46 pages • 1 hour read
Natasha PrestonThe Island
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2023A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Jagged Island
Throughout the novel, Jagged Island functions as a symbol representing danger and deception. The name itself, “jagged,” evokes discomfort, and from Paisley’s first glimpse of the island, she sees it as “dark, wooden, and void of color […] the island appears more gloomy than glamorous” (7). Though she likes the aesthetics, Ava declares it “creepy as hell,” expressing discomfort with the dark and foreboding atmosphere (8). Malcolm further capitalizes on the remote location by creating a hotel and park that are in the Gothic architectural style, telling his audience that his resort is unique and that “This place isn’t for little children” (20). Though Paisley initially interprets the aesthetics as unique and playful, she soon learns that the island is home to real danger when the murders begin.
Preston’s use of the Gothic is an homage to Gothic literature, which is often associated with the grotesque, frightening, and supernatural. Jagged Island’s gargoyles and turrets evoke historical examples of this genre, but Preston adds a modern touch by having Paisley and other characters comment on the setting. Paisley’s awareness of the tropes of the Gothic and horror genres means that she initially dismisses the setting as merely aesthetic, but she quickly learns that the island is in fact dangerous. In the novel’s final pages, the rescuers are literally “scared to step off the boat” (302), recognizing that Jagged Island is a bad place, and Paisley herself is unable to make it off the island since she is pulled into the sea by Robert. The ending emphasizes the island’s nature as a symbol of evil and danger.
Cell Phones
Fittingly for a novel about social media and influencer culture, cell phones are a motif throughout the novel. They represent the positives and negatives of online culture and contemporary culture’s dependence on the internet. Early on, all the influencers as well as the staff spend most of their time on the phone. When reviewing CCTV footage, Reeve is surprised to see that he walked past their suspect because he was on his phone, saying, “I can’t believe I didn’t notice him” (130). However, it is cell phone dependence that alerts Paisley to Will’s disappearance. She finds it abandoned in his room and thinks, “No one leaves their phone behind […] He’s not leaving his room without his phone. He wouldn’t even go to the bathroom without it” (75-76). When the cell phone jammer is activated, the characters are forced to try to navigate a world without phones. Paisley laments the fact that she could identify Robert with a few clicks, but without cell service, “We’re going to have to go old-school to figure that out” (185). They must strategize new ways to communicate and solve problems without the access of internet or cell service.
The Fire
The bonfire at the end of the novel symbolizes the destructive consequences of one’s actions. Paisley and the others devise the fire to alert the mainland to their plight. They believe that burning the booths at the park entrance will attract attention from the harbor patrol and allow them to escape. When Paisley lights the fire initially, she feels “a pinch of guilt” at destroying property but reassures herself that it’s necessary to escape (261). Next to her, Harper expresses a similar sentiment, saying, “This feels so wrong,” as she strikes a match (261). Paisley assumes that Harper is feeling what she is—a renewed sense of control—but notices that “her words don’t quite match her actions, she’s flicking the bottle all over the place with bright eyes” (261). In fact, Harper is enjoying the destruction because she is a sadistic killer. To her, this is a joyful occasion and part of her plan to destroy the island and Malcolm’s empire entirely.
Though Paisley and the others have very different motives from Harper, they are not able to escape the fire’s destruction. Paisley watches the fire, “mesmerized” as it “burn[s] slowly at first but then spirals out of control. Huge flames roar up to the sky” (263). Despite her nonviolent intentions, the fire destroys a large part of the park and causes a huge explosion, threatening Ava’s life when a shard of glass embeds itself in her neck. Though destruction is not directly her intention, the fire symbolizes the unintended consequences of one’s actions. Paisley is also not entirely naive to the allure of destruction. She compares setting the fire to “going to one of those plate-smashing places” (262), a form of societally sanctioned destruction.
