Lost At Sea by Lorena

Lost At Sea by Lorena - February 2015 Scholarship Essay

‘Lost at sea’ is a graphic novel by Bryan Lee O’Malley and follows 18-year old Raleigh in a cross-country road trip with three of her high school classmates. This is one of those books that you can finish in one sitting, not only because it is written in an uncomplicated, unpretentious way but because the story sucks you right in from page one. Raleigh has just finished high school and finds herself not knowing in what direction to go next. She is shy, has a lot on her mind, and is terrified of everything. The catch of the story is that she thinks she has no soul; that it was taken from her around the time when she was born pushing her to analyze, and somewhat criticize, her every feeling and action.

The story centers around the road trip—a classic metaphor for self-discovery--and the interactions between Raleigh and the other characters and shows us, through awkward conversations and a lot of self-reflection moments, how she learns bits about her, her family, her friends, and the world around her. It explores with easiness and refreshing drawings the uncomfortable confines of being a teenager, and the terrifying experience of finding oneself at a crossroad and having to sort things out on one’s own. It is a book that connects with that aimlessness and isolation that characterize adolescence, and the feeling of glory that follows a period of being lost.