The Island

“People listen to someone online they’ve never met more than they do to their parents, teachers, doctors. It’s tragic, really, but I’m not complaining. I’ll be able to go to a top college and leave without any debt. I can buy a house when I’m done.”

In this quotation, Paisley offers a critique of influencer culture, pointing out that she and others like her have an outsized influence in the lives of their followers. At the same time, she acknowledges her own hypocrisy: She benefits from the relationship and will use the earnings to put herself through college. This passage highlights her self-awareness and her willingness to use critical thinking, even when she criticizes herself.

“‘Don’t you see an issue with the fact that you’re only pushing for this in the hope she’ll come home and start doing dances online…or whatever it is these kids are posting?’ I close my eyes and cringe. Lord, shine a light.”

This conversation shows that Paisley’s parents, though loving, are very ignorant of her career. Her father refers to influencers as “doing dances online…or whatever,” revealing that he doesn’t know or care all that much about the nuances of the social media sphere. This bit of characterization supports Paisley’s assertion that Blaine, her brother, is the golden child.

“Trees are sparse on the island but the few there are full of bushy green leaves. From here, the park is dark, wooden, and void of color. Even with the blue ocean and clear, sunny skies, the island appears more gloomy than glamorous. I kind of like it. The Magic Kingdom isn’t my thing.”

Though Jagged Island is home to an amusement park, it is far from Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Instead, it is “more gloomy than glamorous,” “dark, wooden, and void of color.” The imagery paints a foreboding picture fitting for the novel’s Gothic setting and emphasizes Paisley’s fascination with the scary and gruesome.