Outside Reading Analysis Essay

Sometimes in life, it just feels natural and easier to follow the crowd and be a part of a bandwagon. It is in the nature of a human being to not want to be singled out or alone in society. In the book, Drawing the Ocean, by Carolyn Maccullough, Sadie Caldwell, who is naturally a shy person, is experiencing this feeling of solitude that she slowly overcomes as time passes with a few bumps in the road. It is never easy to have a brand new start in life, especially when in the high school years, and be successful at it. Sadie must overcome the overwhelming beginnings of her journey, pass over the hurdles of peer pressure and influences, and then finally land in the place where she truly belongs. “Do you like it here?” asks Ollie. Ollie was once Sadie’s twin brother who died at the age of 12, but she can still physically visualize and hear him as if he were still alive; unable to get rid of his presence, he acts as her self-conscious and guardian angel. She slowly ponders on this question representing the start of her new life. Moving from California to Connecticut with only her mom and dad, she has no one to socialize with or even call her friend, however she makes it her resolution to rid herself …show more content…
It was a joke. The kid’s a freak.” An epiphany rises from Sadie at this point. At lunchtime on the same day, Sadie tries to find Ryan and when she does, she bravely neglects the stares and silence of the surrounding people, of her “cool” friends, of Travis; She approaches Ryan’s table and sits where no one would dare, disregarding her social “sacrifice,” aware that it was what she truly wanted to do. In the final scene, Lila joins her and the small group of three leave the lunchroom together. Ollie disappears from Sadie’s imagination and his spirit moves on knowing that Sadie will be okay