Joe Rantz In Daniel James Brown's The Boys In The Boat

Kenji Clark LA-8A 9/9/24

A Trip Through a Minefield to the Olympics.

Envision yourself a couple of years ago. You were a simple boy living in Washington during the Great Depression, hoping to attend college. You just began rowing to help pay your tuition, and suddenly, you find yourself standing on the Olympic stage, preparing for the most significant moment of your life. This is the position of Joe Rantz, the protagonist of Daniel James Brown's novel The Boys in the Boat, who is about to embark on one of the best Olympic journeys of all time to be a member of the winning rowing crew at the 1936 Olympic games. Despite many obstacles and setbacks, Joe Rantz's grit and determination helped him to persevere and become a successful member of the

Joe's unwavering determination was the driving force behind his pursuit of rowing excellence. Rather than merely incorporating rowing into his life, he made it his life's focus. Joe sought to integrate rowing into every aspect of his existence to hone his skills, from his demanding job to daily routines. Like Joe, many of his teammates faced financial challenges and worked tirelessly to stay in college. When Joe accepted a dangerous new job, he discovered several teammates were also there, trying to earn extra money over the summer. Assigned to the dangerous task of excavating a mountainside while dangling from a cliff, Joe's physical strength and rowing ability were significantly enhanced through the arduous labor of lifting and moving heavy rocks. One of, if not the most challenging, parts of Joe's life was his disconnection from his family. From a young age, Joe was neglected and then eventually abandoned. After the loss of his mother, Joe's father remarried a woman who would eventually tear apart Joe's family. Joe's father