Theme Of Man In The Water By Roger Rosenblatt

When we think about heroes and people who are courageous, most people will think of the military rather than some John Doe who died in a plane crash. However, so many citizens are willing to sacrifice their lives for another. When Air Florida Flight 90 crashed into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C., one of these unsung heroes emerged. This unidentified man saved many people and showed an enormous amount of bravery through his willingness to sacrifice himself. The author's usage of similes and metaphors is helpful to the reader to point out emphasized ideas. In The Man in the Water, by Roger Rosenblatt, the theme of courageousness is shown through the descriptions of the man's actions, the comparison between man and nature, and Rosenblatt's response to the situation.

The first way that the theme of courageousness is shown in The Man in the Water by Rosenblatt is through the great description of the man's actions. When crashes occur, many people sit still

or yell while they wait for help. And when this help comes, they gladly take it. However, this man was not like other people; when the police helicopter team offered him a flotation device, he passed it on to the next passenger. While doing this, the police said he appeared "alert and in control," which is very unusual in a crisis. His selflessness and bravery are extremely notable, yet not so recognized. Clearly, the descriptions and vocabulary used by the author to display the man's bravery was a main factor in developing the theme of courageousness in this article.

Another aspect of The Man in the Water that contributes to the theme of courageousness is Rosenblatt's description of the relationship between man and nature.

For example, he says, "For its part, nature cared nothing about the five passengers. Our man, on the other hand, cared totally." Basically, nature has no thoughts or feelings about what it does or causes, but man has the greatest of feelings about these situations. The man in the water cared deeply about the safety and welfare of his fellow passengers. According to Rosenblatt, the man's confliction with nature could be described as a battle in which nature had no ideas of good or evil or principles, and man acted completely based upon those things. The unknown savior in the water fought this dispute against nature as long as he possibly could, but eventually the altercation overwhelmed him. Obviously, the man's fearlessness in his confrontation with the ruthlessness of nature greatly contributed to the theme of courageousness in Rosenblatt's

article.

Lastly, Rosenblatt's personal response to the situation in The Man in the Water is an essential aspect in identifying the theme of courageousness. The main conclusion he comes to is that the man in the water didn't really lose the fight. He says that, "he could hand life over to a stranger," and he "pitted himself against an implacable, impersonal enemy." In other words, Rosenblatt believes that the man won the fight because of his courage. He was brave enough to sacrifice his own life for the lives of others, and brave enough to die for them. Rosenblatt discusses how we should feel powerless compared to nature after the man in the water 'lost' this fight, but we don't because of his inspiring courage. Clearly, the ways that Rosenblatt responds to the situation are helpful in noticing the theme of courageousness in The Man in the Water.

Rosenblatt's main reason for writing The Man in the Water is to persuade the readers to act with more audacity, courage, and selflessness. He makes this obvious through various aspects of his article. These include his descriptions of the actions taken by the man in the water, the comparison of nature and man, and his own personal reaction to the situation. His message of courageousness is significant because like the man in the water, bravery helps you win the unbelievable fights.