How we cite our quotes: (Section.Paragraph)
Quote #7
It is, perhaps, plausible that a man in this situation, impressed with the unconcern of the universe, should see the innumerable flaws of his life and have them taste wickedly in his mind and wish for another chance. A distinction between right and wrong seems absurdly clear to him, then, in this new ignorance of the grave-edge, and he understands that if he were given another opportunity he would mend his conduct and his words, and be better and brighter during an introduction, or at a tea. (7.3)
The men look back on their lives, regret their mistakes and misdeeds, and wish they could turn back time. For the first time, they see that there really is such thing as right and wrong, and that actions really do have consequences. The term "new ignorance of the grave-edge" is a little confusing, since it seems like being on the verge of death has actually given the men more awareness, not less. Maybe it refers instead to the realization of the universe's "ignorance"—that is, the fact that it's ignoring them. Let's hope the universe just left its phone on silent.
Quote #8
As for himself, he was too tired to grapple fundamentally with the fact. He tried to coerce his mind into thinking of it, but the mind was dominated at this time by the muscles, and the muscles said they did not care. It merely occurred to him that if he should drown it would be a shame. (7.8)
The correspondent is finally unable to continue struggling against what seems like his inevitable death. Looking deeper, though, there's an interesting illustration here of the split between mind and body. His mind wants to keep on struggling, but his body just refuses. Crane claims that the muscles somehow take over the brain and convince it to stop struggling. It's like the correspondent's body is a mutant zombie parasite that's eaten his brain and his will to fight.
Quote #9
He thought: "I am going to drown? Can it be possible? Can it be possible? Can it be possible?" Perhaps an individual must consider his own death to be the final phenomenon of nature. (7.28)
Just when we think it's the end of everything, the mind has makes a triumphant comeback. We might think of this line as the "death throes," the thoughts we have as we struggle to imagine that in a few moments we may cease to exist. Not only does the mind have trouble imagining itself not existing, but it has a hard time understanding that the universe will go on existing after it is gone. Get it? It's like the tree falling in the forest. When you're there in the forest, it makes a sound, obviously—but if you disappear, does it still? Does it even exist anymore? These aren't really the thoughts we'd expect to be thinking if we were caught in a riptide trying to swim to shore, but what can we say, our correspondent is a special dude.