Open Boat Stephen Crane's Short Story "The Essay

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Open Boat

Stephen Crane's short story "The Open Boat" is very much "open" to interpretation. The story revolving around four men on a small boat braving a raging sea in hopes to save themselves from death points to many interesting comparisons and deep symbolism. The purpose of this essay is to examine the five main characters of this story and how they collectively represent something more than the sum of their parts. This essay will argue that the five main characters in this story are the four shipmates: the captain, the oiler, the cook and the correspondent, plus the characterization of mother nature herself which serves as the story's powerful antagonist. The essay will explore the idea that each crew member by himself cannot adequately represent a hero, yet when all are synthesized together a rich and truthful story emanates from this collective.

Crane uses the number four to relate the situation on the boat and the qualities of nature. It appears that this allusion is made to relate man's place within nature. Mother nature herself is divided into four distinct seasons, echoing the distinct characteristics of the shipmates. Nature is also essentially divided into four directions: north, south, east and west. The situation on the boat is much the same as the captain, representing the fiery leadership of man, the oiler, representing the common every day man, the cook who represents the lower echelons of society and the correspondent who represents the thinking and critical skills inherent in man. Each man could be assigned a season or direction depending on the reader's point-of-view.

Throughout the story each crewmember proceeds through the ups and downs of contemplating death and a return to mother nature either spiritually or physically. Crane notes that early in the story the captain " lying in the bow, was at this time buried in that profound dejection and indifference which comes, temporarily at least, to even the bravest and most enduring when, willy silly, the firm fails, the army loses, the ship goes down " (page #). The correspondent in a constant state of reflection, reflects Crane's affinity for this character and most likely represents his innermost feelings.

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The cook often seems naively despondent and can minimally respond physically to the events surrounding their predicament. The oiler, who was the only character whose name is given, Billie, represents a grounded and central point-of-view for these men and his actions consistently reflect this general position.

These four men collectively represent the four-fold nature in man that Crane must feel is integral in each person. This point-of-view may be expounded to suggest that this group reflects society as a whole. This may be insinuated by the dialogue in the story that denotes no speaker. Certain lines such as " funny they don't see us, " are repeated in certain chapters although only through a collective voice as the author most likely did not specifically annotate these words for this creative effect.

Although the collective voice is enhanced in this story it is important to view each character by themselves to grasp the smaller parts of the whole. The captain in this story, while giving great direction, appears to be less physically active while in the boat. He is the only able man in the boat who does not row which may appear as self serving. Crane describes the painful ordeal of rowing in a very descriptive manner as being painful and cold . The captain, although not partaking in the physical labors of the crew does offer clear thinking and a rally point of organization. His attitude is not stoic but reserved and he occasionally gives comic relief to the crew as when he states "those life-saving people take their time " (page #). Crane seems to assign the parental role to the captain as he guards the water….....

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