Oh boy, I seem to have gotten a little behind.  Here goes nothing.  I really enjoyed The Open Boat.  The story of four men forced to abandon their ship and are in a small dinghy trying to survive the ocean and get to shore safely.   Upon discussing it in class though, I found out much more about the story.  Like for instance, I missed the shark at first.   I mean, I read it and saw the word "fin", but totally passed right over it and never put it together.  Not until the correspondent mentioned it to the captain, did I realize it was there.  I had to go back and reread it again.  I think maybe I forgot to tell my group mates (that part was in our section V) but once we started to analyze it closer, it became more clear.  Another thing I didn't see at first was the death of the oiler.  I remember it but I thought maybe he didn't die, maybe he survived.  Wishful thinking, the optimist in me.  I felt bad that it was the oiler that passed.  I felt that he was the one who did most of the work.  Not unfairly or anything, I just think it was in his nature. 

The story though is one of brotherhood and comradery.  The teamwork they have between them is wonderful.  I would think that normally there would be fighting or bickering, animosity, maybe even hostility.  But the men were true companions, switching back and forth the job of oaring and sleeping when needed.  The captain was a true captain too.  I felt that he was always watching over his men.   Someone in class touched on the fact that he didn't go down with his ship but it never actually said that.  I believe that he stayed with the ship the longest and was still able to get to safety in the dinghy. 

When the author touched on death, it brought the whole story full circle.  The anger that some of the men felt when dealing with it was very raw.  "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?"  You really feel his desperation.  At least I did.  It made me pull for their survival even more. 

I was left screaming at the people on shore!!  How much has to happen for you to do something about the men in the boat??!!  The oiler could've survived if they had realized the severity of the situation in the first place.  At the end, you feel good though.   The men, all but one, make it to shore and are helped by many people, men and women, and you feel their relief, their gratitude.  Many emotions for me, for the reader.  That is something I like in the stories I read.  I was taken in all sorts of different directions while reading and it was a pleasant journey.  A thoughtful journey.  A peaceful sort of journey.