Discussion- The men that remain on the island have no much more to do than wait for rescue. At first, many believe the ship will return in a matter of a month or two, but after looking for the ship daily in vain, the men are forced to realize the fact that they must winter on the island. They build a shelter out of rocks and an upturned boat, and continue to make improvements, though it is far from ideal. This quote shows that at the beginning, the men had not much else to do but wait to be saved. They were bored, but they could deal with it as long as they kept their hopes up. The men read, dream, talk, and write in an attempt to keep their minds of the situation at hand. Besides that, all they could do was wait and hope. As time stretched on though, the men grew more discouraged. To lighten the mood, the men celebrate Midwinter’s Day on June 22. It becomes harder and harder for the men to keep their spirits up as the days slowly drag on, and still the watchmen see nothing on the horizon. Another large disappointment among the remaining crew was the usage of the last of the tobacco. The need was so great that the men tried to smoke different things, such as lichen. The men were barely holding on. Two were invalid due to frostbite and many others were ill or suffered from repulsive soars. As the end of August approaches, the men grow less and less hopeful, and this loss of morale is clearly recorded in all of their diaries. They begin to wonder if they will ever be rescued.
Literary Term: turning point- A very significant change occurs when Shackleton and his chosen crew set off with all the best supplies and rations to search for help. The men left behind face an even more difficult existence, and for them, this attempt at a rescue operation is all they have left.
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