Two Years Before the Mast · Chapter
Concluding Chapter explained
In the concluding chapter, Dana reflects on the legal and social injustices faced by sailors, critiquing the judicial system that favors captains over seamen.
What happens
In the concluding chapter, Dana reflects on the legal and social injustices faced by sailors, critiquing the judicial system that favors captains over seamen. He argues against harsh corporal punishment and appeals for gradual reform through improved education and character of sailors, rather than immediate legislative changes.
Themes in this chapter
Justice and Cruelty
Dana critiques the judicial system's unfair treatment of sailors, where captains' good character on shore is used to mitigate punishment for cruelty at sea.
Class and Social Inequality
The chapter highlights the disparity between captains and sailors in legal proceedings, with captains backed by wealthy owners and insurers while sailors are viewed with suspicion.
Labor and Economy
Dana discusses the economic pressures on sailors, including poor provisions, lack of sleep, and the impact of poverty on legal outcomes.
Characters to notice
- Richard Henry Dana Jr.
The narrator and author, reflecting on the systemic issues faced by sailors and advocating for gradual reform.
Key passages
“that they never saw in him any signs of a cruel or tyrannical disposition. I have even known evidence admitted to show the character he bore when a boy at school.”
Witnesses testify that the captain showed no cruelty, and sometimes evidence of his childhood character is even allowed in court.
Dana criticizes the use of irrelevant character evidence to defend captains accused of cruelty.
“The next thing to be done is to show to the court and jury that the captain is a poor man, and has a wife and family, or other friends, depending upon him for support; that if he is fined, it will only be taking bread from the mouths of the innocent and helpless”
Defense attorneys then argue that the captain is poor and has dependents, so a fine would harm innocent family members.
Dana highlights the manipulative appeal to pity used to reduce punishments for captains.
“I fully believe that the lives of merchant seamen are shortened by the want of it. I do not refer to those occasions when it is necessarily broken in upon; but, for months, during fine weather, in many merchantmen, all hands are kept, throughout the day, and, then, there are eight hours on deck for one watch each night.”
Dana believes sailors' lives are shortened by chronic sleep deprivation, as they often work all day and get only four hours of sleep at a time for months.
This illustrates the harsh working conditions and health impacts on sailors.