The Open Boat

Trace the different portrayals of the sea and nature throughout the story. Are the men in the boat and nature at odds with one another? How does the men’s ultimate sense that they understand the sea complicate the theme of People Versus Nature?

Aside from the correspondent, Crane doesn’t delve into the backgrounds of the men on the boat. How does the lack of information contribute to the story’s meaning?

The four people on the boat are men, while Crane’s narrator portrays their two primary adversaries, nature and fate, as women. Is this gender dynamic sexist? Conversely, does it subvert gender norms?