Adrift Sparknotes

My group’s literature circle book was Adrift: 75 Days Lost at Sea by Steven Callahan. It is the true story of Steven Callahan’s journey adrift on a lifeboat. He was stranded for 75 days after his ship, Napoleon Solo, sank. Near the beginning, he only had the food and water that was in his emergency bag. He later set up systems to filter the water, though they often malfunctioned. He also caught dorados, triggerfish, and even a bird. He had many saltwater wounds but refused to use the first aid kit in case of an emergency. Ships and planes passed near him, but didn't see him. Eventually, he saw islands in the distance. Some local fishermen picked him up and told him that the islands are Guadeloupe. He recovered in a hospital there and was reunited with his family. I think the main theme of Adrift is to persevere, even if it seems hopeless. A motif is the dorados. Their meat kept him alive and they provided him company. By the end of the book, he had a very strong connection with the dorados. They represent hope in a dark time. A symbol is the island, being the salvation from his time on the lifeboat. The theme fits well because, near the end of his journey, he considers just giving up. He
In the beginning, he loses his beloved ship, Napoleon Solo. Then, of course he's adrift on a lifeboat with no idea how or if he'll get to land. At many points, he feels completely hopeless. For example, when his spear gun broke, or when his water filtration system didn't work. The most prominent example of this was when his boat flooded because of a hole in the tube. He does have moments of hope, when he catches a dorado or a ship passes. However, these moments of hopefulness pass quickly, leaving us again with the bleak atmosphere. The book describes in detail the heat, the pain, and the struggle. This all supports that the mood of the book is hopeless and