The possibility of death hangs over this story like a cold, wet towel. After all, there can't be many situations where one would be more aware of their own mortality than while lost at sea in a tiny lifeboat. The waves ceaselessly pound the boat, threatening to smash it to bits and toss the men overboard, serving as an annoying and constant reminder of just how fragile our lives are.
One particularly poignant moment is when the men start to realize that no one appears to be coming to rescue them. They decide to exchange addresses and personal information in order to contact their loved ones in case one of them doesn't make it. As it happens, one of them doesn't, and meets the "sinister hospitality of the grave" (7.38).
Questions About Mortality
- Which character do you think is most afraid of death? Who is least afraid of death?
- The captain is described as being in "mourning" (1.6). Can any of the other men be said to be in mourning? Say, for their future? Or maybe even their past? Or something else entirely? (Hint: check out 6.10 and 7.3.)
- How do you imagine the men are affected by the oiler's death? What lesson do they take away? Do you think they are affected differently, or similarly?
- What should we make of the fact that the man who helps rescue the men has a halo above his head?
Chew on This
Over the course of the story, the correspondent shifts from a fear of death to a fear of dying.
The men make two attempts to reach shore. They're not all that different, except that the second time they've lost much of their fear of death and attachment to life, and are truly ready to abandon themselves to the struggle with the sea.