Central Idea
The narration centers around the correspondent, the captain, the cook, and the oiler, who are lost in a boat in the middle of the sea after a shipwreck. The central idea of the story is to show the place of a man in the world and to demonstrate that the universe is indifferent towards human fate. The use of language greatly contributes to the understanding of the overall idea of the story. The symbols and imagery make the narration more vivid and allow readers to apply the message of the author about the indifference of the universe to real life. Moreover, the irony of the story highlights the power of nature over ordinary men. In general, these uses of language make the central idea more expressive and clear to the readers.
Language concern #1
“The correspondent saw an enormous fin speed like a shadow through the water, hurling the crystalline spray and leaving the long glowing trail” (Crane 32).
The symbol of the shark swimming around the boat proves that the unpredictable nature can be terrifying and admirable at the same time, as the correspondent finds himself awestruck by the animal.
“The captain, rearing cautiously in the bow, after the dingey soared on a great swell, said that he had seen the lighthouse at Mosquito Inlet” (Crane 12).
The lighthouse in Crane’s story symbolizes hope for the desperate survivors at the mercy of the universe; the aim of the characters to reach the lighthouse is the representation of struggle in real life.
Language concern #2
“She did not seem cruel to him, nor beneficent, nor treacherous, nor wise. But she was indifferent, flatly indifferent” (Crane 40).
The wind-tower is personified in the passage; it symbolizes the indifference of nature towards people and makes the idea more expressive and vivid.
“…and the wind brought the sound of the great sea’s voice to the men on shore, and they felt that they could then be interpreters” (Crane 45).
The voice of the sea is represented as a message to the men, implying the ambivalence of nature that can be cruel or rewarding to people despite their merits.
Language concern #3
“Many a man ought to have a bath-tub larger than the boat which here rode upon the sea”(Crane 5).
In this passage, the author emphasizes the small size of the boat to ironically render the idea of how small an individual’s life is in comparison to the enormous power of the universe.
“In the shallows, face downward, lay the oiler” (Crane 45).
The sad irony of the passage is that even strong people like the oiler may fail, which means that life is unpredictable with its twists and unexpected outcomes.
Conclusion
The analysis of different language devices demonstrates that they contribute to the central theme of the helplessness of a human at the mercy of the universe. The symbols of a shark and a lighthouse symbolize the danger the men face, as well as their struggle and hope. The imagery of the voice of the sea and the description of the wind-tower conveyed the author’s message about the indifference of the universe. Finally, the small boat of the survivors and the death of the oiler ironically emphasized that the life of an individual is insignificant to nature and cannot be predicted according to any morale or logic.
Works Cited
Crane, Stephen. The Open Boat. University of Virginia Library, 2003.