The Perfect Storm | Topics for Discussion & Projects

The Perfect Storm Key Questions

Even Sebastian Junger was surprised at the success of his book, a project which might seem unpromising if described in a publisher's proposal: a nonfiction work, part narrative, part history, part technical description, which dramatizes the effects of a major storm which hit New England a decade earlier. For all the mixture of genres and approaches, Junger grounds his discussion in a number of traditions, including the sea disaster story and a narrative which celebrates a way of life, but also relies on carefully written set pieces about wave actions, weather phenomena, and fishing boats. It is the artful combination of these elements that brought success to the project.

1. How does Junger locate his discussion in the tradition of the sea disaster story?

What reminders to the reader show the long history of disasters at sea?

2. Much popular fiction is escapist fare...
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