“The Open Boat””“From the first moment [a phrase referring to “the sky”], … The Open Boat proceeds as a traditional sea voyage towards knowledge, and the knowledge it achieves is as mysterious or religious as that imagined in other great American sea voyages ---…”The “Open Boat” is a short story written by Stephen Crane (1871-1900). This story develops the tragic fate of the Commodore of the SS. This ship had the mission of carrying ammunition for the Cuban rebels from Jacksonville, Florida to Cuba with its 28 souls on board. Unfortunately the ship sank after hitting a sandbank due to fog. This story tells of how the crew fought the sea for their lives and how they survived in the life raft for two long nights. In this article we will argue the fact that, despite some aspects, the “Open Boat” is still considered a traditional sea voyage. So what makes it traditional? There is nothing more traditional than a sea story with a shipwreck. Numerous sea-related stories tell of how ships were destroyed or sank at sea. In “The Open Boat” the story begins immediately after the shipwreck so the narrator does not tell any specific details about it. However, the “shipwreck” is the starting point of the story. From "A Descent Into the Maelstrom" to "Titanic", the destruction of the ship is the most important part of the story because one way or another it begins or ends the story. How the shipwreck takes place will further the story. In the Titanic, when the boat hit the iceberg, the sinking of the giant boat killed approximately fifteen hundred people. It happened over a hundred years ago and we're still talking about it. This tragic story is an unforgettable part of history… middle of paper… er.” This is probably why God's power is not present in this story. Unfortunately in the “Open Boat”, the crew had to surf the behavior of the sea and nothing could help them. As Vincent Van Gogh said, "all fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found in these dangers a sufficient reason to stay on land". Works citedEmeritius, Educator. "What are the major themes of Stephen Crane's short story "The Open Boat"? - Homework Help - ENotes.com." Enotes.com. Enotes.com, August 14, 2012. Web. November 23, 2013. "Quotes on the Life of Pi." By Yann Martel. Np, nd Web. November 23, 2013. Raymond, William. "A vocabulary of culture and society". Np, nd Web. 23 November 2013. The Billion Dollar Film Club." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 01 August 2011. Web. 23 November 2013 Van Gogh, Vincent. BrainyQuote. Xplore, nd Web. 23 November. 2013.