Book Report on The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger
The fishing port of Gloucester, Massachusetts, just north of Boston, is one of the oldest fishing ports in the United States and can trace its history to around 1623. Since that time, around ten thousand men have lost their lives fishing the Atlantic Ocean. Not only did the fishing port feel the full brunt of the storm but that fateful day in October 1991 was to add another six men to that tally when the fishing boat Andrea Gail was caught in the full fury of the storm out on the fishing grounds, heading back to port with a hold full of swordfish. The Perfect Storm is the story of that fateful trip of October 1991 when the Andrea Gail headed out to sea for one last shot at a major
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The environment influences the characters quite a bit. Everybody in that community does something that involves the fish industry or supplying alcohol for the fishermen. The lifestyles of the people are basically fish for a month out on the open sea, come home for a week, get a drunk as you can, give your wife and family all the money made and not spent on alcohol, and then leave to fish for another month or two. The main characters in the story are all crew members of the same fishing skipper so they act just as one would expect crew members to act towards one another. The availability of food and water are very good. The story takes place on the coast so obviously there is a lot of water and the entire story is based around fishing to supply the food industry with swordfish. Fishing for swordfish is very profitable so all of these crew members are well to do.
The characters are involved in travel for work. They travel up and down the coast in pursuit of swordfish. Therefore the goods that are being sold and traded are the swordfish. These swordfish are coming from the Atlantic Ocean to be sent to be served in sea food restaurants. The cause for the movement is the need of a job and money and food.
The physical region described in this story would basically be the coastal region. The part played by this region is basically the location of a job and
The book is littered with explanations about fishing. I admit that I frequently got lost in these passages. This knowledge is an important element of the story. When a component of the boat malfunctions, readers know the significance of this to the sailors. Without this, the book would have provided a message that only other sailors could understand. Junger, by supplying this information, wants to make sure that all readers can fully grasp the danger and suspense of the book.
Kate Chopin wrote the short story “The Storm” one of her most bold stories and did not even intention to publish it (Cutter 191). The two main characters in the story are Calixta and Alcee. They both used to be attracted to one another in previous years, but now they are both married to someone else. After Alcee arrives to Calixta’s house looking for shelter they are driven into a passionate moment. In the story “The Storm” the storm has a significant meaning; without it the affair of Calixta and Alcee performed would not have been as powerful as it was between them. “The Storm” has a great deal of symbolism throughout the story: the clouds, the use of color white, the storm relative to the affair, the after effects of the affair, Calixta,
Malmar McKnight’s frightening story, “The Storm”, weaves a violent storm and murder together to heighten the horrific fears that engulf Janet Willsom. “The Storm” is a combination of Mother Nature, Janet’s emotions, and her heartbreaking dilemmas. The eerie mood is revealed throughout the story. Figurative language helps the reader bring the story to life in his/ her mind. The author’s use of irony is devolved through Janet’s changed perception of the storm.
The epic journey of “The Old Man and the Sea” describes struggle, discipline and manhood. The main characters relationships exemplify how faith and skill overcome man’s adversity during life on the sea. Santiago’s growing relationship with the boy idealizes his statute as a father figure and develops his integrity and values towards the boy. Hemmingway shows us how an old fisherman’s will to overcome the sea’s obstacles proves his manhood to himself and the young boy. His skills and knowledge of the sea provide a positive influence for the young boy to become a great fisherman someday.
The boat represents the only way of life for the family due to the tradition of it being passed down the family. But the boat can cause disruption throughout the family because it is the center of attention for the family. The author was introduced to the fisherman lifestyle when he was a kid, “when I was very small he took me for my first ride,” (224) which can symbolize the family trying to get the author ready for the future. The mother (whose family passed down the boat) had a strong connection due to growing up with the boat being in her life. The mother put a lot of pressure on the family to stay in the family business and not go elsewhere. When she found out about the daughters leaving, the author said, “she was worried about herself and about her family and her life,” indicating her devotion towards the boat. The daughters were able to find a different path and move away from the boat and so did the son but it wasn't as easy for him. He felt the most pressure being the youngest and the only male in the family next to his father saying, “I would remain with him as long as he lived and we would fish the sea together,” (234) putting the father in a tough spot since he wanted his son to
The Perfect Storm is a novel written by Sebastian Junger, that retells the horrific story of fishermen and sailors who were caught in the eye of the worst storm in history. The book mainly focuses on the Andrea Gail, a swordfishing boat, with a crew of 6 men, who disappeared without a trace deep into the northern atlantic sea. In the year 2000, almost 10 years after the tragic event took place, a motion picture, perfectly titled, The Perfect Storm which was based on the novel was released. There were subtle to few changes in the plot line of the story, however there were many differences among the book and movie. The movie is very intact with the plot and
Isaac’s Storm, is a tale of self- confidence. This Hurricane in 1900 in Galveston was the worst and deadliest hurricane this country has ever seen. About 6,000 people lost their lives and among those who died was Isaac Cline’s wife. I can tell how guilty he must have felt and how horrific this time was for Cline, especially because he thought a massive storm could never devastate his amazing city. The horrific events of what happened in Galveston is only partially told in this book. Erik Larson’s use of Cline’s own letters and reports show Cline’s own self confidence or pride and falsifies facts that Cline was the hero he believed himself to be after the Storm surfaced. Isaac's Storm clearly shows what can happen when human arrogance takes priority over anything else.
In Nantucket, the whaler’s island, every man had to be a whaler. Even if it wasn’t his dream job, just because it was the only way to survive in the island without being dropped out of the community. Philbrick introduces us to this starting point by quoting the words of Thomas Nickerson, the one who had been taught to “idolize the form of a ship” (Philbrick, 1).
“On such a full sea” is a novel written by Chang-Rae Lee. The story is about a journey of a nineteen-year old girl name Fan. She works in the tanks diving and keeping it clean, nurturing the fish and just looking after the welfare of the fish. This is one of the most important jobs for the city of B-Mor because it is one of the major ways the city can get their revenue. They sell the fish to the Charter village. Fan’s journey starts when one-day Fan’s boyfriend Reg disappeared from B-more due to the governmental-pharmaceutical cartel she decides to leave B-Mor on the search of Reg. She explores the different social classes from the open counties, which is the low-class society and there is a high rate of crimes such as murder, robbery, and aggressive
The setting of Alistair Macleod’s short story, The Boat, complements the setting of Alden Nowlan’s poem, Warren Pryor. Each of these writing pieces contain the element of a smaller town with a tight knit community. In the short story The Boat, our community is a Nova Scotian community whose primary industry is fishing. This results in most of the members of the community partaking in the fishing lifestyle. Another influential location this writing piece takes place in is inside of the house, “which was one of about fifty that marched around the horseshoe of [his] harbour,” (Macleod 263). Most of the homes in this town are situated close to the water as it is there where most of the men work as fishermen. Inside the house was his father's room where “magazines and books covered the bureau,” (Macleod 265). It was in their father’s room where the children discover their love of reading and become more dedicated to their schooling. Both the short story and the poem contain the setting of a school, which is symbolic as it is their education that allows the characters to be free of their obligations and the way of their town. Finally, the setting takes place on the Jenny Lynn, “she was what Nova Scotians called a Cape Island boat and was designed for the small inshore fishermen,” (Macleod 262) and it is on this boat where the father and son make their final journey out to sea. Likewise, the poem Warren Pryor takes place in another resource based community, however, this
Kate Chopin implies in the selection, "The Storm" that the setting and the plot reinforces each character's action, but only two characters exemplify the title itself, Calixta and Alcee. The storm becomes the central element of Alcee's unrequited love for Calixta and ultimately the instrument of their forbidden love to each other. Hurston concurs in the "The Storm" that a forbidden relationship can become a cancerous love and silent death sentence.
At the headquarters of the Louisiana National Guard, located in the lower 9th ward, the soldiers were not yet aware that the canal levees were giving way. The Guard’s commander
The main argument of the book ‘The Sea-Wolf’ is about opposing behaviors of human being depicted by the role of nature in revealing the inner self of a person. In this regard, London uses two of his main characters to demonstrate the distinct opposing sides of human beings. The first part is about Humphrey, who is a young Dutch struggling with his demons and difficulties in the sea as he hope to change his life and those of fellow crews . Humphrey is initially weak, rich and naïve, and with straight morals . Humphrey believes on fairness, compassion, and all through the story despite being close to the evil Larsen he refuses to follow his footsteps .
The Great Hurricane of 1938, or known to many as the Long Island Express, was known as one of the most disastrous hurricanes to hit New England. It wasn’t the high winds, heavy rain, and high waves/storm surge that gave this hurricane its title in history. The Great Hurricane had a fourth deadly weapon; the element of surprise. It was the beginning of September, a time where many packed up their summer clothes, boarded up their houses, and left to return back to the real world leaving their summer homes behind. When symptoms of a storm approached New England, many locals convinced themselves and others that it was just the normal “line storm” which occasionally comes in September. It wasn’t until Sept 21 that people realized the so-called