Lifeboat 12

As the action falls and the novel heads toward resolution, Hood thematically resolves Coming of Age in Times of Crisis and The Definition of Bravery. Ken and his friends are greeted like heroes by the sailors on the HMS Anthony and the people of Scotland. Only 13 days have passed, but Ken notes that it feels much longer; he is no longer the same boy he was when the City of Benares left England. The question of being bombed at home or torpedoed at sea doesn’t matter so much to him anymore; Ken is simply thankful to be warm and fed. He appreciates food in a new way, and he has a new perspective of the war. Ken also emerges from his survival experience with humility. He feels he doesn’t deserve the special treatment that the people of Scotland give him. He survived but does not see his actions as heroic.

Hood highlights more changes in Ken and his coming of age through contrasting his family dynamic with that of the other boys from Lifeboat 12. Ken watches many sweet and tearful reunions between children and parents as his friends’ families come to get them. When Ken learns that his parents are not coming, he doesn’t spend long feeling sorry for himself. He recognizes how much he has changed through the community of people on Lifeboat 12 and their shared experience. They are like a family to him now, and Ken feels confident that he can make his way home to his family independently. Once home, the dynamic between Ken and his stepmother changes. He realizes she missed him and was afraid he had died. Even though she does not express her love in words or tenderness, Ken recognizes that she cares deeply for him. Hood demonstrates Ken’s newfound maturity upon his return home. He looks outward, thinking of others, and sees the destroyed buildings in his neighborhood. He recognizes that life has been difficult for people at home too, and his selflessness reveals his maturity. The Epilogue reveals that three years later, Ken’s coming of age is complete; he is independent, making his own decisions, confident in his abilities, and self-reliant.

Hood continues to highlight the importance of stories up until the novel’s conclusion. Ken is allowed to choose a book from the Glasgow Lord Provost, and this connects with the role stories have played in Ken’s life so far. He chooses an adventure book, showing that he still loves them even after living his own adventure. Ken recognizes the power of books. He knows the story from Mary saved his life on the ship by helping him maintain his mental health. Furthermore, a war poster depicting Nazis burning books shows Ken that books can function as both “weapons” and “lifesavers” (274).

Despite the excitement of rescue, the end of the novel is not an exclusively happy one. Hood highlights the reality that many children did not survive the attack on the Benares. Ken learns that Terry, Alan, and Peter died, as did many other children. Only 13 out of 90 survived. Ken realizes that his survival is miraculous and wants to use his life in a meaningful way. The Epilogue indicates that he enlists with the Royal Navy, showing Ken’s selflessness, bravery, and honor.