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Chapter 14: Nineteen Guns
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Hard Work, Perseverance, and Success
Safety and Responsibility
Risk and Reward
The Growth and Development of America
Courage and Grief
Summary
Analysis
As he and Captain Prince return to the Astrea, Nat can’t stop thinking about the tale of Machico. He decides he wants to write a letter to Elizabeth, telling her about the voyage thus far. As soon as they board the ship, Mr. Collins tells them that he’s had to throw Lem in the brig for yet another escape attempt. Prince decides to punish Lem by letting another sailor lead the gun drills. Nat asks Mr. Collins why Lem has such a combative, difficult nature, and Mr. Collins guesses that he was just born that way. While Nat understands the need to punish Lem, he wishes he could find a way to help him instead.
Captain Prince punishes Lem harshly because any lack of discipline at sea threatens the lives and safety of the entire crew. And Mr. Collins expresses a belief that men like Lem have no chance at redemption. While Nat understands the need for discipline, he doesn’t share his captain and first mate’s harshness because he understands what it feels like to be at the bottom of the hierarchy and oppressed by one’s circumstances. Thus, he can imagine Lem’s capacity for success, not just trouble.
Themes
Tom Owens takes Lem’s place in the gun drills, and Lem’s sour attitude begins to spread. Nat feels relieved when they hit a squall and the men’s energy finds purpose in fighting the storm. He feels certain that he can find a better way to keep the men happy between emergencies. The evening after the storm, Nat asks if any of the common sailors would like to be master of a ship someday. Lem speaks for the group when he asks what chance any of them have got at such a fortune. Nat snaps back that he sailed by ash breeze starting at the age of 10. Then, he offers to teach anyone who wants to learn how to navigate. Tom Owens jumps at the chance, but Lem hangs on the periphery of the lessons for weeks without joining.
On board the ship, everyone becomes responsible for the lives and safety of everyone else; Lem’s escape attempts affected only him, but his sour mood threatens the stability of the whole community. Nat responds by recognizing the dignity of his fellow sailors, even though they come from the lower rungs of society and clearly have been told for most of their lives that they’re destined to remain there. By offering them a chance to better themselves, Nat helps them to see their own dignity, and thus he naturally encourages them to behave in a more prosocial manner. Lem, soured by his ongoing punishments, takes longer to accept the idea.
Themes
Soon after the Astrea doubles the Cape of Good Hope and sails into the Indian Ocean, she encounters a vessel from the East India Trading Company. As the lookout cries “Sail ho,” Lem rushes to ready the guns, but the other ship ignores the Astrea. Captain Prince turns to stare at Lem, whom he removed from gun duty weeks before. Nat quickly intervenes, telling the captain that he ordered Lem to handle the guns and protecting the man from further discipline.
Despite being pulled from his duties days earlier, Lem still cares about his own life and—by extension—the lives of his crewmates. Nat sees not just this valiant action but the man’s innate potential, so he covers Lem’s insubordination, even though he can’t yet know whether this will make Lem trust him. But Nat is learning that sometimes the potential rewards are worth taking risks.
Themes
That night, Lem approaches Nat during the watch. He offers thanks, in his way, for Nat’s protecting him from Prince’s punishment. Then he confesses that he wants to learn navigation, but he fears that he’s too “dumb.” Nat promises that, if Lem can keep from getting impatient and angry at himself when he makes mistakes, Nat can teach him anything. At first, Lem struggles to discipline himself for the work, but as he begins to master his own temper, he quickly becomes a star student.
It turns out that Nat guessed correctly about Lem: the man’s confrontational attitude belies his innate intelligence and interest in bettering himself. Although it takes a while for Lem to believe in himself as strongly as Nat does, the hard work both men invest into the sailor’s education quickly pays off. Like Nat, Lem proves that anyone can achieve success with hard work; in fact, he proves this even more clearly than Nat, whose above-average intelligence makes learning much easier for him than most people.
Themes
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The Astrea sails into the tropics. One night, a terrified Johnny calls Nat from his cabin to witness a strange sight: the sea all around the Astrea glows as if it’s on fire. Captain Prince orders Lem to haul up a bucket of glowing water. After a brief glance, the captain mutters “Phosphorescence” and disappears below deck. Lem asks Nat to explain the phenomenon in simpler terms, and he likens it to the fireflies the men remember from home.
The captain knows a lot more about science and the world than his crewmembers, although he shows little if any interest in teaching them. In contrast, Nat exemplifies the democratic ideal and treats the sailors as his equals, patiently teaching them what they didn’t get the chance to learn in school.
Themes
That same night, the ship comes within sight of Java Head, although it takes a whole week before the winds become strong enough to carry them against the sea currents into the Sunda Strait. The exhausted men snap to attention to trim the sails. Johnny cheers and the wind instantly dies. Lem threatens to keelhaul the cabin boy, but with a laugh that suggests he’s no longer so interested in violence.
Tensions rise on the ship as they struggle to enter the difficult seas of the Sunda Strait, but this just gives Lem a chance to show how much Nat’s investment has changed the man’s attitude. It turns out that he isn’t just bad and mean by nature; with a little respect from Nat and the growing self-respect his education gives him, he turns out to be a kind, friendly man.
Themes
