The Open Boat: A Story's Quotation And Italicization

The use of italics and quotation marks for titles, names, and other proper nouns has evolved over time. In the past, quotation marks were used for the titles of books, films, ships, and more. However, with the advent of word processors, italics have largely replaced quotation marks as the preferred style for highlighting titles. This shift is particularly evident in the case of The Open Boat, where both italics and quotation marks have been used interchangeably by different sources. While some websites use quotation marks for specific quotes or excerpts from the text, others italicize the title of the short story itself. Ultimately, the choice between italics and quotation marks depends on the style guide or convention followed by the author, publisher, or organization.

The use of italics for titles

Italics for Longer Works

Longer works, such as books, movies, albums, magazines, journals, newspapers, plays, musicals, long poems, radio/TV programs, ballets, operas, paintings, websites, and video games, typically have their titles italicized. For example, the title of a book or novel, such as "The Open Boat," would be italicized.

Quotation Marks for Shorter Works

On the other hand, shorter works like articles, essays, book chapters, short stories, poems, songs, and webpages are usually placed in quotation marks. For instance, if you were referencing a specific chapter within "The Open Boat," you would use quotation marks for the chapter title.

Style Guide Considerations

It is important to note that different style guides, such as MLA, Chicago, or AMA, may have specific standards for when to use italics or quotation marks. For example, the MLA Style Guide specifies that titles of self-contained and independent sources, such as books, films, periodicals, and websites, should be italicized, while titles of works that are part of a larger work, such as articles, essays, chapters, and poems, should be placed in quotation marks.

Handwritten Texts and Other Considerations

Additionally, the use of italics or quotation marks can be a matter of style and consistency. When handwriting a text, using quotation marks for titles is acceptable, especially if italics are not an option. However, in typed or digital texts, italics are now the more common style for emphasizing titles.

Quotation marks for titles

The use of quotation marks and italics in titles is a matter of style and convention. The general rule is to use quotation marks for shorter works and italics for longer works. This rule applies to titles of works such as articles, poems, songs, essays, short stories, books, movies, and periodicals.

Quotation marks are typically used for the titles of short works, including:

• Newspaper and magazine articles
• Blog and online news articles
• Poems (except epic poems)
• Episode titles of TV shows, podcasts, and other serial works
• Page titles for websites
• Section or part titles within a larger work
• Short-form videos, such as those on YouTube

For example, a newspaper article titled "Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to Consider Sewer Rate Increase" would use quotation marks in the title. Similarly, a poem titled "A Dream Deferred" would be enclosed in quotation marks.

Italics, on the other hand, are used for the titles of longer works, such as:

• Books
• Movies
• Periodicals (magazines, newspapers, and news websites)
• TV shows
• Podcasts
• Operas and long musical compositions
• Classic art like paintings and sculptures
• Large vehicles such as ships, aircraft, and spacecraft

For instance, the title of a book like "The Odyssey" would be italicized, while the title of a painting, such as "The Mona Lisa," would also be in italics.

It is worth noting that the use of quotation marks and italics can vary depending on the style guide being followed, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago. Additionally, in American English, double quotation marks are typically used, while in British English, single quotation marks are preferred for titles.

Style conventions for titles

When it comes to style conventions for titles, there are a few general guidelines and exceptions to keep in mind. Here are some key points to consider:

General Guidelines:

• Sentence-style Casing: It is recommended to use sentence-style casing for titles, meaning only the first word of the title is capitalized, along with any other proper nouns. This improves readability and localization.
• Bold Font: Using bold font for titles instead of italics can enhance accessibility and make the title stand out.
• Italics for Emphasis: Italics are commonly used to emphasize certain words or phrases within a sentence. They can also be used for titles in certain cases.

Exceptions and Specific Cases:

• Book Titles: Book titles are typically italicized or underlined, especially when referring to them directly. For example, "In his book Some Book Title, John Doe describes..." indicates that "Some Book Title" is a book and should be italicized.
• Article and Chapter Titles: Titles of articles, lectures, and chapters are usually enclosed in quotation marks instead of italics. For example, "In his article 'The Effects of Light on Plants,' Dr. Smith discovered that..." indicates that "The Effects of Light on Plants" is the title of an article and should be quoted.
• Foreign Language Phrases: When using a foreign language word or phrase that has not been adopted into English, it is customary to italicize it. For example, "The term 'Schadenfreude' in German refers to..." would be italicized.
• Newspaper Names: When mentioning the name of a newspaper, the title is usually italicized. If the city is part of the paper's name, it is also italicized. For example, "The New York Times reported that..." or "The Globe and Mail of Toronto published an article on..." would be italicized.
• Handwritten or Limited Formatting: In cases where you are handwriting a text or have limited formatting options, quotation marks can be used instead of italics or bold for titles. For example, "In his book 'The Open Boat,' Stephen Crane explores..." indicates that "The Open Boat" is the title of a book and can be quoted if italics are not available.

It is important to note that different style guides and organizations may have their own specific rules for formatting titles. These guidelines provide a general framework, but it is always a good idea to consult the specific style guide being used for a publication or project.

Titles of vessels

The titles of vessels fall into a grey area when it comes to punctuation. While the names of vessels are technically not titles, they are often italicized or placed in quotation marks to distinguish them from the names of places and people. This is especially important because vessel names are often inspired by people's names ("Mary Rose"), animals ("The Red Fox"), places ("Arendal"), or other things ("Time Bandit").

There are four generally accepted ways to write vessel names:

• Place the name in double quotation marks: "Leopard 1" (recommended by the Law Reports)
• Capitalize the name: LEOPARD 1 (common in the industry; quotation marks are unnecessary if using this style)
• Italicize the name: *Leopard 1* (the norm outside the industry; used by novelists, newspapers, etc.)
• Underline the name: Leopard 1 (some publishers prefer underlining to italics)

The use of quotation marks for titles was more common when texts were handwritten or typed. With the advent of word processors, italics have largely replaced quotation marks as a way to highlight titles, including the names of ships. However, the use of quotation marks or italics for titles is ultimately a style convention rather than a grammar rule, so it is up to the writer's discretion.

Different publications may have their own style guides for how to treat vessel names. For example, The New York Times (NYT) uses quotation marks around the names of movies and books but does not use them for ship names, opting instead to use "the" before a ship's name (e.g., "the Oklahoma"). On the other hand, The Associated Press (AP) does not use italics for vessel names, citing that the typeface "cannot be sent through AP computers."

Titles and names

The use of italics and quotation marks in titles and names is a style convention. It is not a grammar ruling. So, if you think it helps your reader or looks better with italics or quotation marks, use them. You are also free not to use them.

Up until a few decades ago, writers had two choices: write in longhand or use a typewriter. Typewriters had one font, and writing in italics was all but impossible, except for professional printing companies. Thanks to today's computer keyboards, we now have access to italics.

The general rule is to put the title of an entire composition in italics and the title of a shorter work—one that is or could be part of a larger undertaking—in quotation marks.

By "composition", we mean a creative, journalistic, or scholarly enterprise that is whole, complex, and a thing unto itself. This includes books, movies, plays, TV shows, newspapers, magazines, websites, music albums, operas, musical theatre, paintings, sculptures, and other works of art.

When it comes to "The Open Boat", the short story by American author Stephen Crane, it is good to note that the story is divided into seven sections, with each taking on a different perspective. The first part introduces the four characters—the correspondent, a condescending observer detached from the rest of the group; the captain, who is injured and morose at having lost his ship; the cook, fat and comical, but optimistic that they will be rescued; and the oiler, Billie, who is physically the strongest and the only one referred to by name.

In terms of titles and names in "The Open Boat", it is worth noting that the names of the four main characters—the correspondent, the captain, the cook, and the oiler Billie—are not italicized or put in quotation marks. They are written in standard type, just like any other name.

Additionally, the name of the ship in the story, the SS Commodore, follows the convention of italicizing the names of ships. The prefix "SS" (steamship) is not italicized.

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