Journal entry# 29 Stephen Crane

Siu Faat Jimmy Wong
English 48b
February 22, 2008
Professor Lankford

Quote:

It would be difficult to describe the subtle brotherhood of men that was here established on the seas. No one said that it was so. No one mentioned it. But it dwelt in the boat, and each man felt it warm him.

Summary:

The men in the dingey developed a very deep friendship after they endured so much in the sea.

Response:

I think that the correspondent probably did not know the other three people before the ship was wrecked. However, a “subtle brotherhood of men” was developed in the little dingey. It was so sweet. For instance, the oiler tried his best to cheer others up by saying that there was a life-saving station nearby and cooperated with the correspondent to take spells to row the dingey. Though the cook did not put much effort to row it, they did not blame him. Moreover, although the injured captain only lied down in the voyage and did not help row the boat, the other three men still respected him and were willing to listen to his advice to change the direction of the boat. Furthermore, the most impressing part happened when all of them landed on the sand and the captain “waved [the helper] away, and sent him to the correspondent”(Norton 1016). Although the captain was injured, he still asked the helper to help the correspondent first. This behavior was so generous. Throughout the text, although “no one mentioned” that they had to treat others as brothers in order to gain support until they were salvaged, the brotherhood of men had already “dwelt in the boat, and each man felt it warm him”. I think this was the main reason why they could endure until the last minute. If the story could continue, I think that the captain, the cook, and the correspondent would become very good friends since they had all encountered a situation which was so close to death.