Alone on a Wide, Wide Sea Michael Morpurgo
Alone on a wide, wide sea
The novel Alone on a wide, wide sea is written by award winning author Michael Morpurgo and was published in 2006. This novel concentrates on a boy named Arthur and his powerful and consistent relationship with his close friend Marty. To make the story more thought provoking and interesting, Morpurgo has used symbols to represent various things throughout the novel. Such as, a boat to represent love, a key to represent luck and an albatross to represent hope and adoration.
Throughout the novel a key is used to represent hope and luck. The reader becomes aware of this when Arthur ‘felt a sadness so deep within, but felt too that just as long as he had kitty’s key he would be alright.’ The key causes Arthur to feel strong in his time of need. Having the key there is a reassurance that even though times are tough, there is always a bright side. Similarly, as Arthur says ’it would be lucky for me’, it brings the same luck to his young daughter Allie. When Allie is out on her expedition to England, to bring back a long lost family member, she keeps the key there in hope that it would bring the same luck that it brought her father. Each character seems very dependant on the luck the ‘lucky key’ brings.
The ‘Ancient Mariner’ is a symbol of courage and family togetherness for many characters in this novel. This becomes clear when Allie continuously recites the ‘Ancient Mariner’ on board ‘Kitty four’, which ‘gave her a new determination every time she read it out loud.’ Reciting the ‘Ancient Mariner’ results in Allie feeling more connected with her deceased father and the sea itself. This connection causes Allie to confide in herself and her ability to accomplish her goals. Likewise, when Arthur recites the poem for Aunty Megs on her birthday her eyes were ‘full of tears and full of love’. The ‘Ancient Mariner’ brings Arthur, Marty and Aunty Megs closer and their shared love for this poem results in them uniting as a stronger family.
The novel Alone on a wide, wide sea is written by award winning author Michael Morpurgo and was published in 2006. This novel concentrates on a boy named Arthur and his powerful and consistent relationship with his close friend Marty. To make the story more thought provoking and interesting, Morpurgo has used symbols to represent various things throughout the novel. Such as, a boat to represent love, a key to represent luck and an albatross to represent hope and adoration.
Throughout the novel a key is used to represent hope and luck. The reader becomes aware of this when Arthur ‘felt a sadness so deep within, but felt too that just as long as he had kitty’s key he would be alright.’ The key causes Arthur to feel strong in his time of need. Having the key there is a reassurance that even though times are tough, there is always a bright side. Similarly, as Arthur says ’it would be lucky for me’, it brings the same luck to his young daughter Allie. When Allie is out on her expedition to England, to bring back a long lost family member, she keeps the key there in hope that it would bring the same luck that it brought her father. Each character seems very dependant on the luck the ‘lucky key’ brings.
The ‘Ancient Mariner’ is a symbol of courage and family togetherness for many characters in this novel. This becomes clear when Allie continuously recites the ‘Ancient Mariner’ on board ‘Kitty four’, which ‘gave her a new determination every time she read it out loud.’ Reciting the ‘Ancient Mariner’ results in Allie feeling more connected with her deceased father and the sea itself. This connection causes Allie to confide in herself and her ability to accomplish her goals. Likewise, when Arthur recites the poem for Aunty Megs on her birthday her eyes were ‘full of tears and full of love’. The ‘Ancient Mariner’ brings Arthur, Marty and Aunty Megs closer and their shared love for this poem results in them uniting as a stronger family.