Endurance: land at last

• Literary Term: antithesis- a statement in which two opposing ideas are balanced
• example: "The adventurous side of the expedition, which was its chief appeal for most of the other men, interested James very little.  In personality, he was roughly the antithesis of Shackleton."
• Quote: "They made a pitiable sight--three little boats, packed with the odd remnants of what had once been a proud expedition, bearing twenty-eight suffering men in one final, almost ludicrous bid for survival.  But this time there was to be no turning back, and they all knew it.
• Often times we can go into competitions with the mindset that there is no way possible we could lose.  It is therefore a slap to our pride and dignity when, in some cases, we are easily beaten.  Shackleton and his crew went into their expedition not cocky, but rather confident that they would have success.  However, the proud weather of the Antarctic swiftly humbled their level of confidence.  The men were completely at the mercy of their environment, and that prospect was slightly terrifying.  In a desperate attempt to reach the distant island, Shackleton and his men set out in their three pathetically small boats.  I can only imagine the conditions of those boats.  In my own family's road trips, the vehicle is filled to the point where we sometimes wonder if we can fit our family in with the luggage.  It was much the same for the crew, but in much worse conditions.  They were all crammed into tiny boats with every imaginable odd and end at their feet.  The temperatures were often sub-zero, and freezing ocean water constantly sprayed into their faces.  With an unbelievable amount of strength and perseverance, Shackleton and his men were able to reach land at last.