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Definition of Motif
A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of related symbols, help develop the central themes of a book... read full definition
A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of related symbols, help develop the... read full definition
A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of... read full definition
Part I
Explanation and Analysis—The Waves:
Throughout "The Open Boat," waves appear as a representation of the randomness of fate. At the level of the plot, the ocean waves are sometimes an obstacle for the men to surmount because they wash water into the lifeboat and cause turbulence. Crane uses a variety of descriptions to emphasize this troublesome aspect. The waves are described like they are vicious animals “snarling.” This description serves to align the waves more clearly with nature as a whole and particularly emphasizes nature's potential hostility to man. Like a growling animal, the waves cannot be reasoned with.
On the other hand, at times the waves are advantageous to the men, pushing their vessel toward the shore. The waves are not evil; they are a necessary part of the sea, even though they often cause trouble for the men. The same waves that threaten to pull the men further out to sea also push them toward their eventual rescue. The crests of the waves can also be useful in that they afford the men a better glimpse of what's ahead.
In addition to being useful, they are even occasionally characterized as “gentle”:
But at last, there came a wave more gentle than the others, and when at the crest of it he swiftly scoured the western horizon.
The dual nature of the waves reflects the nature of fate: the fact it is not fair or unfair. Fate can be helpful or unhelpful because it is random and uncertain.
However, one thing about fate does seem certain: that it is continuously in flux. As Crane points out:
A singular disadvantage of the sea lies in the fact that after successfully surmounting one wave you discover that there is another behind it just as important and just as nervously anxious to do something effective in the way of swamping boats.
The waves are ceaseless, showing how fate constantly changes: what was going well could suddenly take a turn for the worse, or vice versa. In life, just when one challenge is completed or a tragedy averted, another may emerge. Like the waves, fate rests for no one.
Related Themes:
Part II
Explanation and Analysis—The Waves:
Throughout "The Open Boat," waves appear as a representation of the randomness of fate. At the level of the plot, the ocean waves are sometimes an obstacle for the men to surmount because they wash water into the lifeboat and cause turbulence. Crane uses a variety of descriptions to emphasize this troublesome aspect. The waves are described like they are vicious animals “snarling.” This description serves to align the waves more clearly with nature as a whole and particularly emphasizes nature's potential hostility to man. Like a growling animal, the waves cannot be reasoned with.
On the other hand, at times the waves are advantageous to the men, pushing their vessel toward the shore. The waves are not evil; they are a necessary part of the sea, even though they often cause trouble for the men. The same waves that threaten to pull the men further out to sea also push them toward their eventual rescue. The crests of the waves can also be useful in that they afford the men a better glimpse of what's ahead.
In addition to being useful, they are even occasionally characterized as “gentle”:
But at last, there came a wave more gentle than the others, and when at the crest of it he swiftly scoured the western horizon.
The dual nature of the waves reflects the nature of fate: the fact it is not fair or unfair. Fate can be helpful or unhelpful because it is random and uncertain.
However, one thing about fate does seem certain: that it is continuously in flux. As Crane points out:
A singular disadvantage of the sea lies in the fact that after successfully surmounting one wave you discover that there is another behind it just as important and just as nervously anxious to do something effective in the way of swamping boats.
The waves are ceaseless, showing how fate constantly changes: what was going well could suddenly take a turn for the worse, or vice versa. In life, just when one challenge is completed or a tragedy averted, another may emerge. Like the waves, fate rests for no one.
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis—Animals:
In “The Open Boat,” animals form a motif, appearing several times as reminders of the indifference and occasional cruelty of nature.
First, a flock of gulls comes to the men of the ship:
Canton-flannel gulls flew near and far. Sometimes they sat down on the sea, near patches of brown seaweed that rolled over the waves with a movement like carpets on a line in a gale. The birds sat comfortably in groups, and they were envied by some in the dinghy, for the wrath of the sea was no more to them than it was to a covey of prairie chickens a thousand miles inland. Often they came very close and stared at the men with black bead-like eyes. At these times they were uncanny and sinister in their unblinking scrutiny, and the men hooted angrily at them, telling them to be gone.
These birds, even though they are not a real threat, are portrayed as “sinister” (much like the waves are portrayed). The violence of the waters does not affect these birds, even though they are much less intelligent than the men.
The captain, due to the precariousness of his boat, is unable to even shoo away a bird that perches on his head in fear that he might throw the boat off balance and send all the men into the sea. This shows nature’s dominance over man, in a kind of grimly humorous way.
The seagulls are also likely an allusion to the Romantic poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The poem is about a sailor who shoots an albatross—which is a symbol of the Judeo-Christian God—and is punished by all his crew dying and being lost at sea until he repents by showing he can love all of God's creations. The poem shares a message with "The Open Boat": that the natural world cannot or ought not be dominated by the powers of man.
Another, arguably more dangerous animal appears later. When the correspondent is rowing alone at night, he notices a shark fin poking out of the water:
The speed and power of the thing was greatly to be admired. It cut the water like a gigantic and keen projectile.
The presence of this biding thing did not affect the man with the same horror that it would if he had been a picnicker. He simply looked at the sea dully and swore in an undertone.
The animal is mighty, and thereby worthy of admiration. This observation parallels the times that Crane describes nature as something beautiful. It reminds the reader that nature is not all bad or evil.
The description of the shark as a projectile has the opposite effect, as it reveals the immense power of the natural world. The shark's power is compared to weapons of war that it took men centuries to invent.
However, the correspondent seems somewhat indifferent to the shark’s presence. He recognizes that the shark likely is not out to kill him, as he is a sailor, not someone confined to the land such as a “picnicker,” and so he is used to the perils of the sea.
When animals appear in "The Open Boat," they act as representations of nature at large. They show nature's ability to exist indifferently to and sometimes detrimentally toward the pursuits of man.
Related Themes:
Part IV
Explanation and Analysis—Seven Mad Gods:
The following passage repeats three times throughout the story:
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 thus far and contemplate sand and trees? Was I brought here merely to have my nose dragged away as I was about to nibble the sacred cheese of life?
This motif is supposed to be a summary of the internal thoughts of the four men. Even though they are different in their personalities and roles, they are united in the belief that their likely drowning is unjust, because they haven't yet lived enough.
The passage is angry and resentful in tone. It shows that humans often seek a reason for why they suffer. They recognize that the suffering of others is a misfortune, but have difficulty understanding that the world is not just when it applies to their own suffering.
The initial “If I am going to be drowned” repeats thrice in each iteration, just as the overall passage repeats three times in the story. The repetitive, poetic style is unique in the generally straightforward narrative, and it heightens the drama, showing that the men react to their situation with deep emotion throughout, even if they don't display it openly.
The reference to "seven mad gods" is a vague allusion to ancient mythology. The Greeks, for instance, often referred to the "seven seas" of the known world, so the phrase refers to whatever divine beings rule those seas—beings that are apparently "mad," random, and not to be trusted. Crane's choice of a mythological allusion is also noteworthy, as if to show the men's attempt to imbue a meaningless world with meaning—an effort he suggests is pointless.
Related Themes:
Part V
Explanation and Analysis—Animals:
In “The Open Boat,” animals form a motif, appearing several times as reminders of the indifference and occasional cruelty of nature.
First, a flock of gulls comes to the men of the ship:
Canton-flannel gulls flew near and far. Sometimes they sat down on the sea, near patches of brown seaweed that rolled over the waves with a movement like carpets on a line in a gale. The birds sat comfortably in groups, and they were envied by some in the dinghy, for the wrath of the sea was no more to them than it was to a covey of prairie chickens a thousand miles inland. Often they came very close and stared at the men with black bead-like eyes. At these times they were uncanny and sinister in their unblinking scrutiny, and the men hooted angrily at them, telling them to be gone.
These birds, even though they are not a real threat, are portrayed as “sinister” (much like the waves are portrayed). The violence of the waters does not affect these birds, even though they are much less intelligent than the men.
The captain, due to the precariousness of his boat, is unable to even shoo away a bird that perches on his head in fear that he might throw the boat off balance and send all the men into the sea. This shows nature’s dominance over man, in a kind of grimly humorous way.
The seagulls are also likely an allusion to the Romantic poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The poem is about a sailor who shoots an albatross—which is a symbol of the Judeo-Christian God—and is punished by all his crew dying and being lost at sea until he repents by showing he can love all of God's creations. The poem shares a message with "The Open Boat": that the natural world cannot or ought not be dominated by the powers of man.
Another, arguably more dangerous animal appears later. When the correspondent is rowing alone at night, he notices a shark fin poking out of the water:
The speed and power of the thing was greatly to be admired. It cut the water like a gigantic and keen projectile.
The presence of this biding thing did not affect the man with the same horror that it would if he had been a picnicker. He simply looked at the sea dully and swore in an undertone.
The animal is mighty, and thereby worthy of admiration. This observation parallels the times that Crane describes nature as something beautiful. It reminds the reader that nature is not all bad or evil.
The description of the shark as a projectile has the opposite effect, as it reveals the immense power of the natural world. The shark's power is compared to weapons of war that it took men centuries to invent.
However, the correspondent seems somewhat indifferent to the shark’s presence. He recognizes that the shark likely is not out to kill him, as he is a sailor, not someone confined to the land such as a “picnicker,” and so he is used to the perils of the sea.
When animals appear in "The Open Boat," they act as representations of nature at large. They show nature's ability to exist indifferently to and sometimes detrimentally toward the pursuits of man.
Related Themes:
