We travel back in time to the Napoleonic era and, as readers, are transported to places such as Paris and Marseilles. From the way the protagonists, officials, and law enforcers are described, one can make the assumption that the justice system during this time period is going to be depicted as harsh and possibly even unfair. That factor could cause Edmond to get into trouble with the law that he then cannot provide a solution for, correspondingly meddling with the connection and/or communication between he and his beloved. The knowledge that the police force of France are after him will only increase the feelings of adventure and suspense within the novel. Heightening the element of stress, due to a need for self preservation, could cause Edmond to make bigger, bolder, and riskier decisions while traveling or at sea. The author opened with a detailed description of the boat which could send the message that the majority of the book will take place at ports, fishing villages, traveling from one island to another, or on the vessel itself.
In order to ensure that I find whether these hunches are correct, I must actually read the book. It is 441 pages and to accomplish this I have laid out the following reading schedule:
- Pages 1-109 (Due 3/4)
- Pages 110-222 (Due 3/11)
- Pages 223-328 (Due 3/18)
- Pages 329-441 (Due 3/25)
