Reaching Elephant Island

Part Four, Chapters 2-5: Reaching Elephant Island

Term: round character



The remaining chapters of part four begin with the crew only about thirty to forty miles away from Elephant Island. The three ships struggled to stay in a close distance of each other during the long journey. They continually sailed west, while the easterly winds carried them along. At first, they had been going in the opposite direction, and the boats became covered with ice. Times had never been worse for the crew. The three boats split up momentarily, but luckily met back up again. Throughout the next few days, all men worked extremely hard on board the ships. They were all on the brink of exhaustion, and they pushed forward through all the treacherous nights. One man in particular, Frank Worsley, worked very hard for the crew's respect. "They had been in the boats now for five and a half days, and during that time almost everyone had come to look upon Worsley in a new light. In the past he had been thought of as excitable and wild--even irresponsible. But all that was changed now. During these past days he 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" (Lansing 169). This quote explains how Worsley has gained respect and honor of his fellow crew members by simply working hard and displaying his true skills. This quote encourages me to continue to work hard each day to ensure a good life in the future. This quote has taught me that working hard and showing respect to others will earn me more respect from those around me.