Around the World in 80 Days

1. Phileas Fogg possesses spiritual equality. He is unmoved, unshaken, undisturbed by every obstacle that comes in his way. He never loses confidence, never gets anxious or angry with anyone. He reacts neither to extreme physical challenges and discomforts such as sleepless nights weathering a storm on the deck of a ship, nor the disbelief or suspicion of those around him, nor the fear of losing his money or losing his life. He is equal. His perfect punctuality and physical organization is the base of that physical equality. It is an unconscious spiritual endowment at the physical level supported by his commitment to perfection in physical values (punctuality and orderliness). This equality is so powerful that every obstacle that rises gives way before his calm persistence. Had Fogg possessed this equality consciously, no obstacle could ever arise in his way for him to overcome. Instead, each obstacle would be converted into an opportunity. This equality attracts and wins for him Aouda, who has a rich emotional loyalty, gratitude and affection – spiritual endowment at the vital level. This equality attracts to him and wins him the devoted service of Passepartout, a servant of great loyalty, courage and fortitude, who risks his life for both Aouda and his master.
2. Punctuality, followed in the West as the manners of kings, is a great social value which no one will break. Look at it not as a social value, but as a work value. What do we find? 1) It is a strategy for one man to respect every other man and 2) Man, through punctuality, relates to Time, the field of work. Moving from society to work is great. Moving further from work to Time is to move from the gross material plane to the subtle plane of knowledge. Punctuality was originally discovered by men who perceived the subtle truth of gross work. At heights of perfection, any vibration reaches the Absolute. Perfection in punctuality moves work from the subtle plane to the causal plane of Supermind, which retains the constant presence of the Absolute.
3. Phileas Fogg possesses an equality that is spiritual. That equality wins him the wager. He has taken punctuality and made it into an article of faith. His punctuality that was physical, taken to the extreme of perfection gave him the spiritual equality that rendered him immune against any failure in life. Did he know the origin of his strength? He passed through catastrophe, storms, fights, and unforeseen obstacles of every kind and still the spiritual power issuing from the physical skill of punctuality ensured him the success. If Fogg had understood the life value of a physical skill as a spiritual endowment, his success would have been ensured without all those obstacles cropping up on the way. That is the opportunity that awaits the Westerner.
4. When Passepartout is captured by the Indians, Fogg risks not only his money (he has no time to spare on his schedule) but also his life out of a sense of duty to try to save his servant. His self-less courage not only saves the life of the servant who has saved the whole train, but wins him irrevocably the heart of Aouda.
5. Fogg shows extreme liberality in spending money. Though he never wastes it, money has no inherent value for him. He trusts Passepartout and others implicitly. He pays exhorbitantly for the elephant without bargaining. He generously offers ₤1000 reward to the American soldiers if they can save the three captured by the Indians. He values life, honor and achievement above money and therefore money comes to him.
6. Fogg never blames anyone for his failures or delays, even when there is ample justification for doing so.
7. Fix displays the true character of suspicion. No matter how often Fogg’s behavior contradicts Fix’s expectation of what the bank robber would do, Fix invents a new explanation in line with his original assumption. No fact will shake his belief.
8. Up to his meeting with Aouda, Fogg’s trip is according to clock work without delay or interruption and he is two days ahead of schedule. After she joins the party, every step of the journey is fraught with difficulties. She is a widow who was about to be burned. That misfortune expresses in the journey despite the goodwill, nobility and courage in her nature. Yet it is only because she proposes to him, that Passeportout discovers the mistake regarding the dates and Fogg reaches the Reform Club on time to claim victory.

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