Question

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 1

The first section: The first section opens on a cheerful note. The narrator and his family are all set for their ultimate dream- to duplicate the around-the-world voyage made 200 years earlier by Captain James Cook. They have perfected their seafaring skills. They begin the voyage and pass the first phase of the journey pleasantly.

The second section: This part of the narration covers the hazards faced by the voyagers. There is a shift in the narration from cheerful to intense. They find themselves in an extremely fatal and disastrous situation. They begin to face strong gales. Despite the worst weather, they have a wonderful holiday on Christmas. On January 2, a huge wave hits their boat and the narrator is thrown overboard. Despite getting injured, he maintains his composure and applies every possible way to tackle the critical situation. They managed to pump out maximum amount of water out of the boat in about 36 hours. But as they continue to face bad weather conditions the narrator loses hope. The children remain fearless, courageous, and optimistic throughout the situation.

The third section: The children provide moral support to the narrator and he continues with his efforts. Under the captaincy of the narrator, they manage to reach Ile Amsterdam. The narrator proves his seamanship and receives the title of “the best daddy” and “the best captain” from his children.

The above three sections can be subtitled as follows:
a) The first section: Round-the-world voyage begins
b) The second section: The attack of the big wave
c) The third section: Ultimate victory