| “ | My little joke. I could not resist! | ” |
–Sven | ||
Sven is a character in 80 Days. He is a Swedish conman.
Background[]
Sven is described as middle-aged and rather lonely in the quiet city of Stockholm. He tries to make conversation with tourists but often carries himself away making up elaborate lies about Sweden and surrounding countries.
Role[]
Sven can be found by Passepartout and Phileas Fogg upon exploring Stockholm. He offers the pair a tour and discusses transport from the city, saying that Sweden is 'building the future'. He then goes on to claim that in Finland, they have developed reindeer with steam jets that fly across the night sky, which is either eaten up, discarded or countered with a dry claim about Londoners having jet-powered boots by Passepartout, at which Sven heartily admits to his joke. The pair leave Sven soon after, with Passepartout noting that he appears to be a lonely soul.
Later, a headline in The Times may be read referencing Sven, calling him a 'Swedish conman'.
Character[]
Sven constructs elaborate jests about his corner of the world because he enjoys the potential confusion it causes to travellers. Passepartout seems to decide that it's simply a symptom of his loneliness.
Trivia[]
- Sven's claim about Finnish reindeer being able to fly is likely a reference to the mythical Father Christmas's reindeer, since he is often said to live in the Finnish Lapland.