Character Sketch of Detective Fix
In this story about a challenge to travel around the world in eighty days, Detective Fix comes the closest to being labelled the “antagonist.” He first arrives in the fifth chapter and is a constant in the storey until the very conclusion. Mr Fix is one of many investigators on the hunt for the famed Bank of England thief. Somehow, he becomes suspicious of Mr Fogg and begins to think fervently that it is Fogg who is responsible for the bank theft. Fix has a drawing of the suspected criminal that he distributes to all investigators. Fix’s opinion regarding Fogg’s wrongdoing is strengthened by the portrait’s resemblance to Fogg’s persona. As a result, Fix resolves to secure a warrant for Fogg’s arrest. The issue is that the warrant takes time to reach Fix, and in the meantime, he must follow Fogg around the world. He succeeds in putting many stumbling blocks in Fogg’s path without Fogg understanding that Fix is out to derail his intentions. Fix befriends Passepartout solely to keep an eye on Fogg. Passepartout’s naivety and innocence prevent him from detecting a rat in Fix’s ostensibly pleasant actions.
Fix is not a straightforward person. In his desperation to obtain the reward money that a detective receives for apprehending a thief, he goes so far as to intoxicate Passepartout with opium. Passepartout is then unable to notify his master of a change in a ship’s departure time, and Fogg is delayed as a result.
Previously, it was Fix who pushed the Indian priests of a pagoda on Malabar Hill to chase Passepartout all the way to Calcutta in order to arrest him for desecrating a holy spot. Fix’s antics, in fact, make the reader dislike him. We are even more upset when Passepartout refuses to tell his master about Fix after discovering his true identity. As a result, Fix continues to join Fogg and his party on their journey. He is shameless in accepting Fogg’s invitation to travel with the company on special ships and trains without contributing to the funds that allow these privileged conveyances to be possible.
While seeing Fogg’s chivalry in America, Fix feels a tinge of discomfort over if his suspicions are correct, but these are simply passing thoughts. Fix only assists Fogg once, when he arranges for a one-of-a-kind mode of transportation from Fort Kearney to Omaha Station: a sledge. Of course, there is a very selfish reason for this extended assistance. Fix, too, wants to get to England as soon as possible so that he can arrest Fogg. In America, he is unable to apprehend Fogg. Fix finally apprehends Fogg in Liverpool, and he is imprisoned. When Fogg is released with proper apologies, he strikes Fix, and this is a blow that Fix richly deserves.
What is most amazing is that, despite Fix’s misbehaviour, Fogg feels terrible for the defeated Fix and gives him a portion of the wager money he wins. Fix would have been indebted to Fogg and his generosity for the rest of his life, we can imagine.
