Roman Fever and The Open Boat

In the short story “Roman Fever,” which I had read previously, I always found Mrs. Slade to be a horrible, stuck up upper class woman. Horrible in the sense that she become so blinded by jealousy from Mrs. Ansley, someone she had known since childhood, and her relationship with Mr. Slade that she hurt her. The fact that she tried to give Ansley Roman Fever through a fake letter, just to illuminate the competition is awful and tells me that women back then had nothing better to do then hurt each other over a man. “It’s odd you never thought of it, if you wrote the letter.” “Yes. I was blind with rage.” (P. 786). I was glad at the end when Mrs. Ansley revealed to Mrs. Slade that she had a child with Mr. Slade, a daughter named Barbara.

I found the “The Open Boat” to be quite interesting because by not often using their names, and referring to them as their professions instead, I feel like Crane expands the background of the story. It’s like Crane almost wants his audience to identify with the four men. Their obscure naming interprets them as more anonymous and therefore relatable and generalized.

Though the characters angered me at times because I feel they didn't really communicate or work together with each other, and stretch a theme that is misconception. The men do not communicate with each other that extensively, but they do have various misconceptions. For example, the cook and the correspondent have differing notions of the location of the nearest station that could launch a rescue mission; both are incorrect. “None of those other boats could have got ashore to give word of this wreck,” said the oiler, in a low voice, “else the life-boat would be out hunting us.” Also I think it wasn't fair that the oiler and the correspondent where the only ones rowing when everyone could have taken a turn so the two weren't completely exhausted and the oiler could have survived.