Эссе Анастасии Зуевой, студентки 3 курса (группа 0452-05) направления 45.03.02 "Лингвистика", профиль «Перевод и межкультурная коммуникация» Факультета русской филологии и иностранных языков Института гуманитарных наук и языковых коммуникаций ФГБОУ ВО «Псковский государственный университет».

Jules Gabrielle Verne (1828-1905) was a remarkable French writer and inventor whose science fiction works has become a classic of the genre, inspired many people and are still very popular. He came up with many amazing worlds and characters that became symbols of science fiction and adventure novels. His boundless imagination and understanding of technology helped him create devices that were impossible in the 19th century, but eventually became a reality many years later. His creations continue to inspire countless individuals to this day.

One of Jules Verne’s famous works is "Paris in the 20th century", in which the author describes the future, where automation governs all processes and people live in a world driven by science and technology. The innovative concepts he introduced, such as industrial automation and unmanned vehicles, have indeed become a reality in our time. Verne's narrative not only explores the possibilities of technological advancement but also carries into the future trends of development of society, finance, politics and culture of his time.

I would like to highlight the most important invention that is presented in the novel "Paris in the 20th century", machine production. The factory replaced traditional crafts and mechanical devices replaced workers. Unfortunately, the protagonist of the novel, a young boy named Michelle, didn't find his place in that world because he didn’t meet the new requirements and wasn't used to machine production, and as a result lost all his friends who suffered from an electrical discharge.

The relevance of this invention at that time was very high. The late 19th century witnessed the peak of the industrial revolution, and many people feared that the mechanization of production would lead to the loss of jobs and the negative impact on the economy. Besides, the invention significantly influenced the development of science and technology in following years. It became the starting point for new discoveries and inventions that led to the creation of modern machines and technologies.

Nowadays, the relevance of the main theme of the work is evident. Modern society, like that of the 19th century, is experiencing rapid technological progress and a transformation of values and ideologies. The future depicted by Verneis gradually becomes more realistic, and his inventions are becoming practical and relevant. For example, the emergence of the information age, digitalization, the use of the Internet, electronic devices,and numerous other technologies can be seen as direct realizations of Lules Verne's predictions.

However, like any invention, machine manufacturing has its advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, this made it possible to significantly increase productivity and reduce the time for the production of goods. On the other hand, it has led to massive unemployment and the creation of conditions for the exploitation of workers. Moreover, the mechanization of production has led to a deterioration in product quality and environmental problems. It is important to acknowledge that Verne, being a man of his time, could not predict a number of problems that society faced in the 20th century.

In conclusion, I can say that Jules Verne was an exceptional writer and innovator of his time. Furthermore, he not only described his inventions, but also supported them with details, using modern scientific knowledge, and researched in particular the technologies, to make his works more truthful. This attracted the attention and interest of the readers, who are still inspired by Verne’s books to create their own inventions.