Matthew Henson and Ernest Shackleton
I know you have heard about Christopher Columbus exploring America and Ponce de León but have you heard of Matthew Henson and Ernest Shackleton? Henson was an African-American with minimal rights but got the chance of a lifetime to go explore the Arctic. On the other hand, Shackleton was an explorer on his way to Antarctica but sadly did it make it. But he was still known for saving his crew. Matthew Henson and Ernest Shackleton both shared the dream of exploring an unknown world, however, their outcomes were very different. Even though these two men did not go to the same place, they still faced the same problems and were rewarded by their achievements. One problem both men faced was that they went to the coldest parts of the world with lots of ice. The conditions were bad and would be very hard to survive the frigid climates. The article “Frozen Dreams” states, “They faced many near-disasters. They got lost in blizzards” (Tarshis 8). This comes to shows that both men were in danger of dying in the cold temperatures. Shackelton faced similar problems but was much worse. His transportation had been destroyed. “Shipwrecked” states, “The ship was locked in ice for 10 months. By October 1915 the ice was crushing its thick wooden walls” (70). Secondly, both of these men had the dream of being the first to set foot on an unknown land. According to “Frozen Dreams,” “Henson spent nearly 20 years trying to get to the North Pole.” Even though he had many struggles and faced many dangers along his journey, he finally made his dream a reality and planted the American flag on the North Pole” (Tarshis 5). Similarly, Shackelton also spent many years trying to reach the South Pole. For example, the passage “Shipwrecked,” stated he began his second attempt to Antarctica in 1914 hoping to “become the first person to travel across the frozen continent at the bottom of the world” (68). [unique_solution]Both of these men fought through many problems to achieve their dreams. Even though it took them many years, they still had the gut and grit to keep going. Another similarity between Henson and Shackleton was that both men were surrounded by cold water. Both were in danger of falling in the freezing water and dying. According to “Frozen Dreams” it states, “But then came the moment when Henson slipped and fell into the ocean. In water that is cold, death comes in minutes.” (Tarshis 9). Also not only was Shackleton surrounded by cold water but also killer whales. The article “Shipwrecked” states “At the time they had to crawl through the slush to avoid sinking. While killer whales swam around them…” (70). Even though Henson was about to drown in frigid waters he was saved by an Inuit crew member and kept going to reach the Arctic. When Shackleton′s team ship had broken they had to row all the way to land. Shackleton was known for saving his entire crew from the freezing waters. Ultimately, both men faced many risks and challenges along the way but never gave up. On the other hand, there were many differences in the problems and achievements between Henson and Shakleton. One clear qualification is that Henson made it to his goal, however, Shackleton didn′t. For instance, “Frozen Dreams” implies According to him and his group during the journey they encountered several challenges but eventually arrived at the North Pole in 1909 (Tarshis 8). In contrast, in “Shipwrecked,” Shackleton tried at least four times to reach Antarctica but never made it. In fact, the last time he tried to reach the South Pole, he failed because his ship was crushed by ice slabs (70). This proves that Henson most likely felt a lot of pride and achievement of accomplishing his fantasy to be the main man to step foot on the North Pole. Be that as it may, despite the fact that Shackleton was glad for sparing every one of the 28 individuals from his group, he confronted demoralization since he couldn′t arrive at the South Pole considerably after several attempts. A bigger difference was that the two explorers viewed them differently based on their race. Henson, for example, was African-American and faced racism, and was not treated with the utmost respect. Keeping that in mind, Shackleton was a valued white man. In “Frozen Dreams,” “Only Peary got credit for “discovering” the North Pole and Henson only won minor awards” (Tarshis 9). For example, “Shipwrecked” states he was already well-known from his 1914 trip and “nearly 5,000 people volunteered to go with him” (69). This evidence supports the belief that Henson actually felt a lot of pride and accomplishment in attaining his vision of becoming the first man to walk on the North Pole. While Shackleton was proud of the rescue of all 28 crews, he was disappointed because despite several attempts he was unable to get to the South Pole. The last difference between these men was that Henson did not get much respect for the great things that he did. But Shackleton was the leader of his crew and praised for his efforts. “Frozen Dreams” states that, “In the coming decades, Henson won some minor awards. Within African American communities, he was deeply admired. But history books mostly ignored his achievements.”(Tarshis 9). According to “Shipwrecked”, it states, “ To the world′s amazement, all 28 members of the Endurance expedition arrived home safely. How? Many say because Shackleton was a true hero.” (71). In addition to the evidence, this shows that Henson was not appreciated as much as he should have been. Shackelton already had the fame but then he saved his crew. The likelihood is that Henson should have deserved more credit for what he achieved. In conclusion, these examples were just three of many differences that Henson and Shackleton faced on their amazing adventures. In the end, both Matthew Henson and Ernest Shackelton both shared the dream to be the first man to explore a new land. Yet their conditions have produced various incentives and outcomes. Both explorers have been persevering in risky conditions and near- accidents. Over their encounters, the practice of discovery has been well known and people have discovered more about the abilities of the human body and mind while they are willing to pursue a dream. Even if Shackleton was unable to accomplish his aim, both explorers were considered good, offering some sort of proof of perseverance and telling us that failure to reach an objective would not make someone seem like a disappointment.