Open Boat

     While reading "Open Boat" by Stephen Crane, I couldn't help but think about how much I am not in control of my life.  The men in the boat have no control over the seas; they are "impressed with the unconcern of the universe."  Nature was "indifferent, flatly indifferent" to their suffering (616-617).  These men couldn't get away from the fact that there was something more powerful in charge of their lives.  In our Western culture, we can deceive ourselves into thinking that we are in control of our lives, that we can control nature.  We can minimize the impact nature has on us.  That is, until the wifi goes down or a hurricane destroys an entire city.  Only when we are confronted with these drastic occurrences do we realize how small and weak we are as human beings.  This can seem extremely overwhelming if we don't have an idea of who or what is in control.  For these men, it was "the seven mad gods who rule the sea."  This was the best they could come up with in their situation.  Even though they are aware they aren't in control, one thing they do have is each other.  "It would be difficult to describe the subtle brotherhood of men that was here established on the seas.  No one said it was so.  No one mentioned it.  But it dwelt in the boat, and each man felt it warm him" (607).  This was a gift to the men--not having to die alone like the Legion soldier in Algiers.  The relationship and sense of community that was built between these men gave them hope to keep going, even if they didn't know what lie ahead for them.