In the Heart of the Sea In his novel, In the Heart of the Sea, Nathaniel Philbrick beautifully reconstructs the sinking of the whaling ship Essex and describes its crew's struggle to survive in open whaleboats to safety . The story was based on the true event of the whaler Essex and her crew. This novel appears to be heavily influenced by the 19th century classic MOBY DICK, as Herman Melville had written his famous novel MOBY DICK after it inspired the real-life event of the whaler Essex. In the heart of the sea is the story of an Essex whaler that was attacked by a sperm whale nearly 85 feet long. This attack destroys and sinks the ship, stranding the crew on three whalers. The crew managed to salvage some supplies and some water and the steward's quick thinking also helped them save some navigation instruments, but they were not enough. They decided to return east to South America instead of sailing west to one of the many islands in the Pacific. It seems that Captain George Pollard was not the right leader for this challenge. He accepted no input from his officers and so they must cover 3,000 miles, which required 93 days of hunger, thirst and death as trade winds and storms pushed them further and further from their destination. First Officer Owen Chase could have been the better leader, however he was also responsible for some poor decisions. It is difficult to judge who is the better leader among them since the world is based mainly on Chase's narrative of the wreck of the whaler Essex. Philbrick also uses Chase's narratives, but relies more on a recently discovered account from the fourteen-year-old cabin boy who was also on board when the whale struck the ship. Philbrick weaves his e...... middle of paper ......tten rule of nature and they ate the flesh of their dead companions. The question arises: why didn't they eat fish? Philbrick explains why the sea provided no sustenance. This book is more than a novel. It is a chronology of facts relating to whales, of the ships and men who sailed and lived by hunting whales. This novel is one of the most interesting and informative novels ever written about whaling and the people who made their living from whaling. References In the Heart of the Sea http://www.sonic.net/barny/heart.html In the Heart of the Sea, Lucy books http://www.lucysbooks.com/pages/heartofthesea.html Kemp, Mark, In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaler Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick http://www.post-gazette.com/books/reviews/20000702review517.asp Wolfrum, William K. A review of In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaler Essex http:/ /booksiloved.com/23/Heart_of_the_Sea.html