) A
6.) C
7.) B
8.) B
9.) B
10.) C
11.) A
12.) B
13.) A
14.) C
15.) B

ESSAY TOPICS / BOOK REPORT IDEAS

1. Write an essay describing the first encounter between Captain Nemo and the three men from Nemo's perspective. Make sure to include any fears he might have about the men escaping with his secrets.

2. What do you think happened to the Nautilus after the incident with the whirlpool? If it did not survive, how might the end have been for Captain Nemo? If it did, where did Nemo go next?

3. Write an essay from the point of view of one of the crewmen. How did you meet Nemo? Why would you want to give up your life to serve on the Nautilus? Do you miss the land?

4. What do you think happened to Aronnax, Conseil and Land when the voyage was through? Did Land ever return to sea? Did Aronnax become rich and famous? Did Conseil continue to be a servant?

5. Conseil appears complacent and obedient throughout the entire novel. What if he was working for Captain Nemo all along, and plotted with him to bring Aronnax on board.... Why might Nemo want Aronnax on the Nautilus? How might Conseil benefit from a stay on the vessel?

6. Examine the character of Nemo from a psychological perspective. What motivates his anger? What are the possible outcomes of his self-destructive behavior?

7. Examine the role of national identity in the novel. Aronnax, in particular, seems obsessed with the nationality of everyone he meets, why might this be? Is the Nautilus like a sovereign nation? Why or why not?

8. Write an essay comparing and contrasting the characters of Aronnax and Land. Show how Aronnax's dependence upon reason and intellect and Land's dependence upon direct experience make the men foils of one another.

9. Is Conseil a flat character? Is there anything more to his personality besides subservience? If not, what is his purpose in the novel?

10. Use the Nautilus as an example of how scientific technology can be both good and bad. Cite modern day examples as well, such as stem cell research or nuclear technology. Should there be regulations to curb what scientists study and how they apply their discoveries to everyday life?

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