Shackelton

Shackleton

        In the book, Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World, Jennifer Armstrong tells the story of Shackleton's voyage to Antarctica and how, after everything, he kept to his philosophies. Some people say that his story is the most amazing survival story ever. Others say that he is an epic failure because he tried to get to Antarctica three times but never made his goal.

        Shackleton's main success was bringing his crew home alive and well (except Blackborrows toes). “Once the boat was in shouting distance Shackleton called ‘are all well’ someone replied ‘Yes’”. I can imagine him breathing a sigh of  relief. Another success was that through the whole journey he kept control over his crew even when mutiny struck. “Shackleton took McNeish aside and exchanged a few quiet words with him, perhaps reminding him that execution was the legal punishment for mutiny”. Another success was the way Shackleton desperately tried to keep his crews ever lowering moral up, by organizing parties, dog races, and celebrations ,”Cabin fever reached its peak on mid winters day, June 22, when the crew celebrated with a raucous party” .  

        Some people consider Shackleton a huge failure not only because he failed three times to get to Antarctica but he died on his last attempt of a heart attack and was buried on South Georgia Island “he died a few minutes after Macklen came to him, he was buried there on South Georgia Island”.Another failure of Shackleton's is the fact that it took him more than four months to rescue his crew from Elephant Island,”'today' finally came on August 30, more than four months after the James Caird had sailed away”.Also Shackleton kept having recurring nightmares about impending doom, he could barely keep his own moral up let alone try to keep his crews up,”fuddled with sleep Shackleton pointed at the black wall behind them.'It's going to crash on us ,' he warned still caught in a dream of monster waves”.