The Open Boat In Stephen Crane’s short story “The Open Boat,” he uses a lot of imagery to portray how cruel nature is and how man must fight to stay alive and reach land. Man must battle the sea in which he refers to as gray and the only green is the land that the men must reach in order to survive. The short story evolved from Cranes real life experience and what he went through being stranded in the Atlantic Ocean. The story captures both brotherhood and individualism Writer Stephen Crane got his inspiration for his short story when he boarded a ship called the Commodore in Florida that was carrying guns and ammunition to Cuba. Crane was aboard the ship as a reporter to cover the Spanish American War. The ship sank at sea and Crane along with the ship’s captain and two fellow crew members spent thirty hours at sea fighting to survive against nature itself. This experience is what inspired his to write the short story in which he began to work on immediately. “Although he was physically exhausted from the ordeal, he began work on "The Open Boat" almost immediately” (Authors and Artists for Young Adults). “The Open Boat” focuses on four characters that have survived their ship …show more content…
Towards the end of the story that thought changes and the characters realize they did survive their time at sea and overcame the odds. This didn’t happen until the men formed their comradery and worked together overcoming Nature. Teamwork and cooperation from the crew members to the Captain are all very essential. Crane’s shows that unless man works together with their own unique abilities and not try and do everything individually that the can overcome even the greatest odds. Much like the Captain who was weak and injured couldn’t survive on his own but he could instruct his crew and advise them on how to get to shore. Everyone played a crucial part and Stephen Crane portrays it beautify in his