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CHAPTER 2: “WE'RE NOT AFRAID TO DIE IF WE CAN ALL BE TOGETHER”
we re not afraid to die summary
The
Voyage Begins
In July 1976, the narrator, a 37-year-old businessman,
his wife Mary, 6 year old son Jonathan and 7 year old daughter Suzanne started
their sea voyage from Plymouth, England. They wished to go round-the-world on a
long sea journey just as Captain James Cook had done 200 years earlier. The
narrator and his wife had spent 16 years preparing for the round-the-world
voyage and improving their marine skills. Their boat Wave walker was a 23
metre, 30-ton boat that was professionally built and they had tested it in the
roughest weather they could find.
The first part of their planned three-year, 105000
kilometre journey passed pleasantly as they sailed down the West Coast of
Africa to Cape Town. Then they took two crewmen--the American Larry Vigil and
the Swiss Herb Seigler-before heading east from Cape Town, to help them tackle
one of the world's roughest seas, the southern Indian Ocean.
The
Problems Begin During the Voyage
On the second day out of Cape Town, they encountered
strong winds and high waves. The windstorms continued for the next few weeks.
The size of the waves was upto 15 metres. On December 25, they were 3500
kilometres east of Cape Town, but the weather was very bad.
Despite the bad weather, they celebrated Christmas Day
wonderfully. New Year's Day saw no improvement in the weather and it worsened
with the passing of time.
"We're Not Afraid to Die...if We Can All Be Together"
On 2nd January, the waves were gigantic. They were
sailing with a small storm jib, but still they were going very fast. The boat
moved to the top of each wave but the gigantic waves and dangerous wind continued
to terrorise them. To minimise the damage, they dropped the storm jib and
lashed a heavy rope in a loop across the stern. Then they fastened everything,
went through their life-raft drill, attached lifelines and put on oilskins and
life jackets and prepared themselves for the worst case scenario.
Disaster
Strikes
The first indication of impending disaster came at
about 6 pm, with an ominous silence. The wind stopped and the sky immediately
grew dark. Then a loud roaring sound was heard. The narrator thought that he
saw a cloud coming towards them. With horror, he realised it was not a cloud
but the biggest wave that he had ever seen. It appeared vertical and double the
height of all other waves.
The wave hit the boat and a tremendous explosion shook
the deck. Water poured into the boat. The narrator's head smashed against the
steering wheel of the boat and before he knew it, he was thrown into the sea.
He thought that he was going to die but suddenly his head popped out of the
water. He saw that the boat had almost capsized. Suddenly, a wave hurled it
upright and the narrator was tossed onto the boat. His left ribs were cracked;
his mouth was filled with blood and some teeth were broken. Somehow he managed
to find the wheel, lined up the stern for the next wave and hung on.
Frantic
Survival Attempts
The narrator knew that the boat was flooding with
water, but he dared not abandon the wheel to investigate. Suddenly, Mary came
and informed him that the boat was sinking as water was pouring in. He handed
the wheel to her and crawled towards the hatch. Larry and Herb pumped the water
out like madmen. The wooden beams had broken. The whole starboard side had
bulged inwards. Clothes, crockery, charts, tins and toys moved around noisily
in water.
The boat
had been damaged. He somehow managed to reach the children. Sue had a big bump
on her head to which he did not pay much attention. He found a hammer, screws
and canvas.
Somehow he managed to stretch the canvas and secure
waterproof hatch covers across the gaping holes. Some water continued to come
in but most of it could be prevented from entering the boat. But this was not
the end of their troubles.
Damaged
and Lost Equipment
The handpumps started jamming with the trash floating
around the cabins. Soon their electric pump got short-circuited and the water rose
threateningly.
He found that their two spare handpumps had been
pulled away by currents along with the forestay sail, the jib, the lifeboats
and the main anchor.
He managed to find another electric pump to drain out the water. The night was an endless, bitterly cold routine of pumping, steering and working the radio. However, there was no response to their Mayday calls as they were in a remote corner of the world. Sue's head had swollen alarmingly. She had two black eyes and a deep cut on her arm. She didn't tell the narrator more of her injuries as she didn't want to worry him when he was trying to save them all.
Pinpricks
in the Vast Ocean
On the morning of January 3, the pumps had reduced the
amount of water on board. Each of them took rest for two hours by turns. They
had survived for 15 hours since the wave hit the Wave walker, but the boat was
not strong enough to take them to Australia.
The narrator knew that the boat wouldn't hold together
long enough. He checked his charts and calculated that the only one hope for
them was if they could reach Ile Amsterdam, a French scientific base, one of
the two pinpricks in the vast ocean. Mary found some corned beef and cracker
biscuits and they ate their first meal in almost two days.
However, their relief was short-lived. The weather
again started deteriorating and by the dawn on 5th January, their situation was
again desperate.
“We aren't Afraid to Dying... if We
can all be Together”
The narrator went to comfort the children. He tried to
assure them that they were going to make it. Jon said that they were not afraid
of dying if they can all be together. This gave the narrator hope and a reason
to fight the sea. He tried his best to protect the weakened starboard side of
the boat. However, later in the evening, as more water came into the boat, they
felt defeated again. On 6th January, the weather improved. The narrator again
tried to calculate their position. While he was at work, Sue came to him and
gave him a card. She had drawn caricatures of Mary and the narrator.
The card said that she loved them both and hoped for
the best. The narrator was filled with optimism. Somehow, they had to make it.
The
Most Beautiful Island in the World!
The narrator made several calculations using a spare
compass, made some adjustments and asked Larry to steer a course of 185
degrees. He said that, if they were lucky, they would see the island at about 5
pm. Dejected, he went down to his bunk and fell asleep.
It was about 6 pm when he woke up. He thought that
they must have missed the island. Just then, Jon and Sue came to him and gave
him a hug because he was the "best daddy in the world”. The narrator was
confused. Sue announced that the island was just in front of them. He rushed
out to the deck and saw the most beautiful island in the world! It was Ile
Amsterdam, a piece of volcanic rock with little vegetation.
When his feet touched land the next day, he thought of the cheerfulness and optimism of all the people on the boat which made them pass through the worst stress.
NCERT SOLUTIONS FOR CLASS 11TH ENGLISH CHAPTER 2
Questions (Page No. 18)
we are not afraid to die question answers
Question 1. List the steps taken by the captain
i.
to protect the ship
when rough weather began.
ii.
to check the flooding
of the water in the ship.
Answer:
i.
To protect the ship
when rough weather began, the captain planned to slow the ship down. The storm
jib was dropped and the mooring rope which was heavy was lashed in a loop over
the stem. Everything was double fastened and went through the life-raft drill.
ii.
Herb and Larry started
to pump the water out. The canvas was stretched by the captain and the
waterproof hatch covers were secured across the gaping holes. When the electric
pump short circuited and two hand pumps blocked, he noticed another electric
pump, started it by connecting it to an earth pipe.
Question 2. Describe the mental condition of the
voyagers on 4 and 5 January.
Answer: On 4 January, after pumping out water
continuously for 36 hours, the voyagers felt relieved. They consumed their
first meal in two days. Their break was short lived. On 5 January, they faced a
dangerous situation. The fear of death appeared huge and they underwent great
mental stress.
Question 3. Describe the shifts in the narration of
the events as indicated in the three sections of the text. Give a subtitle to
each section.
Answer: The first section explains a peaceful journey
from Plymouth in England to 3500 km east of Cape Town in Africa. The narrator
is fully confident and relaxed. They faced huge waves as the weather
deteriorated. To save themselves, they took precautionary measures and
struggled with the disaster. The narration becomes grim, but exudes the
confidence, fighting spirit and strong will power. The Wave walker rode out of
the storm by 6 January morning and by evening they sighted the Ile Amsterdam
Island. Now the narrator is relaxed. Relief, joy and confidence are apparent.
Questions (Page No. 18)
(Talking About The
Text)
Discuss the following questions with your partner.
Question 1. What difference did you notice between the
reaction of the adults and the children when faced with danger?
Answer: There are lots of differences among the way in
which the children and adults reacted when faced with danger. Stress owing to
the circumstances was felt by the adults who later prepared themselves to face
it. When the rough weather began, enough precautions were taken to protect the
ship. Everyone was equipped with water proof clothes, lifelines and life
jackets. Herb and Larry worked optimistically and cheerfully for three
continuous days to pump the water out from the ship. The narrator at the wheel
was replaced by Mary who steered the ship when the deck was smashed. She served
them meals after a struggle of two days against all odds. As a captain, the
narrator performed his role with determination, courage, responsibility and
resourcefulness. He undertook the repair work by providing apparatus and
directions which were required to protect the ship. He helped in steering the
ship towards the island. The children suffered patiently and silently. Sue,
with her troubles, did not bother her father. Jon behaved courageously and was
not scared to die if everyone perished together.
Question 2. How does the story suggest that optimism
helps to endure “the direst stress”?
Answer: The story suggests that optimism helps to
endure “the direst stress”. The behaviour of four adults throughout the crisis
bears it out. Herb Seigler and Larry Vigil were the two crewmen. As the deck
was smashed by the huge waves, water entered the ship from the openings and
holes. From the evening of 2 January, Herb and Larry started to pump out water.
They worked feverishly, excitedly and continuously for about 36 hours. As a
result of pumping continuously, they reached the last few centimeters of water
on 4 January. They stayed optimistic and cheerful while facing dangerous
situations. The narrator did not lose his presence of mind, hope or courage
while facing problems. He was not worried about the equipment loss and used
whatever was present there. His practical knowledge and self-confidence helped
them to steer out of the storm and reach the Ile Amsterdam Island. In those
difficult hours, Mary remained at the wheel. She did not lose courage or hope
either.
Question 3. What lessons do we learn from such
hazardous experiences when we are face-to-face with death?
Answer: Hazardous experiences expose us face to face
with death as they impart a few crucial lessons of conduct. Our life is not
always a bed of roses. We must respond to risks and danger with fortitude and
patience. The real test of character is adversity. The purity of gold is
decided by putting it on fire. So, hazardous experiences of life bring the best
out of us. Before death, cowards die many times. Negative feelings like fear
lead to inactivity and abject surrender to situations. Such soldiers or sailors
lose the war against the difficulties in life. On the other hand, people with
courage, self-confidence, presence of mind and resourcefulness face the dangers
bravely and out of all disasters.
Their caring and sharing attitude inspires others to
face difficult situations boldly and steer through them.
Question 4. Why do you think people undertake such
adventurous expeditions in spite of the risks involved?
Answer: Human beings are adventurous by nature. Higher
the risk, more the thrill. The thrill of exploring lands, discovering beauty
and wealth which lies hidden in far off lands inspires brave people to stake
their life to rest and repose. Maybe they value one hour of glory rather than
an uneventful long life of inactivity and sloth. At times, adventures are risky
and prove deadly. The failure of a few people does not discourage true lovers
of adventure. They learn lessons from errors and shortcomings of others and
make new attempts with a better zeal. An adventurous expedition lies in
adapting the situations and overcoming the problems. The victory of an
adventurous expedition brings wealth, fame and name. History books are full
with accounts of well-known explorers such as Vasco da Gama, Columbus, Captain
Scott and Captain Hook.
Questions (Page No. 18-19)
(Thinking About
Language)
Question 1. We have come across words like ‘gale’ and
‘storm’ in the account. Here are two more words for ‘storm’: typhoon, cyclone.
How many words does your language have for ‘storm’?
Answer: Our language has the following words for
‘storm’:
Toofan, Aandhi, Chakravat, Jhanjavat
Question 2. Here are the terms for different kinds of
vessels: yacht, boat, canoe, ship, steamer, schooner. Think of similar terms in
your language.
Answer: Similar terms in my language for vessels which
are used to travel on water are –
Nava, Nauka, Jahaj, Pot
Question 3. ‘Catamaran’ is a kind of a boat. Do you
know which Indian language this word is derived from? Check the dictionary.
Answer: ‘Catamaran’ is a word derived from Tamil which
means ‘tied wood’. It is a boat or yacht containing twin hulls in parallel. It
is defined as ‘a fast sailing boat with two hulls’ in the dictionary.
Question 4. Have you heard any boatmen’s songs? What
kind of emotions do these songs usually express?
Answer: The boatmen’s songs invite other sailors to
awaken, arise and come to the sea to explore its wealth. These are
inspirational songs that provide moral support to the disappointed and sad
boatmen.
Questions (Page No. 19)
(Working With Words)
Question 1. The following words used in the text as
ship terminology are also commonly used in another sense. In what contexts
would you use the other meaning?
Answer:
1. Knot
a. in a rope/string – a joint which is made by tying two
ends or pieces of string or rope etc. For example – to tie a knot.
b. of hair – Twisting the hair into a round shape at the
back of the head. For example – Ria tied her hair in a loose knot.
c. in wood – a round hard spot in wood where once a
branch was present.
d. Group of people – a small group of people standing
together. For example – Little knots of children gathered at the school gate.
e. in muscles – a hard, tight feeling in the stomach or
throat which are caused by anger, nerves etc.
2. Stern
a. I felt the knot of fear in his throat, often
disapproving and serious expecting others to obey you. For example – His voice
was stern.
b. Difficult and serious for example – We faced stern
opposition.
3. Boom
a. In Economy/ Business – an increase in economic
activity or trade, a period of success and wealth. For example – a boom in the
sales of plots.
b. Popular period – a time period during which a sport or
music suddenly became popular and successful. For example – The way to satisfy
the boom of cricket is to provide more playgrounds.
c. A deep loud sound. For example – the distant boom of
the horn.
d. In harbour/ river – A floating barrier which is placed
in the harbour entrance to prevent ships from going out or coming in.
e. In Microphone – A long pole which carries a
microphone.
4. Hatch
a. an opening in the wall between the dining room and a
kitchen through which food is passed. For example – a serving hatch.
b. a door in a spacecraft or an aircraft.
c. an escape hatch – a door in a ceiling or floor or an
opening. For example – a hatch to the attic.
d. When a young fish, bird or insect comes out of the
egg.
e. to create an idea of a plan in secret, a thing or a
person who gives a safety feeling. For example – a person in the family
who can be relied on for security, stability or support.
5. Anchor
a. to fix something in a position firmly so that it
cannot move. For example – Ensure that the apparatus is anchored securely.
b. to base something on something else firmly. For
example – Prem’s novels are anchored in the life of humans.
c. A person who reports, reads the news on television or
radio. For example – The evening news was anchored by Rihana for five
years.
Question 2. The following three compound words end in
-ship. What does each of them mean?
Answer:
1. Airship – A large aircraft that has no wings, which is
filled with gas that is driven by engines and lighter than air.
2. Flagship –
i.
In the navy, the main
ship among the fleet of ships.
ii.
The important service,
product or building owned or produced by an organization. For example, the
company is opening a new flagship store in Germany.
3. Lightship – A small ship which stays in a particular
place at sea and has a powerful light to guide or warn other ships.
Question 3. The following are the meanings listed in
the dictionary against the phrase ‘take on’. In which meaning is it used in the
third paragraph of the account:
take on sth: to begin to have a particular quality or
appearance; to
assume sth
take sb on: to employ sb; to engage sb
to accept sb as one’s opponent in a game, contest or
conflict
take sb/sth on: to decide to do sth; to allow sth/sb
to enter
e.g. a bus, plane or ship; to take sth/sb on board
Answer:
In the third para of the chapter, ‘take on’ is made
use of in the meaning of ‘take sb on’ that is to engage sb; to employ sb
Some of the words are – We took on two crewmen …. To help us …..
Question 1. Given on the next page is a picture of a yacht. Label the parts of the yacht using the terms given in the box.
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