Living Infinite

Jules Verne's novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, written in 1869, is a thrilling science fiction adventure well ahead of its time. This piece's three movements represent three of the most exciting and important chapters in the novel. 1. At Full Steam The protagonists of the novel, on board a modern and well-equipped ship, have been seeking a mysterious sea monster that has caused terror all across the globe. In this chapter, they begin to do battle with it, and discover that they are heavily outmatched by this creature. Ultimately, they learn that they are not fighting a natural being, but a man-made vessel and a marvel of technology. Their ship is destroyed, and they are pulled under the sea into the submarine, the Nautilus. 2. A Vanished Continent In this deeply reflective chapter, the main protagonist and his underwater captor don diving suits and venture out together at night into the ocean. They explore the ruins of clearly human-made stone structures and statues, which have been overtaken by marine life. This place is the lost city of Atlantis, and the two men contemplate about the remnants of this old civilization as the moon shines eerily over the sea. 3. Shortage of Air This chapter represents one of the most intense and climactic moments in the novel. The Nautilus and its crew find themselves trapped beneath an iceberg, and the captives on board realize that they only have 48 hours of air remaining. All characters realize that unless they all cooperate, their deaths are iminent. They each take turns wearing diving suits and digging their way through the thick ice. With just a few feet of ice remaining, the captain of the submarine decides to attempt breaking through the ice using the force of the vessel itself. They smash through the barrier, and are saved as air rushes in. The title of this piece comes from a beautiful quote by Verne: "The sea is everything. It covers seven-tenths of the terrestrial globe. Its breath is pure and healthy. It is an immense desert, where man is never lonely, for he feels life stirring on all sides. The sea is only the embodiment of a supernatural and wonderful existence. It is nothing but love and emotion; it is the Living Infinite."