Problem
a) "The Open Boat" is inspired by the author's own experience surviving a shipwreck. How, if at all, does this fact affect your reading of the short story?
b) Brotherhood is a key component to the men's behavior at sea. In the story, where do you see brotherhood at work? How does this component help people survive, both in dire situations and in everyday life?
c) In the context of the story, who is in control: man or nature? How do the men's perceptions of nature change throughout the story?