The Reluctant Adventurer Departs

Professor William Waterman Sherman, after forty years of teaching arithmetic in San Francisco, is desperate for peace and escape from the chaos of daily life. He dreams of drifting alone in a balloon, free from schedules and responsibilities. Upon retirement, he meticulously designs and builds a massive balloon, the Globe, with a comfortable basket-house and enough provisions to last a year. His plan is simple: let the winds take him wherever they will, with no destination in mind, seeking only the joy of unhurried, aimless travel. On August 15, 1883, with little fanfare, he launches his solitary journey across the Pacific, intent on disappearing from the world for a time.

A World Awaits His Tale

Just three weeks later, Sherman is found in the Atlantic Ocean, clinging to the wreckage of twenty balloons, exhausted and uncommunicative. The world is baffled: how did a man who set out over the Pacific end up in the Atlantic, and with so many balloons? Despite the President's and the press's pleas, Sherman refuses to reveal his story to anyone but his fellow explorers in San Francisco. His loyalty to the Western American Explorers' Club only heightens the public's anticipation, and arrangements are made for his triumphant return.

San Francisco's Balloon Frenzy

San Francisco erupts in excitement, preparing a hero's welcome for Sherman. The city is decorated with thousands of miniature balloons, and balloon-themed festivities sweep the populace. Rival balloon factories compete for attention, and inventive mishaps—like a runaway balloon buggy—add to the spectacle. The anticipation builds as the city realizes Sherman's journey has shattered the record for circumnavigating the globe, making him an instant celebrity.

The Globe: Dream of Solitude

Sherman recounts his initial days aloft in the Globe, relishing the tranquility and freedom of balloon travel. His balloon-house is ingeniously designed for comfort and efficiency, using food as ballast and lightweight furnishings. He enjoys reading, fishing, and the novelty of daily life above the clouds. For a brief time, his dream of solitude is realized, with only the wind and the stars for company.

Catastrophe Over the Pacific

On the seventh day, a sea gull punctures the Globe, sending Sherman into a desperate struggle to stay aloft. He jettisons everything—furniture, food, even his clothes—to lighten the load, but is forced to abandon his basket-house and cling to the balloon itself. Chased by sharks and battered by exhaustion, he crash-lands on a tiny volcanic island: Krakatoa.

Krakatoa's Secret Society

Sherman is rescued by a dapper stranger, Mr. F., who introduces him to the astonishingly civilized and secretive community of Krakatoa. The island, long thought uninhabitable due to its rumbling volcano, is home to twenty families living in opulent, internationally themed houses. The society is built on secrecy, as they guard the world's richest diamond mines, hidden beneath the volcano.

Diamonds Beyond Imagination

Sherman is shown the diamond mines—caverns of pure, dazzling gems. The Krakatoans explain that their wealth is so vast it is meaningless; flooding the world with diamonds would destroy their value. Instead, they live in isolation, each family holding an equal share, and only occasionally venturing abroad to sell a single gem for supplies. Sherman, now a "citizen," is sworn to secrecy and offered a share in the fortune.

The Gourmet Government

The Krakatoans have devised a unique "Restaurant Government". Each family runs a restaurant themed after a different nation, and the community rotates through them, ensuring variety and fairness. Their calendar is based on this rotation, and work is minimal—each family cooks only once every twenty days. The result is a harmonious, inventive, and food-obsessed society, where creative pursuits and leisure flourish.

Marvels of the Moroccan House

Sherman tours the Moroccan house, a showcase of the community's inventive spirit. Here, beds have continuous, self-cleaning sheets; dining tables and chairs rise from the floor at the pull of a lever; and children's beds can ascend to the roof for stargazing. Some inventions, like electrified chairs, are more whimsical than practical, but the overall effect is one of playful luxury and communal creativity.

Balloon Merry-Go-Round

The island's children have built a Balloon Merry-Go-Round: a ring of boats, each with its own balloon, that spins up a giant screw-pole and then floats free, spinning through the air. The ride is both thrilling and perilous, especially when passing over the volcano's crater. The children's resourcefulness and the community's encouragement of invention are on full display.

The Giant Balloon Life Raft

Aware of Krakatoa's volcanic dangers, the community has constructed a massive balloon platform—essentially a flying life raft—capable of lifting all eighty residents to safety in minutes. The platform is a marvel of engineering, with twenty balloons and a system for rapid inflation. Each family has a parachute, and the platform is their insurance against catastrophe.

Krakatoa's Final Warning

As Sherman settles into island life, the volcano's rumblings grow more violent and persistent. During a communal meal, the ground splits and houses begin to collapse. The Krakatoans, well-rehearsed for such an emergency, spring into action, racing to the balloon platform with food, parachutes, and a few precious diamonds.

The Great Escape

The balloon platform launches just in time, barely clearing the erupting volcano. The group spends a terrifying night suspended above the inferno, battered by heat and turbulence. At dawn, a wind finally carries them away, and they witness Krakatoa's cataclysmic explosion from a safe distance—a spectacle of destruction and loss, as their home and its treasures vanish forever.

Across Continents by Air

The platform, now adrift, is carried by powerful winds across Asia and Europe. Families parachute to safety as they pass over suitable land, until only Sherman and the F. family remain. They endure exhaustion, dwindling food, and the challenge of keeping the platform level, finally reaching the English Channel, where the F.s depart, leaving Sherman alone.

The World's Most Curious Rescue

Sherman, nearly dead from fatigue, manages to crash the platform into the Atlantic, where he is rescued by a passing ship. His mysterious appearance, with the wreckage of twenty balloons and a story he refuses to tell, ignites worldwide speculation and anticipation.

The Hero Returns Home

Back in San Francisco, Sherman is celebrated as a hero. He finally recounts his incredible adventure to the Explorers' Club, captivating the audience with tales of invention, community, and survival. The world is left in awe of the hidden wonders and the fragility of paradise.

The Promise of New Adventures

Despite his ordeal, Sherman is undeterred. With diamond cufflinks as his only souvenir, he vows to build a new balloon, the Globe the Second, and return to the skies—ever the explorer, ever in search of freedom and wonder.

Characters

Professor William Waterman Sherman

Sherman is a weary, imaginative, and somewhat eccentric teacher who longs for solitude and escape from routine. His psychological journey is one from isolation to unexpected community, as his quest for peace leads him into the heart of adventure and human connection. He is resourceful, adaptable, and ultimately transformed by his experiences, emerging as both a storyteller and a symbol of curiosity and resilience.

Mr. F.

Mr. F. is Sherman's first contact on Krakatoa and serves as his guide, mentor, and friend. He is urbane, witty, and deeply invested in the island's unique culture. Mr. F. represents the balance between tradition and innovation, and his warmth helps Sherman integrate into the community. His psychological insight and humor make him a stabilizing force amid chaos.

Mr. M.

The original discoverer of Krakatoa's diamond mines, Mr. M. is both a dreamer and a pragmatist. He orchestrates the island's settlement, selects its creative inhabitants, and leads in times of crisis. His ability to inspire trust and cooperation is central to the community's survival, and his actions during the eruption reveal both courage and responsibility.

Mrs. M.

As a nurse and co-inventor, Mrs. M. brings practicality and care to the community. Her innovations, like the family parachute and self-cleaning beds, reflect a blend of maternal concern and creative problem-solving. She embodies the adaptability and resourcefulness that define Krakatoan life.

The F. Family

The F. family, especially their children, exemplify the spirit of Krakatoa: inventive, cooperative, and resilient. Their willingness to stay with Sherman during the perilous escape highlights their loyalty and courage. They serve as a microcosm of the island's values—family, ingenuity, and mutual support.

The Twenty Families

Each family brings unique talents—architecture, science, art, cuisine—to the community. Their relationships are structured by the Restaurant Government, fostering both individuality and unity. Psychologically, they represent the human need for both belonging and self-expression, thriving in a society that values both.

The Children of Krakatoa

The children are central to the island's vitality, designing the Balloon Merry-Go-Round and participating in communal life. Their creativity is nurtured, not stifled, and they symbolize hope, adaptability, and the promise of future innovation.

Captain Simon

The captain of the S.S. Cunningham, Simon is the first to encounter Sherman after his ordeal. His skepticism and curiosity mirror the world's reaction, and his actions help frame Sherman's story as one of both survival and mystery.

The Mayor of San Francisco

The Mayor embodies the city's enthusiasm and pride, organizing Sherman's welcome and ensuring his story is celebrated. He represents the societal hunger for heroes and the power of communal narrative.

The President of the United States

The President's involvement underscores the magnitude of Sherman's adventure, elevating it from personal odyssey to national event. His respect for Sherman's loyalty highlights themes of honor and protocol.

Plot Devices

Framing Narrative and Withheld Revelation

The story is structured around Sherman's refusal to reveal his tale until he returns to San Francisco, creating a sense of global suspense. This device heightens the reader's curiosity and mirrors the world's fascination with the unknown, making the eventual revelation all the more satisfying.

Utopian Microcosm

The island functions as a utopian experiment, blending wealth, creativity, and communal living. The Restaurant Government, inventive architecture, and shared resources serve as both satire and genuine exploration of alternative social structures, inviting readers to question the values of their own societies.

Invention and Ingenious Contraptions

The narrative is rich with fantastical inventions—balloon houses, self-cleaning beds, balloon platforms—that serve both practical and whimsical purposes. These devices symbolize human ingenuity and the joy of creative problem-solving, while also providing suspense and humor.

Catastrophe and Escape

The ever-present threat of volcanic eruption undercuts the island's idyll, introducing existential stakes. The meticulously planned escape via the balloon platform is both a literal and metaphorical test of the community's unity and resourcefulness.

Satire and Social Commentary

Through the absurdity of limitless diamonds and the Restaurant Government, the book satirizes greed, social status, and the pursuit of novelty. The narrative structure allows for both adventure and reflection, blending humor with deeper questions about happiness and meaning.

Analysis

The Twenty-One Balloons is a whimsical yet incisive meditation on the human search for meaning, community, and adventure. Through the lens of Professor Sherman's extraordinary journey, William Pène du Bois explores the paradoxes of wealth, the allure of utopia, and the necessity of adaptability in the face of disaster. The novel's inventive spirit—manifested in its fantastical contraptions and playful social structures—serves as both a celebration of human creativity and a gentle satire of materialism and conformity. At its heart, the story suggests that true fulfillment lies not in isolation or riches, but in the unpredictable joys of connection, invention, and shared experience. In a modern context, the book remains a testament to the power of curiosity, the value of community, and the enduring appeal of dreaming big and daring to drift wherever the winds may carry us.

Last updated: May 22, 2025