The Open Boat by Stephen Crane
"The Open Boat" by Stephen Crane is a poignant short story that explores the harrowing experience of four men stranded in a small lifeboat after their ship, the Commodore, sinks. The narrative captures their struggle against the relentless ocean, highlighting themes of camaraderie, despair, and the indifference of nature. As the men—comprising the cook, oiler, correspondent, and an injured captain—battle the waves, they engage in conversations filled with both hope and cynicism about their chances of survival. The story vividly portrays their physical and emotional exhaustion as they row toward a distant lighthouse, only to confront the harsh reality of their situation, including the possibility of an abandoned life-saving station.
As they draw closer to shore, their spirits lift momentarily upon spotting signs of life, yet disappointment soon follows when they realize their rescuers are not forthcoming. The narrative crescendos to a tragic end, as the oiler ultimately drowns while the others reach the safety of land, underscoring the randomness of survival in the face of nature's might. Crane’s writing emphasizes the psychological internal battles of the characters and their fleeting hopes as they confront the brutal truth of their existence, making "The Open Boat" a profound commentary on human vulnerability and resilience.
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The Open Boat by Stephen Crane
First published: 1897
Type of work: Short fiction
Type of plot: Naturalism
Time of plot: ca. 1897
Locale: Off the coast of Florida or Cuba
Principal Characters
Cook , aCommodore crewmemberOiler , aCommodore crewmemberCorrespondent , a passenger on theCommodore Captain , of theCommodore
The Story
Four men, crewmembers and a passenger of the sunken ship Commodore, are floating in a lifeboat scarcely bigger than a bathtub, their eyes fixed on the ocean waves that continually threaten to overwhelm them. The cook bails water from the boat while the oiler and correspondent row. The captain of the Commodore is injured, consumed with despair and visions of the sinking of the ship and the faces of its crewmembers.
The struggle to keep the boat upright and free of the waves is continuous. The men know it is daytime only because the color of the sea changes. They have no cause to look at the sky, and their attention is only on the menacing waves. The cook says hopefully that he knows of a house of refuge on shore with a crew that could rescue the shipwrecked men. The men begin to squabble about whether the house of refuge will indeed have a crew, but the oiler twice reminds them that they are not yet ashore.
The ocean, “probably splendid,” continues tossing the boat, but the men are in such danger and hardship that they have no inclination to consider the sea’s beauties. Caught between childish optimism and hopelessness, the men talk idly about whether they have a chance of making land. The captain spots a lighthouse so far away that it looks like the point of a pin. The men still cannot discern any progress through the ocean, but the cook is cheerful as he bails water. The men begin to feel an intense sense of fellowship. Even the cynical correspondent knows that this is the best experience of his life.
On the captain’s suggestion, the men rig up a mast and sail. The lighthouse has been growing in size, indicating they are getting closer to it. The cook mentions, as if in passing, that he believes the life-saving station on shore had been abandoned about a year ago. The wind dies, and the men take the oars. The men had hardly slept for two days and nights before getting on the dingy, and had eaten little as well. Their efforts are so great that the correspondent wonders desperately how anyone could row a boat for pleasure.
As the land comes closer, the captain is able to make out a house on the shore. The cook and the captain anticipate men coming out to rescue them. The oiler notes that none of the other lifeboats can make it to land because no rescuers have been looking for survivors. As the men approach shore, their mood lightens. The correspondent finds four dry cigars, and everyone smokes and takes a drink of water.
The house of refuge shows no signs of life. The men are puzzled; they do not realize that there are no life-saving stations for miles. The men’s spirits fade. The captain says they will have to try to get to shore themselves, before they are too tired to make the swim. The men are filled with anger, wondering why they should endure so much if they might be drowned before they reach shore.
The waves grow so large that the boat is sure to be swamped before the men can get close enough to swim, so they take the boat farther out. Then, they see a man on shore, and their spirits soar. He begins to wave a coat at them. The man is joined by a second man and by something on wheels, which the shipwrecked men excitedly hope is a boat being readied for launch. Eventually, in despair, they identify the thing on wheels as only a bus (an omnibus). The man waves the coat until the sunset obscures him, while the men finally lose hope that someone on shore understands their dilemma and will launch a boat to save them. Once again, they begin to wonder why they might have been brought so close to shore if they are going to drown before reaching it.
Darkness settles in. The correspondent rows as the others sleep and see a flash of phosphorescence like a blue flame on the sea—the fin of a shark. The correspondent repeats a lament: Why should he and the other men endure so much if they are to drown within sight of land? The thought dawns on him that nature does not feel the men are important. He responds by affirming that he thinks he is important, that he loves himself. A cold star seems to be the answer.
The correspondent remembers a verse about a dying soldier in Algiers, which never before struck him as important. Now he imagines the dying soldier in detail and is deeply moved by the scene. Exhausted, the correspondent and the oiler, now awake, take turns rowing.
At dawn, the men see deserted cottages and a windmill on shore. The captain suggests they try a run for shore, before they are too tired to make it. They position the boat in the rough surf, and the men are swept into the icy sea. The correspondent sees the oiler, who is swimming strongly. He sees the cook from behind and the captain hanging on to the overturned dingy. The correspondent reaches a difficult current. The captain tells the cook to turn on his back and paddle with the oar, and the boat sweeps past with the captain still clinging. A wave pushes the correspondent out of the current, and the captain calls him to the boat. The effort to get to the boat is so great that the correspondent realizes that drowning would be easy and comfortable. He sees a man running along the shore, tearing off his clothes. A wave hurls the correspondent over the boat. The man on shore plunges in the water and grabs the cook, and then heads toward the captain, who directs him to the correspondent. The correspondent, from excessive casualness, says, “Thanks, old man,” but the man exclaims at something: In the shallow water floats the oiler, face down.
The correspondent reaches land as if falling from a roof. A swarm of people provide blankets, clothes, and drinks. The welcome for the survivors contrasts strongly with the sinister welcome of the grave for the dead man, the oiler. At night, the survivors feel as if they can interpret the great voice of the sea.
Bibliography
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