Naturalism in "The Open Boat"
Humanity often tends to see itself as being somehow important in the grand scheme of the Universe. But why do we think of ourselves in such a lofty fashion? Do we really matter at all? Would the Universe give pause if we were suddenly plucked away? In his short story, "The Open Boat," Stephen Crane shows us a universe totally unconcerned with the affairs of humankind; it is an indifferent universe in which man has to struggle to survive. The characters in the story come face to face with this indifference and are nearly overcome by Nature's lack of concern. They survive only through persistence and cooperation. All we have, Crane asserts, in our constant struggle for survival, is stubborn pride, and each other.
The story opens with four men, known simply as the captain, the oiler, the correspondent, and the cook, stranded in the ocean in a small boat. Crane's descriptions in these opening scenes show right away the antagonism of the men and......

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Title: Naturalism In The Open Boat
Approximate Word Count: 892
Approximate Pages: 4 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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