Themes and Symbols
There was many themes and symbols throughout the tale of Not Without Hope, with one main overarching symbol - the overturned boat.
The overturned boat symbolizes that your life can change in an instant whether you are expecting it or not. The four men were definitely not planned to be stranded in the middle of the ocean or they would have definitely done things differently. For example, they would have told someone when to expect them to back and the exact location where they were going. They would have dressed warmer and brought more food and water. They wouldn’t have cut the line.
But because they didn’t know, they had to make best of the situation. Nobody knows what is going to happen at any point in your life. But no matter what happens, you can dwell upon all of the bad and negative to try and look for that silver lining and that ray of hope that is positive. Nick suffered for months after the accident not being able to forgive himself for losing his friends, but later on, he came to the conclusion that he couldn’t have saved their lives and that he was meant to stay here for a reason. He had a choice - he could stay sad and not move on with his life or he could remember and honor his friends and be grateful that he was still alive and live life to the fullest. Sometimes it takes time to find the hope in anything, but with enough searching, you can definitely find it amongst any possible sorrow.
The flipping of the boat was also a “wake up call.” You never know when the last time you are going to see somebody is going to be. If Marquis knew that before this boating trip was going to be the last time he saw Rebekah and Delaney, he probably would have done things a little differently. We may come to school one day and see somebody that is really important to us but they might not be there the next. We as people have to be more aware that a goodbye or a hug or conversation may be the last so make it count.
The waves crashing down upon the boat show let things that aren’t important go. Focus and concentrate your energy on what is important. If you dread spending time with someone but love spending time with someone else, focus on spending your time with the person that you love and want to be with.
The 43 hours showed that every second is precious time that can never be taken back. Nick learns this with the chance of never being able to see who he loves again, especially his Mom and Paula. He will never get any more time with Corey, Marquis, or Will ever again, only the memories from the past. Every second is spent, there is no going back. Spend your time wisely, with care, doing what you want and what is right.
Perseverance, grit, courage, and bravery are also shown multiple times throughout Not Without Hope. Nick has to persevere and have the courage to go on by himself after Will dies. Will has to have the grit and bravery to dive under the boat not only once, but twice to get the essential survival tools. Corey and Marquis had grit to try and survive for as long as they could.
Remember, every moment might be your last and time is precious, so make sure it is well spent. .