Endurance Part 1 and 2

While reading part 1 and 2 of the novel, I began to place myself in the situation of the men living on the floes. Just the thought of living on ice with two changes of clothing and a sleeping bag made me not ever want to be in that situation. I can't imagine actually having to live on the ice. When the book describes the men sleeping on the ice, I can't help but imagine how uncomfortable it would be to feel ice and moisture seeping through the sleeping bag. It almost seems like a miracle no one has died from frost bite at this point in the book.

Continuing on through the parts, it makes me wonder how the crew stayed so motivated. There was a motivation to survive, but how could they stay so positive even in the darkest of days. One part that stuck out to me in particular was when it was described that the men had no longings. Some of the journal entries talked of things they missed, but that they still didn't long for them. The displacement from society almost made their lives of higher value. The men didn't expect anything, they just lived from day to day. They had the worries of surviving, but this didn't cross their mind as much as it would have crossed mine. The only thing the men valued more now was food. Their day revolved around being fed. Besides that, the living was almost easier than at home. No one would want to find themselves in this position, but it seemed as though the men learned a lot from being in it.

I know this book took place 100 years ago, but it is crazy to think how different times were then compared to now. I think that if anyone from our society was to be placed in this situation, they would die immediately. Today, society is too attached to technology and people to be able to survive in frigid temperatures such as these men did. The way these men stayed optimistic and the way Shackelton helped to ensure there were no problems is remarkable.