Symbolism In Stephen Crane's The Open Boat

In the real world, one must be prepared to face challenges before they succeed. This is the theme of “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane. Crane represents the theme by using copious amounts of symbolism throughout the story. The inactive house of refuge represents that one must be prepared to face the world by themselves. The obstructive storm represents that one may need backtrack before they can reach their goals. The icy quality of the water represents that sometimes the world can be hostile to people who are trying to succeed. All of this symbolism conveys that when a person wants to reach a goal, they must expect an inhospitable world or else be disappointed by what the world provides.
For example, the house of refuge represents that although
On this account, the crew was resentful when the people from the house of refuge didn’t come to save them. By exhibiting this acrimony in the characters, the author conveys that one cannot count on anyone but one’s self when trying to succeed, or even to survive. In the same way, the storm that forces the crew to turn back represents that sometimes, one must double back before they can reach their goals. At this point in the story, the crew had been gazing out towards a lighthouse for quite some time, sure that it was a sign their journey was almost concluded. Unfortunately, the oncoming storm forces the crew to head back out to sea. “No mind unused to the sea would have concluded that the dinghy could ascend these sheer heights in time. The shore was still afar… ‘she won’t live three minutes more, and we’re too far out to swim. Shall I take her to sea again, Captain?’... There was a considerable silence… in gloom.”
The crew was expectant of a swift end to their journey; therefore, they were disappointed when such a quick conclusion did not occur. This represents how if one does not expect setbacks, then the setbacks will seem even more