We’re Not Afraid To Die……
Introduction:
v
"We're Not Afraid to Die" is a story written by authors Gordon
Cook and Alan East and is about the courage and bravery that is shown in the
face of trouble
by a family
of four on a sinking ship.
v The family consisted of two
parents and two children and they boarded their ship in order to embark on a
voyage around the world in order to duplicate the record made by Captain Cook.
v
They passed first year of
their journey up to 105,000 km pleasantly and reached Cape Town. Here two crew
members on board as they navigated their way
through the Southern Indian Ocean. On
the second day in Cape Town they faced strong winds. Though they celebrated Christmas.
v As they were traveling, the weather takes a turn for the worst and the voyage begins to descend into chaos. The
sea begins to get rough and wave roused up to the top mast. Narrator tried to slow down the boat. He dropped the storm jib and lashed everything, practiced life raft drills, attached life lines, donned oil skins and life jackets.
v By 6 pm wind dropped, but the sky grew dark and the boat is being violently beaten by the high winds and the waves. The weather gets so bad that the author is flung overboard by a strong wave. His left ribs cracked, mouth
filled with blood. Of broken teeth.
v Suddenly front hatch opened and Marry came
out. She screamed, “We’re sinking”. The decks too smashed.
v The narrator goes to children’s cabin to enquirer about children’s well-being. There he comes to know of sue getting a
big bump on her forehead. But he had no time to think of it. So, he hurried off
to deck. To repair the boat and to check the flooding of the water in the ship.
v The narrator found a hammer, screws and a
canvas to secure water proof hatch covers. When hand pumps blocked, electric
pumps short circuited he managed a spare pump from the chart-room and worked
over night to pump out the water.
v They tried to send May Day signals but failed to
get any response.
v Although by 3rd January water level
was under control they couldn't stop the leakage. So the narrator realizing they
won’t survive till they reach Australia looked for an alternative option and
found an island, Ile Amsterdam. They thrived to reach this French scientific
base.
v At times narrator and his wife Marry lost their hope but children tried to boost up their strength and comfort them. Sue had a deep cut in her arm but seeing her father busy saving their boat didn't disclose it in first place. She also made a card to show her gratitude towards her parents for saving their lives.
v Jonathan said he is not afraid to die if they’re
all together.
v This led to
the building energy and enthusiasm inside a very extremely fatigued writer. He
decided to heave and fight the sea.
v Next day
saw a very bright morning. He was welcomed by his children who exclaimed, “you
are the best daddy in the world”. He rushed to the deck and to his amazement,
gazed at the stark outline of Ile Amsterdam. It seemed to him to be the most
beautiful island in the world.
v They
anchored off shore for the night and then were welcomed by the 28 inhabitants
of the island the next morning. All along, the only thing which filled the
writer's mind was the undeterred courage which his wife Mary showed, his
daughter who didn't worry about her head injury and
his son who wasn't afraid of dying.
Questions and answers (from various websites)
Q. Why does
the reader find the two children, Jonathan and Suzanne, worth significant
mentioning?
Ans. Along with the adults, the two children too are worth mentioning as
they showed exemplary courage and understanding even in the face of death. Fear
and fear factors are associated with death but love conquers both. When the
captain – the children’s father – lost the last speck of his hope, it was the
children who rekindled it.
Q. The
incident established nature’s overpowering fury and compassion.
Ans. The idea of
losing one’s life can throw even the mightiest out of gear. Hence, natural
calamities like Earthquake, tsunamis and floods strike us with fear and defeat
us with death but this very nature has in its bosom tiny pinpricks where man
can run to for safety. In the sea was death but in the same sea was hope.
Q. What for
did the narrator and his family undertake an adventurous trip?
Ans. The author
with his wife Mary and their two children-Jonathan and Suzanne-was the family
of extreme adventure nature. They tried to duplicate the round the world voyage
accomplished by their forefather Captain James Cook in their professionally
built ship - The Wavewalker.
Q. What for
did Cook take two crewmen from Cape Town? Did that decision turn out good?
Ans. Cook and his
family picked up two crew men-American Vigil and Swiss Herb to tackle of the
world’s roughest seas-The Southern Indian Ocean. This very soon turned out for
good because the two men – vigorous and adventurous – helped the family. when
the ship was sinking. Though silent in the narrative, their contribution is
matchless.
Q. How did
Jonathan react to the desperate situation they found themselves in on 5th January?
Ans.
Jonathan asked his father if they were all going to die. On the father’s
reassurance, he said that they were not afraid of dying if they could all be
together – his dad, mom, Sue and himself.
Q. How did
the narrator respond to little Jon’s words? What do his actions reveal
about his character?
Ans. The
narrator could not find any words to respond to his son’s remark. However, as
he left his children’s cabin, he was determined to fight the sea with
everything he had. This shows his courageous nature and his love for his
children. He was a caring father who wanted to save his children at all
costs.
Q. How did
Sue try to enliven the gloomy atmosphere?
Ans. Sue
tried to enliven the gloomy atmosphere by trying her hand at making a card
for her parents. She had drawn their caricatures and written that she had
drawn some funny people. She had written that she loved both her parents. The
card expressed her heartfelt thanks to them and she hoped for the best.
Q. Who do
you think did the narrator call Ile Amsterdam ‘the most beautiful island
in the world’?
Ans. The
island was only a bleak piece of volcanic rock with little vegetation – the
author called it the most beautiful island in the world because it had
given them a ray of hope for survival. They could at least anchor there and
repair their ship.
Q. What did
the narrator think of on landing at Ile Amsterdam? Why?
Ans. On
landing at Ile Amsterdam, the narrator’s thoughts were full of Larry and
Herbie, his crew members who remained cheerful and optimistic throughout the
hardships. He thought of his wife also, who stayed at the wheel for all those
crucial hours? He also thought of his daughter, who had been so brave all
through the ordeal and had not bothered about her head injury.
Q. How can
you say that Suzanne’s injuries were serious?
Ans. Suzanne’s injuries were serious because she had to undergo six
minor surgeries to remove a recurring blood clot between her skin and skull.
She had also injured her arm and had two black eyes.
Q.
“Optimism and courage help to tide over difficulties”. How did the
narrator succeed in searching the small island?
Ans.
Despite the lost compass and a faulty compass, the author did not lose hope. He
used his intelligence to estimate the influence of the westerly currents which
flowed
through
that part of the Ocean. He asked Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees and
remained optimistic about spotting the island at about 5 pm.
Q. Why do
you think people undertake such adventurous expeditions in spite of the
risks involved?
Ans. People
undertake such adventurous expeditions due to two reasons. They have
the passionate thrive for risk, thrill and uncertainty and they push their
limits of skill and endurance. They seek such adventures for pure joy and
exhilaration. They also want to do certain things for attaining name, fame and
recognition.
Q. Why did
the narrator undertake the round the world voyage? What did he do for this
mission?
Ans. The
narrator wanted the achievement of duplicating the round the world voyage made
two hundred years earlier by Captain James Cook. He had spent sixteen
years preparing for this brave adventure. He acquired experience in
sailing around the British waters. They had tested their boat ‘Wave walker’ in
the roughest weather.
Q. When did
the narrator set sail for its round the world voyage and how did it
pass in the beginning?
The
narrator set sail from Plymouth, England in July 1976 with his wife Mary, six
year old son Jonathan, seven year old daughter Suzanne and two crew men, an
American called Larry Vigil and a Swiss Herb Seigler. The first part of the
voyage remained uneventful and it passed pleasantly from the west coast of
Africa to Capetown.
Q. What
happened on January 2nd? What did the narrator do to face the strong or high
waves?
Ans. Early
morning on January 2, the waves were huge and sea was extremely rough.
Their ship was hit by strong mighty waves. They slowed down the speed
of the boat and double lashed everything. They got ready to face the
danger by wearing life jackets and they
waited for the worst.
Q. What
happened to the narrator and what did he do to face the disaster?
Ans. The
roar of the thunder increased and then a huge torrent of sea water broke over
the ship. The narrator’s head smashed into the wheel and he accepted his
approaching death. His lifeline was tightly stretched and he felt that his left
ribs were cracked, his mouth was filled with blood and broken teeth. He still
found the wheel and hung on.
Q. What was
the scene before the narrator’s eyes after the crash of the Giant
wave?
The boat
was filled with water. Larry and Herb were pumping water out of the ship.
Broken timber, clothes, crockery, charts, tins and toys were floating
everywhere.
Give a
brief description of the narrator’s boat. How did the narrator equip
and test it?
The
narrator’s boat named ‘Wavewalker’ was 23 meters long, 30 ton wooden boat. It
was built professionally and had been tested in the roughest weather. The
author had spent months in fitting it out.
Q. When and
with whom did the narrator begin his voyage?
The
narrator began his voyage in July 1976 with his wife Mary, son Jonathan, 6, and
daughter Suzanne who was seven years old. Later they were joined by two crewmen
Larry and Herb Seigler.
Q. “I had
no time to worry about bumped heads”, says the narrator. What problems do
you think deserved his immediate attention?
Ans. The
problem that deserved immediate attention was the repair of the starboard side
which had bashed open and with every wave, it was letting water enter the boat.
If he did not make some repairs, the boat would have surely sunk and they would
have drowned.
Q. What
problems ‘in plenty’ did the narrator face during the night of January 2,
1977?
Ans. On the night of January 2, around 6 pm the wind dropped and the sky grew dark. A growing roar came and an enormous cloud formed in the sky right above the ship. The narrator thought it was a cloud but it was actually a gigantic wave and was twice the height of other waves. The wave hit the ship hard and the narrator’s head hit the wheel and he became unconscious.
Q. “I
didn’t want to worry you when you were trying to save us all”, said
Sue. What has happened to her?
Sue had hit
her head somewhere and a huge bump had formed above her eyes. Later her
head became swollen alarmingly and she had a deep cut on her arm. She had
been brave and did not want to worry her father.
Q. What do
you observe about the reaction of the adults and the children when faced
with disaster?
Ans. The
children show amazing maturity and resilience in the face of disaster. They
remain strong and composed. Despite serious injuries, both the children
show courage and patience. Suzanne was brave enough to write a card. John said
that they were not afraid to die if they could all be together. The adults also
reacted with a fighting spirit and optimism. Their undaunted efforts helped
them to survive the disaster.
Q. When do
you think, Mary and the narrator feel the end was near? Why did they
feel so?
Ans. As the
motion of the ship brought more and more water in the boat through the
broken planks, the author and his wife felt that their end was near. He
had tried his best to repair the ship but had not been completely successful.
Long Answer
Questions
Q. How did
the narrator and his family face the disaster in the form of a huge
wave that struck the ‘Wave Walker’?
Ans. The
narrator dropped the storm jib and tied heavy rope attached to the anchor in a
loop across the stern. Along with his crew, he double fastened everything. The
first mighty wave seemed to have destroyed everything and in order to remain
afloat they had to act fast. The narrator handed over the wheel to Mary. He stretched canvas and fastened water proof
hatch covers across the gaping holes in the star board side. As the two pumps
got blocked and the electric pump short circuited. He found
another electric pump and started it. The narrator checked the charts and
found that there were two small islands, a few hundred kilometer to the east.
But their chances of sailing to those islands were slim because the wind and sea
did not seem to abate. He re-checked his calculations. They had lost the main
compass but he made discount for magnetic variation in the spare one and
then asked Larry to steer a course of 180 degrees. They succeeded in reaching
Ile Amsterdam in 4 hours.
Q. What
impression do you form about the narrator on the basis of this extract?
Ans. The
narrator was a lover of thrill and adventure. He dreamed of going on round
the world sea voyage since childhood. He had worked with diligence and prepared
for the trip with great care and
attention. He had a practical approach and he remained alert and strong willed.
He engaged two crew men to assist him and he received full co-operation and
help from his family. They made advance and immediate arrangements to face the
violent storms during their voyage. He did not lose hope and remained calm and
courageous in the face of difficulties. He had his priorities fixed. Repairing
the damaged ship was essential despite his injuries. He worked and motivated
everyone in the rescue operations. He was resourceful and quick to improvise.
He managed to calculate a new course and his precise calculations brought them
safely to an island. His presence of mind helped them to overcome troubles. He
was levelheaded and his courage and practical knowledge made him a good
captain. His children also proved to be sensible, mature and resilient in the face of
adversity.
Q. What do
you think of the narrator as a captain? How did the crew and the family members
show courage during distress?
Ans. This
is a story of human endurance, selflessness and courage in the face of
adversity. Traditionally, the captain of the ship must go down with it and
attempt only to save the passengers. However, in this story, we see other
traits in the narrator which make him a good captain.
The narrator was able to think rationally, prioritize and recall important
information under distress. He was able to recall the backup electric pump,
waterproofed the ship and performed repairs as required, identified nearest
land/port and performed intense calculations despite the lack of proper
equipment, did not convey his fears to his crew and presented a confident face
throughout enhancing the morale of his team.
The narrator's family and crew showed unconditional team spirit during
adversity. His wife helped with the navigation of the ship while his children
offered moral support. The crew members Larry and Herb worked tirelessly and
did not abandon ship.
Despite
their young years, Jonathan and Suzanne showed courage and optimistic fervor.
Suzanne did not bother her parents with her injuries no matter how extensive
they were. She also made a card for her parents to show her love and gratitude.
Jonathan claimed he was not afraid even to die if he were with his family.
Questions to revise
1.
Write a note on
the author.
2.
Why the narrator
and his family wanted to take up the voyage?
3.
How was the
preparation?
4.
How was the
weather up to Cape Town?
5.
Who were the two
crew members joining the narrator’s family?
6.
What is the name
of narrator’s ship?
7.
Since when
weather turned worst. Describe.
8.
How the author
tried to save the boat?
9.
Give character sketch
of narrator, his wife and children.
10. What do you mean by May Day calls?
11. How children tried to comfort their parents?
12. What is the difference between narrator’s
attitude and children’s attitude towards the hazardous events they passed? Justify
your answer.
13. Bring out team spirit in the story.
14. Describe Ile Amsterdam.
15. How narrator paid tribute to the ship members?
