Harvey Cheyne's Transformation in Captains Courageous

The Opening of the Story and Harvey Cheyne

Where does the story open and what is the subject of the conversation?

The story opens on a passenger ship. The subject of the conversation is Harvey Cheyne.

First Impressions of Harvey Cheyne

What impression does the reader get of Harvey?

The impression the reader gets of Harvey is that he is an arrogant and obstinate young man, primarily because his father is extremely wealthy.

Harvey's Family Dynamics

What do we learn about Harvey's parents and their relationship with him?

Harvey spends too much time with his mother, but his father is always away on business and has not got any time for his son.

The Incident on the Deck

Why was Harvey offended?

Harvey was offended because a German man told him he was too young to play cards for money.

What happened when Harvey walked on the deck?

When Harvey walked on the deck, he accidentally fell into the water.

Rescue and Life Aboard the Fishing Boat

How did Harvey survive?

A man named Manuel pulled him from the sea.

Who was Dan and what did he do?

Dan was a boy of the same age as Harvey, and he helped the cook.

Conflict with Disko Troop

How did Disko Troop react to Harvey's explanation?

Disko laughed at Harvey's explanation of his unfortunate experience.

What were Disko Troop's plans for Harvey?

He planned for Harvey to work and fish on his ship.

Why do you think Disko Troop hit Harvey?

He hit Harvey because the young man said that he did not want to work on a small fishing boat.

The Crew of the We're Here

What do we learn about the five fishermen?

• Pennsylvania
• Long Jack from Ireland
• Tom Platt, a real seaman
• Manuel from Portugal
• Uncle Salters, the brother of Disko's father

What was unusual about Tom Platt's appearance?

He had a purple scar running down the left side of his face.

Daily Life and Responsibilities

What was Dan and Harvey's job?

Their job was to make sure they did not hit another boat during the night.

The Captain and Harvey's Father

Why did the captain remind Harvey of his own father?

Disko reminded Harvey of his father because he would smoke his pipe while thinking about the fish with great concentration, much like how Harvey's father was always too busy to listen to him.

Fishing Adventures and Dangers

Why was Harvey excited?

He was excited because he and Dan went out in a dory.

Why was Harvey very lucky?

He was lucky because he caught a fish.

What did the boys see on the way back to the boat?

They saw a dory going round in circles on their way back to the boat.

Atmosphere and Secrets

Describe the atmosphere on board when the men set sail.

There was a heavy fog when the men set sail.

What did Dan want to call his boat and why was it a secret?

Dan wanted to call his boat Hattie because that is the name of his girl.

The Whale Hole and Returning Safely

Why was Harvey anxious about going out in the dory with Tom?

Harvey was anxious because the fog was very thick.

How did Tom know they were in a whale hole and why could it be dangerous?

He knew because it is a very deep hole, which can be dangerous for navigation.

How did Tom and Harvey get back to the boat safely?

They started to row quickly back to the boat and, with a compass, they returned safely.

Harvey's Changing Perspective

How did Harvey's opinion of the captain change and why?

Harvey decided he liked Disko because the captain took all the jokes with good humor.

What did Harvey like about life at sea?

He discovered that he truly liked the sea.