Jules Verne: The Life Behind the Dream

Providence came into play on that day when his friend and aviation enthusiast, Nadar said, “Have you tried Hetzel? He is planning to go into book publishing,” Nadar informed him. He signaled a waiter for pen and paper . . . and wrote a letter of recommendation addressed to Pierre Jules Hetzel, Rue Jacob and handed it to Jules, saying “Mail this to Hetzel. He is looking for new authors” (Becker 5). Within a week he was invited to Hetzel's office. Hetzel quickly read Jules manuscript. Jules knew what would come next by the way Hetzel was shaking his head. “He was prepared to snatch away his manuscript when he heard a thoughtful gentle voice asking him, "Do you see any possibility of turning the last chapter into a play?" Jules knew he had been rejected, but the question set him thinking. His notes were in two separate drawers in his desk. . . Could he scramble the two? Jules mind leapt to the idea” (Becker 5). As he walked home he thought of Hetzel's suggestions. If he did combine his two drawers and wrote his stories for children, he would have to write down to his audience. This thought discourage Verne until he realized that adults don't have to write down for children, as a child he read Edgar Allan Poe, Alexandre Dumas and Victor Hugo and understood them. Children could understand science as well as adults. He set to work on a novel joining together his love of science and exploration.

Within two weeks he was finished, Five Weeks in a Balloon, science fictionwas born. Hetzel read the new manuscript with growing excitement. Instantly he knew it would be a success. He asked Jules two questions; first, how much he made annually as a stockbroker and second, if he thought he could write two new novels each year. Jules replied and Hetzel gave him a check for 10,000 francs for his novel, a contract for twenty years that promised 20,000 francs yearly for two novels annually, today that would equate to $600,000. He walked on air all the way home. He showed Honorine the check and they both fell to their knees and thanked God. Jules had kept his promise to his wife; he had become a successful writer by age thirty-five.

This was the only the beginning of his success. “Many people have said that Verne "invented the future." They may be right, for Verne "invented" the submarine in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, space travel in From the Earth to the Moon, heavier than air travel in The Clipper of the Cloud and world travel in Around the World in Eighty Days” (Vogel 9 ). The word “Vernian” has come to stand for the romantic possibilities of the future, of science and exploration (Costello 2). Today his books are read in one-hundred and four languages all over the world (Becker 5). Through his novels his influence impacted millions including modern day Sci-Fi authors and screenplay writers. He had the distinction of being the last man to be decorated with the Legion of Honor under the Empire of Napoleon III, but this was only one of many accolades given to Jules Verne. He was honored by the French Academy for the scientific and educational value of his writings (Miller 8). “In his later years when news of his failing eyesight went abroad he received telegrams and letters of sympathy from children and scientists in every part of the globe” (Miller 8).

“At the suggestion that there should be a "Jules Verne Day" at the 1900 Exposition the old author modestly and somewhat sadly shook his head and said, "Jules Verne has already had his day"-a remark true of the physical man, but farthest from the fact when applied to his literary life” (Miller 8). Jules Verne had a gift for seeing into the future of scientific exploration, but it is doubtful that he could ever imagine the enormous impact he has had and still will have on future explorers as they discover the marvelous writings of Jules Verne.