The Open Boat Theme of Brotherhood

There is a definite "us against them" vibe going on in "The Open Boat." The "us" is the four men on the boat, while the "them" is everyone and everything else: the ocean, the birds, the shark, and the imaginary rescue teams that are definitely not rescuing them.

But then there's "us." The relationship the four men share is really sweet, and pretty profound. They feel a "subtle brotherhood," being out there at sea together (3.1). They don't talk about it much, but they feel it just the same—it makes them feel strong, and it gives them a sense of purpose.

We get an inside peek at just how much the correspondent enjoys his newfound feelings of camaraderie; he delights in even a moment's conversation. When a shark circles the boat, he thinks about how much better he would feel if someone else were awake with him. He also remembers that poem about the dying soldier and, for the first time, feels bad for the guy. From the sound of it, this guy must have lived a pretty solitary and cold life before this incident, but even then, we have to agree—having friends is pretty awesome. 

1. Are you surprised by the camaraderie that develops between the men? Why or why not? Would you expect them to argue more, maybe? Or do you think they would end up arguing if they ended up staying out there longer?
2. How would the feeling of brotherhood change if there were a different crewmember on the boat, and not the captain? That is, how does his leadership affect their relationship?
3. Why does the correspondent feel connected to the French soldier, but not the people on the beach?
4. What do the animals in the story—the birds and the shark—tell us about brotherhood and companionship? In particular, do you think it's the same shark that shows up twice, or do you think there are two sharks? What makes you think that?

The surviving men do not feel hostile to the people who come to help them on the beach. This is because once they are out of the boat, the boundary between boat/not-boat has been removed and they no longer feel separated from the rest of humanity.

If these four men had met on the ship, not only could they never have developed the close bond they have on the boat, but their differences in class (come on, you've seen Titanic, right?) would have prevented them from even talking to each other. The boat, in this way, is a great equalizer.