The Aquanaut: A Graphic Novel

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death and animal cruelty and death.

Finding home in family is a central theme in The Aquanaut because loss motivates the characters until they realize that they have found a new form of family with each other. Being with family means being home, no matter where they are, whether on land or in the ocean. Sophia and her uncle lost Michel to the ocean, and the event changed their lives forever. They didn’t know how to rely on each other and instead found themselves navigating life largely on their own. Sophia often complains about how her uncle doesn’t spend enough time with her and puts too much energy into his work, which only furthers the distance between them. Sophia makes a new friend in the aquanaut and finds support from an unlikely, non-human source. They become like family to her and help her mend her relationship with her uncle.

Sodapop has memories of feeling safe, loved, and protected by his father when he was younger. Sodapop’s father explored the ocean floor with him, helped him find a new “shell,” and snuggled with him in the old car while they waited for the squid to disappear.