2. Which of the following best summarizes how the men interact with each other?
A. The men work together like a well-oiled machine, each with assigned duties to stay alive.
B. The men resent each other after being stuck on the dinghy for so long.
C. The men maintain their old titles and hierarchies from the ship.
D. The men love each other to the point of sacrificing themselves for one another.

D. The men love each other to the point of sacrificing themselves for one another.

Explanation:

In the story, "The Open Boat" by Stephen Crane, the four protagonists of the story were trying to overcome the obstacles to survive. The main plot revolves around the four men's journey in a small dinghy to get to safety.

In the short story, the four men- the captain, an oiler, a correspondent, and the cook were stuck in a small dinghy after their steamboat sank. Looking for land and safety, the four men, though from various backgrounds and positions, came together and worked to keep themselves afloat. The narrator rightly stated, "they were friends—friends in a more strangely iron-bound strength than may be ordinary". This shows how close their bond is between them, even to the ends of making sure the others survive. In the end, the oiler died while leading the group towards land. This shows how the men loved each other to the point of their own deaths.

Thus, the correct answer is option D.

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