She's Gone: Part 1, Chapters 4-8

part 1, chapter 8, page 60


" She was done, and nobody needed to tell them........'She's going, boys,' he said, 'I think it's time to get off.' "
This quote marked the first primary turning point in the story. Shackleton and his crew had already tackled the sea for 3 straight months. Now was the start to the real adventure. Colliding with the ice which slowly destroyed their home ship Endurance shoved them onto the ice. The members of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition would now have to continue their journal by foot. At this point, there was no turning back.


Shackleton's words had deep meaning. In this quote, the boat symbolized a chapter in one's life. Just as the boat sank in Endurance, some parts of our lives "sink". When we make certain decisions in our lives, we can almost never return to where we had been. Moving on becomes an important step in the growing process of our lives. People must learn to accept the fact that although one door may close in their lives, another door will always open.


My literary term is turning point. (the point in a work in which a very significant change occurs)


turning point:  This quote significantly explains how the boat sinking is a crucial turning point in the story.