From Charlotte Goff
In Revenge of the Whale, it seems like religion plays a key role in the survival ofthe men. Although you could argue that food (satisfied the crew's hunger), and water (quenched the crew's thirst) were more vital for their safe return, I believe that religion (nourished thier souls) was just as crucial. Boatsteerer Thomas Chappel isquoted on page 139: "I found religion not only useful, but absolutely necessary toenable me to bear up under these severe trials." The other examples of theimportance of religion include when African-American crew members such as Richard Peterson led the crew in prayer. I think that the crew of the Essex would not have survived if they had not used their faith to endure their overwhelming hardships.
Comments?
11 comments:
I agree here. The men needed something to look to as they floated along aimlessly out on the open sea. It wasn't only religion keeping them alive, but faith in general. I would not have lasted very long in their situation, because i would have immediately thought that death was inevitable and that's what would have happened. But in the book, it seemed like the men who had the faith that they would make it to South America or that they would run into a vessel that would take them to the mainland were the ones that made it. The 3 men that stayed behind on Henderson had faith in the other crew members. They beleived that someone would make it to SA and that they would send someone out to them. Then they looked to their religion to help guide them through their uneventful stay on the island before they were found. As Sarah said on another blog, the men must have been going out of their minds wandering around as their food source began dissappearing. But in choosing to look to religion, they somehow remained sane enough until help arrived.
Another example of faith was shown by Chase. In my opinion, the men in his boat had an automatic advantage to have him as a leader. He was so detirmined to get as many men as possible back to civilization.
One thing that amazed me was how even as he lay dying, Peterson never lost his faith in God. On pages 112-113, Philbrick tells about how he knew he would die before he reached home, but he kept his faith the whole time. And then "Richard Peterson declared that it was his time to die. When Chase offered Peterson his daily ration of bread, he refused it saying, 'It may be of service to someone but can be of none to me.'" This shows his faith; he knew God meant for his death to be out on the water. Even though Peterson didn't make it all the way, this shows that religion was vital to the men.
I agree with this issue with Charlotte and Susan. Back in the 1800's, religion was very important to family and sailors. This also ties in with the Book that we are reding in Englsh called Inherit The Wind. It is baout a school teacher that tries to teach evolution in class instead of religion, and he gets put in jail for it. But that is another story. Getting back to Revenge of the Whaale, religion was very important to them. I agree with Charlotte when i say that if they didnt have their religion, they might not have made it through the journey. The religion and the prayers is what kept their hope alive. I think that they believed that God was watching over them and everything that happened was something that God wanted to have happen. But that is just my opinion. Religion in the sailors life played a huge role in getting them home alive and safe.
I agree with Charlotte that religion is a huge part of the crew of the Essex lives.' I think that without the crews' strong religion and faith, they would have not have even survived a week after the Essex was destroyed.
Although religion is the most important thing that modivates the crew, I think there are a also few other things that are important for the survival of the crew also. I think that those things are trust and friendship. Trust is important because the crew needs to fully trust each other with things like making decisions on what island is best to go to. Without the crew trusting each other, they would be constantly unsure of what they were doing, or where they were going. I think that friendship is an important role in this book also. Without the strong friendship and coorperation of the crew, I think that they would be in trouble. It would be very easy for the crew of the Essex to not disagree, or fight with each other (or at least easy for me to think that would happen) because of the condition of some of them. As the conditions become less and less promising as the book progresses, the friendships of the crew grows. If the Essex had not been rammed by the whale, and forced the crew to make the best of a really bad situation, I do not think that the crew would have been as good to each other as they are when they are on the three small boats.
I think that the crew's religion, trust, and friendship are the main things that give the crew the ensentive to live after they have put up with dehydration and starvation for a long time.
I have just read three very fine and thoughtful comments on the matter religion raised by Charlotte. Surely faith played a role in the lives of these men. I did think as I read these comments: we are reading an account of the Essex and survival based on the writings of a few of the survivors. We don't have any of the thoughts of the blacks on board-- I wonder what faith they had. I need to go back to the book and re-read sections of it, I think.
In my opinion, faith played a huge roll in the men's survival. Their religion gave them something to turn to when they felt like it was the end. Also, it is a source of comfort for people to believe that there's a higher life form (aka God) who determines what will happen, and that everything happens for a reason.
The mens' religion and faith definitely helped them survive as much as the food, water, and supplies did. Their religion gave them hope and the will to live. They had something to believe in. Without religion, many men may have sunk into despair and given up completely. What's the good of all the food and water in the world if you don't have the willpower to eat or drink it? The men's religion absolutely played a key roll in keeping them alive.
I also believe that religion and beliefs of the crew took a great part in their survival. For some of the sailors, their faith was the only thing that kept them going. For other people, such as the blacks, more specifically Peterson, religion was everything to them. Take away religion from Peterson, and PRESTO, you have a madman. For the crew in general, their faith was what generated the hope of survival, and that the gods above would have mercy and let them find land and let them survive. To the crew of the essex, when all else failed, there was faith. When faith failed, all was lot.
I also believe that religion and beliefs of the crew took a great part in their survival. For some of the sailors, their faith was the only thing that kept them going. For other people, such as the blacks, more specifically Peterson, religion was everything to them. Take away religion from Peterson, and PRESTO, you have a madman. For the crew in general, their faith was what generated the hope of survival, and that the gods above would have mercy and let them find land and let them survive. To the crew of the essex, when all else failed, there was faith. When faith failed, all was lot.
I agree that religion played a key role in the survival of the men. Even with food and water the men could loose hope and not try as hard to find some type of civilization. With religion (I assume most or all religions) prayer is a way to gain hope, this is because with prayer, one feels that they have recived guidance. When someone feels that they have any type of guidance, everything seems easier and there is more will to go on rather then just stop and have no faith. I agree with Kate that trust is also very important in survival. Without trust, the men would probably (rather than keeping their eyes peeled for someone about to say, kill them) they could have more time to do positive things such as pray. So, all in all, I agree that religion plays a key role in the survival of the men.
i agree with everyone that faith and religon played a key role in their survival. if they lost faith and just gave up then i dont think anyone would have survived. religon was vey important to them. i think they thought that what ever god had in plan for them thats what would happen to them and if they prayed to him then he would listen and answer their prayers. i pray to god to help with with many things little and big. i think their praying an faith kept them alive.
Again, I agree. With so little hope left the men turned to religion for help. It gave them something to hold on to during the hard days they faced with so little food and water (and then none), it gave them faith. Without it they probably would have just given up, and a few of them did, and drowned. The ones that survived never would have seen land.
I deffinitley agree that religion plays an extremely important role. I think that what led them on and kept them going was there religion. They had listend to god and get pushing themselves furhter. While praying i think that they were praying for survival. Without the trust that the men had with each other they would have gotten no where. I believe there trust in each other led them to work together as a team leading them to success and survival.
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