Symbols of Survival In ​
The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor​
by Gabriel García Márquez and other supplementary sources, characters rely on symbols of their past and of companionship to survive. Not only do these representations show a contrast between previous and present lives, but they also serve as a reminder of identity. In ​
The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor​
, ​
Cast Away​
, “Where is Everybody?”, and “Antarctica to Mars”, individuals all use symbols of their former lives and of companionship to keep their identities intact and persevere through solitude. When faced with complete isolation, Luís Velasco and many others first turn to objects from their past for comfort. In ​
The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor​
, Luís Velasco immediately takes inventory of his possessions when he secures himself on a raft. The watch, business cards, keys, and clothes he carries provide familiarity in the unfamiliar waters he is in. Luís “read[s] the cards over and over to distract [him]self” and, “to make [him]self less lonely, [he] look[s] at the dial of [his] watch” (Márquez 23, 28). He reminisces about the stores from which the business cards were from, and even turns to Ursa Minor, a set of stars in the sky that reminds him of old memories. Luís “d[oes]n’t dare look anywhere else” from Ursa Minor his first night at sea, other than his watch, another item of his past (Márquez 29). In Cast Away​
, Chuck Noland also relies on a watch as a source of solace. Even after four years of complete seclusion, Chuck continues to wake up to the picture of his fiancee in his watch every morning. In a more literal connection to the past, the crew in “Antarctica to Mars” keep in touch with their former lives through the use of social media. Without these tokens of the past, Luís Velasco, Chuck Noland, and the crew of “Antarctica to Mars” would not have had the support to survive their conditions and situations. For further consolation, characters turn to symbols of companionship that are often reflections of their own identities. After Luís Velasco endures two nights isolated from society, he hallucinates of Jaime Manjarrés, a good friend from the Navy. Jaime, although merely a projection of Velasco’s imagination, provides him with social nourishment. Jaime acts like a guide, “turn[ing] to show [Velasco] the way to Cartagena” and asking questions such as “Why didn’t you eat?” (Márquez 41, 40). His words are reflections of Velasco’s inner conscious and his presence keeps Velasco active. In ​
Cast Away​
, Chuck Noland projects his own thoughts and feelings in Wilson, a volleyball. Although Wilson is inanimate, Chuck Noland personifies him by looking to him for advice and painting his face with his own blood. Wilson is both physically and figuratively a piece of Chuck Noland, thus providing friendship while also preserving identity. This reflection of self through companionship is most prevalent in “Where is Everybody?”, where Mike Ferris hallucinates an entire town as a result of prolonged seclusion. Even in this town, however, he finds himself alone. Only when Mike Ferris views his own reflection is he reassured for the first time. He talks to his reflection at ease, just as Chuck approaches Wilson and Velasco does to Jaime. As written in “Antarctica to Mars”, in solitude “you are in a prison of your own mind” (Kumar and Bondoux 3). As a result, characters create symbols of companionship and identity that keep them controlled under chaotic conditions. In ​
The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor​
, ​
Cast Away​
, “Where is Everybody?” and “Antarctica to Mars”, it is clear that symbols of company and tokens of the past are crucial when one is isolated from society. If not for the watch and Jaime Mánjarres, Luís Velasco would not have been able to keep calm and controlled. Especially in such times of extreme distress, staying relaxed is crucial to survival. It allows people to focus on moving forward, finding food and water, and returning to humanity, rather than wallowing over their situations. In addition, the strong sense of self that symbols provide remind characters of who they once were and who they still are. Identity is a constant that characters can hold on to as their situations develop. With a form of companionship and a reminder of the past, Luís Velasco, Chuck Noland, Mike Ferris, and the crew at Concordia station are able to overcome their states of solitude and survive through extreme conditions. Heroism A typical hero is an individual that chooses to go on a journey in order to save society from despair and chaos. Heroes are clever and intelligent but may have a hidden talent, skill, or power that they reveal during their quest. These people must also complete the “Hero’s Journey”, or monomyth, which is the basic archetype found in narratives. After completing this cycle, the hero's life is completely different than it was before. Despite facing a challenge that others do not, Luis Velasco, Alexander Selkirk, and Chuck Noland are still not heroes because they focus on survival rather than heroism and inspire yet do not directly benefit others. Both are crucial elements necessary to offset a true hero from a mere survivor. In ​
The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor​
by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Luis Velasco’s ten days of solitude reveals the human nature of greed. While his challenge is one that others do not face, it is not heroism because he has no control over the predicament he is put in. A genuine hero chooses to go on a quest, unlike Luis who even admits he “[does] nothing heroic” (101). Additionally, a hero undergoes some sort of realization afterwards, whether it is “internally or externally” (101) as Luis remarks. Though it is true that Luis does undergo some internal changes without realizing it, his arrival back to society does not directly touch the lives of others. His story is inspirational to those who read it, however, it does not physically help them or aid them. Unlike Luis, a hero has a physical impact on a certain individual or group of individuals, whether it means they protect or save them from treachery and despair. This difference demonstrates how being a role model does not necessarily correlate to heroism. Similarly to Luis, in “The Story of Alexander Selkirk” by Richard Steele, Alexander Selkirk does not help society by staying alive in solitude. In contrast to Luis, he chooses solitude, which is along the lines of the hero’s acceptance of the “Call to Adventure”, which is the primary step of the monomyth. However, he does not save anyone other than himself or end any threats to the well​
being of mankind like a hero would. His preparation for solitude is a lot higher, but both characters still endure all the pain and hardships solely for themselves. In ​
Cast Away​
, main character Chuck takes actions that support the idea that desperation leads to selfishness; the opposite of heroism. He fights for his own life and well​
being, despite knowing society has already forgotten about him. His mindset greatly changes from the time he first washes up on the shore. After a few days on the island, his purpose in society of getting FedEx packages to their receptors on time diminishes completely as tension and desperation build up. Signifying the acceptance of his situation, Chuck no longer hesitates to open the boxes he gathers in desperation; all except for one, which ideally keeps his sense of hope active. He also interacts with inanimate objects as if they are real people for his own well being to remain sane and grasp onto hope. However, finding and successfully using basic survival necessities, like food or fire, are essentially what keeps his sense of ambition alive all the way to the end. These unintentional acts of greed throughout his struggle show that he stays alive solely for himself, rather than for others, which goes against the ideals of a true hero. Furthermore, nature is the ultimate reason why Chuck ends up on the island. The weather that causes the plane crash demonstrates that Chuck has no choice but to embrace the fact that his own life is at stake, not anyone else’s. Heroes, on the other hand, tend to be in control in regards to taking on certain challenges. This is due to the fact that they must first accept the “Call to Adventure”. All things considered, Chuck's survival is pure chance, which does not apply to the definitive hero that chooses.