Twice to Hell and Back Summary and Analysis

Callahan rallies himself, pulling back from the brink of oblivion. He forces himself to think rationally. Suddenly, the solution occurs to him: the fork! Flush with adrenaline, Callahan waits in the darkness for dawn's approach. With light enough to see, he begins work on a new seal. This time he uses the fork as crossbeam to keep the ropes from rolling off the puckered seal. After a day's worth of refinements, the lower tube effectively holds air. Callahan collapses with exhaustion, but is elated at his success.

Callahan banishes doubt from his mind, determined to survive. Nevertheless, water and food supplies are low and Callahan's health is fragile. His mental health is precarious as well, his identity shattered into three parts: the rational, the emotional, and the physical. When the sun beats down...