Exploration of Existentialism in “The Open Boat”

"The Open Boat"is one of Stephen Crane’s popular stories.Though short,it is deeply philosophical.In the story,the four people,of different social backgrounds,are all seeking for survival in the sea of roaring waves,indicating metaphorically humankind’s living conditions,which is of much absurdity,uncertainty and nothingness.In order to give meaning of the existence,man has to choose optimistically in the absurdity and nothingness.In the choosing,man’s power of human nature reveals.This paper aims to explore the existential conditions of human beings in the story from a perspective of existentialism based mainly on Sartre’s philosophy from the two aspects—the absurdity of existence and the power of humanity.