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The Poulps

Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne · Episode 10 of 12

Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea was first published in 1870 by Jules Verne, the French pioneer of science fiction. This episode is the tenth of twelve covering the submarine voyage of the Nautilus under the command of the enigmatic Captain Nemo. The novel reflects its era in maritime terminology, colonial references, and mid-Victorian oceanographic knowledge; incidental period language has been modernised. Verne's giant 'poulps' (cuttlefish or octopi) are drawn from sailors' legends and the real 1861 encounter with a large cephalopod reported by the French vessel Alector. The episode is worth reading because it marks a turning point: Nemo's grief over his lost crewman is real, yet his refusal to free his prisoners reveals the depth of his isolation and the moral darkness that will drive the final episodes toward catastrophe.

Band

Blue · Independent readers, confidentTypical starting range: ages 12–14

Length

long · about 1357 words in 5 sections · 1 picture

Source

Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, Jules Verne

First published

see the About page in the reader

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script
• · Teacher’s Edition (members)

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