What is the primary characteristic of nature that is revealed in this story?

Man versus nature is the story's central theme. Isolated from society, the shipwrecked men are alone in on the open ocean. In a tiny boat on turbulent seas, they are especially vulnerable to natural elements: they must remain vigilant and united against the violent waves that threaten to sink their dinghy and drown them. From this adversarial position, the correspondent characterizes the sea as a malevolent agent of a cruel nature. However, as the narrative progresses, the correspondent's perspective on the conflict changes: he struggles with his beliefs, wanting to trust that the universe has a plan for him. Ultimately, the correspondent overcomes his uncertainty by accepting man's insignificance. Nature is not with him or against him; as he comes to see it, nature is "flatly indifferent" to his fate.