Lifeboat 12

“Now, the third night of bombing, / I notice German planes / make a different sound from ours. / German planes are diesel. / They throb. / Ours hum.”

One of Ken’s hobbies is studying the war planes, and he learns to differentiate between British and German planes based on their sounds. This introduction of Ken’s hobby foreshadows an important turning point later in the story. Ken heroically spots the plane from Lifeboat 12 and identifies it as a British plane, allowing the crew to signal to the pilot. Without Ken’s knowledge, the passengers on Lifeboat 12 may not have been rescued because they would have needed to stay low in case the plane was German.

“It’s just something we do— / pick up the pieces of this war, / wrap our hands round the danger, / try to contain it.”

Shrapnel is a key symbol. Ken and his friends collect pieces of shrapnel from the bombs they find on the ground. By pocketing the shrapnel, Ken notes that they are trying to contain and limit the danger the war brings. In this sense, Hood uses the shrapnel to symbolize the war’s threat. 

“No roly-poly here! / In fact, nothing here / reminds me of food at home / where I have to work / for every mouthful— / hoeing and weeding vegetables / in our Victory Garden, / checking the chickens for eggs / and skinning and gutting rabbits for stew.”

Life on the beautiful SS City of Benares contrasts with Ken’s life at home, particularly in regard to the food. On the ship, Ken has access to any kind of food he wants, whereas at home he is limited to rations. Furthermore, Ken does not have to work for his food on the ship like he does at home; instead, the dining room prepares what he requests. Even though life is much easier and more glamorous on the ship than at home, Hood shows that the luxury liner is not exempt from the reach of the war.

“I wrap my warm wool coat around me, / remembering my family / back home / in trouble too, / braving the Blitz, / braving the bombs.”

Ken’s coat is another key symbol. Ken goes back to his cabin for his coat, thinking that his stepmother will be angry if he loses it. This decision ends up saving his life as he must board Lifeboat 12 rather than his assigned Lifeboat 8. Ken’s thoughts of his family demonstrate that even in the midst of the torpedo attack chaos, Ken is thinking of others. He realizes that they are experiencing the dangers of war too. These revelations signal Ken’s maturation and thematically develop Coming of Age in Times of Crisis.

“Voices snatched by the wind— / ‘Help me please!’ / ‘Grab my hand!’ / ‘Bachao!’ / ‘I’ve got you!’ / ‘Dear God, have mercy!’ / ‘Allah!’ / ‘I can’t swim!’ / ‘There’s a raft. Grab on!’ / ‘Lord, help us!’ / ‘Let go! You’re pulling me under!’ / ‘Madat kar!’ / ‘There’s no more room! You’ll drown us all!’ / ‘It’s cold, so cold.’ / ‘Mummy! I want my mum!’”

Ken hears the voices of many people crying out in the darkness as the SS City of Benares sinks. Hood places each quote on a separate line and staggers them, alternating one left aligned and the next right aligned to give the impression that the shouts are coming from different directions as Ken sits in his Lifeboat. The quotes demonstrate the diversity of ages, cultures, and religions of those who are speaking, yet all the quotes share the common emotion of fear.

“I see something rise in the water, / something ahead. / It’s the fine red rocking horse / from the children’s playroom. / It rears up from the sea, / the red horse of war, / its mouth open, / silently screaming / at all it sees, / rocking up and down / in the waves / past the bodies of those / I now know / are already / dead.”

Ken sees the children’s rocking horse in the waves as the SS City of Benares is sinking, and Hood uses a poetic, metaphorical description of the horse to emphasize the horror of the scene Ken witnesses. She also uses the horse to point out the contrast between the luxury of the ship and the disaster that has befallen it. The beautiful rocking horse, a child’s plaything connected with innocence and enjoyment, is out of place in the sea littered with dead bodies and panicked survivors. The phrase “red horse of war” is an allusion to the Bible’s Revelation, in which the four horsemen are harbingers of the apocalypse. Specifically, the red horseman symbolizes war.

“I gaze up at Cooper / and think about the quiet bravery, / the kindness, / that saved Peard— / the roughneck / who rescued all those children. / One man reserved, / one raucous. / Neither much taller than me. / Heroes both.”

Ken’s contrast of Cooper and Peard shows that while both men are brave, they show their courage through different personalities. Hood uses these two characters as foils for one another. She points out that courage can come in different forms and highlights Ken’s coming-of-age as he looks to both Cooper and Peard as role models. The characterization of these two men also thematically develops The Definition of Bravery.

“I feel the wind blowing; / today, it feels like a friend.”

This quote corresponds with one of the novels themes, The Beauty and Power of Nature. Ken’s musing about the wind shows that sometimes nature feels like a friend, while other times it feels like an enemy. The weather greatly affects how the passengers of Lifeboat 12 feel; sunshine and a light breeze can lift their spirits, while a storm can create waves that make them fear for their lives. Hood shows that nature can be both soothing and terrifying.

“I hear Ramjam Buxoo, / talking with Father O’Sullivan. / ‘Allah the Compassionate / will save us / if He so wishes. / Or / He will send storms / if He thinks it best. / God is wise.’”

Even though Ramjam Buxoo and Father O’Sullivan have different religious beliefs, they discuss their faith in God. Both men have unshaken faith that their God hears their prayers and is in control. Hood shows that in crises, people of different backgrounds and religions can come together and find common ground.

“Auntie Mary sees what I see. / She realizes we may die— / not of hunger / not of thirst / not of exhaustion— / not yet anyway. / It sounds odd to say / but it’s true, / we may die of the doldrums / as the days go by.”

Ken identifies boredom as the number one threat to survival. As time drags on with nothing to break the monotony, he and the other passengers become delirious. In fact, one of the passengers jumps into the ocean to his death. Hood captures the isolation and nothingness the passengers face and equates the mental and physical when identifying the passengers’ struggles.

“How can I be so wet / when my throat is so dry? / How can I be sunburned / and frostbitten? / How can I be so exhausted / and unable to sleep?”

Hood emphasizes the physical struggle Ken faces by naming in detail what is causing him discomfort. She uses paradoxes and questions to highlight the contrast between the abundance of saltwater yet lack of drinking water; the harshness of the sun yet the unrelenting cold; and the fatigue Ken experiences without the ability to ease it with sleep.

“Then, as suddenly / as the whales appeared, / heave ho— / there they go. / Later that day, the colors / of the western sky collide, / mirrored in the east / as if we are watching / two sunsets at once.”

This quote thematically illustrates The Beauty and Power of Nature. Lifeboat 12 receives a treat when whales visit the boat and an incredible sunset lights the sky. Ken is in awe at the natural beauty he sees, yet this feeling does not last long. That night, an intense storm comes and reminds the boat that they are at nature’s mercy. They can enjoy her beauty, but they must also respect her strength.

“That night, / chilling clouds / collide / and split, / spilling rain, / spitting hail, / slashing sideways.”

This storm comes on the heels of the whales and beautiful sunset from the previous quote, providing a contrast between The Beauty and Power of Nature, one of the novel’s themes. Nature provided marvelous sights during the day, but as night falls, the clear weather gives way to a storm that makes Ken and his friends fear they will be tossed into the ocean. The passengers on Lifeboat 12 are helpless against the wind and hail, and they can only hope to endure nature’s power.

“The clouds and sea / are smoke and mirrors, / evil magicians / hypnotizing us, / conjuring land, / hope, / home / with hocus-pocus. / Cruel con artists. / There is no land. / Hope is a hoax.”

Hood uses metaphors for the clouds and the ocean after Ken realizes the land he thought he saw on the horizon was a mirage. These metaphors show how nature can play tricks on one’s mind while also conveying Ken’s waning hope. At many points, Ken and the other passengers had high hopes for rescue or relief, only to be disappointed. Hood shows how hope that is repeatedly thwarted will eventually diminish.

“I see the crew / is unmoored. / I see the sores / on their feet / and the suffering / on their faces. / I watch Buxoo move / from man to man / in his crew, / whispering, / reassuring them. / I ask Father O’Sullivan, / ‘What can I do?’”

After one of the Indian sailors jumps into the water and drowns, Ken can see the toll it takes on the rest of the Lascars. Hood uses the term “unmoored” as a double entendre, describing the men’s mental state through a boating term. “Unmoored” can mean lacking contact with reality as well as an adrift vessel. Ken also demonstrates his maturity as he has compassion on the men and asks what he can do to help. Ken’s quickness to aid highlights the theme of Coming of Age in Times of Crisis.

“There is no remedy / for what has happened, / only small relief. / Nagorski moves to each one in turn, / and I see how / one small kindness between strangers / offers distraction / from Death, / who now occupies / that empty seat on our boat.”

As Mr. Nagorski offers the shocked and grieving Lascars ointment for their feet, Ken sees that this kindness is small yet meaningful. The personification of death shows the shift in mood that occurs after the Lascar sailor dies. The situation intensifies, and every passenger feels the weight of the crisis grow heavier.

“And as / it becomes / harder to talk, / each of us / on the boat / becomes / an island / unto ourselves, / each of us alone / in a great sea / of silence.”

As thirst worsens for the passengers on Lifeboat 12, talking becomes nearly impossible. The lack of verbal communication makes people withdraw into themselves. Hood uses the metaphor of an island to illustrate the isolation people feel in spite of close proximity and to highlight the way physical challenges take a toll on the passenger’s mental state.

“I blink. / There’s a speck in my eye. / NO! / It’s a speck in the sky / growing / bigger, / blacker, / brighter.”

When Ken spots a plane in the distance, Hood creates the rhyme of “eye” and “sky” alongside alliteration to illustrate Ken’s growing excitement and confidence that the plane is indeed coming closer. The use of rhyme and alliteration also serve to instantly lighten the mood and create a quickened reading pace.

“As the ship approaches, I grin at my Indian friend / and yell, ‘Huzzah!’ / He looks at my quizzically / and repeats, ‘Huzzah?’ / I point to the ship. ‘Huzzah!’ / He looks and says, ‘Ah, Hurrē!’ / ‘Hurrē!’ / I shout.”

Ken shares a moment with the young Lascar sailor as they both celebrate rescue. Hood shows that even though the boys do not speak the same language, they can communicate through their shared experiences and emotions. Each has a different word to express excitement, yet they understand one another perfectly in this moment.

“Now I’m home, / but home hasn’t changed. / Money is still tight. / My father can’t leave work. / My stepmum feels the same […] Home hasn’t changed. / BUT / I have.” 

When Ken hears that his parents are unable to come get him in Scotland, he realizes that the world he is coming home to is mostly the same; the war is ongoing, and the family dynamic is still challenging. However, he recognizes that he has a newfound identity, one of confidence and independence. He sees the world differently now because of his survival experience. This quote illustrates a significant moment in Ken’s maturing identity and thematically underscores Coming of Age in Times of Crisis.

“The sea may have knocked me down / and left me for dead, / but this odd mix of kind people / thrown together on Lifeboat 12— / people who were once strangers— / started my heart again. / They nursed me back to myself, / stronger than ever.”

Ken thinks about the sense of community he found on Lifeboat 12, and the way kindness from others kept him alive. His thoughts suggest that although nature is powerful, so is human connection. Hood shows that crisis can bring people together in remarkable ways and has the potential to bring out the best in people.

“‘Now we can look at his bike / without crying,’ she whispers. / Crying? / I look up at her in surprise / and, maybe for the first time, / notice how weary she looks.”

Previously, Ken’s stepmother is characterized as emotionally cold, so Ken is surprised to hear that his stepmother cried for him while he was lost at sea. This moment indicates the start of a change in Ken’s relationship with his stepmother. He realizes he may have misjudged her attitude toward him, and that he means more to her than he thought.

“‘Newspapers say Lifeboat 8 / had no survivors,’ / our neighbor says softly. / ‘I went back to get my coat,’ I say. / ‘That’s how I ended up in Lifeboat 12.’ / ‘Oh!’ Mum cries, covering her mouth. / Slowly she reaches a hand to me. / I reach right back.”

Hood uses Ken’s choice to return to his cabin for his coat as the decision that kept him alive. This detail reveals how close to death Ken came and highlights the tragedy of the many people from the SS City of Benares who died. This quote also shows the healing that takes place between Ken and his stepmother. Her uncharacteristic affection makes Ken realize that in contrast to his judgments of her, she does love him.