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.
No comments:
Post a Comment