The Sea-Wolf

After three days, the Ghost finally catches the northeast trade winds, which allow for smooth, fast sailing. Humphrey enjoys watching the sea and, in particular, the stars at night. One evening while he lies on deck, stargazing, he is joined by Wolf Larsen. Larsen recites a stanza from Rudyard Kipling’s “The Long Trail.”

They enter another discussion about the value of life and enjoyment. Larsen attempts to explain that the value he places on such a beautiful evening is relative only to himself; moreover, that the satisfaction he feels at the beauty of nature or poetry may not be so different from physical satisfaction, like eating to fullness and banishing hunger. Humphrey is astonished at how quickly Larsen’s words can “rush from sublime exultation to despair” (58). Larsen disappears suddenly, leaving Humphrey to continue his vigil while listening to a sailor singing the “Song of the Trade Wind.”

Humphrey attempts to understand Larsen’s enigmatic character by observing his comportment with the sailors and comparing this to the intellectual, individualistic man who philosophizes with him. From Humphrey’s assessment, Larsen is an “individualist of the most pronounced type” (59) whose intellect and strength separate him from the other sailors. Humphrey theorizes that Larsen’s angry outbursts aren’t always uncontrollable emotion but may be a way for him to “level” (59) himself with the sailors and communicate with them in a way they can understand.