Story Review of Into The Rapids

Into the Rapids written by Bradford H. Robie talks about the experience of a boy named Wyatt who gets thrown overboard while whitewater rafting. When Wyatt’s raft that contains six paddlers and a guide, slams into another raft to free it from rocks, the raft gets freed, but Wyatt’s raft gets thrown into a turbulence. And a strong one. Wyatt’s crew frantically tries to get the raft upright again, but when they do, Wyatt gets thrown overboard and into the river rapids. Wyatt calms himself down and then follows safety instructions from Brody. He sees the raft that his crew had freed, and swims toward it, getting rescued in time. Brody and Wyatt’s crew steer their raft alongside the other, and Brody informs Wyatt that there will be another set of rapids. Wyatt is surprised, but is determined. Into the Rapids really shares themes of fate and free will, honor and courage, and lastly, human vs. nature.

Fate and free will are the polar opposite, but very demanding. Fate is when you can’t choose what happens. Free will is when you can. Polar opposite. When Wyatt gets thrown into the river, his survival is based on fate and free will. Fate makes him get pulled down and pummeled, because he can’t control the river’s rapids. However, on his own free will, he tries to survive and swims toward the raft. Based on fate, Wyatt falls into the river’s rapids. Based on his own free will, Wyatt decides to use his strength to survive. Wyatt couldn’t have blocked out the fact that he fell, but he could have blocked out the fact that he swam toward the raft. Wyatts meets his fate when he falls into the river’s rapids, but chooses his will. Wyatt didn’t need to swim. He could have let himself float until he floated to the river’s mouth. But he did it at his will. Fate is the word where you can't alternate something. Free will is when you can. However, it’s up to you to see how you will alter it. Never try to alter fate, but do try to alter will for the good.

Honor and courage are inborn traits. Never lose them. Honor and courage are two very strong traits. Being honorable with a good reputation earns you a place in society, and being courageous can lead to respect. Wyatt was very courageous when he got thrown into the river. He did not panic and flail, but kept his head and followed safety instructions. He didn’t give up when the other raft saw him, and bravely fought the river’s currents in order to get to safety. Wyatt was brave at a time of danger, and managed to get out of it by not panicking. Wyatt also received honor for acting bravely in dangerous situations. Brody praises him for keeping a cool head, and Wyatt smiles self-consciously, aware of the honor he received. Wyatt also understands the power of the river when he gets pulled in. An honorable man will always keep a good reputation. A courageous man will alway be brave. A courageous and honorable man will do both. Being honorable and courageous are two things you should always be.

Nature always lies closely before your very eyes. Sometimes, you just haven’t been paying close enough attention. Take a look out of the window, and you'll probably see a sign of nature. After Wyatt falls into the river’s rapids, he realizes the power of the river. He can now understand how strong nature can actually be. Wyatt now knows not to underestimate the river’s power. Before, when they were getting ready, Brody gave a safety talk, and Wyatt had joked with his brother Johnny about falling in a river, describing it as a “flume ride” After he got back into the raft safely, though, Wyatt realized how carelessly he had made the joke. Just as easily as he had made the joke, Wyatt could have been washed away by the river. People often underestimate nature, and they never realize it until it’s too late. The impact of nature by humans is huge. The impact of humans by nature is even huger. Mother Earth is like a human. It’ll die, someday. The best we can do is to care for it and tend to it while we still can.

Into the Rapids written by Bradford H. Robie is a really great short story that explores the experience of being thrown into a river while whitewater rafting. Wyatt gets tossed and pummeled, pulled under and thrown back up, but he stays calm and manages to get to safety. Even though the story is short and focused on a short period of time, great themes are portrayed: Honor and courage, fate and free will, and human versus nature. Wyatt learns the difference between fate and his own will, how to honor and be honorable, use courage at times of need, and respect the power of nature, however much it might be intimidating. At first, Wyatt underestimated the power of nature, but he soon learns the truth and has a new respect for it. Wyatt also learns to be courageous in dangerous situations, and not panic and flail around. Into the Rapids, though short, shares many life lessons and themes that everyone could use in everyday life.