# XIV explained — Two Years Before the Mast

> Chapter companion for Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana Jr..

## What happens

The narrator reflects on the grim reality of the voyage, the harsh discipline under Captain Thompson, and the growing discontent among the crew. He describes the backbreaking labor of loading and unloading hides at San Pedro, the isolation of the California coast, and the devastating news that the voyage will last three or four years instead of the expected eighteen months. The chapter captures the crew's despair, the captain's severity, and the physical toll of the work.

## Themes in this chapter

### Authority and Discipline

Captain Thompson's severe discipline and the mate's leniency create a toxic dynamic, with the captain tightening control and the crew responding with resentment.

### Hardship and Endurance

The crew endures grueling physical labor, including hauling heavy goods up a muddy hill and working barefoot in the surf, while facing the psychological burden of an indefinite voyage.

### Isolation and Longing

The narrator feels trapped at 'the ends of the earth' with no hope of redress or escape, longing for home and a future that seems increasingly out of reach.

## Character check-ins

### Richard Henry Dana Jr.

The narrator expresses his despair over the extended voyage and his resolve to become a master of a vessel. He participates in the grueling work of hauling goods and hides ashore at San Pedro.

### Captain Thompson

Captain Thompson is described as a vigorous, severe disciplinarian who drives the crew hard and interferes with the mate's authority, exacerbating tensions aboard the ship.

### Mr. F⸺

The first mate is portrayed as a kind and honest man but too gentle for the captain's harsh standards, leading to conflict and the captain's increased control.

### Mr. S⸺

The narrator's friend S⸺ helps him take down the royal yards during a sudden storm, showing their shared duty aloft.

## Key lines

> I made up my mind that, feel as I might, a sailor I must be, and to be master of a vessel, must be the height of my ambition.

The narrator resigns himself to a life at sea, deciding that becoming a ship captain is his only viable goal.

_Reflects the narrator's shift from a temporary sailor to accepting a permanent maritime career due to the extended voyage._

> Severity created discontent, and signs of discontent provoked severity.

The captain's harshness led to the crew's dissatisfaction, which in turn made the captain even stricter, creating a vicious cycle.

_Highlights the escalating conflict between the captain and crew._

> We were at the ends of the earth; on a coast almost solitary; in a country where there is neither law nor gospel, and where sailors are at their captain's mercy.

The crew felt isolated and powerless in a lawless region, completely dependent on the captain's whims.

_Emphasizes the theme of isolation and the lack of legal protection for sailors._

> The water and the stones together would wear out a pair of shoes a day, and as shoes were very scarce and very dear, we were compelled to go barefooted.

The harsh conditions destroyed shoes quickly, and due to their high cost and scarcity, the sailors had to work without them.

_Illustrates the physical hardships and scarcity of supplies on the coast._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/two_years_before_the_mast_se/chapters/xiv
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/two_years_before_the_mast_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/two_years_before_the_mast_se/chapters