Survival

The theme of Survival is present throughout The Raft. As the novel opens, Robie is desperate for independence. When she is left alone in Hawaii, she experiences a traumatic event that makes her realize that she’s not ready for the responsibilities that accompany being an adult. When the man attacks Robie outside of McDonald’s she is left to fend for herself. This inciting incident drives Robie to take the supply plane back to Midway. She is not solely responsible for surviving the attack as another man on the street interrupts.

The plane crash is the second time Robie comes face-to-face with survival. Her initial survival is contingent on Max telling her exactly what she needs to do in order to survive the crash. He subsequently pulls her into the raft. After that, Robie is on her own. She must repair the raft, bail and...