The Boat - Essay
The Boat Response Paper
By: Sierra Selleck
The short story “The Boat” by Alistair MacLeod that was written in 1968, is a story about conflict between tradition and freedom. The father is a fisherman who only continues his job because he is chained through the past of others. The family son is restricted from his education because he spends a lot of time on the boat worried about his parents expectations. His mother believes that he will carry on and take his fathers place in the fisherman position. When the father is not out on the boat, he is in his room reading, to escape the world of imprisonment and monotonous duty. The mother of the family believes that the tradition of being a fisherman in the boat, is the only right way for her husband and children to continue living their lives. The author is trying to tell us to follow our dreams in life that won't keep us chained and unhappy and to never limit your options. As the father is unable to live freely, he is chained to his job through tradition. In the story it shows how the father has lived an unhappy life for many years. After being a fisherman for over forty years he still doesn't fit into the position. “He looked both massive and incongruous in the setting...The beach umbrella jarred with his sunburned face...His lips which chapped in the winds of spring had already cracked in several places.” (Page 141). The description given shows that he vetoed his body to adapt to the conditions out on the boat. He also could also not swim a stroke if he tried. The life he now lives chained into on the boat represents imprisonment and necessity. He is chained to his life on the boat because of the responsibility to his wife and children. The boat is the center of the family that his wife believes rules over everything. When the father returned at noon the first thing the mother would ask every day would be “Well, how did things go in the boat today?” (Page 131). The boat was called after her as another link
By: Sierra Selleck
The short story “The Boat” by Alistair MacLeod that was written in 1968, is a story about conflict between tradition and freedom. The father is a fisherman who only continues his job because he is chained through the past of others. The family son is restricted from his education because he spends a lot of time on the boat worried about his parents expectations. His mother believes that he will carry on and take his fathers place in the fisherman position. When the father is not out on the boat, he is in his room reading, to escape the world of imprisonment and monotonous duty. The mother of the family believes that the tradition of being a fisherman in the boat, is the only right way for her husband and children to continue living their lives. The author is trying to tell us to follow our dreams in life that won't keep us chained and unhappy and to never limit your options. As the father is unable to live freely, he is chained to his job through tradition. In the story it shows how the father has lived an unhappy life for many years. After being a fisherman for over forty years he still doesn't fit into the position. “He looked both massive and incongruous in the setting...The beach umbrella jarred with his sunburned face...His lips which chapped in the winds of spring had already cracked in several places.” (Page 141). The description given shows that he vetoed his body to adapt to the conditions out on the boat. He also could also not swim a stroke if he tried. The life he now lives chained into on the boat represents imprisonment and necessity. He is chained to his life on the boat because of the responsibility to his wife and children. The boat is the center of the family that his wife believes rules over everything. When the father returned at noon the first thing the mother would ask every day would be “Well, how did things go in the boat today?” (Page 131). The boat was called after her as another link