1. The repetition of the term "sacred cheese" invokes the idea of seeming powerless and caught in a trap. The narrator is complaining about his sad fate to see the land in front of him after his ship was destroyed, but being unable to reach that land and save himself. The sacred cheese is the food that a hungry person sees and wants to have, but something is preventing him from having it, the same way that something is preventing these shipwrecked people from reaching the island and saving themselves from certain death. 2. This idea is in keeping with the theme of the story that humans are subservient to nature's power. The entire story written by Crane is talking about how people want to control nature, but are ultimately unable to do so because nature is the actual ruler, and not people. People may think they are able to control nature, but in cases such as this one in the story, we can see how we are powerless when faced with nature and all of its glory and strength. It controls are fates and destinies, and it is the one who will decide whether we live or die.
