What do we mean when we say that, in perception, "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts"?

1. saved aronnax from drowning "an incident" 2. speed of the nautilus man-of-war 3. next to captain nemo conseil 4. electricity vigo bay 5. "a coral tomb" 20,000 leagues 6. the nautilus runs aground nemo's "thunderbolt" 7. episodes are connected by aronnax's quarters 8. captain nemo's "bank" cause 9. distance aronnax traveled on the nautilus "a fine death for a sailor" 10. captain nemo sinks for revenge 50 miles per hour