Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World

Personal Response

I had reservations about reading nonfiction for this week. I assumed that I wouldn’t enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed some of the other genres. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World proved my initial opinion about non-fiction to be wrong. It was a fabulous book. As I read, I found myself trying to I imagine what it would be like to live for that length of time in those conditions.

To put into retrospect, I recalled my experience driving home from class a few weeks ago. Strong winds persisted throughout evening as I ventured home. My van struggled to stay on the road. If I even slightly loosened my grip on the wheel, the wind took the car in its strong embrace. Debris blew out across the road continuously creating a visual barrier between the road and me. I clutched the wheel firmly feeling trapped in a stressful situation and knowing that I had to get home in order to free myself from this feeling. Every muscle in my body was sore for the next few days as they recovered from the extreme tension that they underwent on my journey home. I use this example because it puts into perspective how extremely difficult it had to have been to be victim to the elements, wind and snow surrounding them day and night. I can’t even begin to fathom the stress and tension that their bodies were under as they boated back to South Georgia Island with the ice crashing into their small boat. It is incredible!

After reading the back of the book, I knew that they were all going to survive, yet I still was on the edge of my chair as they continued to overcome one obstacle after another. So many things were described that I took for granted. For instance, I was amazed at the detail that went into the preparation of this expedition. While they were on the Endurance, they seemed to have a plethora of supplies to keep them going for such a long time. The fact that they had the dogs on board and were prepared to travel with them was impressive. That Shackleton kept his crew in high spirits and, they didn’t end up fighting with each other on their journey was also amazing. I think that the implementation of his daily schedule was critical in keeping them focused on something other than dying. Additionally, I was shocked to find that after everything they endured, Shackleton and some of the other crewmembers set out on another expedition.

Critical Response

This book wouldn’t have had the impact that it had if Jennifer Armstrong wouldn’t have been the author. Her writing incorporated many of the styles you would find in fiction. She used detailed description to create vivid images for her reader, as well as figurative language and sensory details. For example, instead of saying that there were penguins watching them she writes, “Nearby, a band of penguins, like an audience of formally dressed opera-goers, observed the proceedings.” A few additional examples include, “As the days went on, Endurance crept forward through the leads that closed behind her,” and “The ice had closed around Endurance. They were ‘like an almond in the middle of a chocolate bar.’” The entire book was chalked full of similar examples, which allowed the reader to completely visualize what was happening.

Armstrong’s use of visuals is incredible in this book. The completely white cover simply housing the title and the men pulling the boat across the bottom creates the symbolism of the “bottom of the world.” Additionally, dotted lines and arrows point to the bottom of each page. The maps that are throughout the book allow the reader to have a clear sense of the route Endurance traveled. Lastly, the pictures of the expedition provided a necessary visual to capture the reality for the reader. I missed the photographs after the Endurance sank and the images became more limited.

In each chapter, Armstrong provides the facts that are necessary for the reader to understand the context of the story. These facts are dispersed throughout the story, but they allow the reader to begin to understand facts or terms that may be unfamiliar to them. For example, in the chapter titled “Mutiny,” she opens with the background on a previous exploration that resulted in mutiny. She then discusses the tension that is rising among Shackleton’s crew and how some of the crewmembers are beginning to get frustrated and are not cooperating with the others. Next, she provides the necessary information regarding the naval law and how it “frees” the crew of their duty once the ship sinks. Shackleton then reminds the crew that they have all signed an agreement that states that their duties are still in place “whether onboard, in boats, or on shore.” In this section, the reader is educated about the past laws and the instated expectations as they relate to the crew of the Endurance.

This was a very well done example of nonfiction that I would definitely recommend to others. I think that students would enjoy historical material presented in this manner as well, because it takes history and couples it with the suspense and anticipation that they enjoy in the literature of today. This type of nonfiction allows history to come alive on the pages.