SECTION 12: Part 7 Ch 1-3 and Epilogue



The rescue from Elephant Island



            In this final portion of the book, we are given details of how Shackleton, Worsely, and Crean made a journey across South Georgia to a whaling port, the others at South Georgia were saved, and a ship made a rescue mission and saved those on Elephant Island. The end is very fast, as readers are very intrigued and anxious to find how the novel will finally play out. Shackleton’s unfailing love for his crew finally paid off when in the end, every last person survived the voyage that had lasted years. Each person lived to tell their story of their expedition that had started on the Endurance, and taken them through thousands of miles of the Antarctic area. They had been brave, valiant, tough, cooperative, and altruistic through it all.

            In relation to real life, this feeling of the end of a long journey is hardly comparable to anything. One thing I can think that sort of compares is the story of the Chilean minors. They had been trapped with no hope for escape for days, but they never gave up wishing that they would be saved. Eventually, rescuers worked for weeks trying to devise a way to get each man up to safety. Food and water were brought down, and ultimately, things were done to be able to save them. Being finally reunited with their families must have been a celebration like no other. In a similar way, the crew of the Endurance must have felt so blessed to have survived what no one thought was survivable. Words don’t really describe what they probably felt when they saw their loved ones after their journey, it’s simply indescribable.

The literary term that is best presented in this last section is simple sentence. When Shackleton is brought face to face with the manager and is asked who he is, all he says is, “My name is Shackleton.” With this sentence everything is changed. People who thought they had died were shocked and Shackleton knew that he would finally be able to rescue his men. That very statement was one of the most important simple sentences in the entire novel.

SECTION 11: Part 6, Ch 1-6

The goal island of South Georgia

            As the novel nears its end, we are given the viewpoint of those on the Caird during their journey to South Georgia. With chance not on their side, they work endlessly each hour of each day trying to beat the odds and survive. Nothing else even matters anymore, all they hope for is that soon they will wake up and their nightmare will end and they will see land. Heaving water, fighting off waves, chiseling ice, are the cycles they go through during the day. When they finally reach the halfway point, they know that they can’t give up because they’ve worked to hard to get where they are now. When they believe that at any moment, land might come into view, all the men watch in agony as hours pass with no luck. However, when land finally does come into view, all efforts are made to try and dock safely. After a few days of trying, they finally make it. All their effort, everything they had done to get to this point had finally paid off, they were going to make it.

This reminds me of the end of wars, the kind like World War I and II, the Civil War, the war our country fight to be a nation back in the 1700s. After years of fighting, death, and hate the end comes and people can celebrate and relax a bit. Sometimes people can just take a deep breath and finally think straight again. This is the same feeling the crew has; the end is so near, they can almost taste it. Lansing states, “Shackleton was sure the end was very near.”



A few graves of the fallen during WWII



The literary term I associated with this section was understatement. The crew on the Caird might think that, for the moment, reaching the island and surviving was all that mattered. They were ecstatic and jovial caught up in the moment. However, their emphasis is on surviving the trip, but in the back of every reader’s mind is the fact that now the others back on Elephant Island can be saved now, too. The entire book has taken a turn for the better. This reaching the island could potentially end what has been years of efforts, struggles, pains, and hard work, but the author focuses on the temporary thrill of the crew of 6 being saved, thus making this scene and understatement.

SECTION 10: Part 5, Ch 4-6

 

An example of frostbite and
gangrene, like Blackboro's condition

 As the fifth part continues, the crew that was marooned on the island have faced many struggles in the past several months. From another bitter winter to Macklin and McIllroy having to perform surgery on Blackboro’s foot, the entire crew is becoming more and more discouraged with each day that passes without rescue. Hudson even has to have an abscess drained because it had become so large. Wild tries desperately to keep the morale up within the crew, but it seems to remain hopeless. Although they don’t say much about the possibility of the Caird being lost, it is almost unanimously accepted that it won’t be returning. 

In comparison to today, I feel this best describes some teams in sports. If my team hadn’t won a game all season, and had lost every game by a large margin, it would be difficult for any coach to try and keep our spirits up. Sometimes only a miracle can raise hopes and dreams that have so repeatedly been crushed.

The literary term I feel was best discussed was irony. The whole novel is almost ironic since the name of their original ship was Endurance and they have endured unimaginable things thus far. But I feel the best example of this is when Hurley wrote in his diary, “‘ Life here without a hut or equipment is almost beyond endurance.’”

SECTION 9: Part 5, Ch. 1-3



Shackleton and five crew members ready
 to board the Caird and go to South Georgia



Having finally reached Elephant Island, the men rejoiced and celebrated a new chance and hope for survival. Setting up camp, eating a hearty meal, and sleeping like they hadn’t in years were only a few of the tasks the men did on their fist day on the island. Unfortunately their celebrating was short-lived, since, in the next few days, they had to search for a more livable area to camp on for the time being. After finding a suitable place, Shackleton had to make a difficult decision to send himself and a crew of five men on the Caird to go to South Georgia in the hopes of finding relief and safety finally. With the winds on their side, they soon make preparations and head off.

Almost any person can imagine a time when they set off to do something, but were unsure about the future and what it would bring. Saying goodbye to people that we care deeply about, and yet in the back of our minds, we wonder that could be the last time we ever say those words. When a teenager goes off to college, when a soldier goes off to war, when a family is moved to another state because of a job, these are all times when a “goodbye” is a little more than just any other “goodbye”. They are more tentative and uncertain, and this is exactly what the crew was feeling when they said their farewells to their fellow men heading out to South Georgia.

I feel the literary term that best fits in this section would be tone. After the crew has realized their reality, they become more gloomy than usual. The possibility of being split up for good hangs over their heads and disheartens them a little bit. Lansing’s tone of finality is a good supplement to help readers understand just how different the attitudes of the crew will be now. Lansing describes it well as he says, “But the tension in the air was unmistakable. Both groups knew they might never see one another again.”

Endurance, SECTION 8: Part 4, Ch. 3-5



Elephant Island



            As Part IV of this book continues, the crew finds that they are now hungrier, colder, and weaker than ever before. Now having braved the chilling waters for several days without rest, they were tremendously disheartened at hearing the news that Worsley had miscalculated where they were. If they were to have any chance at survival, they would need to change their destination to Elephant Island, and get there as quick as possible. Lack of sleep and frostbite also started to kick in, making the journey even more treacherous, and Shackleton seriously doesn’t know how much more whole crew can take. They were so parched from days without water that they couldn’t even swallow food, making them famished as well. Relating to this kind of thirst is simply unimaginable. In the course of one of my basketball games or practices, I can sometimes drink up to 3 water bottles. I have no idea how I would be able to survive days without it; it would be nearly impossible for me. Why Water Is Important

Finally after many days of searching for Elephant Island, and getting closer and farther over and over again, all three ships eventually make it. For the first time in 497 days, they had finally made it to land, all their hard work paying off at last.

The literary term that best fits in this segment of the book would be turning point. Now that they have reached land, they have a real chance of survival. Their luck has changed and the end is finally in sight for the men.

Endurance, SECTION 7: Part 4, Ch 1-2



A piece of ice, just big enough to camp on for the
 night, but not sturdy enough to sleep
 without worry of the ice cracking



            In this portion of the book, the Shackleton and his team leave Patience Island and head out in three handcrafted boats: the James Caird, the Dudley Docker, and the Stancomb Wills. They embark on yet another journey hoping to reach land before winter falls once again. Using teamwork at its finest, the crew manages to row many miles in just a few days with hardly any rest and just enough food to get by. The quandaries have not ceased yet though, since finding and setting up places to sleep is one of the riskiest of all the tasks they withstand. But the crew finds a way to succeed every time, never letting fear hinder the clear motive of surviving yet another Antarctic night.

It relates to me in that its almost like studying for a vocab test. I can cram study the ten words that will be on tomorrow’s test and have them memorized and then forgotten the next day, or I can study all of my accumulative words a little bit each day, and prepare myself for the final and the test Friday. In the long run, the second plan will benefit me the most, though it might be harder to motivate myself to study every day.

Their goal was to reach this island; it was their
best bet for rescue

I feel that motivation is the best literary term to use in this section. Shackleton changed his mind about going to the nearest land, and instead, made their destination to King Geoge Island. Lansing made his motivation for this unexpected change of mind clear, “Here the remains of a volcano’s cone …was a frequent port of call for whalers. Too, there was thought to be a cache of food at Deception Island…But most important, there was a small, rude chapel there…they could use tear down the church and use its lumber to build a boat large enough to accommodate all of them.” Shackleton took risk in choosing this to be their goal, but he knew that it would ultimately be their best bet at getting out of their situation the quickest. 

Endurance, SECTION 6, Part 3, Ch 4-6

            This sixth segment of the book was actually one of the more eventful sections in Endurance. From watching day and night for the next destination, to the food scare, the events in this part of the novel proved a true test for Shackleton and his men. Plagued with one predicament after another, the team faced extreme hunger, a fear of dying due to cracked ice, and dangerous sea leopards to name a few.

            Their future seemed to look bright for a while when their food supply was replenished with sea leopard and they spotted an island not too far from them. However, the good fortune was short-lived as the next few days included having to leave their camp because of a huge split in the ice. With the continuous strain of dilemma after dilemma, I am reminded of our country earlier in the year when the tornado season approached and many cities were destroyed by the powerful winds. Many of the nation’s states were terribly affected by the tornadoes, leaving many without homes, jobs, or anywhere else to go. Nonetheless, these tragedies brought together communities; with people helping to rebuild, not only homes and buildings, but also lives, the disasters didn’t break the community, they only strengthened it. Likewise, the crew of the Endurance didn’t sever the team, but revived it again with the hope of survival.



Macklin with two of his dogs



The literary term I chose for this portion of the book is symbol. The symbol I chose to point out was the dogs. Until they were killed and used as food, they symbolized some sort of tie to civilization: something that the crew could attach themselves to and love. Lansing states, “Macklin was almost sick as he unharnessed one dog at a time and took it around the protective mound of ice.” This shows that even though they knew their duty, they still found it difficult to destroy one of the few things that still gave them joy.

Endurance, SECTION 5: Part 3, Ch 1-3

Many crew members watched as the last of the Endurance
went underwater

            As the perilous journey continues, men really begin to be realistic about the situation they were involved in. At the mercy of the wind and weather, food  supply began to dwindle. As a result, four of the six sledge teams were killed in an attempt to save as much food as possible. This act of killing what they had come to love was a real eye opener for many people as to how their situation had continued to worsen. Their luck does change for the better, though, when a strong wind came and pushed them toward land and close enough to recover the boat they had left behind. Food also became more available in their new location. With this new, short stroke of luck, the morale is boosted a bit, giving the crew a little more to look forward to, and a better chance of survival.

            The literary term that best applies to this section is hyperbole. During the long time of waiting to see when and how to make their next move, Shackleton wrote in his diary in the space allotted for the entire day, “Waiting, waiting, waiting.” This emphasizes the seriousness of their situation and how the crew is struggling to show patience toward each other.

These signs are sometimes up for years before the
house finally sells, forcloses, or goes off the market.

            In relation to today’s world, I feel this section relates to many people who are waiting for something and losing patience all the while. A great example of this is the market in terms of houses and buying and selling them. Many people have their houses on the market for years, patiently waiting for the economy to pick up so their house will sell. Unfortunately, many people struggle with this, and there is no clear ending in the near future for many families, just as the crew in the novel was waiting for an end to their bad luck and struggle. Lansing describes the crew’s demeanor by saying, “The sense of immediacy gradually diminished, and the atmosphere in camp settled once more into reluctant resignation.” Families often get the same feeling when they want to move but their house won’t sell; they feel discouraged just as Shackleton and his men do after months of waiting for weather to clear.

Endurance, SECTION 4: Part 2, Ch 4-6

As far as action goes, this fourth section is very similar to the last. The group is on the ice, struggling to survive each day. On the other hand, Shackleton feels that the crew may begin to experience “demoralization” if they don’t get going again soon. Furthermore, he spends a few days planning their movement westward toward land. They begin their journey only to find out about seven days later that it was no longer safe and they would have to retreat back.           

The journey they began over a year ago has taken many turns for the worse.  Not even Shackleton himself could have predicted the series of ill-fated occurrences that took place and brought them to the point they were at now. All they can do now is hope that 1916 will bring more luck than the last year did. Shackleton’s last diary entry in the year of 1915 said, “‘The last day of the old year: May the new one bring us good fortune, a safe deliverance from this anxious time, and all good things to those we love so far away.’” His entry really hits home for many of the crew members, and helps to introduce one of the themes in the novel: hope is something that is not easily shattered. The literary term, theme, to me is the most visible in this section.

In connection to life today, I feel this section and the theme of keeping hope is most comparable to the tragedy that occurred on September 11, 2001. When the United States was attacked by planes, our pride was wounded and our hearts ached all over the country. But more than any of that, our hope was strengthened. We still had hope for a better world, a hope for peace that wasn’t there before, and hope that our country could once again be unified. Hope is not easily shattered, not for the crew of the Endurance, and not for Americans ten years ago either.

Endurance, SECTION 3: Part 2, Ch. 1-3



Ernest Shackleton



            As part two begins in Endurance, the crew is no longer aboard the ship. They are forced to tough it out on the ice. After a few days of trying to move forward with their expedition, it was clear that any attempt to cover a lot of land was useless because they were only going less than three-fourths of a mile each day. Instead, they set up camp on the ice and the other problems like hunger, frostbite, and the dogs start to set in. Also, in order to make their load lighter, they were only allowed to keep two pounds of personal items. Pictures, books, special keepsakes, and more other items had to be tossed away, seeing how it could be a matter of life and death. As always, though, the crew manages to make it work, because even though they face many difficulties, they still share the main and most important goal of survival.



Perce Blackboro and the beloved cat
Mrs Chippy, who was one of the possessions
that had to be given up



The shedding of their most special possessions really hits home for me. There are many things in my life that I don’t every think I could ever live without. Reading this section of the book has really put into perspective what really is important in life, and it is not cellphones, computers, Ipads, or Ipods. When faced with life or death, survival is all that matters. There is always that clichéd question, “If there your house was on fire, and you could save one item, only one, what would it be?” Well honestly, if my house was really on fire, would I have time to even save one item; if my life was on the line, I wouldn’t waste a single second worrying about the one thing I had to save. The same is true for the crew of the Endurance, they can’t spend time worrying about what they are leaving behind when they can’t even be sure of what will happen to them in the future.     

            The literary term that is used in this section of the novel is imagery. Imagery is the exceptional use of words and phrases that appeal to one or more of the senses, and in the third section of the book, the use of this literary tool is especially evident. “Shackleton could hear the ghostly rhythm of the chain from the martingale boom being slowly dragged back and forth by the movement of the ship.” When Lansing describes the harshness of the wind and weather they experienced while living on the ice, he creates a vivid picture of what the crew endured during that time.

Endurance, SECTION 2, Part 1, Ch 3-8

            This next section goes on to describe the start of the expedition aboard the ship, Endurance. After months of preparations and retrieving all the crew members, they headed off without a single clue of what was in store for all of them. After a few days of sailing, nothing seemed to be going wrong except for finding a stowaway on board. The problems didn’t arise until Shackleton was informed of the ice conditions in the Weddell Sea. Using the summer months to try and advance further into the Antarctic, they were unable to cover much ground before the ship couldn’t navigate through the ice at all, meaning the crew would have to endure a winter on the ship. Preparations were soon made to make it through the darkness of the winter months, and although the entire crew was often bored and faced harsh cold, depression, and lack of sunlight, they rarely formed a close bond. The dogs also faced hardship, battling disease and even death. However, as the summer months approached and the crew gained more confidence in the ship’s strength, the Endurance was continuously tested with “ice attacks” as Shackleton describes them. However, the no one aboard was prepared for the night when the ice would prevail and begin to sink the ship. After days of struggle, it was clear that they would have to abandon ship.

In the year they had been traveling thus far, the crew aboard the Endurance had faced many hardships on their journey. “In all the world there is no desolation more complete than the polar night.” Boredom, depression, extreme temperatures, and darkness were only a few of the countless adversities they had encountered. Similarly, back in the days of the slave trade, the captives from Africa faced many of these same issues. Each day the crew of the Endurance would wake up to some extent of uncertainty as to what lie ahead in the future weeks months or even hours. In the same way, the captives had no idea what was in store for them and each day they would wonder what their future would hold.



Slaves aboard a ship during the slave trade



            The literary term that best applies to this section would be foreshadowing.  Once the ship was a goner and all the members of the crew were forced to abandon ship, it was clear that any type of “plan” was completely out of the question. Each day would be a struggle in and of itself, and survival was the only plan left to hope for. This sinking of the ship foreshadows the long struggle that awaits the crew of the Endurance.

Endurance. SECTION 1: Part 1, Ch1-2

The crew of the Endurance

In the first section of the book Endurance by Alfred Lansing, there is an introduction to the main character, Ernest Shackleton, and other minor characters, which are members of the crew, and what their roles will be later on in the book. The way the book is written, it begins in the middle of the action, right as the ship is sinking, then going on to describe how Shackleton, the captain of the ship and commander of the expedition, came to realize and put to action his goal of crossing Antarctica.

Early on, readers are shown how determined and mentally strong all the crew members are during their time of danger and peril. Lansing describes their attitude as fairly composed, although everything they do is done with a sense of pressure.  Lansing describes the crew and the scene as, “They worked with a deliberate urgency… apart from the movement of the ice and the sounds of the ship, the scene was of relative calm.” Their composure and the way they have handled the situation relates well to many people in desperate situations such as this. When large problems come up, often times people have to stop the worry and panic, and just redirect their worry and simply do whatever they can to fix the problem, staying calm and collected all the while. This has proved true many a time for soldiers, when problems present themselves, they cannot be subjected to panic. They set their minds to the task of fixing the problem at hand. Any moment of doubt can put lives in jeopardy; therefore, soldiers must remain constantly collected and confident in anything and everything they do.

A group of soldiers praying together

The literary term that best applies to this first section of this book is mood. The first few chapters do an excellent job in setting the mood for the entire novel. The traits of all the characters: determined, mentally tough, brave, and bold are great in assisting with this. The mood is most definitely positive. The crew consistently stays optimistic and focused on fixing whatever problems arise in the course of their journey thus far.