Shipwreck

In these chapters, growing tensions related to both interpersonal challenges and Regret and Facing Consequences take center stage as The Phoenix leaves for open ocean. Charla and Ian’s backstories are introduced in this section: Charla, like Luke, is not from a wealthy family. Unlike Luke, Charla is not on The Phoenix as a punishment for criminal activity but for therapeutic purposes to help her overcome her psychological block. This manifested in Charla’s body shutting down, going into survival mode because of the unrelenting mental pressure put upon her by her father to rescue her family from poverty. Charla’s father was as shocked as Charla when she was assigned to the CNC program by her doctor, forcing him to confront the consequences of his actions and the detrimental effects they had on his daughter. Similarly, Ian was not sent on the CNC program as a punishment, but rather to help him overcome his obsession with watching TV. Will, Lyssa, and J.J. have been sent on the CNC course to learn teamwork, respect for authority, and as an alternative to having a criminal record for their destructive behavior. Luke did nothing wrong but has a criminal record, while Will, Lyssa, and J.J. have crossed the criminal line, but their lawyers got them off. This creates socioeconomic tensions between the crew, even beneath the surface, as Luke feels he could’ve been freed with the help of a lawyer. In a real sense, Luke deserves to be on CNC the least because he was wrongly accused but criminally recorded, but Charla’s reasons are also innocent, and she resents the rich kids of the bunch. Ian, too, is aboard The Phoenix for watching too much television, which is also a fairly innocent excuse. Because of these differences in circumstance and varying levels of fault, there are tensions aboard The Phoenix, as well as regret.

Will’s inferiority complex in particular is explored in this section. Will focuses critically on everything Lyssa does, choosing to mentally highlight every instance where he thinks she got a better deal, stating that, “They gave Lyssa the easy sail. It had been like that from the beginning” (21). Will wallows in resentment and self-pity when he sees Lyssa enjoying herself and succeeding. He blames Lyssa for their situation, choosing to minimize his role in the physical flight that landed them both in hospital. Foreshadowing is again used by Korman when Will recalls the police officer telling his parents that the two would end up killing each other if allowed to go unchecked; the anticipation of an upcoming tragedy between the sibling builds, as well as Will’s inevitable guilt. Meanwhile, J.J.’s obnoxious, self-centered nature is reaffirmed by his unapologetic disruption of the crew’s free time and his disrespectful request for a foot massage from the girls. J.J. believes that he is above the law, and this egotistical arrogance continues aboard The Phoenix. However, J.J. hints at distant and cold relationship between him and his father, suggesting that his behavior could be a cry for attention.

The relationships between the crew are tense; besides Lyssa, who tries to get on with everyone, none of the crew are interested in forming friendships. Each crew member has judged the others based on their first impressions. Charla thinks the others are “spoiled rich kids” (30), J.J. feels superior to everyone on board, Luke is resentful of the wealthier crew mates and their lawyers, and Will is so focused on hating Lyssa that he hasn’t given the others much thought. Ian’s heartfelt sobbing and sad confession momentarily spark sympathy in the boys, but mostly out of surprise at his “crime.” The captain stresses The Importance of Teamwork and Friendship, that they are “crew” whose backgrounds and lifestyles are irrelevant. However, they are each acutely aware of their differences and, since none of them want to be there, they refuse to embrace the experience.

Additionally, a sense of menace is created by Radford, who gets Luke knocked in the head and into the ocean. Radford is openly hostile to the children who make up the crew, but to become violent and then pass it off as playful signals he has a more insidious agenda. And while the captain seems like a kind, wise person, he is flawed in his inability to see that Radford is a danger to everyone onboard. While the CNC program is for children who need to learn tough lessons, appropriate safety measures and assurances are not taken; Radford is not a suitable chaperone for the children, and the captain himself is a poor judge of character, which ultimately puts himself and the children in danger. And as Captain Cascadden notices the two halos surrounding the moon, past omens of a storm that he also dismisses to Luke, it is clear that the children will need to rely on The Importance of Teamwork and Friendship and The Power of Inner Strength in order to survive.