Which underlying theme of the work is evident in this passage? perchance they might be formulated thus: "if i am going to be drowned—if i am going to be drowned—if i am going to be drowned, why, in the name of the seven mad gods who rule the sea, was i allowed to come thus far and contemplate sand and trees? was i brought here merely to have my nose dragged away as i was about to nibble the sacred cheese of life? it is preposterous. if this old ninny-woman, fate, cannot do better than this, she should be deprived of the management of men''s fortunes. from "the open boat" by stephen crane