Point of View

The Raft is told in the first person by Robie Mitchell. Her perspective differs from the average American teenager in that she lives on the Midway Atoll, a remote area of the Pacific Ocean, and she is surrounded by adults. She has limited access to the Internet and the satellite phones can be out for days. As such, she doesn’t have many friends and doesn’t go to a traditional school.

Robie is similar to an American teenager in that she pushes boundaries. She gets her nose pierced, gets a henna tattoo, and lies to her aunt about someone coming to check on her. She longs for independence and takes advantage of it when opportunity arises.

Her acts of rebellion lead the reader to believe that she is somewhat reckless and immature, but that changes after the plane crash and she is left to...