Textual Analysis
Theme:
In the story, “The Open Boat,” by Stephen Crane there are many themes that one can analyze from the text in different scenes. However, the central theme for this story can be seen as man being indifferent to the will of nature. For example, when the tiny boat was being tossed by the waves in the sea, the men were helpless and did not have a choice in what would happen to them. This shows that man is at the will of nature and there is no power that man possesses to ever bend the will of nature; man will always be subjected to the powers of Mother Nature.
Repetition of the “drowned” Lines
First Instance:
"If I am going to be drowned -- if I am going to be drowned -- if I am going to be drowned, why, in the name of the seven mad gods who rule the sea, was I allowed to come thus far and contemplate sand and trees? Was I brought here merely to have my nose dragged away as I was about to nibble the sacred cheese of life? It is preposterous. If this old ninny-woman, Fate, cannot do better than this, she should be deprived of the management of men's fortunes. She is an old hen who knows not her intention. If she has decided to drown me, why did she not do it in the beginning and save me all this trouble. The whole affair is absurd. . . . But, no, she cannot mean to drown me. She dare not drown me. She cannot drown me. Not after all this work."
Second Instance:
"If I am going to be drowned -- if I am going to be drowned -- if I am going to be drowned, why, in the name of the seven mad gods, who rule the sea, was I allowed to come thus far and contemplate sand and trees? Was I brought here merely to have my nose dragged away as I was about to nibble the sacred cheese of life?"
Third Instance:
"If I am going to be drowned -- if I am going to be drowned -- if I am going to be drowned, why, in the name of the seven mad gods, who rule the sea, was I allowed to come thus far and contemplate sand and trees?"
Analysis:
The repetition of this line is important for many reasons. This represents the men’s internal conflict with life and death. They are all struggling – both physically and mentally – with this situation and the repetition of these lines, as well as the fact that it gets shorter each time, helps to show the deterioration of their drive to survive throughout the situation.
Initially, the men are feeling better about their circumstances. They have more energy and their chances of survival are not so slim. The tone of the first instance is also very frustrated and angry. This shows that the men are confused. They don’t know why fate has chosen this path for them, or why they have been allowed to survive for so long if they are just going to die later on. They are angry with their situation and the lack of control they have over it. However, the long rant as well as the anger shows that they have not given up. They are still fighting “fate” and trying their hardest to survive and make it back to shore.
The second and third instances get progressively shorter and occur later on in the story when their chances of survival are not so good. They are very weak and they are starting to lose their drive to survive. However, they are still frustrated and confused. They still do not think that the situation is fair, but it is evident that their drive to survive is much lower. The tone is more subdued, showing their weakening mental and physical state. While they have not accepted the situation, they are not fighting to survive nearly as much.
By repeating these phrases throughout the story, Crane is able to show the transition of the mental states of the men within the story. They go from very angry and ready to fight their “fate” to a very subdued, weakened state where their drive to survive is almost nonexistent.
The Red Sky
“The gulls went in slanting flight up the wind toward the gray desolate east. A squall, marked by dingy clouds, and clouds brick-red, like smoke from a burning building, appeared from the southeast.”
Squall = a sudden violent gust of wind or a localized storm
This quote paints a very ominous, eerie picture. It shows a storm brewing and it foreshadows a bad ending for the unknowing travelers. There is an ancient sailor’s rhyme, “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky at morning, sailor take warning,” that warns about bad weather to come if there is a red sky in the morning. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happens in this scene of the story. It is odd that the Captain does not notice this foreshadowing in order to warn the others of what is to come. However, his letting this go unnoticed may show how in over their heads the travelers were and how bad the situation really was. This scene marks the start of the decline in the travelers’ mental state while the squall and wind also foreshadow the craziness and heightened anxiety/pressure that is to come.
In the story, “The Open Boat,” by Stephen Crane there are many themes that one can analyze from the text in different scenes. However, the central theme for this story can be seen as man being indifferent to the will of nature. For example, when the tiny boat was being tossed by the waves in the sea, the men were helpless and did not have a choice in what would happen to them. This shows that man is at the will of nature and there is no power that man possesses to ever bend the will of nature; man will always be subjected to the powers of Mother Nature.
Repetition of the “drowned” Lines
First Instance:
"If I am going to be drowned -- if I am going to be drowned -- if I am going to be drowned, why, in the name of the seven mad gods who rule the sea, was I allowed to come thus far and contemplate sand and trees? Was I brought here merely to have my nose dragged away as I was about to nibble the sacred cheese of life? It is preposterous. If this old ninny-woman, Fate, cannot do better than this, she should be deprived of the management of men's fortunes. She is an old hen who knows not her intention. If she has decided to drown me, why did she not do it in the beginning and save me all this trouble. The whole affair is absurd. . . . But, no, she cannot mean to drown me. She dare not drown me. She cannot drown me. Not after all this work."
Second Instance:
"If I am going to be drowned -- if I am going to be drowned -- if I am going to be drowned, why, in the name of the seven mad gods, who rule the sea, was I allowed to come thus far and contemplate sand and trees? Was I brought here merely to have my nose dragged away as I was about to nibble the sacred cheese of life?"
Third Instance:
"If I am going to be drowned -- if I am going to be drowned -- if I am going to be drowned, why, in the name of the seven mad gods, who rule the sea, was I allowed to come thus far and contemplate sand and trees?"
Analysis:
The repetition of this line is important for many reasons. This represents the men’s internal conflict with life and death. They are all struggling – both physically and mentally – with this situation and the repetition of these lines, as well as the fact that it gets shorter each time, helps to show the deterioration of their drive to survive throughout the situation.
Initially, the men are feeling better about their circumstances. They have more energy and their chances of survival are not so slim. The tone of the first instance is also very frustrated and angry. This shows that the men are confused. They don’t know why fate has chosen this path for them, or why they have been allowed to survive for so long if they are just going to die later on. They are angry with their situation and the lack of control they have over it. However, the long rant as well as the anger shows that they have not given up. They are still fighting “fate” and trying their hardest to survive and make it back to shore.
The second and third instances get progressively shorter and occur later on in the story when their chances of survival are not so good. They are very weak and they are starting to lose their drive to survive. However, they are still frustrated and confused. They still do not think that the situation is fair, but it is evident that their drive to survive is much lower. The tone is more subdued, showing their weakening mental and physical state. While they have not accepted the situation, they are not fighting to survive nearly as much.
By repeating these phrases throughout the story, Crane is able to show the transition of the mental states of the men within the story. They go from very angry and ready to fight their “fate” to a very subdued, weakened state where their drive to survive is almost nonexistent.
The Red Sky
“The gulls went in slanting flight up the wind toward the gray desolate east. A squall, marked by dingy clouds, and clouds brick-red, like smoke from a burning building, appeared from the southeast.”
Squall = a sudden violent gust of wind or a localized storm
This quote paints a very ominous, eerie picture. It shows a storm brewing and it foreshadows a bad ending for the unknowing travelers. There is an ancient sailor’s rhyme, “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky at morning, sailor take warning,” that warns about bad weather to come if there is a red sky in the morning. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happens in this scene of the story. It is odd that the Captain does not notice this foreshadowing in order to warn the others of what is to come. However, his letting this go unnoticed may show how in over their heads the travelers were and how bad the situation really was. This scene marks the start of the decline in the travelers’ mental state while the squall and wind also foreshadow the craziness and heightened anxiety/pressure that is to come.