Endurance - Part I, Chapter 8

Endurance - Part I, Chapter 6

This chapter brings about the triumph of the group over the great standstill they were enduring.  The Endurance had been stagnant for over six months, moving very little if at all.  After great ice pressure and many harsh winter storms, a large crack appeared in the ice.  This was the precise window the crew needed.  They all manned their stations and finally were able to resume their travels.  However, in true leading fashion, Shackleton did not let this victory go to the heads of his men.  To get his point across, he told the parable of an overzealous mouse mustering up his liquid courage and and confidently saying "where's that damned cat?" (50)  By saying this, he was telling his crew not to get ahead of themselves.  One small victory like this means very little in the long run.  His views on success are just as relevant today, in my opinion.  I'll use the 2008 Super Bowl runner-up New England Patriots as an example.  They had the perfect regular season.  They seemed unstoppable.  However, they came up one game short of NFL immortality.  In the end, it was all because their success went to their heads and they lost sight of the real goal.  Shackleton knew that if this happened on his ship, the consequences would be much worse than a simple mark in the loss column.

Endurance - Part I, Chapter 5

This chapter mainly focuses on a few seemingly minor crew members on the boat that had unique personalities.  Their dissimilarities made for some entertaining antics to keep the rest of the men occupied.  In addition, despite the gloomy darkness that overtook the sea, the men kept a relatively good outlook on each other.  Lanisng writes, "...they had come to like one another, too" (39).   Their many fantasy games and karaoke sessions taught me a good lesson.  No matter how desperate a situation may seem, some positive things can be taken out of it.  By taking their minds off of their predicament for a period of time, they got closer as a unit and became better sailors.

Endurance - Part I, Chapter 4

As the crew realized they were stuck on this giant ice sheet, the more dire the situation became.  This was illustrated in the diary entries of the various workers of the ship.  The stillness of the vessel was evident in the anaphoral entries of Chippy McNeish, which all began with the words "Still fast..." (31).  Despite the crew's sometimes low morale, they continued on their journey.  Chipping and hammering away at the ice every chance they got, Shackleton's men persevered.  In addition, they continued to hunt seals and whales along the way to sustain themselves.  This struck me because of the determination they all showed.  They were willing to fight in order to keep their dream alive.  The men aboard the Endurance would not give up until their goal was achieved, which I find quite admirable.

Endurance - Part I, Chapter 3

The beginning of this chapter finds Shackleton feeling a sense of relief.  After all his preparation and dreaming, the Endurance had finally set sail.  The ship sailed for 10 days without any issues.  However, when they reached the whaling station on South Georgia, they were told news that could be detrimental to their mission.  Ice conditions on the Weddell Sea were the worst that they have ever been and would be very difficult to travel upon.  After weeks of cautiously biding their time, they continued their journey.  Despite the time they took waiting for the ice to subside, the Endurance still was beset on an immense ice sheet near the Weddell Sea.  As Orde-Lees, the storekeeper, most eloquently stated with his simile, "'frozen, like an almond in the middle of a chocolate bar'" (30).  The excessive amount of anticipation and cash that went into the project seemed to all have gone to waste.  The crew, however, was not going down without a fight.

Endurance - Part I, Chapter 2

This chapter focuses on the many steps needed to prepare for such an extensive voyage.  Shackleton wanted to do something that had never been done before.  Namely, travel all the way across Antarctica, from west to east. This would not be an operation that could be planned overnight.  After thousand of applicants and hundreds of thousands of dollars, his expedition was about to begin.  However, something happened just days before they were set to leave that would make Shackleton contemplate going on the mission at all.  Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria had just been assassinated, thus sparking World War I.  He had to face the dilemma of either staying and helping England's cause in the war, or setting sail and pursuing his dream.  He consulted with his financial supporters, and with a message from the Admiralty that was a "one-word telegram: 'Proceed'" (18), Shackleton decided to continue with the adventure.  This reminds me of a very difficult time in our country as well.  The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, were devastating, especially to the residents of New York City.  The usually vibrant city was left in physical and emotional shambles.  However, that very same week, Mayor Rudy Giuliani appeared on the popular show Saturday Night Live and declared that New York was "open for business".  Maybe it is just the patriotism of the Fourth of July flowing through me, but I believe that statement helped New York and all of America get back on its feet and press forward as a country.

Endurance - Part I, Chapter 1

Alfred Lansing's novel Endurance begins with the ship of the same name sinking.  Ernest Shackleton, the vessel's captain, has given the order to abandon ship.  After a three-day long battle on the harsh seas and ice of the Weddell Sea, the Endurance is merely moments from collapsing.  While the crew knows they are in great danger, many also feel relieved and safe.  Shackleton in particular does not agree with these emotions.  Lansing writes, "The general feeling of relief at being off the ship was not shared by one man -- at least not in the larger sense" (8).  The contrast in feelings between Shackleton and the crew really jumped out at me while reading this chapter.  Most of the ship's men were elated that they were able to escape the Endurance alive.  Shackleton, however, had a very different outlook.  He knew that just because they escaped, they weren't out of the proverbial woods just yet.  He knew that in order to get back to safety, they would have to overcome even greater hardships and trials.  Lansing does a great job of showing juxtaposition in the different viewpoints and sets the dramatic tone for the rest of the novel with this opening chapter.