Arrival at Santos

In “Arrival at Santos” the speaker focuses on some of the most uncomfortable aspects of travel. They are at sea for eighteen days, which they call “suspension” (Line 12). The passengers must finish their breakfast quickly to get ready for the tender. When they descend the ladder, they do it “backward” (Line 19). The boy who is meant to help is careless with the boat hook, which catches Miss Breen’s skirt. Postage stamps are slipping from envelopes. The speaker does not know if those at the port will speak English or allow them to keep their bourbon and cigarettes. Everything has weak colors, which the speaker compares to soap. These carefully chosen details show the reader how physically uncomfortable the experience of travel is for the speaker. They point to a psychic discomfort the speaker projects onto the landscape. The speaker hoped the country would provide a deeper understanding of life and the world, which implies that prior to this trip, they felt emotionally unsettled and were searching for meaning, rootedness, and connection. This traveler's inability to feel physically comfortable indicates they are having trouble adjusting not only to a new country but being in the world. Entering a new environment can throw a person out of their “comfort zone,” and when the speaker hopes that they will be allowed to keep their “bourbon and cigarettes” (Line 31), they reveal how they want simple, familiar comforts.