the-open-boat

0102CONTENTSTextAnalysisCharacterAnalysisAsaresultofmalfunctioningwaterpumps,theshipcametoastandstillabout16milesfromMosquitoInlet.Astheshiptookonmorewater,theshipsank.Cranewasoneofthelasttoleavetheshipina10-foot(3.0m)dinghy(小船).HeandthreeothermenflounderedoffthecoastofFloridaforadayandahalfbeforeattemptingtolandtheircraftatDaytonaBeach.Thesmallboat,however,overturnedinthesurf,forcingtheexhaustedmentoswimtoshore;oneofthem,anoilernamedBillieHiggins,died.IntroductionTheOpenBoatisnotastoryaboutfourshipwreckedmen,buttherelationshipbetweenman,nature,andfate.Thecaptain,thecook,thecorrespondent,andtheoileraresurvivorsofashipwreckandaretryingtomaketheirwaytosolidground.IIIIIIVIVIIVIVSevenSectionsPartIInthebeginning,thestorydescribesfourmeninasmallboatonroughsea.Theyarefoursurvivalofashipwreck:thecook,whobenttobailwaterouttheboat;theoilernamedBille,isrowingoneoar;thecorrespondentisrowingtheotheroar;thecaptain,whoisinjuried,liesinthebottomofthesmallboat.Theterriblewavesseemtoswamptheboat.PartIIWhenthewavesrisinglikehillsseemtocurloverthem,thementhinkthesituationprobablysplendidandgloriousinahopefulway.Infact,itisreallyterrible.Thecaptaincomfortthemthattheywillgetashoreallright.Thegullsflyaroundtheboat,andonegullwantstofallonthecaptain’shead.Thecaptainwavesthegullaway,whichseemstosweepsomethingominousaway.PartIIIThefourmenbecomeloyalfriends.Eventhecorrespondentwhomoreiscynical,canfeelwarmandregarditasthebestexperienceofhislife.Theytiecaptain’sovercoattoanoarservingasasail.Thelittleboatmakesgoodway.Thentheywatchtheland.Buttheyhavetorowagainbecausethewinddiesdown.PartIVTheyseeatinyhouseonshore,butnooneseesthem.Theydon’tknowthatthereisnolife-savingstation.Thecaptaintellstheyshouldheaddirectlyfortheshore,becausetheywillbetooweaktoswim.Buteachwonderifheisgoingtobedrowned,whyhashecomesoclosetoshore.PartVThefourmenareabouttospendthelongnightonthesea.Thereisnolife,andthereisnoothersoundthanthewater.Onlythecorrespondentisawake.Theothersareasleep.Hehearsthesoundoftheshark’sbodybumpingintotheboatwithoutcompany.partVITheyfeelnatureiscruel,becausenaturemayletthemdiethoughtheyhaveworkedsohardtolive.ThecorrespondentremindsastorythatasoldieroftheLegiondiedinAlgiers.Atthattime,itmeantnothingtohim,butnowhefeelssadandmournful.Thenthecorrespondentseesawatch-fireonthebeach.Thecaptaintellshimtotaketheboatfartherouttosea.Theoilerreplacesthecorrespondentandthecorrespondentfallsasleep.PartVIIWhenthecorrespondentopenshiseyes,themorningapproaches.Theyfindmanycottagesandatallwind-millonshore,butthereisnopeople.Thecaptainsaysthatifnohelpiscomingwemightbettertryarunthroughsurf.It’stheirlastchance.Thecorrespondentthinksnatureisnotcruel,justindifferent.Ifheisgivenanotherchancehewillmendhisconductandwordsandwillbebetter.Finallytheboatoverturnsinthesurf.Theyareforcedtoswimtoshore.Duringswimmingtoshoretheoilerisdrowned.PlotThemoodsofthemenfluctuate:Anger(theirdesperatesituation)Empathy(thenatureisindifferenttotheirfates)ArousedHope(seealighthouseonthehorizon)Despair(toodangeroustoreachit,failtomakecontact)Resolution(swimashore)MajorcharactersThecorrespondent-acondescendingobserverdetachedfromtherestofthegroupThecaptain-whoisinjuredandmorose（郁闷的）athavinglosthisship,yetcapableofleadershipThecook-fatandcomical,butoptimisticthattheywillberescued.Theoiler-Billie,whoisphysicallythestrongest,andtheonlyoneinthestoryreferredtobyname(Billie)CharacteranalysisTheCorrespondent-Areporterandthecentralcharacterofthestory.Thecorrespondentispresumablyyoungandable-bodied,giventhathesharesrowingdutieswiththeoiler.Thecorrespondentisalso,byvirtueofhisprofession,inclinedtobecynicalofmen.Heispleasantlysurprisedtofindhisheartwarmedbythebrotherhoodthatheandthecrewhaveformedintheboat.Severaltimes,thecorrespondentcursesnatureandthegodswhoruletheseaandwonderswhetherheisreallymeanttodrown.TorepresentobserversandthinkersTheCaptain-Thecaptainoftheship,injuredwhentheshipfloods.Thecaptainiscalmandquiet,talkingforthemostpartonlytogivedirectionsandleadthecrewtoshore.Thecaptaincommandscompleteauthority,andalthoughhedoesnottakepartinkeepingthedinghyafloat,hebearsthefullresponsibilityofgettingeveryonetosafety.Heisalwaysalertandcool-headed,evenwhenitlooksasthoughhemightbesleeping.TorepresentleadersCharacteranalysisTheOiler(Billie)-Theonlyrefugeefromtheshiptodieinthefinalattemptatreachingland.Beforetheshipsank,theoilerworkedadoublewatchintheengineroom,andheismostlikelytobeexhaustedinthedinghy.Theoilerisstaunch,obedienttothecaptain,andgenerousandpolitetothecorrespondentwheneverheisaskedtorow.Theoileralsoseemstobethemostrealisticofthemen,neverlosingsightofthetaskathandortheslimchancetheyhaveofsurviving.Torepresentgood,workingmenCharacteranalysisTheCook-Theship’scook,whomaintainsapositive,evennaïve,outlookonthemen’srescue.Thecookisthefirsttosuggestthepresenceofalifesavingstationandcannothelpbutturnhismindtothesimplepleasuresoflivingonland,suchashisfavoritepiesandmeats.Althoughheisnotfitenoughtohelpwiththerowing,thecookmakeshimselfusefulbybailingwater.TorepresentthefollowersChara