Reading Gills’ article was mostly me reacting “oh right,” “that’s true,” “that’s fair,” “interesting, I share the same sentiments.” I was more in awe about the evolution of sea exploration than the studies themselves, how it went from “how to survive at sea” to “let’s explore more of the unknown.” It’s as if navigating the seas were just as treacherous as learning how to drive. But what fascinated me more is that writers and painters turned the ocean “into a place of spiritual and physical recreation… In an era when everything seemed to be in a state of becoming, (the ocean) represented the flow of life in ways that the land could not.” To me this means that the ocean became a literary device. For example, the ocean in Moana guides and lifts her spirits in her journey to Maui and Te Fiti. Metaphorically, in the Life of Pi, it both helps and threatens Pi with waves and storms. Then there’s a tiger, but even he is afraid of the water’s mysteries. Moana and Life of Pi are both works depicting the ocean playing different roles. It’s become a crucial literary device with cultural and symbolic significance.