# The Flight – The Pursuit – Despair and its Results – The Lion Bearded in his Den Again – Awful Danger Threatened and Wonderfully Averted – A Terrific Storm explained — The Coral Island

> Chapter companion for The Coral Island by R. M. Ballantyne.

## What happens

The boys attempt to escape by canoe with Avatea, are pursued by a war-canoe, captured, and brought before Tararo. They are imprisoned in a cave and then led to a sacrificial temple, but a sudden and violent storm interrupts the proceedings, allowing the teacher to come to their aid.

## Themes in this chapter

### Survival and Self-Reliance

The boys rely on their own strength and resourcefulness to escape, paddle for hours, and face capture with defiance.

### Providence and Fate

Ralph expresses hope in divine intervention, and the sudden storm is portrayed as a providential deliverance from sacrifice.

### Savagery vs. Civilization

The conflict between the 'savage' practices of the islanders (sacrifice, pursuit) and the 'civilized' values of the boys (succoring a woman, Christian faith) is central.

## Character check-ins

### Ralph Rover

Narrates the escape attempt, capture, and imprisonment; expresses hope in divine deliverance.

### Jack Martin

Leads the escape, defiantly confronts Tararo, and regrets his temper after capture.

### Peterkin Gay

Assists in the escape, shows a mild and sad demeanor during the pursuit, and is captured alongside the others.

### Avatea

Rescued by the boys, she is captured again and seen unfettered in the canoe; her fate is central to the conflict.

### Tararo

The chief who condemns the boys to death after their failed escape attempt.

### Missionary

The teacher who accompanies the boys, attempts to intercede, and later runs to them with a knife during the storm.

## Key lines

> Hastily throwing a few blankets into our little boat, we stepped into it, and, whispering farewell to the natives in the schooner, rowed gently over the lagoon, taking care to keep as near to the beach as possible.

We quickly grabbed some blankets, got into our small boat, and quietly said goodbye to the natives on the schooner as we rowed softly across the lagoon, staying close to the shore.

_Describes the beginning of the escape attempt._

> When we saw that there was indeed no chance of escape, and that paddling any longer would only serve to exhaust our strength, without doing any good, we turned the side of our canoe towards the approaching enemy, and laid down our paddles.

Realizing escape was impossible and further paddling would only tire us uselessly, we turned our canoe sideways to face the approaching enemy and stopped paddling.

_Moment of despair before capture._

> Just as we were approaching the horrid temple, a growl of thunder burst overhead and heavy drops of rain began to fall.

As we neared the dreadful temple, thunder rumbled above and rain started to pour down heavily.

_The storm begins just before the sacrifice._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_coral_island_se/chapters/xxxiii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_coral_island_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_coral_island_se/chapters