The Sea Wolf

[Hayseed Huck]

A lot of readers here, even those who have read Jack
London, carry about the assumption that in London's
novel, The Sea Wolf, the ship that goes out and kills
seals is named The Sea Wolf.

Of course, a ship does not go out and kill seals. It
takes men to do that; although a history of ‘seal-lore’
admits of two Alaskan sisters who took to ships to sail
out and kill seals as a kind of challenge to men that
they had the stomach to kill those lovable creatures
with flippers and bright dark eyes.

(The question has not been answered how a person,
male or female, can kill seals with flippers and bright
dark eyes)

The ship was named The Ghost.

The second misguided assumption is that the remake film
version starring Christopher Reeves is about shipwreak,
betrayal, brutality, and two castaways.

(People think all this because all that stuff is in the
novel)

But it isn't in the film-- the film version is about
grammar.

When challenged to a fight by a bully, yet a well- edu-
cated man who says, " A fight ... between you and I.
Choose your weapon."

Humphrey, the hero of the tale, replies, "I choose gram-
mar. The correct is, "... between you and me."

Well, that grammar correction eased the tension, unlike
in most social settings where grammar corrections cast
palls and leads to the corrector being thought a jerk
or pedant.

So, we have the book version and the film version of
the great adventure called The Sea Wolf. The earlier
version starred Edward G Robinson, John Garfield
and Ida Lupino, who herself had bright dark eyes.

Here's our version of the novel in sonnet form ...
**

Impressed aboard Wolf Larsen’s ship,
Humphrey soon learned he’d have to be a sailor,
Tie knots, swab decks, swear like Norman Mailer
Or else he would never survive the trip.

He cast off his cowardly ways, became a fighter
And saved Maud Brewster from a crew-sized raping.
Then, while the two of them were still escaping.
He said he loved her too, the canny blighter!

Ere they were saved, they battled wind and weather
On a island in the middle of the ocean
Where they built two comfy sealskin huts.

One can admire their courage and devotion—
Yet, castaways who do not sleep together
Are either shy, impotent, or just plain nuts.

HH

[hack]

HH,
You had me at Ida Lupino.
She is a wonderful memory
of my my youth. I remember
a photo of her on a car hood.
What a beautiful woman.
...peace...

[dizzydoll]

Here's our version of the novel in sonnet form ...
**

Impressed aboard Wolf Larsen’s ship,
Humphrey soon learned he’d have to be a sailor,
Tie knots, swab decks, swear like Norman Mailer
Or else he would never survive the trip.

He cast off his cowardly ways, became a fighter
And saved Maud Brewster from a crew-sized raping.
Then, while the two of them were still escaping.
He said he loved her too, the canny blighter!

Ere they were saved, they battled wind and weather
On a island in the middle of the ocean
Where they built two comfy sealskin huts.

One can admire their courage and devotion—
Yet, castaways who do not sleep together
Are either shy, impotent, or just plain nuts.

HH

So I am wondering....


sonnet [sónnət]
n (plural sonnets)
fourteen-line rhyming poem with set structure: a short poem with 14 lines, usually ten-syllable rhyming lines, divided into two, three, or four sections.
There are many rhyming patterns for sonnets, and they are usually written in iambic pentameter.

What is the difference between a sonnet and a short story/prologue? Or is a sonnet nothing more than a short story set in structure anyway?.. as shown here in story form:

Impressed aboard Wolf Larsen’s ship, Humphrey soon learned he’d have to be a sailor, tie knots, swab decks, swear like Norman Mailer or else he would never survive the trip. He cast off his cowardly ways, became a fighter and saved Maud Brewster from a crew-sized raping. Then, while the two of them were still escaping. He said he loved her too, the canny blighter!

Ere they were saved, they battled wind and weather on a island in the middle of the ocean where they built two comfy sealskin huts. One can admire their courage and devotion—yet, castaways who do not sleep together are either shy, impotent, or just plain nuts.


Excuse me if this is a dumb question, its best to ask anyway. Anyone can answer me this in fact. dizzy

[Hayseed Huck]

Dear lady,

When one is setting about to have fun
with poetry, all bets are off. Nothing
is required. What would be rude in serious
prose is celebrated in 'fun' writing.

My sonnet is junk.

But great sonnets can never be extened into
prose-- well, they can be, but their

sonnetishness

will shine through.

Thanks,

HH