Question

When do you think Mary and the narrator feel the end was near? Why did they feel so?

Answer 1

Hint: The context of the above question is given in the chapter “ We Are Not Afraid to Die if We Can All Be Together’. The chapter is written by Gordon Cook and Alan East. It is a narration of Jordan Cook’s and his family’s voyage by sea. They had to face extremely adverse weather but they fought it bravely.

Complete answer:
Jordan Cook set out on a sea voyage with his wife and two children. They set out on their ‘Wavewalker’ which was a professionally built ship and it had been tested in the roughest waters. They started their journey from Plymouth, England and had an enjoyable journey from Africa to Cape Town. On their journey they onboard two crewmen as well who could help them sail in the rough waters of the Southern Indian Ocean.

As they moved eastward of Capetown they started facing stormy weather. It subsided around Christmas but on January 2 their ship was hit by big waves. In the following days, the weather of the sea got worse. Due to the turbulent weather Jordan got thrown off the ship, he got hurt in the mouth and ribs, his daughter got hit on the head and cut in her arm, the hand pump got choked with debris, the electric pump got short-circuited etc.

Everything was going against them but they did not lose hope and somehow managed to control the ship. They ate their meal of corn and snackers after almost 2 days. They decided to stop on an island near lle, Amsterdam because the boat was worn out and significantly damaged. But they were still far from reaching the island when the clouds above them got dark again and the weather remained bad for the next two days as well.

It was in these days when his son came to him and said “we aren’t afraid of dying if we can all be together — you and Mummy, Sue and I.”. Hearing these words Jordan became more determined to fight the sea but as the broken planks of the ship brought in more water, he and his wife felt the end was near.

Note: In the end all the people on the ship got saved and reached the Island. Thus, we can conclude that willpower and determination can make anyone overcome obstacles in life. Also, his son’s words teach us that optimism in tough times further motivates us to overcome obstacles.