Introduction
Characters are the most important elements of a narrative because they drive thematic expressions and the whole story toward its ultimate goal. In other words, the types of characters presented in a story, the conflicts they experience, their relationships, and their behaviors comprehensively describe the tales’ hidden meanings and lessons using various literary devices. As a result, character presentation, development, and transformation throughout a narrative’s plot indicate how well the story is fabricated and its ability to meet its objectives. “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane and “Hell-Heaven” by Jhumpa Lahiri document the chronicles of individuals who are worlds apart. However, the authors adopt notable story-telling approaches that detail the characters’ experiences and the struggles they encounter in fighting against naturalistic elements. As a result, the following essay discusses the characters’ roles in these short stories and their essence in driving the themes of naturalism, conflict, fate, and destiny. The overall lesson from both stories is that humans never control providence. Instead, they are insignificant components of the universe, calling for collaboration and reliance on each other to succeed.
Characters Presented In the Story and Associated Conflicts
“The Open Boat” features four characters who find themselves in a dilemma after their ship capsizes, leaving them to fight for their lives in a small boat amid rough waves and no evidence of life nearby. Nevertheless, their journey is characterized by several instances of internal and external conflicts due to occasional faith and despair because of their experiences. According to Wang, “The Open Boat” showcases several instances of the characters’ hope and disappointment while they move closer to their destination (p 95). Wang explains that “the four refugees had already experienced a war before they were on the tiny dinghy, thus, each time of despair would enhance their fear of facing death” (p 95). Initially, the four characters were uncertain of their survival. However, on seeing the lighthouse, their hopes grew, but their despair increased. In addition, they were broken, angry, and disappointed that the person manning the lighthouse could not see them when they needed help as soon as possible. Therefore, the conflicts the men faced due to their faith and despair were destructive and tortured them for the better part of their journey.
On the other hand, “Hell-Heaven” features several characters, but conflict is notable among two characters, Aparna and Pranab, due to battles between their preferences, culture, experiences, and societal expectations. Usha’s mother, Aparna, suffers because of her internal conflicts and the limitations of society, forcing her to live a life she does not appreciate. She was in an arranged marriage with Usha’s father, who only accepted the marriage to appease his parents. Thus, she represented the “first-generation women immigrants who accompanied their husbands after marriage” (Vandana 101). Even though Aparna was dissatisfied with the marriage, she persevered because that was what her culture expected, thus contributing to her conflict. Conversely, although Pranab’s marriage to Debora was refuted by his family, the barriers did not prevent him from moving along with the wedding. Despite his conflict with his parents and decision, he was proud of his culture and even thanked Aparna for his role in his life (Devaki and Raju 187). However, in the end, both of these characters drift towards the opposite sides as Aparna grows to accept her position, while Pranab leaves his wife for a Bengali girl.
Moreover, the author of “The Open Boat” uses his characters and their plight with nature to suggest that though human desires are strong-willed, they are under the control of an indifferent, hostile, and inconsiderate universe. According to Meng, “Naturalist writers pay attention to some healthy and lofty characters, strong but weak-willed figures and have miserable endings. Most of the time, these characters come from low social and economic classes (p 28). Although all the men wished to survive their ordeal, only one character succumbed despite his efforts to work with the others to succeed. The Oiler, known as Billie, was the meekest and most humble of all characters. Moreover, his style of speaking suggested that he came from a low social class (Wang 96). In addition, he was selfless in performing his roles on the board as he stuck by his mates and won their trust. Regardless of his qualities, he died before reaching his destination, unlike others. Therefore, the author points out that despite individuals’ ambitions to achieve good by doing as required, fate is indifferent and one may either reap or be forced to forfeit the fruits of their hard labor.
Similarly, “Hell-Heaven” describes how individuals do not always get what they want in life and the unfairness of destiny in the human world. Usha’s mother, Aparna, longed for an empathetic relationship where she would express her emotions and receive comfort. Sadly, her relationship with her husband was cold and heartless. When she finally found a partner whom she could spend time with, her dreams were thwarted by Deborah, who whisked Pranab away and sought to establish a happy family with him. Aparna mentions several times that Deborah is not the right fit for Pranab and that she will leave him. In the real sense, she hoped that she would leave him because the courtship eroded their companionship. According to Mishra et al., “being in a marital relationship, it would be shameful for her to reveal her passionate feelings for Pranab, an outsider” (p 11115). Subsequently, Debora was also at a loss after Pranab left her for a Bengali woman despite her efforts to make their relationship work. She later notices that Pranab does not appear anywhere in the photographs of his wife and their twins. Thus, the author holds that destiny has a funny way of turning things around and that people should not always expect the universe to pay them for their efforts.
Conclusion
Characters play a pivotal role in narratives because storytellers use them to mimic the status of society and offer guidance on how to approach certain issues. “Hell-Heaven” and “The Open Boat” are stories that feature characters from different settings. However, these characters go through similar issues in an attempt to fight their destiny and control the outcomes of their initiatives. Characters in both stories experience significant conflicts because of their experiences, position, and society. Similarly, the authors suggest that it is almost impossible to alter life’s course willingly, as destiny has everything put in place. Thus, the authors recommend establishing strong social bonds and hoping for the best because the universe is indifferent and can lead people in any direction.
Works Cited
Devaki, T., and C. Raju. “The exploration of the homogenous family in Jhumpa Lahiri’s short story hell heaven.” Research Journal of English, vol. 4, no. 1, 2019, pp. 187.
Meng, Wang. “Analysis of the Naturalism in The Open Boat.” International Journal of Liberal Arts and Social Science, vol. 6, no. 9, 2018, pp. 22-31.
Mishra, Shivani Kaul, and Vijay Kumar. “Intercultural Competence In Lahiri’s ‘Hell Heaven.” Think India Journal, vol. 22, no. 4, 2019, pp. 11113-11117.
Vandana, K. T. “Perceptions on Generations in Expatriation: Reflections on Jhumpa Lahiri’s Short Fiction ‘Hell-Heaven.” PESQUISA, vol. 3, no. 2 2018, pp. 101-103.
Wang, Yajing. The Non-naturalistic Elements in” The Open Boat“. 3rd International Conference on Art Studies: Science, Experience, Education (ICASSEE 2019). Atlantis Press, 2019, pp. 93-112.