Lost in the Pacific 1942

At first, the crewmembers are alarmed by the sight of sharks circling their rafts. While they have many areas of expertise between them and can cope with many dangers, the crew is mostly reduced to lying low and hoping for the best when they encounter these sharks. The sharks are mysterious and viscerally frightening in a way that many of the other dangers the crew faces, like dehydration, are not. These fierce predators instantly make the crewmembers anxious: “The men pulled their limbs in tight and kept a wary eye on the waters around them. The predators seemed willing to keep their distance—for now” (45).

The men never really learn how to cope with the sharks, although they eventually manage to kill one. Instead, the danger and unpredictability of the sharks recedes into the background as one of the many unknowns surrounding the men at sea. The greatest uncertainty the crew grapples with is whether or not they will survive and be rescued. The sharks’ subtle and circuitous movements through the water symbolize this uncertainty, which surrounds the men throughout their ordeal. Ultimately, the sharks represent a threat that the combat-oriented crew cannot fight with their hands.