An Existential Crisis is Better Than Turning Into a Fish by Michaela

An Existential Crisis is Better Than Turning Into a Fish by Michaela - February 2015 Scholarship Essay

As a high school senior, I am familiar with the existential crisis. It seems one cannot go through high school without having one or witnessing many. As we come closer and closer to the uncertainty of our independent futures, we question ourselves to the point where we cannot even be sure of who we are or what our purpose it. In the midst of all this drama, it is helpful to know that others are going through the same thing and have survived and thrived. Reassurance in any form is helpful, and that is why every high school student should read Dr. Franklin's Island by Ann Halam before they graduate.

Dr. Franklin’s Island is not a very well-known book, nor is it a classic. It does not feature teenage romance or a handsome, heart-throb of a hero. But it does explore the concept of existentialism and ask the same questions we often ask of ourselves during high school. It tells the story of three teenagers who become stranded on an island after a plane crash, and find themselves being the subjects of brilliant but insane scientist Dr. Franklin's transgenic experiments. The plot takes a number of surprising twists, mimicking the rollercoaster nature of high school, without allowing the strange plot concept to alienate us, the readers. This well-executed, if unconventional concept allows the deeply-rooted and complex issues of human nature and emotion to be explored. Readers watch as the protagonist, Semi, and her friend Miranda, newly transformed into a manta ray and a bird, respectively, cope with the consequences of having a human brain in an inhuman body. They watch as Miranda begins to lose her humanness, becoming more and more animalistic, and as Semi is consequently forced to cope with emotional and physical isolation. She resorts to questioning her own existence, purpose, and what makes her human.

It is this very uncertainty that makes the novel so relatable. As we, high school students, mature and begin to consider our futures, we face confusion, stress, and a loss of self-confidence. We often feel alone and purposeless, and suffer crisis after existential crisis while attempting to figure out what to do with our lives. This book, though it deals with conflicts that are physically very different than ours, hits the nail on the head emotionally. As we watch Semi struggle to define herself and what it means to be human, we cannot help but be reminded of our own internal struggles at this crossroads in our lives. As she explores this topic and eventually overcomes it (while also returning to her human form), it gives us hope that we can survive, too. After all, if Semi can transform from a human to a fish and back to a human, and still be mentally sound, we can make it through high school and the decisions that will govern our futures.