Scene 1

The firefighters gather at the forefront of the ship, taking a break from shoveling coal.When Yank asks the men to "stop the loud noise" because he's trying to "manipulate" them to repeat in unison "Think!" the men deliberately mock Yank, who can barely form the word, and attempts to think. In a wave of loud exclamation, the men warn Yank not to break his head while thinking, "You feel the headache, Bai Yungo!He boldly declares that firefighters are superior to first-class passengers, physically stronger, and "belong" to the ship. Paddy awakens and shouts, questioning their loyalty to what Yank is saying. Yank challenges Paddy to give a lengthy and emotional speech, explaining his past life at sea. Paddy describes the pride of working on sail-powered ships, contrasting them with the coal-dragging steamships. He argues that the men can belong to clipper ships but not to steamships. Paddy concludes that men on steamships, dragging coal, are trapped like "monkeys in a zoo!"Above the men's noise, a voice sings about a "girl waiting proudly/making me a home -." Yank silences the tenor, sternly stating that the ship is his home, nowhere else. Long, drunk, jumps on the table to support Yank's statement but adds that the ship is both home and hell, blaming the first-class passengers as responsible. Yank threatens to throw Long and labels his thoughts as the "army of salvation - the socialist bull."Yank, "broader, fiercer, more powerful, and more confident than the rest," diverts his attention to the revelers and asks for a beer. When Yank speaks, the men immediately fall silent, eagerly offering him drinks. Yank, satisfied, steps back, convincing the rowdy men to let the older firefighter, Paddy, sing the "Whiskey Song."Analysis

Through the ordeal of a firefighter on the ocean liner, Eugene O'Neill reveals the regression of civilized humans to an animalistic state.One thing about him - he harmonizes with the drink!" The men equate thinking with physical labor and alcohol, the two factors that dominate and move their lives. The chorus that erupted reinforces this saying, "Drink, don't think," repeated three times.O'Neill carefully depicts broken words and vocal patterns to create a barrier between the firefighters and upper-class characters.Paddy, in a drunken state, sways and clings to his bed, crooning "Whiskey! Oh, Johnny!"Firefighters' speech patterns illustrate their animalistic nature.