Free at Last (Part VII and Epilogue)

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
Alfred Lansing

Map of South Georgia

"Certainly no great urging was needed, and one at a time they jumped from the rocks into the boat, leaving behind them without a second thought dozens of personal little items which only an hour before had been considered almost indispensable."
page 280

Rescue had finally come.  However, like always, it had been extremely difficult to achieve.  Upon reaching South Georgia, Shackleton realized that he would have to cross the island to reach Stromness whaling station in order to bring rescue.  After climbing mountains, scaling vertical drops, and missing their target several times, Shackleton and the two other men with him finally reached Stromness and did the first thing anyone in their situation would want to do: take a bath and shave.  After retrieving the other three men from the other side of the island, Shackleton organized several attempts to retrieve the men marooned on Elephant island.  In their excitement they abandoned personal belongings.

This behavior reminds me of my dogs.  If my dogs are playing with their toys and they hear someone come home, they immediately drop it and run to see them with tails wagging.  It may sound degrading to compare marooned men to dogs, but there are a few psychological similarities between the two groups.  When somebody leaves a dog, the dog thinks that it might be the last time they see the person, especially with our sporadic schedules.  Similarly, the marooned men believed they would never see their homes or loved ones again while stuck on that island, so when they saw the ship that would rescue them, they cared only about returning home and seeing all that they used to enjoy seeing.  I think this relationship between my dogs and the crew members reveals something about the innermost human tendencies: that in times of loss and fear, we prioritize the things in life that are truly important; the crew prioritized their homes while my dogs prioritize their owners(one of the oddest comparisons I've made, but, still, it works). Peyton Schneider raised a very good point in her blog "Why Not" when she said that the crew's experience gave them a new appreciation for nature.

Although some of the truly important pros of this voyage came with the improvement of the crew members' characters, another huge accomplishment was made by Shackleton; not a single man died on the expedition.  Ironically, the same expedition that humbled him the most saw his greatest feat of leadership.  However, the effects of this voyage are still being felt today.  Through this book, readers are able to imagine themselves in the most dire of circumstances and imagine what they would do.  From what I observed, I am most like Shackleton, in that I am a very cautious and concerned person and I can never let myself fail any of my responsibilities or obligations. 

I have shown what I learned about myself.  What have you discovered about yourself?

Success (Chapters 4-6 of Part VI)

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
Alfred Lansing

"Then, at just after ten-thirty, Vincent spotted a clump of seaweed, and a few minutes later a cormorant was sighted overhead. Hope flared anew."
page 244

Throughout the voyage, Shackleton and his crew lived in constant fear of missing South Georgia, which would result in their deaths on the open Atlantic.  Suddenly, with the sighting of seaweed, those fears were dismissed as seaweed serves as a signal that land is near.

This scene is similar to the story of Noah from the Bible.  Noah, in order to escape a flood sent by God, survived on a boat for around two months.  Eventually, when the rains stopped, Noah sent birds to search for a sign of land.  After some unsuccessful trips, a dove brought to Noah an olive branch.  This olive branch served as a sign that there was land and salvation.  In both cases, people trapped on a boat were assured by plant life that land and salvation were near.

Sure enough, the crew spotted South Georgia a little later.  However, several attempts at landing saw the crew turned back by both wind and tide.  However, their efforts paid off and they were able to land.  Their survival was now ensure, but what would become of the group they left behind on Elephant Island?

Hell on Water (Chapters 1-3 of Part VI)

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
Alfred Lansing

"It was obvious that the burden of responsibility Shackleton had borne for sixteen months had nibbled away somewhat at his enormous self-confidence."
page 220

Now, for the increase of tension I presume, Lansing describes the events experienced by Shackleton's group while the other group was surviving on Elephant Island.  The sea-going group's experience can be fairly accurately described in one word: hell.

It's appropriate because it's a sea of fire.

 

The group was living in constant misery; water was constantly splashing into the boat, fixed positions caused stiff joints and made worse preexisting conditions, deer hair from sleeping bags got everywhere, and there was a constant stench from a slime in the sleeping bags.  However, not everything was unfavorable.  Since Shackleton was responsible for getting his crew into and out of this hell, he was under just about the most immense pressure anyone could ever endure.  This pressure, which seemed to culminate in, the miseries of the voyage in the Caird, had changed his personality for the better.  He became less self-centered.  The vast responsibility put on him made him realize that the lives of his crew, and anyone for that matter, should be prioritized over honor.  This made him a more caring and contributing individual.

A similar situation is found in The Lord of the Rings series (I had to even out The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter references).  From the earliest days of the Fellowship of the Ring, there was considerable tension between Legolas, an elf, and Gimli, a dwarf.  At that point in time, there had been an ancient hatred between the two races.  Although this hatred resulted mainly from mistrust, a sense of superiority developed in both races which was especially strong in Legolas and Gimli.  However, as a result of overcoming life-threatening obstacles together, Legolas and Gimli abandoned the ancient feud and embraced an open friendship.  Like Shackleton, both Legolas and Gimli abandoned their egos after overcoming hardships and prioritized the protection of friends.

Does that not just make your heart melt?

 

Although conditions on the boat were abysmal, it was seeming that the group was going to be able to reach South Georgia and, by extension, the rescue of the rest of the crew.  However, as we have seen in this story before, the sea is always unpredictable.

Hope (Chapters 4-6 of Part V)

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
Alfred Lansing

"There was almost never any mention of the most probably reason of all . . . the Caird had been lost."
page 203

The crew fought to retain their optimism.  They had overcome too many obstacles to find out that Shackleton had died and help would never come.  In addition, optimism was a necessity if they wished to maintain unity and cooperation within the group; some men were likely to break if they thought that the Caird, Shackleton's ship, had been lost. In order to protect against the elements as well as brighten everyone's outlooks, the group build a shelter out of the boats and rocks.  Through the use of polysyndeton, Lansing portrays the importance of the newfound comfort by adding emphasis on each aspect: "Other men took positions on the ground, wherever it looked the snuggest, or the driest, or the warmest."  In addition, through dialogue, Lansing portrays the group's efforts to raise morale by discussing treats from home: " 'Do you like doughnuts?' Wild asked.  'Rather,' McIlroy replied. 'Damned easily made, too,' Wild said.  'I like them cold with a little jam.' "  Not only does the conversation help the men think happy thoughts, it helps them believe that they will return to England to enjoy those treats.

The blocking of unfavorable outcomes from one's mind is also found in the fifth Harry Potter book, The Order of the Phoenix (I apologize for the frequent Harry Potter references, but one has to admit that there are a lot of similarities!).  During the The Order of the Phoenix Harry battles Dolores Umbridge, the newest addition to the Hogwarts staff and secretary in the Ministry of Magic, and Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic.  Both Umbridge and Fudge take every opportunity they can to tarnish the credibility of Harry and Dumbledore, who attempt to spread the true message that Voldemort had returned to his body.  Umbridge and Fudge deny his return (until, of course, Fudge actually sees him) to save morale.  Voldemort proved to be the biggest threat to the wizarding world, and to think that he had returned again would be absolutely devestating to wizards everywhere (except, of course, Voldemort's followers).  They didn't want the masses to lose faith in the Ministry, and they did not want to face the fact that their lives were in serious danger.

Despite the crew's optimism, conditions steadily got worse.  Their shelter was infested with stinking water, and, by August, two months past their estimations, no rescue ship had arrived.  It was beginning to appear that the group would have to sail for another island themselves.  Even worse, some members of the crew had lost hope that Shackleton was alive.

Freedom? (Chapters 1-3 of Part V)

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
Alfred Lansing

"But the tension in the air was unmistakable.  Both groups knew they might never see one another again."
page 193

Once again, things were looking bleak for the crew.  Although they found land, it was really not very different from the ice floes on which they had camped; supplies would eventually exhaust and there was extremely little chance of being discovered by other ships.  In a declarative sentence, Lansing portrays the scene of the realization by the crew that they could not stay on the island: "They would have to move."  The use of a simple declarative sentence helps Lansing portray the realization as both logical and unsettling.  The decision was reached that Shackleton and a few men would have to sail for South Georgia, some 800 miles away, to get a rescue crew.  Everyone realized that there was a strong chance that either Shackleton and his crew would die on the sea, or that the crew left on the island would die.  This marked the first time that every member of the  crew fully realized the likelihood of their survival; before, men were either bitterly pessimistic or complacent.

A similar situation is found in the last book of the Harry Potter series, The Deathly Hallows.  Nearing the end of the battle against Voldemort, having destroyed the vast majority of the fractions of Voldemort's soul, Harry realized that, in order to see his goal accomplished, he had to die.  A piece of Voldemort's soul had latched itself onto Harry's.  In a talk with Hermione and Ron, his two closest friends and companions, the whole group came to the same realization.  Harry left to die, leaving Hermione and Ron to destroy Voldemort.  In both situations, a group of companions realized that they were to be separated possibly forever.  In addition, the groups left behind were left to fight for their survival on their own.

Yes I realize that this is not the part where he dies, but it looks like it could happen here.

With Shackleton gone, the remaining crew would have to rely on their abilities to sustain them.  Only time will tell if the abilities of both groups would be enough to survive.

 

Land (Chapters 4 and 5 of Part IV)

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
Alfred Lansing

"During these past days he [Worsley] had exhibited an almost phenomenal ability, both as a navigator and in the demanding skill of handling a small boat.  There wasn't another man in the party even comparable with him, and he had assumed an entirely new stature because of it."
page 169

Once again, in the face of danger, another identity is realized.  During the storm, when the lives of the crew were at risk, Worsley acted on pure instinct, and realized his place among the crew as a leader.  In addition to giving Worsley's life and effort reason, his remarkable abilities gave the crew hope, something without which they had no hope of completing the trials of survival.  This sudden burst of ability is very similar to that made by Harry Potter.  It is indeed time for the inevitable Harry Potter reference!

In the third and fourth books of the Harry Potter series (The Prisoner of Azkaban and The Goblet of Fire respectively), Harry proved himself to be able to fight off the foul soul-sucking dementors and even Voldemort, the most powerful dark wizard ever to live.  These successes, though lacking any planning, renewed hope in his friends in the fifth book The Order of the Phoenix after they had feared being ill prepared for the attack made by Voldemort and his followers.  Like Worsley, Harry Potter was able to keep the hope of victory against danger alive by utilizing his unique and vital abilities.

However, not all members of the crew experienced a change in character during peril.  Orde-Lees, for one, remained lazy and selfish, agreeing to work only when the boat was about to sink because it would result in his death.  In addition, Shackleton remained extremely cautious even though he authorized the risky move of separating the boats.  "Shackleton, for once, agreed to the separation; at least, he granted Worsley permission to proceed independently."  By using a compound sentence, Lansing is able to portray Shackleton's decisions while also reminding the reader that those decisions do not mean that his personality has changed.

The crew managed to survive the ocean and reach Elephant Island, the first time the crew had seen land in over a year.  However, their trials are not yet over, as the island is not frequently visited.  Rescue is not yet ensured.

The Point of No Return (Chapters 1-3 of Part IV)

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
Alfred Lansing

"But this time there was no turning back, and they all knew it."
page 160

One of the ships used by the crew.

As the crew in their three ships were searching for land, the gravity of their condition sank in.  They realized that their choice to abandon their camp on the ice floe was irrevocable, and no efforts could be made to find a safe haven.  They now had to suffer the tortures that constantly plagued them, such as extreme cold, wet, strong winds, and illness. 

I note various, though much less dramatic, points of no return quite frequently, especially during the school year.  Being a notorious worrier, I am extremely hesitant to turn in any test.  The journey to the teachers desk to turn in my tests seems like crossing the ocean, and on the way I question my work constantly.  Usually, I consider turning back to check my work over.  However, despite the awareness of my academic peril, once I reach the desk, I cannot turn back; I have reached the point of no return and of no chance to edit my work.  I am forced to throw my test down as a castaway sailor would jump into an unpromising looking boat. 

Because of the miserable perils on the open ocean, morale dropped again.  In addition, the crew turned out to be drifting farther away from their destination.  This scene of irony drove some men to hopelessness.  "They were 124 miles nearly due east of King George Island and 61 miles southeast of Clarence Island-22 miles farther from land than when they had launched the boats from Patience Camp three days before!"  After the crew set sail for another island, Orde-Lees proved to be one of the main sources of anger that once again threatened to divide the group.  Almost constantly, he sought to avoid rowing, in which he was successful because the majority of people were glad to take his place in the hopes that they would warm.  His actions provoked very open spite.  Nearly everybody on his ship threw curses at him and ate in front of him hoping that it would make him ill. 

Another crack threatened to appear.