Class 11 English Notes Chapter 2 (We’re Not Afraid to Die...if We Can All Be Together) – Hornbill Book
Alright, let's focus on Chapter 2, "We're Not Afraid to Die... if We Can All Be Together" by Gordon Cook and Alan East. This is an important chapter, not just for its narrative power but also for the themes it explores, which often feature in comprehension and analysis sections of government exams.
Chapter 2: We’re Not Afraid to Die... if We Can All Be Together
Author: Gordon Cook and Alan East
Genre: Adventure narrative, Personal account
Context: This is a first-person account of a perilous sea journey undertaken by the narrator, his family, and two crewmen, replicating Captain James Cook's voyage 200 years prior.
Detailed Notes for Exam Preparation:
-
The Voyage and Purpose:
- Goal: To duplicate the round-the-world voyage made 200 years earlier by Captain James Cook.
- Protagonist/Narrator: A 37-year-old businessman (Gordon Cook).
- Family: Wife Mary, son Jonathan (Jon, age 6), daughter Suzanne (Sue, age 7).
- Preparation: Years of honing seafaring skills in British waters.
-
The Vessel - Wavewalker:
- Specifications: A 23-metre, 30-ton wooden-hulled boat.
- Build: Professionally built.
- Testing: Spent months fitting it out and testing it in the roughest weather they could find.
-
The Journey - Phase 1 (Pleasant):
- Start: Plymouth, England (July 1976).
- Route: Sailed down the west coast of Africa to Cape Town.
- Nature: Pleasant journey.
-
The Journey - Phase 2 (Treacherous - Southern Indian Ocean):
- Crew Addition: Before heading east from Cape Town, they took on two experienced crewmen:
- Larry Vigil (American)
- Herb Seigler (Swiss)
- Purpose of Crew: To help tackle one of the world's roughest seas, the Southern Indian Ocean.
- Encountering Trouble: Soon after leaving Cape Town, they encountered strong gales. The size of the waves became alarming ("as high as our main mast").
- Crew Addition: Before heading east from Cape Town, they took on two experienced crewmen:
-
The Disaster (January 2):
- Weather: Gigantic waves, atrocious weather.
- The Wave: A "perfectly vertical" and "enormous" wave, a "tremendous explosion" hit the Wavewalker.
- Immediate Impact:
- Narrator thrown overboard and then back onto the deck ("like a rag doll"). His left ribs cracked, mouth filled with blood, broken teeth.
- Wavewalker severely damaged: Water flooding in, starboard side bashed open, timbers smashed.
- Mary took the wheel while the narrator assessed the damage.
-
The Struggle for Survival:
- Damage Control:
- Larry and Herb pumped water frantically ("like madmen").
- Narrator found hammer, screws, canvas; managed to stretch canvas across gaping holes on the starboard side, diverting some water.
- Electric pump short-circuited; hand pumps blocked with debris. Narrator found a spare electric pump under the chartroom floor which worked.
- Continuous Threat: Non-stop pumping, steering, and repairing. Received no replies to Mayday calls (radio distress signals).
- Injuries: Sue suffered a major head injury (bump above her eyes, later swelled alarmingly, two black eyes, deep cut on arm) but bravely didn't want to worry her parents.
- Damage Control:
-
Navigating with Damage (January 3-5):
- Situation: Water levels controlled somewhat, but leaks remained below the waterline. Boat structure severely weakened (main rib frames smashed). Survival depended on reaching land.
- Navigation Challenges: Main compass lost, spare compass unreliable due to magnetic variations. Used a spare compass and checked calculations with the sextant.
- Target: Ile Amsterdam, a small French scientific base – described as "a pinprick in the vast ocean". Their only hope.
- Psychological Strain: Immense pressure, fatigue, despair alternated with determination.
-
The Children's Courage:
- Sue's Bravery: Despite her serious injury, she made a card for her parents with caricatures, thanking them and expressing love.
- Jon's Statement (Title Significance): When the narrator expressed pessimism, Jon said, "We aren't afraid of dying if we can all be together — you and Mummy, Sue and I." This statement provided immense strength and resolve to the narrator.
-
Reaching Ile Amsterdam (January 6):
- Calculations & Hope: Narrator made complex calculations, estimating their position and directing Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees. He expected to see the island around 5 p.m.
- Sighting Land: Despite the narrator dozing off and feeling hopeless, Jonathan and Suzanne excitedly announced they had found the island.
- Arrival: They anchored offshore. The island appeared bleak ("a bleak piece of volcanic rock") but felt like "the most beautiful island in the world" to them.
- Reception: Cheerful welcome by the 28 inhabitants of Ile Amsterdam the next morning.
-
Themes:
- Courage and Endurance: The family and crew displayed extraordinary bravery and perseverance against overwhelming odds.
- Family Unity: The bond and mutual support within the family were crucial for survival. The title itself emphasizes this.
- Optimism vs. Despair: The narrative shows the constant battle between hope and hopelessness.
- Human vs. Nature: A stark depiction of the power of nature and human resilience in facing it.
- Skill and Resourcefulness: The narrator's seafaring knowledge and quick thinking in repairs were vital.
- Innocence and Bravery of Children: Sue's stoicism and Jon's profound statement highlight the unexpected strength found in children during crises.
Key Terms/Points to Remember:
- Wavewalker (the boat)
- Plymouth, Cape Town, Southern Indian Ocean, Ile Amsterdam (locations)
- Larry Vigil, Herb Seigler (crewmen)
- Jonathan (son), Suzanne (daughter)
- Mayday calls (distress signal)
- Sextant (navigation tool)
- Starboard (right side of the boat)
- Gigantic wave (cause of disaster)
- Head injury (Sue's major injury)
- The title quote and its speaker (Jonathan)
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):
-
What was the primary purpose of the narrator's voyage in Wavewalker?
a) To discover new islands
b) To test the limits of Wavewalker
c) To duplicate Captain James Cook's round-the-world voyage
d) To set a new speed record for sailing -
Who were Larry Vigil and Herb Seigler?
a) Other family members on the voyage
b) Scientists stationed at Ile Amsterdam
c) Crewmen hired at Cape Town to help navigate the Southern Indian Ocean
d) Rescuers who found the family -
What catastrophic event caused severe damage to Wavewalker on January 2nd?
a) Collision with an iceberg
b) An attack by pirates
c) A fire onboard
d) Being hit by a gigantic wave -
Which part of the Wavewalker was primarily damaged by the wave?
a) The main mast
b) The port side (left side)
c) The starboard side (right side)
d) The engine room -
What significant injury did Suzanne (Sue) suffer during the storm?
a) A broken leg
b) Severe seasickness
c) A serious head injury
d) Frostbite on her fingers -
What navigational tool did the narrator primarily rely on after the main compass was lost?
a) GPS satellite system
b) Star charts only
c) A spare compass and calculations using a sextant
d) Following migratory birds -
What small island were they desperately trying to reach in the Southern Indian Ocean?
a) Madagascar
b) Mauritius
c) Ile Amsterdam
d) St. Helena -
Who uttered the words, "We aren't afraid of dying if we can all be together"?
a) The narrator (Gordon Cook)
b) Mary (the narrator's wife)
c) Suzanne (Sue)
d) Jonathan (Jon) -
What was the immediate, most critical task for Larry and Herb after the wave struck?
a) Repairing the mast
b) Pumping out water
c) Making distress calls
d) Preparing food supplies -
How did the narrator describe Ile Amsterdam upon sighting it?
a) A lush tropical paradise
b) A large, bustling port city
c) A bleak piece of volcanic rock, yet the most beautiful island
d) An uninhabited sandy beach
Answer Key:
- c
- c
- d
- c
- c
- c
- c
- d
- b
- c
Study these notes thoroughly. Focus on the sequence of events, the roles of each character, the challenges faced, and the underlying themes. Understanding these details will be very helpful for your exam preparation. Good luck!