Paper Summary:

The paper analyzes how Crane uses the themes of fate and nature to show man as victorious in the battle between the four shipwrecked men and nature. The paper describes how the four men are constantly driven to the point of madness by both fate and nature that they believe are treating them cruelly. However, the paper shows that in the end, three of them manage to survive simply because of the power of their fellow humans.

From the Paper:

"In the tradition of Melville, Stephen Crane's short story "Open Boat" tells the story of the sea's might and humankind's comparative weakness. By juxtaposing a lighthearted narrator on a perilous situation, Crane further mimics Melville and other nautical writers, acknowledging both the humor and danger of the sea. His story begins with four men in a dingy after the crash of their steamer, the "Commodore"--the captain, cook, correspondent, and oiler. The four attempt to find rescue on shore, and on the way they encounter situations that cause the reader to debate between laughter and tears or fear. Like an old married couple whose battles and attempts to become superior take on every form, the cook and the correspondent "argued as to the difference between a life-saving station and a house of refuge" (Crane). While debating issues such as the presence of a crew and the life saving efforts that are waiting there for them, all four members of the small boat express their frustrating that no one on shore has seen them yet, only to increase their fading hopes that anyone is there at all."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Crane, Stephen. "The Open Boat." 2009. 17 January 2008. Read Books Online.<http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/1514/>

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