The Open Boat | Ideas for Group Discussion
Naturalism vs. individual responsibility is the key issue in "The Open Boat." The group may question whether the men have been stranded in the dinghy because of the forces of nature or of society. Having found themselves adrift on the open seas, do they respond realistically or are they simply symbols for Crane's thesis? The group may also compare "The Open Boat" with Joseph Conrad's sea stories written about the same time, especially Lord Jim (1900; see separate entry) and "Youth" (1902; see separate entry).
1. Discuss how Crane reveals the personalities of each of the...
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