The work of Erick Larson on his novel “Dead Wake” is immensely powerful by making the reader feel as if they are in the era themselves. Great detail was put describing the lives of those aboard the Lusitania as well as the German U-boats and other powerful figures alike.
Larson starts off the novel by providing details on the lives of those who are involved with the Lusitania. From president Woodrow Wilson to common ship hands, he tells the story about what lead to them being passengers of the ship or how the events influenced their stance on the war. Using the accounts of the German submarine, the Unterseeboot-20, along with its captain Walther Shwieger and his crew. This style of formatting makes the reader feel like a part of the horror and whimsy of the world; providing different perspectives on how the events unfolded.
The use of various perspectives enhances the excitement yet fear of boarding the Lusitania which set sail on May 1st, 1915 from New York City and began its voyage towards Liverpool, England. With all kinds of people, and varying demographics, there is room for any reader to relate to the novel. There was looming fear of a submarine attack and everyone knew about it from the rich to the men shoveling tons of coal into the ship’s massive furnaces. Everyone knew of the dangers due to the message from the German Embassy that there are U-boats wandering the waters around the United Kingdom. Even with the threat of a possible attack, the ship’s Captain, William Thomas Turner shows little to no concern. With Larson using these in-depth descriptions of the lives of the characters such as Captain Turner. We can have a first-hand look at the decision making that went into commanding such a vessel at a nerve-racking moment in history. From being a ship hand on a small vessel to navigating the high seas on his own liners, Turner was revered as an outstanding captain and a brave soul; once rescuing a 14-year-old boy that had fallen into shark infested waters. With his expertise, he was eventually assigned to manning the Lusitania, a passenger ship from England that rivaled the Titanic in size and was considered a transatlantic “Greyhound” due to its speed and agility. The amount of responsibility that one must withhold is unimaginable, and by reading into the life of Captain Turner, we were able to understand why he made the decisions that he made and how they affected the world.
In the novel, there was a constant back and forth between the passengers of the Lusitania and the crew of the German submarine. This masterful ballet of different perspectives that took place around the exact same time is gripping. A constant battle between the two, even though unaware of each other, is something that Larson did with great attention to detail. By switching between both the Lusitania and the Unsterseeboot-20 and using personal accounts from both parties, the reader can feel the intensity of the era. However, there is room for some bias when using this style of writing. Not everyone who lived this event has their voices heard, only a select few. There are many other passengers aboard both vessels but only those who Larson believes have the most to say about the matter are written about.
Captain Shwieger for example, the main figure talked about on the side of the Germans. Known to be charming and with a radiating cheerfulness that is almost contagious, so according to Larson. The depth of research on how the German submarine crew would operate during World War 1 shed a light for those who thought that the commanding force behind their decisions was the actual German government. Instead, any and all decisions that needed to be made out in the open sea was all up to the captain. With there being no room for gigantic masts like those of a regular war ship, a submarine could not contact its superiors. In the heat of sea warfare, there was room for little hesitation, especially if all you could see from underneath the ocean’s surface was an obscured view, there is bound to be room for error. During the war, there was an expected moral understanding that ships carrying civilians were and off limit target. In the case of the Lusitania, this was an unexpected exception. The sinking of the great ship shocked the world and Larson expressed the distress between both sides, American and German alike. By providing descriptions of Woodrow Wilson and his views on the war, the novel really gives the reader an overview of how the United States took this tragedy personally. Larson also provides information on how the British government attempted to put the blame on Captain Turner even though there is really no way in knowing if you are in the crosshairs of an enemy submarine.
The novel “Dead Wake” gives first hand descriptions of what the people who were involved went through. This sheds a light on how the world’s most powerful countries act during difficult times in which the population is looking up to its leaders to do what is best for them. Larson wrote this book and achieved his goal, to show both sides of the story.