Article #149-1 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from The Lost Continent, by Edgar Rice Burroughs

The failure of the wireless did not appear as momentous to me as to
him, which is not unnatural, since it is but human to feel that when
our own little cog slips, the entire universe must necessarily be put
out of gear. I knew that if this storm were destined to blow us across
thirty, or send us to the bottom of the ocean, no help could reach us
in time to prevent it. I had ordered the message sent solely because
regulations required it, and not with any particular hope that we could
benefit by it in our present extremity.

I had little time to dwell upon the coincidence of the simultaneous
failure of the wireless and the buoyancy generators, since very shortly
after the Coldwater had dropped so low over the waters that all my
attention was necessarily centered upon the delicate business of
settling upon the waves without breaking my shipl’s back. With our
buoyancy generators in commission it would have been a simple thing to
enter the water, since then it would have been but a trifling matter of
a forty-five degree dive into the base of a huge wave. We should have
cut into the water like a hot knife through butter, and have been
totally submerged with scarce a jar—I have done it a thousand times—but
I did not dare submerge the Coldwater for fear that it would remain
submerged to the end of time—a condition far from conducive to the
longevity of commander or crew.

Most of my officers were older men than I. John Alvarez, my first
officer, is twenty years my senior. He stood at my side on the bridge
as the ship glided closer and closer to those stupendous waves. He
watched my every move, but he was by far too fine an officer and
gentleman to embarrass me by either comment or suggestion.

Explanation

**Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The Lost Continent by Edgar Rice Burroughs**

Context of the Source

The Lost Continent (1916) is a science fiction-adventure novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, best known as the creator of Tarzan and John Carter of Mars. The story follows the misadventures of a submarine, the Coldwater, which becomes lost in the Atlantic and discovers a hidden, prehistoric landmass. The novel blends early 20th-century scientific speculation (such as advanced submarine technology) with pulp adventure tropes, including lost worlds, survival challenges, and heroic leadership.

This excerpt occurs early in the novel, as the Coldwater faces a catastrophic storm. The wireless (radio) fails, and the buoyancy generators—a fictional technology allowing the submarine to control its depth with precision—malfunction. The narrator, the submarine’s commander, must now navigate a life-threatening descent into storm-tossed waves without modern aids.

Themes in the Excerpt

Human vs. Nature (Survival & Control)
- The storm represents an indifferent, overwhelming force that renders human technology useless. The failure of the wireless and buoyancy generators strips the crew of their illusion of control, forcing them to rely on skill and instinct.
- The commander’s stoic acceptance ("if this storm were destined to blow us across thirty, or send us to the bottom... no help could reach us") contrasts with the panic implied in the wireless operator’s reaction, reinforcing the theme of leadership under pressure.
Technology vs. Human Ingenuity
- The Coldwater is a marvel of fictional engineering, capable of precise dives ("a forty-five degree dive into the base of a huge wave"). Yet, when technology fails, the commander must improvise—a recurring theme in Burroughs’ works, where human adaptability triumphs over mechanical reliance.
- The buoyancy generators symbolize modern arrogance; their failure forces a return to basic seamanship, highlighting the fragility of progress.
Leadership & Hierarchy
- The commander’s calm authority is central. He follows regulations (sending the wireless message) but does not rely on false hope.
- His first officer, John Alvarez, represents experience and deference. Though older, he trusts the commander’s judgment without interference, illustrating a well-disciplined chain of command—a common ideal in military and adventure fiction of the era.
Fatalism vs. Agency
- The narrator acknowledges fate’s role ("if this storm were destined") but does not surrender to it. His focus is on practical action ("settling upon the waves without breaking my ship’s back"), embodying the adventurer’s mindset—accepting risk while striving to overcome it.

Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices

First-Person Narration (Unreliable? Confident?)
- The commander’s direct, no-nonsense voice establishes credibility and authority. His understated humor ("a condition far from conducive to the longevity of commander or crew") lightens the tension while reinforcing his composure.
- The lack of emotional outburst (even in crisis) aligns with the stoic hero archetype common in Burroughs’ works.
Imagery & Simile
- "Cut into the water like a hot knife through butter" – Vividly conveys the ease of a controlled dive, contrasting with the current peril where such precision is impossible.
- "Stupendous waves" – Emphasizes the scale of nature’s threat, making the Coldwater seem tiny and vulnerable.
Irony & Understatement
- The wireless operator’s panic is implied but not shown, making the commander’s detached observation ("not unnatural") darkly ironic.
- "I have done it a thousand times" – His experience is juxtaposed with the current crisis, where that expertise may not suffice.
Foreshadowing
- The failed buoyancy generators hint at future technological failures or discoveries (a staple of lost-world narratives).
- The delicate landing suggests further challenges ahead—will the Coldwater survive intact, or is this the first of many near-disasters?
Diction & Tone
- Technical terms ("buoyancy generators, "submerge", "forty-five degree dive") ground the fantasy in pseudo-scientific realism, a hallmark of early sci-fi.
- Dry wit ("not conducive to longevity") keeps the tone adventurous rather than grim, fitting the pulp serial style.

Significance of the Passage

Character Establishment
- The commander is competent, pragmatic, and unshaken—a classic Burroughs hero. His lack of melodrama makes him a reliable narrator in a genre often filled with exaggeration.
- Alvarez’s silent support reinforces the crew’s discipline, a necessary trait for survival in the coming ordeals.
Setting the Stakes
- The storm and mechanical failures immediately raise tension, signaling that this will be a journey of constant peril.
- The submarine’s vulnerability (risk of permanent submersion) introduces a ticking clock—will they fix the generators, or is this the beginning of a descent into the unknown?
Reflecting Early 20th-Century Anxieties
- The failure of technology mirrors real-world fears of the time (e.g., the Titanic disaster in 1912), where human overconfidence in machines led to catastrophe.
- The isolation of the crew (no wireless, no help) echoes exploration narratives (e.g., Arctic expeditions) where self-reliance was paramount.
Adventure Genre Conventions
- The excerpt checks multiple boxes for pulp adventure:
  - Imminent disaster (storm, failing tech)
  - Heroic leadership (commander’s skill)
  - Foreshadowing of greater mysteries (what lies beneath the waves?)
- It hooks the reader by presenting a high-stakes scenario while leaving the outcome uncertain.

Line-by-Line Breakdown (Key Moments)

"The failure of the wireless did not appear as momentous to me as to him..."
- Contrast in reactions: The commander is practical; the wireless operator is emotionally invested in the tech.
- "Human to feel that when our own little cog slips, the entire universe must necessarily be put out of gear."
  - Metaphor: Each person sees their role as crucial, but the commander recognizes the bigger picture—nature doesn’t care.
"I knew that if this storm were destined to blow us across thirty, or send us to the bottom..."
- Fatalistic but resigned: He accepts possible doom but doesn’t dwell on it.
- "Regulations required it" – Shows duty over hope, a military mindset.
"Most of my officers were older men than I. John Alvarez... stood at my side..."
- Hierarchy & respect: Alvarez’s silence is a vote of confidence in the commander’s youthful but proven leadership.
"We should have cut into the water like a hot knife through butter..."
- Simile: Highlights the ease of normal operations vs. the current crisis.
- "I did not dare submerge the Coldwater for fear that it would remain submerged to the end of time..."
  - Dramatic irony: The submarine’s strength (diving) becomes its weakness—a twist on technology’s double-edged nature.

Conclusion: Why This Excerpt Matters

This passage sets the tone for The Lost Continent—a tale of survival, ingenuity, and discovery in the face of overwhelming odds. The commander’s calm narration contrasts with the chaos of the storm, making the reader trust him as a guide through the coming strange and dangerous world.

Burroughs blends realism with fantasy, using technical details to make the impossible seem plausible. The failure of technology forces the crew (and reader) to confront primal fears, while the commander’s competence assures us that adventure, not despair, lies ahead.

Ultimately, this excerpt embodies the spirit of early sci-fi adventure—human courage against the unknown, where skill and luck (not just machines) determine survival.

Final Thought: If this were a modern disaster film, this scene would be the moment the music swells, the camera zooms in on the captain’s determined face, and the audience leans forward, thinking: "Okay, how’s he getting out of this one?" Burroughs hooks the reader the same way—with tension, expertise, and the promise of greater mysteries below the waves.

Questions

Question 1

The narrator’s observation that "it is but human to feel that when our own little cog slips, the entire universe must necessarily be put out of gear" primarily serves to:

A. Criticise the wireless operator’s lack of professionalism in a crisis.
B. Highlight the irrationality of human ego when confronted with mechanical failure.
C. Suggest that the storm’s severity is a direct consequence of human technological hubris.
D. Contrast his own pragmatic acceptance of limitations with the operator’s emotional investment in the wireless.
E. Imply that the submarine’s crew is collectively responsible for the failure of the buoyancy generators.

Question 2

The phrase "a condition far from conducive to the longevity of commander or crew" is best described as an example of:

A. Bathos, undermining the gravity of the situation with trivialising humour.
B. Hyperbole, exaggerating the stakes to heighten dramatic tension.
C. Litotes, understating the severity of the peril to emphasise the narrator’s composure.
D. Irony, since the narrator secretly believes the crew will survive regardless.
E. Allegory, using the submarine’s fate to symbolise the fragility of human ambition.

Question 3

The narrator’s decision to send the wireless message "solely because regulations required it" most strongly implies that he:

A. Views bureaucratic procedures as a meaningless formality in life-or-death situations.
B. Believes the storm is a divine punishment for technological overreach.
C. Is secretly hopeful that the message will be received despite his outward scepticism.
D. Adheres to protocol as a disciplined habit, even when its practical utility is negligible.
E. Intends to shift blame onto regulatory requirements if the submarine is lost.

Question 4

The description of John Alvarez as "too fine an officer and gentleman to embarrass me by either comment or suggestion" primarily functions to:

A. Reinforce the narrator’s authority by demonstrating his subordinates’ implicit trust in his judgment.
B. Criticise Alvarez’s passivity as a flaw in a high-stakes crisis.
C. Suggest that Alvarez’s age and experience make him less capable of decisive action than the narrator.
D. Highlight the rigid class hierarchy aboard the submarine, where junior officers defer unquestioningly.
E. Foreshadow Alvarez’s eventual mutiny when the narrator’s decisions prove disastrous.

Question 5

The narrator’s assertion that "I have done it a thousand times" in the context of the failed buoyancy generators is most effectively interpreted as:

A. A boast intended to reassure the crew of his expertise.
B. An ironic juxtaposition of past mastery with present vulnerability.
C. A literal claim that the submarine has previously survived identical mechanical failures.
D. A metaphorical reference to the cyclical nature of human technological progress and collapse.
E. Evidence of the narrator’s overconfidence as the root cause of the current crisis.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: D

Why D is most correct: The passage contrasts the narrator’s stoic pragmatism ("I knew that if this storm were destined to blow us across thirty... no help could reach us") with the wireless operator’s emotional reaction to the failure. The line about the "little cog" is a metaphor for individual perspective: the operator perceives the wireless as critical to survival, while the narrator recognises its irrelevance in the face of the storm’s power. This dichotomy—emotional investment vs. detached acceptance—is the core of the observation.