When it comes to the characters of Jules Verne, there is one character whose liveliness has always seemed particularly noticeable to me and who attracted my attention the most. I am referring to Jean Passepartout from the famous novel “Around the World in Eighty Days". While it is doubtful whether we should (and could) mark specific characters as “positive” or “negative," Passepartout, it seems to me, is pretty close to the former.

First of all, it is authentic. Real people really have weaknesses: even the kindest express anger from time to time, even the most evil ones have something to respect. Such is the character of Verne. Despite the purely positive traits that will be listed below, he is sometimes mistaken. His decision not to reveal the story of the persecution of travelers by Detective Fix, his clumsiness and forgetfulness are the little things that make him human. And this is what causes sympathy among readers. To be deceived by being drugged in an opium den is something you would never expect from a gentleman's assistant in a novel.

But, despite the fact that Passepartout looks ridiculous, he is a loyal comrade. He cares about the feelings of his patron (which is the reason not to disclose the identity of Fix), he accepts any challenge that Mr. Fogg faces. Although the valet is not always smart, he never falls behind passively. It is he who saves Fogg's future love – a beautiful Indian woman named Auda. It is he who manages to unhook the wagons to save people (when he is in America).

And the trait that, in my opinion, is the most important in him as a “positive” character is his unsurpassed liveliness. The situations that Passepartout manages to get into are sometimes incredible, but he always gets away with everything. This is a character who is always on the move, he has a rare level of liveliness, which is both fun and worthy of respect. In particular, one episode: when he dresses up as a clown and performs in a circus to get to the United States. It takes courage and ingenuity to take risks in a situation where you can win or lose. I would say that he is a man who can wear a lot of hats and who has the courage to really ”put on" them all when necessary. And fate repays him for his bravery, because he always manages to catch up with his patron, despite all the obstacles and trials.

In general, Jean Passepartout seems to me to be a sympathetic character for many reasons. His bright personality is contagious with laughter, positivity and deep empathy most of the time. Smart and agile, he is never afraid, but on the contrary, he is always optimistic. He is the complete opposite of his master – the main character. On the contrary, he is active and ardent, closer to the so-called “trickster". It is hardly possible to be the same as him in real life, but it seems to me that Passepartout with all his personality could be an ideal reference point for many readers of Jules Verne - both young and old.

Кузьмина Полина,

студентка 1 курса ГБПОУ ПО Псковский медицинский колледж»