 Crane subsequently adapted his report into narrative form , and the resulting short story " The Open Boat " was published in Scribner 's Magazine . The story is told from the point of view of an anonymous correspondent , with Crane as the implied author , the action closely resembles the author 's experiences after the shipwreck . A volume titled The Open Boat and Other Tales of Adventure was published in the United States in 1898 ; an edition entitled The Open Boat and Other Stories was published simultaneously in England . Praised for its innovation by contemporary critics , the story is considered an exemplary work of literary Naturalism , and is one of the most frequently discussed works in Crane 's canon . It is notable for its use of imagery , irony , symbolism , and the exploration of such themes as survival , solidarity , and the conflict between man and nature . H. G. Wells considered " The Open Boat " to be " beyond all question , the crown of all [ Crane 's ] work " . 
