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Passage 145 · 1873

"Around the World in Eighty Days"

Jules Verne · Around the World in Eighty Days · translated from French)

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Phileas Fogg was one of those mathematically exact people, who, never hurried and always ready, are economical of their steps and their motions.

Main effectThrough copulative categorization, mathematical precision adverb, relative clause with oxymoronic never/always pairing, economic conservation of possessed movements, and parallel possessive genitives, Verne creates syntax of mechanical efficiency—grammar that performs Fogg's clockwork nature through balanced, economical construction and mathematical modification.

Device index

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Tropes

Oxymoronok-see-MOR-on

Contradictory terms together.

Metonymymeh-TAH-nuh-mee

Associated term for thing.

No words highlighted

Schemes

Parallelismpair-uh-LEL-iz-um

Similar grammatical structures.

Syntax

Copulative Classification

"Phileas Fogg was one of those...people"—demonstrative pronoun with genitive. Syntax places character in category.

Adverbial Precision

"mathematically exact"—adverb modifying adjective. Syntax applies mathematical language to human behavior.

Relative Clause Characterization

"who, never hurried and always ready, are economical"—non-restrictive relative clause with embedded participial phrase. Syntax packs multiple defining traits.

Negative-Positive Pairing

"never hurried and always ready"—negative with absolute + positive with absolute. Syntax creates oxymoronic balance.

Adjectival Economics

"economical of"—adjective with unusual prepositional object. Syntax applies financial term to physical movement.

Possessive ParallelPAIR-uh-lel-iz-um / ˈpærəlɛlɪzəm

"their steps and their motions"—two parallel genitives. Syntax treats movements as possessions to be conserved.

Close reading

1Close Reading

Copulative Classification

"Phileas Fogg was one of those...people"—demonstrative pronoun with genitive. Syntax places character in category.

Adverbial Precision

"mathematically exact"—adverb modifying adjective. Syntax applies mathematical language to human behavior.

Relative Clause Characterization

"who, never hurried and always ready, are economical"—non-restrictive relative clause with embedded participial phrase. Syntax packs multiple defining traits.

Negative-Positive Pairing

"never hurried and always ready"—negative with absolute + positive with absolute. Syntax creates oxymoronic balance.

Adjectival Economics

"economical of"—adjective with unusual prepositional object. Syntax applies financial term to physical movement.

Possessive Parallel

"their steps and their motions"—two parallel genitives. Syntax treats movements as possessions to be conserved.

Stylistic Effect

Through copulative categorization, mathematical precision adverb, relative clause with oxymoronic never/always pairing, economic conservation of possessed movements, and parallel possessive genitives, Verne creates syntax of mechanical efficiency—grammar that performs Fogg's clockwork nature through balanced, economical construction and mathematical modification.