Johnston Post 1

I think that the author of The Lonely Crossing of Juan Cabrera described the storm so specifically to show that the hurricane would be incredibly dangerous and strong, and to compare the hurricane with the will of the men who were trying to escape from Cuba and were obviously going to be affected by the hurricane. I think that the author was trying to make the point that the men were, first of all, fearless, since they were heading into the ocean probably with the knowledge that a hurricane like this could strike them, and second, very strong-willed, because of course if you can survive a hurricane in the middle of the ocean, you're probably pretty tough.

On page 34, it says that "violent gales tore through the forests of Western Jamaica, ripping up trees in their path." Later, on page 35, the author writes that "the great whirlwind passed over the harbor, lifting and tossing small boats, like toys, over seawalls and onto the streets and alleys of the city." He makes it clear that the hurricane is huge, strong, and dangerous. I believe that this shows that the men who make it through the storm are very strong-willed.