My dad and I had a disagreement on a certain point that came up during The Sand Pebbles. The other sailors refer to Holman as "Jonah" on two occasions. I didn't understand, and was told its shorthand for someone considered to be bad luck for sailors, since Jonah was swallowed by a whale and all.
I countered that's good luck, because he survived. Any sailor, when placed in close proximity with a whale inclined to eat them, could be swallowed. Only a really lucky sailor would survive the experience. I figure anyone can fall prey to or survive little bad luck. Dire misfortune is another matter, and I'd want the guy who can survive that nearby.
What do you think?
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