Section Four

Okay let me start off by saying I do not know how these men are still alive. After all that they have been through over a span of a year, it blows my mind how they have not fully given up yet. Everything seems to be going from bad to worse and it is almost like a never ending cycle. This was the most intense section of the book so far in my opinion. These men are literally frozen, they cannot sleep because they cannot control their shivering. They are basically freezing to death and unable to sleep because of it. As night rolls around, the men are unsure if they will make it till the morning. As sad as it is to say, I know I would have lost motivation at this point. The men are starting to lose sight of hope, and Shackleton became aware of this and offered to allow them to eat what food they wanted, when they wanted it, and how much of it they wanted. He did this so it could lift up the spirits of his men and help bring them back to life, however some men were still not happy. All of the men are freezing and sleep deprived, a few of the crew members grew seasick, some are physically injured, and some can no longer go to the bathroom normally anymore. So it was no surprise to me that offering the men more food did not fully cheer them up, however it showed once again how much Shackleton cares about his crew and only wants them to survive through all of this. As this chapter came to an end and they finally became in view of Elephant Island, the men knew better than to show their excitement, they knew better than to react because they were so fully exhausted. After a year of struggling on this journey, the crew is staying persistent with all that they have left in them, and Shackleton remains positive for the sake of his crew. I can honestly say I cannot predict how this book is going to end.