The Trawler

"The Trawler" by James B. Connolly is a story from 1914 that shows us the tough lives of fishermen in Gloucester, Massachusetts; it's about how dangerous their jobs are and the sad things that can happen to them when they're out on the water. The book tells the story of the Snow family, especially Arthur Snow, who dies at sea while fishing with Captain Hugh Glynn. We see the story through Simon Kippen, Arthur's friend, who starts working with Captain Glynn later on; Simon learns how hard life is at sea and sees the problems the fishermen face as they risk their lives to catch fish. Simon's feelings for Mary Snow, Arthur's niece, add a personal touch to the story, as he deals with his emotions while everyone is grieving; the book shows us how much these fishermen sacrifice, the strong friendships they make, and how brave they have to be to deal with the ocean's many problems.