Question

In "The Open Boat," Stephen Crane shows that man projects his own fears on nature, while nature remains indifferent. Which two parts of the excerpt reflect this theme?

A: Sometimes they sat down on the sea, near patches of brown seaweed that rolled on the waves with a movement like carpets on a line in a gale.

B: Often they came very close and stared at the men with black bead-like eyes. At these times they were uncanny and sinister in their unblinking scrutiny, and the men hooted angrily at them, telling them to be gone.

C.The bird flew parallel to the boat and did not circle, but made short sidelong jumps in the air in chicken-fashion.

D: The captain naturally wished to knock it away with the end of the heavy painter; but he did not dare do it, because anything resembling an emphatic gesture would have capsized this freighted boat,

E.After it had been discouraged from the pursuit the captain breathed easier on account of his hair, and others breathed easier because the bird struck their minds at this time as being somehow grewsome and ominous.

Answer 1

The two parts that show that man projects his fears on nature are Options B and E

Step-by-step explanation:

• Some contents explain how men reveal their fears on nature, but nature remains indifferent.
• In both the lines B and E, we see that men are thinking of the birds.
• They think that the birds are horrifying, threatening and sinister.
• They were scared by those birds and yelled at them to go.
• They posed their fear of nature and calling them these names, but the birds remain indifferent.
• Similarly, as the story progresses, we see how nature is not concerned about the captain and other people.
• Only the perception of the men about the sea changed.

Answer 2

A and C

Step-by-step explanation:

Sometimes they sat down on the sea, near patches of brown seaweed that rolled on the waves with a movement like carpets on a line in a gale.

The bird flew parallel to the boat and did not circle, but made short sidelong jumps in the air in chicken-fashion.

Mother Nature has no fears, it doesn´t matter for Her if mankind could have some kind of fear.