Reading Questions for Stephen Crane's
"The Open Boat"
Vocabulary:
naturalism, realism, situational irony
Introduction: What
real event provided Crane with the idea/basis for his
short
story? What was Crane's attitude toward finding meaning
in life?
Lecture or Handouts:
Identify the following characters and
images: the cook, Billie the oiler, the correspondent,
the injured captain
Reading Questions:
- What colors appear in the opening passage of the story?
What might these colors symbolize for a naturalist?
Passages for Identification: Be able to explain who wrote
this passages, what work they come from, and briefly explain
their significance, context, or importance in the work.
A. None of them knew the colour of the sky. Their eyes
glanced level, and were fastened upon the waves that swept
toward them. These waves were teh hue of slate, save for
the tops, which were of foaming white, and all of the men
knew the colours of the sea.