The Open Boat Interpretation

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“The Open Boat” Interpretation
Stephen Crane’s piece, “The Open Boat,” depicts men’s struggles against a natural world that is both destructive and indifferent. Crane uses a theme of cosmic irony, which is the belief that the universe is indifferent to the plight of man, and this theme is illustrated through the use of symbols for isolation, insignificance, and indifference.
The one use of symbolism to relay the theme is by contrasting the power of the ocean against the insignificance of the dingy. In the beginning of the story, when the powerful waves were thrashing the boat around, the narrator says that “a seat in the boat was not unlike a seat upon a bucking bronco, and, by the same token, a bronco is not much smaller.” By comparing the size of the boat to a bull, he shows that it’s size is insignificant to the size of the vast oceans. In this story, the ocean represents the universe, and the boat represents man’s existence in it. As the boat struggles to stay afloat, men have to struggle to keep their place in this universe.
Another important use of cosmic irony with the use of the rhyme, “If I am going to be drowned-if I am going to be drowned- if I am going to be drowned, why, in the name of the seven mad gods who rule the sea, was I allowed to come this far and contemplate sand and trees?” This rhyme symbolizes man’s struggle to find meaning in their own life and their circumstances within their world. People have, throughout history, tried to determine the meaning of life-why their existence is important in this universe. This phrase shows that their lives are insignificant, because they have struggled so long, and they may not live thought it.
I enjoyed reading this story more than any other we have read thus far, mostly due to the fact that Crane’s writing appears to be so full of truth and realism. By using cosmic irony as a theme, he provoked me to think about my own place in...