The Open Boat Psychology

Decent Essays
The Open Boat Psychological Analysis

In Stephen Cranes “The Open Boat” four men are stranded at sea in an open boat. Having been crew members on a ship the men are all forced to work together to survive. The men face a massive physical battle but a psychological battle just as large. The men are alone in the middle of the ocean just trying to survive. The psychological battles they face is mental fatigue, loneliness, and patience. Throughout the story the men are faced with a massive test for survival. Being stranded alone in the middle of the ocean is no easy task for someone to take on. The four men must work together in order to survive the trials that await ahead of them. In being in a situation where there is little to no hope the men

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Comparison Essay Challenging situations are perfect opportunities to learn about someone's true character. In the stories, “Survival” by John Hersey, and Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, both main characters, Tom Sawyer and John F. Kennedy encounter difficult and trying situations. John F. Kennedy was the heroic character and Tom Sawyer showed us the ups and downs of our adventurous side. “Survival”, by John Hersey, was a difficult book to get through because it tells the true story about events that occurred in World War II.…

    • 571 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The only thing pulling the men through all the death and despair is the unbreakable bonds between…

    • 534 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    O Brien Themes

    • 1005 Words
    • 5 Pages

    F: How does the way O’Brien structures his work inform the themes and messages he develops? The way O’Brien structures his work through the use of narrative storytelling, direct quotation, and recurring motifs help emphasize the themes of post-war hardships, emotional weakness, and guilt . O’Brien uses common motifs of amoral decision making, isolation, and moral ambiguity. The motifs set the path for the book because O’Brien creates a novel about a group of men who endure the mental and physical fight on war.…

    • 1005 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Have you ever felt as though you were being watched? Did it make you feel uncomfortable or motivate you to do your best? The Hawthorne effect can be described as a change in behavior when subjects are being watched. Two behaviors can occur as a result from being watched; people either behave better than normal or display uneasiness.…

    • 550 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Critical Analysis of Tim O’Brien War never changes, but war changes people. The soldier pays the ultimate price for freedom and peace. The war always stays with the soldier even long after the battles are over. Tim O’Brien is one of those soldiers who payed the price and survived the war, but internally never leaving the Vietnam War. In The Things They Carried, O’Brien uses his life experiences from the Vietnam War and his childhood, the protest during the war, and his ideologies from the war to write his novel.…

    • 1581 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Boys in the Boat and Night are two very different books and people, yet they share the same struggles/tragedies and morals. In Boys in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown, nine boys compete in rowing races and experience tough challenges and hard work. After all the rowing practice, they soon make it to Berlin to row in the Olympics. In Night, by Elie Wiesel, Elie and his family go through very tough times being Jewish and fearing Germans and basically losing trust in everyone. Joe Rantz and Elie Wiesel demonstrate resilience by overcoming struggles/tragedies and overcoming a loss of faith.…

    • 816 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The article “Sex, Lies and Conversation” by Deborah Tannen illustrates several points about the differences and similarities between the conversational techniques of men and women of varying ages. In her article, she mentions how men and women have different expectations of what a conversationalist is supposed to do, one of them being that women “assume a conversationalist's job is to express agreement and support” (para 19) meanwhile men “see their conversational duty as pointing out the other side of an argument” (para 19). This can create unintended tension between both people, such can be seen in the book Deep Down Dark by Hector Tobar. Chapter four of the book is when hunger and desperation first begins to show itself within the 33 men.…

    • 819 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    There are numerous theories within psychology that discuss how an individual’s personality develops. For example, Trait Theory discusses how an individual’s personality is formed based on how they fall along a continuum of various defining traits. In order to analyze Ryan Bingham’s personality in the film, Up in the Air, it is necessary to use a mix of Humanistic, Psychoanalytic, and Behavioral/Social Learning theories of personality. These theories explain Ryan’s the detriments and benefits to his personality. Ryan has the potential to become a Self-Actualized individual, but his avoidant personality style inhibits his chance to truly reach his full potential.…

    • 892 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Suspense In Unbroken

    • 281 Words
    • 2 Pages

    " (xvii) By referring to how far are in the ocean they are, in several different ways, Hillenbrand creates a lonely and suspenseful mood because there is no one for thousands of miles to help them, they have no food or…

    • 281 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The passengers on the ship are very curious to what has happened. They feel very suspicious to what may happen as they pass it. The mood in this setting and place is very suspicious and they are very unsure of what to think about the island. As the story continues,…

    • 545 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Misael Barajas Argumentative Essay Have you ever felt like you have no luck? As if someone or something is detaining you from achieving your goals? Well, someone sure did, and its something you wouldn't want to experience. Well, today you are going to read about someone that was gone For over 20 years and he couldn't get to his home or to his family. Its something really scary to experience.…

    • 774 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The drama film Antwone Fisher is about a temperamental young man with a violent history who is serving in the United States Navy. After, getting into a fist fight with one of his leading officers, Fisher was sentenced to the captain’s mast where he was demoted, fined, and restricted from the ship for forty-five days. His commanding officer also ordered for him to get psychiatric treatment because of his continuous aggressive behavior displayed in recent months. Dr. Jerome Davenport was Navy’s psychologist, who Fisher was appointed to see. Fisher had to engage in three cooperative sessions before returning back to duty.…

    • 813 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    While traveling home after he catches the marlin, several sharks begin to eat the marlin. Just as Christ attempts to resist his opponents and fails, Santiago vigorously attempts to fight the sharks off but ultimately cannot. However, neither Christ nor Santiago are discouraged, as shown when Santiago reasons, “A man can be destroyed but not defeated” (Hemingway 103). Both men know that they are still victorious as they are more capable than their opponents and will be able to achieve their destiny after Santiago and Christ are mentally and physically destroyed, respectively. They understand that out of these dreadful situations will emerge a rush of virtue and worthiness.…

    • 1459 Words
    • 6 Pages
    • 6 Works Cited
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Santiago: a Hemingway Code Hero The Old Man and The Sea is a book about an introspective fisherman who has a sense of adventure. Santiago, the main character, goes out fishing and endures one of the greatest battles of his life. As most code heroes do, he perseveres and lives to see another day. He believes “a man can be destroyed but not defeated” (Hemingway 103).…

    • 844 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In The Old Man and the Sea, we meet a very persistent, spirited and old man by the name of Santiago. Poor and proud, Santiago strives daily to live his life of a fisherman to set examples of notable morals and values. After eighty-four days of unsuccessful fishing, the weak man embarks on a five-day journey by sea after hooking an immense marlin. He never gives in to adversity or refuses a good opponent. The old man’s entire existence has been writhe with struggle.…

    • 1230 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays