Perfect Storm Essay -- essays research papers

The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger is an account of an immense storm and its destructive path through the North Atlantic. In late October of 1991, crews of several different fishing ships left their port for their final haul. Little did they know that they would soon cross paths with one of the greatest storms ever recorded. This particular storm would create huge swells, high winds, and hard rain. The system, was said to be a â€Å"perfect storm† because all of the elements were just right to create the worst imaginable storm ever seen, â€Å"†¦ a hundred-year event,† claimed some meteorologists. These types of storms are caused when: â€Å"Warm air is less dense than cool air; it rises off the surface of the ocean, cools in the upper atmosphere, and then dumps its moisture before rushing back to earth. Huge cumulus clouds develop over the zones of rising air, with thunder, lightning, and terrifically strong rain. As long as there's a supply of warm water, th e thunderstorm sustains itself, converting moisture into sheeting rain and downdraft winds. Other thunderclouds might line up along the leading edge of a cold front into a "squall line," a towering convective engine that stretches from horizon to horizon.† (The Perfect Storm Foundation) The descriptions of fishing procedures and equipment are often confusing, they are a vital part of the plot. Which gives the reader a better insight to what these fishermen went though. Without these details, readers would not be able to picture the dangers of the storm the way Junger wanted them to. The book is interesting, but never melodramatic. There is just enough tension in the conflict between man and nature to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Junger never tries to saturate his readers with so much emotion that they roll their eyes in disgust. He makes the fear and desperation realistic and believable. Junger achieves a delicate balance between the factual and fictional elements of the story. The front cover immediately states in bold letters that The Perfect Storm is a true story. Junger’s characters are extremely well developed. It becomes unimportant that Junger may have exaggerated about a character’s experiences. He allows readers to sympathize with Christina Cotter and fear for Bobby Shatfords safety. The thoughts and emotions of every character are stunningly real. My girlfriend pointed out that the book... ...ve damage occurred in New England where federal disaster areas were declared for seven counties in Massachusetts, five in Maine, and one in New Hampshire. Off Staten Island, two men were drowned when their boat capsized. Other fatalities occurred when a man fishing from a bridge was either blown or swept off in New York and a fisherman was swept off the rocks at Narrangansett, RI by heavy surf. Offshore, six lives were lost when the Andrea Gail, a swordfishing boat, sank. Total damage in the Halloween Storm, as it came to be known because of its date, was in the hundreds of millions of dollars.† The first part of the book focuses on the people and their relationships around the docks and their hometown. It gave an in-depth glimpse into the life and psychological behaviors of fishermen. Given the total length of the book my first reaction to this focus on people was that it was too much. My second reaction was "just right." Less stress would have de-personalized the characters. Towards the end the characters in the book have all learned something about themselves because of this storm. Being that some of the characters are not here anymore makes the book all the more poignant.