“When the night came, the white waves passed to and fro in the moonlight, and the wind carried the sound of the great sea's voice to the men on the shore, and they felt they could therefore to be interpreters” (Crane 370). “The Open Boat,” written by Stephen Crane, describes the journey of four men stranded in a dinghy in the middle of the ocean and the hardships they faced to survive. This story is not only a gripping tale, which keeps readers on the edge of their seats, but also makes the reader realize how precious life truly is. Sometimes people have a tendency to take life as a grain of salt and don't think about the realization that life can be taken away in the blink of an eye. As in “The Open Boat,” the crew members learned that they could not survive alone and that their only option was to work together as a team. We must have the same perspective towards our daily lives when we, or someone we see, is struggling. The Captain is an important character in the story and his character holds the other crew members' heads high by keeping them motivated during times of difficulty. He was the captain of the original boat, but after the boat sank, he was injured and could not physically participate in keeping the dinghy afloat. At first, the captain feels like he has lost his sense of direction because he is not used to letting others take command. Without his sense of authority intact, he feels disconnected from the world and his spirit is dismantled. However, not being able to contribute as he would have preferred, he led the way by giving precise instructions to the other characters to keep the dinghy afloat. Each member of the boat follows his instructions. He commands in a very respectable manner. This... half of the paper... contains two different qualities that are used together in the same statement. In summary, "The Open Boat" is a very intriguing story that can be read not only for pure entertainment, but also has a moral in the story. No matter where someone comes from in life, whether someone is the richest or poorest person on Earth, he or she should always make sure to care for someone and protect them when they are in trouble. By caring for each other, just as they did in “The Open Boat,” they created strong, everlasting friendships. If someone cares for someone else, that person will also make an effort to return the favor. Life is just like the ocean. We may have our ups and downs, but life never changes. The only thing that will affect the outcome of our life is the perspective we place towards our life.