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Chapter 18: The Astrea to the Rescue
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 the Astrea sails into Salem Harbor, each passing landmark increases Nat’s distress. He doesn’t know how he’ll face Elizabeth’s mother, or what he’ll say. When the ship lands, Nat finds Polly waiting for him on the wharf. As she brings him home to Mrs. Boardman, she explains that Elizabeth died of consumption. Polly has already moved Nat’s things to a different room—one he did not share with Elizabeth. She and Mrs. Boardman welcome Nat back happily and won’t hear any talk of him leaving them.
Elizabeth died of consumption, a disease now known as tuberculosis, which was endemic in American society prior to the invention of antibiotics in the 1940s. It’s a tragic way for Elizabeth to have died, and it illustrates—painfully—the truth that death and suffering happen without warning in life. Polly and Mrs. Boardman welcome Nat home, however, finding the courage to face their grief through focusing on the good things that life has to offer, not just the bad.
Themes
More news follows, some good and some bad. Mr. Derby lies dying, but he has kicked off the project of Salem building its own frigate to contribute to America’s newly founded navy. Nat receives word that he’s been invited to join the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Although not everyone understands what that means, the whole town of Salem expresses pride in their Nat.
At this critical juncture in Nat’s life, the country and Salem are also in flux. And as it seems that the seafaring chapter of Nat’s life might be coming to an end, he finds that life has rewarded his hard work and perseverance in education with the recognition by a society of other well-educated men.
Themes
Finally, Captain Prince calls to tell Nat that Mr. Derby has sold the Astrea. Its new, Boston-based owners want Prince to sail the ship to Batavia for coffee, with Nat as supercargo. Although their old crew has scattered to the winds (except Charlie), Nat agrees to join. Between ports, he plans to check over the tables for Mr. Blunt’s newest edition of the lunar charts. Hab and William are in port before Nat leaves, and he relishes an evening spent catching up with his brothers and sisters Mary and Lois, before they all go their separate ways again. These brief goodbyes fail to cause him pain—except Polly’s.
Life affords Nat one happy reunion with his remaining brothers, yet the Bowditch children approach their goodbyes all too aware of the fact that they may never meet again. Living a fulfilling, forward-facing life requires accepting and learning how to deal with that hard truth. But Nat finds one goodbye harder than the rest. His growing interest in Polly points him solidly toward the future. This doesn’t deny his love for Elizabeth, but it shows his refusal to remain stuck in the past.
Themes
In Boston, Nat and Captain Prince find the Astrea crewless. The first mate, Mr. Cheevers, reports that the new owners hired an entire crew, advancing them a month of their wages, only to have it desert down to the last man. This betrayal shocked the new owners. Nat and Prince scour the docks for the most suitable of the poor crop of replacements. Some are so drunk that they must be dragged on board. Captain Prince orders the men to set sail and stands the Astrea far enough offshore that no one can safely jump ship. Nat realizes that most of the men had intended to do exactly that, and he worries about how the voyage will go with a bunch of “landlubbers” who find themselves at sea out of desperation.
The deserting men illustrate two truths: first, that the Astrea’s owners fail to understand human nature or the ways of life at sea (unlike Captain Prince). Second, it offers a pointed reminder that on a ship, everyone relies on their crewmates; if even one person isn’t fully invested in their work, they endanger the lives of everyone else. It seems that this crew will test Nat’s belief in the inherent dignity and worthiness of all human beings, his ability to teach anyone, and the ability of his respect and kindness to create the necessary unity and harmony at sea.
Themes
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