TRANSFORMING LIFE INTO LITERATURE
Keywords:
The Lost World, Science fiction, Percy Fawcett, Professor Challenger, Edward Malone, literary inspiration, Victorian literature, South America expeditions, Strand Magazine, historical influences, real-life characters, dinosaurs in literature, scientific adventure, fictional geography.Abstract
This thesis explores the life and literary contributions of Arthur Conan Doyle, focusing particularly on his science fiction novel The Lost World. The research provides an overview of Conan Doyle’s early influences, including his mother’s storytelling and school experiences, which shaped his writing career. Special attention is given to the inspiration behind The Lost World, particularly the impact of Colonel Percy Fawcett’s expeditions to South America. The work examines the novel’s scientific elements, characters, and connections to real-life individuals known by Conan Doyle, such as Professor William Rutherford and Percy Fawcett. It also discusses thematic similarities between The Lost World and other science fiction novels, including works by Jules Verne, Vladimir Obruchev, and Michael Crichton. The thesis concludes that The Lost World stands as a significant literary achievement that blends imagination with scientific curiosity and continues to influence the science fiction genre.
References
1. Doyle A.C. The Lost World. – London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1912. – 319 p.
2. Doyle A.C. Memories and Adventures. – London: John Murray, 1924. – 408 p.
3. Fawcett P.H. Exploration Fawcett: Journey to the Lost City of Z. – London: Century Publishing, 1953. – 312 p.
4. Obruchev V.A. Plutoniya. – Moskva: Nauka, 1915. – 286 s.
5. Verne J. Journey to the Centre of the Earth. – London: Griffith and Farran, 1864. – 295 p.
6. Crichton M. The Lost World. – New York: Knopf, 1995. – 393 p.
7. Doyle A.C. The Crime of the Congo. – London: Hutchinson & Co., 1909. – 100 p.
8. Wikipedia contributors. The Lost World (Conan Doyle novel). – [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lost_World_(Conan_Doyle_novel)] (Accessed: August 29, 2025).
9.ThoughtCo. Summary and Analysis of The Lost World. – [https://www.thoughtco.com/the-lost-world-arthur-conan-doyle-4628283] (Accessed: August 29, 2025).
