Endurance: Part 1, Chapters 4-8

     Alfred Lansing rewinds back to tell of how the Endurance came to be trapped in the ice.  The northerly gale had been compressed and crowed the Weddell Sea pack against the land.  It was the middle of January, and the Endurance was marooned in a universe of ice.  Each morning, members of the crew set out attempting to saw away ice from the ship.  Men would return with little or no progress.  When February approached, the men feared because the end of the Antarctic summer was near.  The beginning of the Antarctic winter meant no sun, which meant there would be no chance of the ice melting.

     Despite the Endurance being trapped in the lifeless and dark Antarctic Ocean, the crew found ways to keep themselves from creeping into a common depression brought about by the polar winter.  The men entertained each other by having dog races, telling stories, listening to music, putting on skits, etc.

    In late October, a large chunk of ice ground across the Endurance tearing the stern post away from the starboard planking.  As water poured into the ship, men worked busily at the pumps.  After 28 agonizing hours of working nonstop, the crew knew the Endurance could not be saved.

"She's going boys," he said.  "I think it's time to get off."

    I feel this quote could be deemed the turning point of the novel.  Ernest Shackleton and the crew of the Endurance had desired to be the first to cross the Antarctic from east to west.  These men had hopes of accomplishing this, but are now obeying orders to abandon the ship.  In one swift command, the fate of the crew is sealed.  Instead of accomplishing their goal, the men will now be battling for their survival.

    Although cliche, it is true that things do not always go according to plan.  The crew set out with the dream of being the first to sail across the Antarctic, but ended up stranded in a sea of ice on a sinking ship.  Although not as extreme, many people can agree that they have experienced a situation when things have not gone according to plan.  For example, in grade school, I was assigned to build a science project to accomplish a simple task in a complex fashion.  I built a project that worked perfectly at my house.  When I took it into school and had to show it to the teacher, it would not work.  I had hoped to impress the teacher, but I ended up with a bad grade.