Jump Ship to Freedom

Authors Note: This is a writing piece where we have to analyze the cause and effect happenings in the story Jump Ship to Freedom.  We also will be analyzing the climax of the story.

           When Daniel Arabus jumped his ship to swim a mile, he never knew that it would cause his life to change as a slave.  He jumped ship for obvious reasons -- he was a slave and he wanted to become free with his mother.  Daniel meant no harm to his master by jumping ship, he just wanted his father’s soldier’s note to be wasted away for a good reason and he had one, buying his freedom.  

            First, the climax in the story was Daniel jumping ship so he would be able to take his notes to congress to buy his freedom.  When he jumped, he could not swim back and get a lashing from his master, Capitan Ivers, for doing something so foolish.  He was in it till the very end.  All of the other crew mates thought he was crazy, but Daniel knew what he was going to do right when he hit the water.  Daniel wanted his freedom so he went and got it.

            Then, as Daniel was traveling with the dying Mr. Fathercaft, as a result of hiding from Capitan Ivers, he was able to meet General Washington and some of the most famous men of his time.  He met all of them because Mr. Fathercaft died and he wanted Daniel to deliver his message about the new country’s constitution.  Along the way to delivering his message, he was able to meet all those men and buy his and his mother’s freedom from slavery as a result of the new laws of the new country.

          

            Daniel was able to accomplish everything he did because he was able to jump the boat and eventually ride his way to the writing of the American constitution.  He would have never done that if he had never jumped the ship.  For a black boy in his time period, it was hard for them to even think about freedom.  However, Daniel was able to do more than just think about freedom, he was able to cause freedom by delivering his message to the constitution writing.  Daniel was able to make things happen that were good for the new country and, as a result, Daniel was able to live in America for the first time as a free man.