open boat analysis essay

The Open Boat

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The Open Boat: Introduction

The open boat: plot summary, the open boat: detailed summary & analysis, the open boat: themes, the open boat: quotes, the open boat: characters, the open boat: symbols, the open boat: literary devices, the open boat: theme wheel, brief biography of stephen crane.

Historical Context of The Open Boat

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• Full Title: The Open Boat
• When Written: 1897
• Where Written: Florida
• When Published: June 1897
• Literary Period: American naturalism
• Genre: Short story; American naturalism
• Setting: The open sea just off the coast of Florida
• Climax: The men jump overboard and swim for shore
• Antagonist: Fate; the sea
• Point of View: Third-person limited

Extra Credit for The Open Boat

Famous friends. Stephen Crane built several friendships with famous writers throughout his lifetime, including Henry James, Joseph Conrad, and H.G. Wells.

Frivolity and finances. Stephen Crane and his common-law wife, Cora, squandered their finances, pulling themselves deeper into debt by living in an expensive manor house and lavishly entertaining literary celebrities.

The Open Boat

25 pages • 50 minutes read

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Story Analysis

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Summary and Study Guide

Summary: “the open boat”.

The prolific American writer, poet, and journalist Stephen Crane is the author of “The Open Boat.” He published his short story in 1897 after surviving a shipwreck earlier in the year. To cover the brewing war between Cuba and its colonizer, Spain, Crane boarded the Commodore as 1896 turned into 1897. The ship sank, and Crane and others endured a day and a half on a tiny lifeboat. Before publishing his fictional account of the calamity, Crane published a factual article, “Stephen Crane’s Own Story,” in The New York Press .

“The Open Boat” is one of Crane’s most studied works, alongside his novella about a poor young woman, Maggie: A Girl of the Streets (1893), and his novel about a young soldier in the American Civil War, The Red Badge of Courage (1895). The story is an example of Naturalism due to its objective and often unsentimental style . The major themes include People Versus Nature , Survival Versus Fate and Powerlessness , and Community and Cooperation Versus Alienation .

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This guide refers to the 1974 version of the story included in the Washington Square Press edition of Maggie and Other Stories .

The story starts with a small boat bouncing on the waves one afternoon. In the boat are four men: The injured captain, the oiler , the correspondent , and the cook . These are the main characters, and the omniscient third-person narrator—who knows practically everything but isn’t one of the characters—only reveals the oiler’s name, Billie.

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The oiler and the other characters were in a shipwreck near the coast of Florida and are now trying to survive at sea. The captain attempts to maintain a positive atmosphere . He tells the others, “[W]e’ll get ashore all right” (216), but the men are unsure. They row the dinghy, hector a bird, and try to figure out how close they are to land or rescue. The captain spots a lighthouse, but the cook informs him that the lighthouse is abandoned and has been for years.

The oiler and the correspondent row the tiny boat, and the captain implores them to row slowly to save energy. Land appears, and the cook thinks they’re near “a house of refuge” (220), but no help arrives. The captain’s positive tone turns gloomy. He says, “[I]f we don’t all get ashore, I suppose you fellows know where to send news of my finish?” (222). The question leads the narrator to thoughts about the cruelty of nature, fate, and the torment of drowning.

The waves grow stronger, but the men start to hope that someone from shore sees them. They spot an omnibus and a person with a coat, and then they notice additional people. The people are at a winter resort; they don’t help the men, and the men curse their odd and cheerful behavior.

As afternoon turns to night, the freezing waves continue to besiege the men. Now the correspondent and the oiler take turns rowing. As the correspondent rows by himself, he thinks about how he’s “the one man afloat on all the ocean” (229), even though he’s sharing a boat with three other men.

As “the dismal night” carries on (230), the narrator returns to thoughts about the cruelty of fate and drowning at sea. The narrator wonders why fate let the men survive instead of killing them immediately. The correspondent ponders a poem about a dying French soldier in Algiers. The vivid recollection makes it seem like the soldier is on the boat with the correspondent.

Without signs of rescue, morning approaches. The captain wants the men to try and make it through the surf to shore; he reasons that if they keep rowing, they’ll eventually grow too weak to save themselves. The plan sparks the correspondent to think about the relationship between people and nature. Nature isn’t evil or intelligent but “indifferent, flatly indifferent” (234).

The men prepare to face the surf, jump overboard, and swim to shore. A “tumbling, boiling flood of white water” engulfs the boat (236). After another wave besets the tiny vessel, the men go overboard. The correspondent sees the oiler swimming strongly, the cook’s back protruding out of the water, and the hurt captain holding on to the capsized boat. The captain orders the cook to turn over on his back and use the oar. Meanwhile, the correspondent swims slowly to shore. He thinks about the surreal quality of the land in front of him.

As the correspondent methodically makes his way toward land, he hears the captain calling to him for help as he clings to the boat with one hand. Exhausted, the correspondent thinks that drowning might be pleasant. While he tries to reach the captain, an extraordinary wave flings the correspondent near the land.

In shallow water, the correspondent tries to stand but realizes he’s not in a condition to do so for more than a second. A mysterious naked man with “a halo” brings the cook ashore and goes to fetch the captain, who magnanimously redirects the man to the correspondent. The correspondent is fine, but he sees the oiler lying face down on the sand, dead.

Soon, people swarm the island, and the three surviving men have all they need to recuperate. They now feel they understand the sea.

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Stephen Crane’s “The Open Boat”: Summary & Analysis

• Stephen Crane’s “The Open Boat”:…

Stephen Crane’s “The Open Boat,” is thought to be one of the finest stories ever written by an American. Crane uses a theme of cosmic irony. Cosmic irony is the belief that the universe is so large and man is so small that the universe is indifferent to the plight of man. In “The Open Boat,” Crane’s theme, cosmic irony, is illustrated through the use of symbols for isolation, insignificance, and indifference.

The universe would still go on without that sea, just like the universe would still go on without mankind. The third form of symbolism in cosmic irony is isolation. Isolation is being held in captivity or lack of contact with the world or universe. The little boat in a vast sea versus the people on the shore is symbolic of isolation. The small boat seems so large and important to the people on it, while the people on the shore just see this small boat as one of many objects in that vast sea. This is prime example of man versus society. The belief of cosmic irony holds great significance in the writers of the time of Stephen Crane. The new philosophies portrayed in cosmic irony were so new and different. They taught a different approach to the way the reader interprets certain symbols. Cosmic irony is a theme which is used every day, even though it may not always be noticed.

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“The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane: A Critical Analysis

“The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane, first published in 1897, is based on Crane’s own experiences as a correspondent during the Spanish-American War۔

Introduction: “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane

Table of Contents

“The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane, first published in 1897, is based on Crane’s own experiences as a correspondent during the Spanish-American War, when he and three other men were stranded at sea for over thirty hours after their ship sank off the coast of Florida. The story follows the four men – the correspondent, the captain, the cook, and the oiler – as they struggle to survive in a small dinghy in the midst of a raging sea. The story is known for its vivid and realistic portrayal of the men’s struggle against the forces of nature, as well as for its exploration of themes such as the meaning of life, the insignificance of humanity in the face of nature, and the relationship between humans and the natural world. “The Open Boat” is widely regarded as a masterpiece of American literature and is considered one of the greatest short stories ever written.

Main Events in “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane

• The story opens with four men – the correspondent, the captain, the cook, and the oiler – stranded in a small dinghy in the middle of the ocean after their ship sinks.
• The men work together to try to keep the dinghy afloat, bailing out water and using oars to steer.
• They see a lighthouse in the distance and hope to reach it, but the waves are too strong and they are forced to turn back.
• They are hit by a large wave that capsizes the boat, but they manage to right it and continue on.
• The men begin to feel a sense of desperation and hopelessness, as they realize that they may not be rescued and that they are at the mercy of the sea.
• They see a man on the shore, but he does not see them and they are unable to attract his attention.
• As night falls, the men take turns rowing and sleeping, but they are all exhausted and suffering from hunger and thirst.
• The men are briefly elated when they spot a rescue boat, but their hopes are dashed when the boat passes them by without noticing them.
• The men continue to struggle against the elements, facing numerous close calls and setbacks, until they finally reach shore and are rescued.
• The story ends with the men reflecting on their experience and their place in the universe, and pondering the meaning of life in the face of the indifferent forces of nature.

Literary Devices in “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane

• Allusion : The men’s situation is compared to that of ancient mariners, such as Odysseus, who also had to fight to survive on the open sea. This reference serves to add depth and resonance to the men’s struggle, connecting them to a long tradition of sea-faring adventurers.
• Epiphany : The men’s experience on the open sea leads them to reflect on their place in the universe and the meaning of life, culminating in a moment of epiphany at the end of the story. This moment of realization adds a sense of profundity and meaning to the men’s struggle, suggesting that even in the face of great adversity, there can be moments of transcendent insight.
• Foreshadowing : The men’s sense of desperation and hopelessness early in the story foreshadows the challenges they will face later on. This device serves to build tension and anticipation in the reader, creating a sense of foreboding about what is to come.
• Imagery : The story is full of vivid, sensory descriptions of the ocean, the sky, and the men’s physical surroundings, which help to create a powerful sense of atmosphere. This device serves to immerse the reader in the story, making them feel as if they are actually there with the men on the open boat.
• Irony : The men are surrounded by water, but are unable to drink it due to its saltiness. This device serves to highlight the cruel and ironic nature of their situation, emphasizing the men’s vulnerability and powerlessness in the face of the natural world.
• Juxtaposition : The men’s struggle for survival is contrasted with the peaceful and unchanging nature of the natural world around them. This device serves to underscore the men’s isolation and insignificance, emphasizing the vastness and indifference of the natural world.
• Metaphor : The sea is described as “an enemy” that is “cold and hostile” towards the men. This device serves to personify the sea, giving it a sense of agency and intentionality, and emphasizing its threatening and malevolent nature.
• Pathos : The story evokes a strong sense of pity and sympathy for the men, who are portrayed as vulnerable and helpless in the face of nature. This device serves to make the reader emotionally invested in the men’s struggle, creating a sense of urgency and empathy.
• Personification : The sea is personified throughout the story, as if it has a will of its own and is actively working against the men. This device serves to give the sea a sense of personality and character, emphasizing its role as a malevolent and unpredictable force.
• Point of view : The story is told from a third-person limited point of view, focusing mainly on the experiences and perspectives of the correspondent. This device serves to give the reader a sense of intimacy and immediacy with the men’s struggle, while also maintaining a certain distance and objectivity.
• Repetition : The phrase “If I am going to be drowned” is repeated several times throughout the story, emphasizing the men’s fear of death and their struggle to survive. This device serves to create a sense of urgency and tension, highlighting the men’s desperation and the stakes of their situation.
• Simile : The waves are compared to “monstrous vermin” and “sardonic devils,” emphasizing their threatening and malevolent nature. This device serves to create a vivid and visceral sense of the waves, emphasizing their power and hostility.
• Suspense: The story is full of moments of suspense and tension, as the men face numerous

Characterization in “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane

• The Correspondent: The correspondent is the main character of the story and serves as its narrator. He is a journalist who is stranded on the boat with the other three men. He is depicted as thoughtful and reflective, often musing on the nature of their situation and the meaning of life. He is also a bit of an outsider among the other men, due to his profession and his tendency to keep to himself.
• The Oiler: The oiler is the strongest and most capable of the men on the boat. He is depicted as stoic and uncomplaining, and is responsible for rowing the boat. He is also the most optimistic of the men, believing that they will be rescued soon. He is the only character in the story who is given a name, Billie.
• The Cook: The cook is depicted as a somewhat bumbling and ineffectual character, who is prone to complaining and grumbling. He is responsible for cooking the meals and keeping the men’s spirits up, but is not particularly good at either task. He is also the least optimistic of the men, often expressing doubts about their chances of survival.
• The Captain: The captain is a shadowy figure who is never fully described or characterized. He is only mentioned briefly in the story, but his presence is felt throughout, as the men constantly look to him for guidance and direction. He represents the authority and expertise that the men lack, and his absence underscores their isolation and vulnerability.

Major Themes in “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane

• Nature is presented as a vast, uncaring force. The sea is described as having “lines of wind-ridged seas” and the men face relentless waves and exposure.
• Despite the overwhelming odds, the men exhibit an unwavering will to survive. They row tirelessly and support one another, demonstrating human resilience even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
• This contrast highlights both the insignificance of human striving against nature’s power and the remarkable determination of the human spirit.
• The men come from varied backgrounds (correspondent, captain, oiler, cook), yet a bond of brotherhood emerges through their shared ordeal.
• The oiler, who tirelessly labors at the oars, earns admiration, suggesting a degree of respect that transcends their social differences.
• However, social hierarchies aren’t entirely dissolved. The captain maintains command, and his directions go unchallenged. This suggests that even in extreme situations, the remnants of social structures persist.
• Faced with their own mortality, the men confront the seeming absurdity of existence. The correspondent observes, “A high, cold star on a winter’s night is the word he feels that she says to him” implying nature’s vast indifference toward their struggle.
• The question hangs over the story: Is survival a meaningless struggle against inevitable oblivion, or can meaning be found within the act of striving itself?
• The men initially believe they can control their fate through skill and strength. Yet, the sinking of the ship reveals the fragility of their illusions.
• The ocean constantly undermines their efforts: “a wave took this boat upon its back and flung it skyward.” The story emphasizes the ultimate inability of humans to fully control their own destinies in the face of nature’s forces.

Additional Notes:

• These themes are interconnected, creating a complex and nuanced exploration of the human experience.
• The story lacks a definitive resolution, leaving the reader to ponder these thematic questions without clear answers.

Writing Style in “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane

The writing style in “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane is characterized by its spare, economical prose and its vivid descriptions of the natural world. The story is written in a highly objective, journalistic style, with a focus on concrete details and a minimum of authorial commentary or interpretation. This style creates a sense of immediacy and realism, immersing the reader in the experience of the characters and their struggle for survival. At the same time, Crane’s use of metaphor and symbolism lends the story a deeper resonance, allowing it to explore universal themes of human experience and the relationship between humanity and nature. Overall, Crane’s writing style is both vivid and understated, conveying both the physical realities of the characters’ situation and the deeper emotional and philosophical questions it raises.

Literary Theories and Interpretation of “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane

Questions and thesis statements about “the open boat” by stephen crane.

• What is the role of nature in “The Open Boat”?
• Thesis statement: In “The Open Boat,” nature is portrayed as an indifferent and powerful force that shapes the lives of the characters, highlighting the limitations of human agency and the inevitability of mortality.
• How does the story explore the theme of existentialism?
• Thesis statement: Through its depiction of the characters’ struggle to find meaning in a chaotic and indifferent world, “The Open Boat” can be seen as a meditation on the themes of human existence and the search for purpose in the face of adversity.
• How does Crane use symbolism in “The Open Boat”?
• Thesis statement: Through his use of various symbolic images, such as the waves and the boat itself, Crane imbues “The Open Boat” with a deeper resonance, exploring universal themes of humanity’s relationship to nature and the struggle for survival.
• How does the story challenge traditional narrative structures?
• Thesis statement: With its fragmented structure and lack of closure, “The Open Boat” can be seen as a postmodern exploration of the subjective and contingent nature of human experience, challenging traditional narrative structures and highlighting the fluidity of meaning.

Short Questions and Answers about “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane

• What is the significance of the title “The Open Boat”?
• The title “The Open Boat” refers to the central setting of the story, a small dinghy adrift in the open sea. The title highlights the vulnerability and exposure of the characters to the elements, emphasizing their isolation and the overwhelming power of nature. The title also suggests the symbolic significance of the boat as a metaphor for the human condition, adrift in an indifferent and unpredictable world.
• How does the story use sensory imagery to create a sense of atmosphere and mood?
• Crane’s vivid descriptions of the sea and sky create a vivid sense of atmosphere and mood throughout the story. He uses sensory imagery to convey the characters’ physical and emotional experiences, such as the sound of the waves and the sensation of cold and wetness. These descriptions create a sense of realism and immediacy, immersing the reader in the characters’ struggle for survival.
• How does the story address the theme of human mortality?
• The theme of human mortality is central to “The Open Boat,” as the characters are confronted with the prospect of death throughout the story. The characters are forced to confront the fragility and transience of human life in the face of the overwhelming power of nature. This theme is underscored by the story’s tragic conclusion, in which the characters are left to ponder the existential significance of their ordeal.
• How does the story explore the concept of human agency?
• “The Open Boat” can be seen as a meditation on the limits of human agency in the face of an indifferent and unpredictable world. Despite their efforts to control their fate, the characters are ultimately at the mercy of the forces of nature. This theme is reflected in the story’s fragmented and episodic structure, which highlights the characters’ lack of control and the chaotic nature of their experience.

Literary Works Similar to “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane

• The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway: This novella resonates with Crane’s work through its exploration of humanity’s struggle against the overpowering forces of nature. Both feature isolated protagonists demonstrating extraordinary resilience and a complex relationship with their environment.
• “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge: Coleridge’s epic poem shares the theme of survival against insurmountable odds. Like “The Open Boat,” it explores the psychological and existential tolls of a harrowing ordeal, questioning fate and meaning within a larger, seemingly indifferent universe.
• Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad: Both narratives embark on journeys into dangerous, uncharted territories that expose the dark underbelly of the human psyche. They challenge notions of progress, civilization, and the fragility of conventional morality under extreme pressure.
• Life of Pi by Yann Martel: Martel’s contemporary novel delves into themes of survival at sea, questioning the very nature of reality and its perception. Like “The Open Boat,” it challenges the reader to confront ambiguity and the search for meaning after profound adversity.
• Existentialist Short Fiction: Works like Albert Camus’ “The Stranger” or Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” similarly grapple with the absurdity of existence, human isolation, and the desperate need to derive meaning within an indifferent world, themes that find strong parallels in “The Open Boat”.

Suggested Readings: “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane

Critical monographs.

• Berryman, John. Stephen Crane . William Sloane Associates, 1950. (Offers a comprehensive biographical and critical exploration of Crane’s works)
• Gibson, Donald B. The Red Badge of Courage and Other Writings . Penguin Books, 1991. (Includes “The Open Boat” alongside other essential works, providing broader context for Crane’s literary themes)

Scholarly Journal Article

• Gullason, Thomas A. “Thematic Patterns in Stephen Crane’s Early Novels.” Nineteenth-Century Fiction , vol 10, no. 1, 1955, pp 69-77. JSTOR. [invalid URL removed] (Examines recurring motifs and thematic concerns within Crane’s early fiction, situating “The Open Boat” within his broader literary output. Likely requires an academic database subscription)

Further Research Resources

• LitCharts: The Open Boat. LitCharts, https://www.litcharts.com (Provides detailed summaries, analysis, and contextualization of the story)
• The Stephen Crane Society – [invalid URL removed] (A dedicated society offering scholarly articles, news, and resources for in-depth Crane studies).

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A Reader-Response to Crane’s ‘The Open Boat’ Essay

The Open Boat begins with four men battling for their life in a lifeboat at a sea. ”These waves were of the hues of slate, save for the tops, which were foaming white and all of the men knew the colors of the sea” (Crane, p. 1). It is dark because they cannot recognize the color of the sky.

The four occupants of the boat are survivors of a shipwreck. Each occupant has unique features. There is a cook boiling out water from the bottom of the boat. The oiler, who is the strongest of them all, is rowing with one oar. He is obviously an experienced seaman from his mastery of the sea. Also, on board is an unnamed correspondent who is not a seaman as he keeps questioning himself trying to understand predicament (p. 1).

The fourth occupant is their captain, injured and lying at the bow of the boat. They are optimistic that the other occupants of their wrecked ship have probably gone to seek help for them (p. 1). They row hoping to come across a lighthouse or a house of refuge. After a while, they spot a lighthouse and their spirits are lifted, but not for long as they see no signs of human life, “the light heartedness of a former time had completely faded” (p. 4).

Their hopelessness is reflected in their exchange of addresses, just in case they do not make it to shore (p. 4). Not long, their hopes are raised again when they spot a man waving; what they thought was a flag, but turns out to be a man waving his coat at them because he thought they were fishermen (p. 4-5). This greatly annoys them adding to their helplessness.

After a while, they spot a tiny house on shore amid the dunes, but they find it odd that no one sees them. There is neither light nor hope. The only company they have is of a shark circling their boat. They do not share their thoughts but wonder why nature would let them die after they have tried so hard to stay alive. In the morning, the correspondent spots a watch fire, some houses and a windmill on the beach, but no sight of people.

The captain decides that they should make a break for it and turn the boat towards the shore, but nature is working against them. Therefore, they decide to abandon the boat and swim. The captain, the cook, and the correspondent use the boat as support, but the oiler swims ahead of them. When the three get ashore, the natives warmly welcome them, but sadly, the oiler was not so lucky.

This story is a recount of the author’s personal experience of surviving a shipwreck. The author was travelling to Cuba to work as a newspaper correspondent when his ship hit a sandbar and sank off the coast of Florida forcing him together with other three men to find their way ashore in a small boat.

It was a difficult journey that took them thirty hours, but eventually they got on shore even though one of them, an oiler, drowned. Soon after, Crane narrated their survival story in a report form that was first published as “Stephen Crane’s Own Story”, which later became the short story, “The Open Boat.”

This story is about survival, solidarity and conflict between man and nature. These elements come up in my life most often. The waves that kept rocking the men’s small boat are not just waves, but represent the obstacles that I face every day in life as I try to accomplish something. The captain’s character and mine are very similar.

I relate to the captain because he was the leader of his small crew just as I am the eldest in my family, hence a leader by birth. Despite the captain’s injuries, he was still able to give directions and provide moral support to his crew. In the same way, being the eldest, my siblings always look up to me for guidance and support.

Therefore, I have to be able to provide guidance and support to my siblings no matter what. Sometimes, it is hard as I am not that old, but I do not show my weaknesses since I have to remain strong always. Just as the captain could not let his injuries bar him from making his crew get ashore, I do not let my age bar me from providing leadership to my siblings.

As usual, life throws many curve balls our way, but challenges are there to make us strong and more courageous. It has proved to me that in times of trouble, there will always be solidarity. The waves that kept rocking the boat are the hardships we endure in our day-to-day life.

Financial “waves” are the ones that have hit us the hardest especially in these hard economic times. Prioritizing our needs is difficult, as this would mean that we have to deny ourselves luxuries like going to movies. Nevertheless, solidarity amongst ourselves is what helps us get through the rough waves. Solidarity is what kept these men alive, even though they lost one of them in the end.

As a young adult, I have learned that parents will go to any length to support their children. I have developed into a very responsible adult because of having to provide guidance to my siblings. I feel that many people can relate to The Open Boat as each one of us is always attacked by different kinds of “waves” each day. The biggest challenge is overcoming these “waves” without losing anything, be it your dignity or loved ones.

Crane, Stephen. The Open Boat. New York : Doubleday and McClure, 1898. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2019, March 13). A Reader-Response to Crane’s ‘The Open Boat’. https://ivypanda.com/essays/a-reader-response-to-cranes-the-open-boat/

"A Reader-Response to Crane’s ‘The Open Boat’." IvyPanda , 13 Mar. 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/a-reader-response-to-cranes-the-open-boat/.

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IvyPanda . 2019. "A Reader-Response to Crane’s ‘The Open Boat’." March 13, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/a-reader-response-to-cranes-the-open-boat/.

1. IvyPanda . "A Reader-Response to Crane’s ‘The Open Boat’." March 13, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/a-reader-response-to-cranes-the-open-boat/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "A Reader-Response to Crane’s ‘The Open Boat’." March 13, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/a-reader-response-to-cranes-the-open-boat/.

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The Open Boat

By stephen crane, the open boat summary and analysis of parts vi and vii.

Part six begins with another repetition of the correspondent’s internal monologue. The narrator comments that, during such a depressing night, a man could reasonably conclude that the gods do intend to drown him after all, despite the injustice of making him work so hard to stay alive.

The narrator suggests that when a man realizes nature is indifferent to him, and that his life is insignificant, he wishes to engage in iconoclasm by throwing bricks at a temple. The man becomes particularly angry when there are no bricks nor temples around. But his mood may change and he will pray to a star in the sky. The narrator suggests that all the men on the boat have spiritual thoughts, but they only discuss matters pertaining to the boat.

The correspondent suddenly remembers a few lines of verse from “Bingen on the Rhine,” a poem by Caroline Norton. The poem is about a soldier dying on the battlefield in Algiers. The correspondent is familiar with the poem, but he had never felt sorrow for the soldier; now, he could picture the dying soldier in detail, and he felt sympathy for the soldier’s pain.

The shark that had been circling the boat goes away. The wind is still strong. The correspondent sees a fire on the shore. The captain wakes up and comments on the long night. They discuss the shark and the correspondent says he wishes he had known the captain had been awake. The correspondent trades place with Billie. The cold seawater and the space next to the cook is so comforting that he falls instantly asleep. The sleep seems to pass in a moment before Billie asks him to switch again.

The light in the north vanishes but the captain gives directions. The captain makes them move further out to calmer waters so that the two rowers can sleep simultaneously. The cook takes over; the shark returns. The boat drifts too close to shore for the cook to manage rowing, so he switches with the correspondent. The captain gives the correspondent whisky and water. Part six ends with the correspondent and Billie switching out yet again.

Part seven opens with the correspondent waking to a gray dawn. Soon the sun rises, its light resembling flames on the crests of the waves. The men scan the shore to see a windmill and cottages but no humans or animals. The captain determines that no help is on its way. They head for shore.

The correspondent thinks about the tall wind-tower, which represents to him the serenity of nature amid the struggles of the individual. At that moment, nature doesn’t seem cruel, but simply indifferent. With this perspective, he wonders if he would have made better choices in his life were he given another opportunity to live it. He wonders if he would have been friendlier.

The captain outlines the plan: get the boat as close to shore as they can before it swamps, and don’t jump ship to swim until the boat has definitely swamped. Billie takes over the oars and suggests that he turn the boat around and back them in: the boat will stay afloat longer with waves breaking toward the bow as opposed to the stern.

The waves get higher the closer they come to shallow water, but the men are not agitated or frightened. The correspondent is too exhausted to truly fear drowning: he thinks it would merely be a shame. The captain reminds them to jump clear of the boat when they abandon ship.

A tall foaming wave crests, spinning the boat sideways. Water rushes in over all sides. The captain commands the cook to bail the water out. Billie says the next wave will be the one to capsize them. It does, swallowing the dinghy as the men tumble into the sea. The correspondent holds in his left hand a piece of floatation belt.

The January water off the coast of Florida is colder than the correspondent expected. The cold water saddens him. He comes to the surface conscious of little more than the noisy waves. He sees Billie swimming strongly. The cook’s large back is floating, and the captain is holding onto the overturned boat. The correspondent paddles slowly to land with the life belt under his chest. The captain calls out to the cook, telling him to turn onto his back and use an oar to paddle. He does so, moving as if his body were a canoe.

As the men move toward shore, the correspondent is caught in a current. He wonders if he will drown and speculates that perhaps an individual must consider his own death to be the final phenomenon of nature. But a wave moves him out of the current and he makes progress again. He paddles over to grab the boat alongside the captain, reflecting that once a person grows weary from trying not to drown, to finally give yourself over to drowning must feel comfortable and relieving.

The correspondent sees a man running on the shore, quickly removing his clothes. As he reaches the boat, the correspondent is surprised when a wave sends him flying gymnastically over the hull. He lands in water that only comes up to his waist, only to be knocked over and pulled at by the undertow. The naked man runs into the water and drags the cook ashore. He heads next for the captain, who waves him off toward the correspondent.

The naked man appears to have a halo over his head. Just as he is about to heave the correspondent out, the man sees Billie lying facedown in the shallows, his forehead touching the sand between waves.

When the correspondent reaches safe ground, he falls to the sand with such exhaustion that it is as if he is falling from a roof. But he is grateful. The beach is full of men and women with blankets, clothes, coffee, and food. Amid this welcome scene, Billie’s dead body is carried dripping from the water. The story ends later that night: the narrator compares the wind to the sea’s voice; the men, now on shore, believe they can interpret what the voice says.

Rowing alone while the other men sleep, the correspondent is alone with his thoughts. A fragment of the internal monologue addressed to the gods returns, suggesting that the correspondent is idly considering his mortality and man’s place in nature. In the dark and depressing night, he is more likely to believe the gods are not looking after his life and that they will be cruel enough to let him struggle for hours only to drown.

The correspondent battles with his thoughts; on one hand, he wishes to express his anger at nature’s indifference by throwing a brick at a temple—a way of rebelling against an institution that suggests the universe controls the fates of humans. But he may also become suddenly hopeful and turn to prayer: in the absence of any usual place of worship, the correspondent may also pray upon a star, personifying an inanimate object and turning it into a god.

He remembers an old poem about a dying soldier. Having been put through the trial of worrying for his life, the correspondent suddenly develops sorrow for the dying soldier. He finds his cynicism replaced by sympathy and understanding of human suffering.

When they point the boat toward shore, knowing that it will capsize, the correspondent sees the windmill and thinks about nature. The windmill, standing tall with its back “to the plight of the ants,” represents nature’s indifference. Whatever is happening to “the ants” (i.e. humans), the windmill stands resolute. The correspondent comes to a new conclusion about nature, deciding that it has no capacity to be treacherous or kind; nature is unconcerned with what happens to humans. This revelation leads the correspondent to reassess his life: he wonders if he would have been kinder to other people.

At the story’s climax, the narrator reveals that Billie has drowned. The situation is ironic: the cook is overweight, the captain injured, and the correspondent a simple reporter, while Billie is the strongest swimmer and most capable seaman.

Billie’s death illustrates the story’s overall thematic concern about nature’s indifference: even though Billie worked the hardest to row the boat, the universe does not reward him for his efforts. Rather, the exhaustion likely sealed his fate. The final lines continue the motif of personifying nature: the traumatized men who survived think of the wind as the sea’s voice.

The Open Boat Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Open Boat is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

the passage is mostly about?

This is mostly about how to handle challenges and hardships that are inevitable in life.

Who is wearing a life saving belt?

From the text:

The cook had tied a life-belt around himself in order to get even the warmth which this clumsy cork contrivance could donate, and he seemed almost stove-like when a rower, whose teeth invariably chattered wildly as soon as he ceased...

Summarize what happens in Part 2 and 3, and what is the mood of the men at the end of Part 3?

GradeSaver has complete summaries and analysis for each of the section mentioned above readily available in its study guide for the unit.

Study Guide for The Open Boat

The Open Boat study guide contains a biography of Stephen Crane, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Open Boat
• The Open Boat Summary
• Character List

Essays for The Open Boat

The Open Boat essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Open Boat by Stephen Crane.

• Stephen Crane’s "The Open Boat” as Existential Nightmare

Lesson Plan for The Open Boat

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Open Boat
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Open Boat Bibliography

Finished Papers

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