Boats Symbol in Refugee

The boats and ships in the story represent the characters’ hope and the potential to build a new life in a new country. Each of the three protagonists and their families take a journey by boat. For Josef, the St. Louis gives its Jewish passengers hope that they can escape Nazi Germany and find refuge in Cuba. Even though they are eventually turned back to Europe, they are still able to be resettled in new countries so that they can attempt to avoid death at the hands of the Nazis. For Isabel, the boat that she and her family take is the only option for them to escape Cuba, and the boat both literally and figuratively keeps their hopes afloat as they journey to Miami. Although a hole in the boat and a severe storm flood the boat with water, dashing their hopes and putting their lives at risk, Isabel and her companions work tirelessly to bail the water out and continue on their journey. This simple act of perseverance to save their boat embodies all of the uncontrollable obstacles they must overcome to reach the U.S. Mahmoud also takes a journey by boat from Turkey to Greece, and when his boat capsizes and he is thrown into the water, it reinforces the idea that he has lost all hope. But when another dinghy comes along and Mahmoud is able to convince the people on board to take his infant sister, Hana, it provides another spark of hope, given that this is likely Hana’s only chance to survive at all, let alone to achieve a better life. The boats in the story are continuously placed in contrast with the ocean, which often correlates to the characters’ despair.

Boats Quotes in Refugee

The Refugee quotes below all refer to the symbol of Boats. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

“Jewish rats,” Schiendick said, sneering at Josef and the other kids. Many of them looked at their shoes, and even Josef looked away, trying not to draw the big man’s attention. Josef clenched his fists, and his ears burned hot with frustration and embarrassment at his helplessness.

Related Characters: Otto Schiendick (speaker), Josef Landau

Related Symbols: Boats

Page Number and Citation: 97

Explanation and Analysis:

She had never been able to count clave, but she had always assumed it would come to her eventually. That the rhythm of her homeland would one day whisper its secrets to her soul. But would she ever hear it now? Like trading her trumpet, had she swapped the one thing that was really hers—her music—for the chance to keep her family together?

Related Characters: Isabel Fernandez, Lito/Mariano Padron

Related Symbols: Boats, Water, Isabel’s Trumpet

Page Number and Citation: 102

Explanation and Analysis:

Mahmoud screamed.

He howled louder than a fighter jet, and his parents didn’t even tell him to hush. Lights came on in houses nearby, and curtains ruffled as people looked out at the noise. Mahmoud’s mother broke down in tears, and his father let the life jackets he carried drop to the ground.

The smuggler had just told them their boat wasn’t leaving tonight.

Again.

“No boat today. Tomorrow. Tomorrow,” he’d told Mahmoud’s father.

Related Characters: Mahmoud Bishara, Fatima Bishara, Youssef Bishara, Hana Bishara, Waleed Bishara

Related Symbols: Boats

Page Number and Citation: 122

Explanation and Analysis:

“Please!” Mahmoud cried. He sobbed with the effort of fighting off the man’s fingers and hanging onto the dinghy. “Please, take us with you!”

“No! No room!”

“At least take my sister!” Mahmoud begged. “She’s a baby. She won’t take up any room!”

Related Characters: Mahmoud Bishara (speaker), Josef Landau, Isabel Fernandez, Fatima Bishara, Hana Bishara

Related Symbols: Boats, Water

Page Number and Citation: 162

Explanation and Analysis:

The vacationers dropped their voices, and even though Mahmoud couldn’t understand what they were saying, he could hear the disgust in their words. This wasn’t what the tourists had paid for. They were supposed to be on holiday, seeing ancient ruins and beautiful Greek beaches, not stepping over filthy, praying refugees.

They only see us when we do something they don’t want us to do, Mahmoud realized.

Related Characters: Mahmoud Bishara

Related Symbols: Boats

Page Number and Citation: 213

Explanation and Analysis:

“Don’t you see?” Lito said. “The Jewish people on the ship were seeking asylum, just like us. They needed a place to hide from Hitler. From the Nazis. Mañana, we told them. We’ll let you in mañana. But we never did.” Lito was crying now, distraught. “We sent them back to Europe and Hitler and the Holocaust. Back to their deaths. How many of them died because we turned them away? Because I was just doing my job?”

Related Characters: Lito/Mariano Padron (speaker), Josef Landau, Isabel Fernandez, Mahmoud Bishara, Ruthie Landau/Rosenberg, Aaron Landau, Rachel Landau

Related Symbols: Boats

Page Number and Citation: 276

Explanation and Analysis:

Boats Symbol Timeline in Refugee

The timeline below shows where the symbol Boats appears in Refugee. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...Iván insists that they are building a doghouse, but Isabel knows they’re really building a boat to travel to the United States (or el norte, as they call it). (full context)

Injustice and Cruelty vs. Empathy and Social Responsibility Theme Icon

A few hours later, the Landaus arrive in Hamburg and arrive at the ship, the MS St. Louis. It is the biggest thing Josef has ever seen—bigger than any... (full context)

As Josef, Ruthie, and Rachel board the ship, Josef is amazed that all of the sailors on board treat them “like real people.”... (full context)

...glad to get away from his father. He and Ruthie watch Germany disappear as the ship pulls away from the dock and heads toward “a new life.” But Josef can’t help... (full context)

Family, Displacement, and Culture Theme Icon

...buy it. They are all quiet, until Geraldo realizes that they don’t even have a boat. Isabel runs out, determined to fix this problem. (full context)

Isabel runs next door to Iván and Señor Castillo. She sees the boat that they have been building out of metal billboards and oil drums, which is big... (full context)

...Germany, but Youssef assures her that they can drive to Turkey and then take a boat, or train. He points out that they don’t have much of a choice, with their... (full context)

Isabel, Iván, Señor Castillo, Señora Castillo, Geraldo, and Lito are carrying the boat to the beach, packed with water, food, and medicine. Teresa walks alongside them, almost nine... (full context)

...Geraldo panics and tells them to start the engine as Isabel is lifted into the boat. But then, Iván and Señora Castillo help lift the two policemen into the boat, and... (full context)

Suddenly, gunshots ring out and hit the side of their boat. Isabel realizes that the other policemen are shooting at them because Luis and Amara are... (full context)

...of Havana fade behind Isabel. Señor Castillo shows Isabel that at the bottom of the boat is a billboard with Castro’s face on it. Geraldo and the other adults joke about... (full context)

...counting clave, but Isabel still can’t quite hear the rhythm. Then, suddenly, the music stops—the boat’s motor has died. (full context)

...and some of the other children on the St. Louis take a tour of the ship’s bridge and engine room. Captain Schroeder demonstrates how to change the ship’s speed. Josef notices... (full context)

Geraldo, Señor Castillo, Luis, and Amara try to figure out why the boat’s motor won’t start, while Iván and Isabel scoop water out of the bottom of the... (full context)

Mahmoud is waiting with his family for a boat that can take them from Turkey to Greece. But the smuggler tells them that there... (full context)

...there for the night. The Syrian boy asks if they’re going to leave on a boat in the morning, and tells them that they need life vests in case the boat... (full context)

The ship begins to slow down, and Aaron starts to panic, saying that they have to hide... (full context)

...Schiendick emerges from below deck. He introduces himself as the Nazi Party leader on the ship, and explains that German law dictates that a body buried at sea must be covered... (full context)

...short prayer, the sailors slide the body of the man over the side of the ship. Josef takes sand from a nearby sandbox and throws it over the rail of the... (full context)

The tanker approaches Isabel’s boat, at least seven stories tall and wide enough to fill the horizon. They desperately try... (full context)

Isabel realizes that Señor Castillo has been thrown from the boat, and they immediately look out into the darkness to try and find him. Isabel spots... (full context)

The day before the ship is scheduled to reach Cuba, the crew holds a massive party for the passengers. It... (full context)

...as the man in the family.” He hopes, however, that when they get off the ship, everything will go back to normal. (full context)

...much as she can to keep them afloat. Iván dives in after her, guiding the boat toward them. They then pull Isabel and Señor Castillo into the boat. Señor Castillo remains... (full context)

Geraldo and Lito continue to get the water out of the bottom of the boat. They quickly realize that their medicine, bandages, and matches have fallen into the water. Isabel... (full context)

The boat Mahmoud’s family is set to take is a black inflatable rubber dinghy with a motor.... (full context)

...take a ferry from there to Athens afterward. They set out into the night. The boat is quickly tossed by the waves and it starts to rain hard. Mahmoud is soaked... (full context)

Invisibility and the Refugee Experience Theme Icon

...that he is “an invisible brown speck in an invisible black rubber dinghy,” and the ocean could easily swallow them and “no one in the whole wide world would ever know... (full context)

...still telling the passengers that they will be able to disembark “mañana.” Meanwhile, two other boats have been allowed to dock and let off their refugees into Havana. Josef is frustrated,... (full context)

Isabel continues to bail water out of the boat, alongside Teresa, Geraldo, Lito, Luis, Iván, and Señora Castillo. They work feverishly, but the boat... (full context)

...had not warned them about nor protected them from. Their shack was swept into the ocean; Lito and Isabel held onto each other, but Lita was swept away. Lito senses what... (full context)

...afloat. All around them, people are wondering how to get to dry land, as the boat has sunk and there is nothing in sight. Hours pass and the rain stops, but... (full context)

Suddenly, Mahmoud sees another boat of people. Mahmoud and his family cry out for help, but the dinghy isn’t slowing... (full context)

Mahmoud begs to be let onto the boat, but those on board insist there is no room. A man offers to call the... (full context)

...overboard!” Josef slams into the railing and sees that his father has jumped into the ocean. (full context)

...and Luis are able to get the engine restarted, while Amara continues to steer the boat north now that they have the sun to guide them. (full context)

Suddenly, Iván spots land at the side of the boat. Luis is confused, because it’s on the wrong side of the boat to be the... (full context)

The ships sirens start to blow. One of the Cuban policemen (Mariano Padron) dives into the water... (full context)

Padron is able to get Aaron back to one of the small boats, where two other officers restrain him. The boat then speeds back to the shore. Josef... (full context)

More and more cracks appear in the boat, and the bolts holding the pieces together are coming loose. The water in the boat... (full context)

...on too much water, and Geraldo suggests that a few of them hang onto the boat and float alongside it to alleviate the weight. (full context)

The boat grows louder, and Mahmoud sees that it is a real boat, a Coast Guard ship... (full context)

...will be the passenger, and asks Josef in mock anger when he can leave the ship. He immediately realizes his mistake, and becomes anguished at having brought up the fact that... (full context)

Isabel slips into the water for her turn to float alongside the boat. The sun sets to the west, and Luis turns the engine off because they can’t... (full context)

...baby brother born and terrified, wondering how her mother will have a baby on a boat in the middle of the ocean. But Teresa assures her that it could be a... (full context)

...hotel, clean and filled with glass tables and white chairs. Mahmoud and Waleed explore the ship, going up to the top deck to watch as the ship pulls away from Lesbos. (full context)

...Mahmoud can’t help but notice the uneasy looks from some of the tourists on the ship. Mahmoud can hear the disgust in their voices, and thinks to himself that other people... (full context)

...after leaving Havana, the St. Louis passes Miami. The U.S. Coast Guard cruises alongside the ship, seemingly to prevent it from getting any closer to shore. Some of the children continue... (full context)

...Miami, because Iván was so close to making it to the U.S. Suddenly, however, the boat starts to break apart, and water streams in through the hull. They all move to... (full context)

...an idea, and starts to kick at the engine to pry it off of the boat. Amara joins her, and they are able to get it off of the boat and... (full context)

...safe. Pozner approaches Josef, asking if he’s ready—Josef has agreed to help take over the ship. (full context)

Josef, Ruthie, and Rachel arrive in France exactly 40 days after leaving on the ship. Josef thinks of the story of Moses, who wandered for 40 years before reaching the... (full context)

The boat is close to the shore as Teresa pushes frantically, trying to bring the baby into... (full context)

...Castillo grabs Isabel and pulls her into the water. Together, they swim and pull the boat toward the shore. The water is now only at Isabel’s waist. Isabel then looks up... (full context)

Refugee

Alan Gratz

Boats Symbol Analysis

Boats Quotes in Refugee

Boats Symbol Timeline in Refugee