Reading Response On The Open Boat By Stephen Crane

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February 6, 2018
“The Open Boat” – A Reading Response
The Open Boat is one of the most peculiar yet widely read short stories of Stephen Crane. It details the journey of four men – Oiler, Captain, cook, and correspondent – as they try to survive the harsh conditions of the ocean. Specifically, it mostly shows how they divided their roles, face the challenges in their lives, and even work towards it, as well as the consequences of these actions. By the end of the story, it turned out that the oiler, who was the most determined to survive amongst them, died in spite of all its efforts to swim back to the shore. This incites a harrowing feeling on the readers who believe that the oiler must be the one to survive because of his sheer will and determination. Nevertheless, I believe that the reason why Crane chose this as the end of the story was to emphasize his naturalist way of writing (the emphasis on effects of the external world on us). In this article, some of the elements of naturalism would be discussed in the form of philosophical questions, addressing its effects on our mindset and why we tend to think about such matters.
Why did the Oiler die?
This is perhaps one of the questions that would mostly be asked by any reader of the story. Ever since the beginning the Oiler, together with the correspondent, was the one who relentlessly rowed to save themselves. This goes on even when the three of his fellows were already on the verge of hopelessness, waiting for death to come by. As the boat capsized it was the oiler again who tri...