Discuss the following questions with your partner.

How does the story suggest that optimism helps to endure “the direst stress”?

The story swings between hope and despair continuously. This shows how family members can stand beside one another and manage the entire situation wisely and wonderfully. The Captain’s wife stayed at the wheels at the most crucial hours of the journey and saved the ship. The Captain himself didn’t let the ship deviate and took it towards the island in the correct time. Also, his seven years old daughter didn’t let him worry about her head injury and gave him hopes. And his son was not afraid to die.