Aubrey Blackstock post three

Throughout the book, I have noticed that the theme acceptance is the key to true freedom occurs. Juan creates a false perception of who he truly is. He denies who is family is. For example on page 134 Juan remembers telling everyone that "his mother had been a maid in a great mansion in Miramar, and his father had been killed in the Sierra Maestrea Mountains,fighting beside Fidel." It's not just Juan, all of the exiles have similar thoughts. The exiles say things like, "oh I shouldn't have left. It's going to get better any day now. I should have sat it out and waited patiently." In truth, if they saw what was going on back home, they wouldn't want to go back. The exiles need to accept their decision and realize that it might have been the right one for them. Accepting the truth can make all the difference especially for Juan. It wasn't until he heard his father's voice, while Juan was floating in the raft, that he recognized it was shameful to lie about one's past. When Juan finally accepted who he is, he was no longer afraid of dying, or anything. He finally felt whole and this truth set him free.

Hu Post Three

The book includes a wide variety of themes, but one that stood out for me was "To achieve anything, you need to never stop hoping." Never stop hoping for a better future, freedom, love, acceptance, happiness, or anything and eventually you will have it accomplished. It reoccurs throughout the entire book, staring when Andres sacrifices himself in the hope his friends will continue on their journey. After his death the two remaining friends hope to stay alive. When Raul is disoriented after the hurricane, he most rely, or have hope in Juan to make sure they're still on course. After the shark attack, Juan is mourning for the loss of his companions but as he approaches Florida daily, the hope of seeing Carmen lets him not succumb to the peace and quiet of death. We as readers see Juan losing hope and know the only way for him to safely reach Carmen is to keep his spirits up- but he already considers himself "a dead man." Whenever you stop having faith in a better tomorrow, it affects what you are going to do today, so when I pondered the meaning of this book, I thought of all the hardships but how he finally reached his destination, yet he was alone; and after all that hope, he has found somewhere to be himself.

Kendall McRae post 3

After reading the novel, I have come up with the theme that "Sometimes, giving up things important to you are necessary for freedom." Juan along with Raul and Andres, as well as Alberto had to give up many special things to them in order to make it to the Florida Keys. Juan had to leave his career as a teacher and his old world in Cuba. He also had to lose Raul and Andres, who gave their lives to freedom, in order to make the crossing. Alberto had to give his life, and in doing so also gave up his future love, in order to save Juan from the hungry grasp of the ocean and find inner enlightenment. As said by Juan on page 158 "It had been normal, he thought at first, to give part of his life, part of himself, to them so that the rest might be preserved. Surely everyone did this." Juan had to face near death to achieve freedom; he had to give up his old life to develop a new one.

Ben Horst Post 3

After finishing this book, one theme seemed most important to me. The author repeatedly explained the Gulf Stream as a highway or passageway to freedom. It was almost as if the sole purpose of the Stream was to carry Cubans across the straights. During one's life, there are many opportunities to succeed, and many times, one leads to another. Like a road leads one from one destination to another. As I read about the current, I couldn't help thinking of it in two ways. Obviously as a physical ocean current, but also as a pathway, a road, or a choice in one's life's direction towards freedom. From this, I believe that there will always be choices to choose the right path, possibly less obvious than an actual path across a sea though. Along that path, there will be more choices along the way, some leading farther toward the intended destination, others changing the original course, but no matter what, it will always lead somewhere.

Melissa Gurevitch post 3

The theme of The Lonely Crossing of Juan Cabrera is, "you can't let hard times prevent you from reaching your goals". In the beginning of the story, Juan, Raul, and Andres begin their journey together. Soon after they depart though, Juan and Raul are faced with their first hardship, Andres' murder. This was difficult for both of them, but they did not let it bring them down. A little later when the hurricane strikes Juan and Raul loose almost everything. Instead of complaining they immediately begin to think about how to survive. Not too long after the hurricane, Juan is faced with one of the hardest parts of the journey, the death of his friend Raul. It was very hard for Juan to loose someone so close to him and in addition he was left alone to make it to Miami. Many people would have given up at this point and Juan almost did. Juan realises though that he can still make it. The book showed me that you will have to face difficult times in your life, but you can't let that stop you from living your life. Juan set out with the goal to obtain freed on and no matter what happened, he continued his journey until it was accomplished.

Suhr Post 3

The theme that I have chosen from the book is: One must never give up on their dreams. There were many times throughout the trials and tribulations of this story when Juan could have given up on his dream of freedom. When Andres was killed by the gun boat, Juan could have just decided that this voyage across the sea demanded too much. Juan, however, fought back his emotions and floated onward. Another time that giving up presented itself as a good option was when Raul and Juan were taken over by the hurricane. At this point I would have felt that my journey was doomed to fail, but Juan and Raul held tight to their dreams(and also the raft!) and made it through the storm alive. Later, after Raul has been eaten alive by a tiger shark and Juan is left all alone, Juan almost slipped into the murky depths of the sea and gave into the sweet temptations of death. However, the thought of finally fulfilling his dream kept him clinging to the raft. Alberto(Cessna Pilot) then finally spots him and he is taken to safety and freedom. Juan held fast to his dream of freedom through the tests of the open ocean and death and fulfilled his dream by making it to America.

Paula: Post Three

One of the many themes in the story is that courage can be found in the strangest of places. As you know, Juan wasn’t tough, brave, or strong in the beginning. He was just your average physics and astronomy professor. But it’s amazing how much two friends, an inner tube raft and a trip in the unpredictable ocean can transform someone. In the beginning, Juan was a lying coward, telling fibs just to save his back and hid his past. But, as he goes on his deep-sea journey, he begins to change. When his friend, Raul, was being attacked by the shark, he finds the courage and strength that he had lost when his father was taken away. As he floats on the raft, he realizes the fear, the lies, and the familiar negrura didn’t do anything but hurt him. He sees that there is nothing to be afraid of, not even death, because in death, you can find an endless rest.

Grace Post Three

The theme I chose is that there's hope in both life and death. The author used this theme for nearly every major event and main character. For example, when Andres gave himself up for Raul and Juan, he knew he was getting freedom, perhaps not the way he wanted but he was. He also knew was giving the chance to live in freedom to Raul and Juan. When Raul was eaten by the shark, Juan, even though he was numb with shock, he felt (to quote) "as if all the fear and all the death and all the duplicity of the last thirty years had been swallowed in that place"the place being where Raul had last been. He had also gained confidence and was comforted by the fact that he and the place where Raul had been were flowing together in the Gulf Stream. When the unknown 14 year old boy's funeral took place, everyone was driven to tears, just imagining the loss. However, the only comfort and hope was that he gained true freedom. Jose Antonio, Raul's brother, lost Raul, but he found Juan and he already had his own family, who are living free. There are many more examples, and despite that fact that the story was somewhat depressing, the author tied hope into all the grief and sorrow.

rob cosby post three

The theme I chose for this story is: taking the road less traveled by, shows the hero and determination within oneself. These three Cubans had the power within their minds to put together a small inner tube raft, float approximately 100 miles to the U.S., and obtain their freedom with a sense of pride. They were willing to risk their lives and travel along an uncharted route across the Gulf of Mexico into Miami. The courage and determination that is needed to leave a place once called home and out into a perilous ocean, is beyond any one man's power. However, Juan has become a hero and proved to himself and others around him, that he deserves to walk as a free man, no matter where he goes or what road he travels on. Throughout the book, the writer uses detailed descriptions, that all lead back to one word: determination. While Juan feels rather pessimistic during most of the novel, he must feel much pride in knowing that he wakes up each day...as a free man.

Andrew Doetsch Post 3

The theme of the story I chose is that freedom is worth risking your life to attain. As we have read, Juan has had countless close encounters with death. He missed being spotted by the Cuban (Russian) gunboat. Unfourtunatly, his friends life was taken. He almost drowned during a hurricane. He was attacked by a ferociuos shark and barely escaped with his life, unlike his companion. He would have died of exposure, had he not been rescued by Alberto. He went through this tourture just to attain freedom, and that is evedence to my theme. As the first paragraph said: "Freedom, Sancho, is one of the most precious gifts that heaven has bestowed upon men; no treasures the earth holds buried or the sea conceales can compare with it: for freedom, as for honor, life may and should be ventured."

FINAL POSTING

FINAL POSTING--TRY TO FINISH BY FRIDAY SO THAT YOU CAN ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND. MUST POST BY MONDAY NIGHT!

QUESTION: SELECT ANY THEME IN THE NOVEL AND EXPLAIN HOW THAT THEME IS EXPRESSED. REMEMBER THAT A THEME IS AN IDEA THAT THE READER TAKES AWAY FROM THE NOVEL THAT CAN BE APPLIED TO HIS/HER LIFE OR THE WORLD IN GENERAL.

Remember to choose only one theme and show where it appears--in the words, actions, events, descriptions, emotions that the writer has given us. There are no "wrong" answers as long as you can make your case.

You may use the same theme as a previous poster if your analysis is different.

Do a great job--this post counts double.

Enjoy your weekend!