p. 291

This page details what S is finding in the notebook that the old woman handed him in the hut on the Obsidian Island. This book is a notebook cataloguing all the changes that the ship has underwent since its creation. As the text states, “Some of the changes are felicitous; many more are not, each one seeming to widen the gap between what was intended and what turned out to be,” (291). This concept of the changes of the boat relate directly to the title of the novel, Ship of Theseus. These three words are also known as Theseus’ Paradox, and raises the question of whether or not an object that has all of its parts replaced is still the same object. This relates directly to the novel, and the ship that continuously seems to recreated. Furthermore, the notebook S is reading through highlights all the changes of the ship, and furthers the question of Theseus’s paradox.

In regards to marginalia, this page is quite limited. There is simply a black ship steering wheel that was drawn by either Jen or Eric, and a note from Jen questioning who intended something, and who is supposed to decide what one should become. However, this comment does not warrant a response from Eric.

Drawing of ship steering wheel found in upper right corner of page.

Drawing of ship steering wheel found in upper right corner of page.