This conflict, while very real, is more about man's ability to persevere and realize that nature simply exists without evil intentions, that in the scheme of the universe, the significance of man should not be based on supposed supremacy. The intensity of the conflict with nature is evident in every stroke of the oar, every crash of the waves, and every bucket of water thrown overboard as the lifeboat takes on water. It is in the brutal reality of this setting that Crane recognizes the setting as the antagonist of this narrative. Nature bombards the lifeboat with a constant assault; men are driven by the need to persevere to stay alive. As a result, there are times when a sense of fatalism can be perceived when the captain remarks: "If we don't all make it ashore - if we don't all make it ashore, I suppose you know where to send news of my finish? (344). These are crucial moments which show that, whatever their dedication and their will to survive this ordeal, the lives of men always depend on the accommodating aspect of nature. It becomes an inner conflict against fatalism and an outer conflict against nature. Crane's depiction of man's epic battle against nature goes beyond simply determining humanity's place in the order of the universe. It is a tale denoting man's ability to persevere in the order of the universe.