The Odd Sea

Marissa Buckles
Writing Through Lit. HN
4-24-03

How the Stars Reflex in The Odd Sea


In The Odd Sea by Frederick Reiken symbolism is often used to portray a sense of something beyond this universe. Many of the symbols add to the mysticism and magic of the piece. This seems especially pertinent in the case of the star imagery and symbolism. The stars in The Odd Sea show significance because they seem to represent another dimension into which Ethan may have disappeared. This dimension is viewed by Ethan’s mother, Philip, Halley and himself, but it seems that while Ethan desires to be a part of it his family is simply left to wonder about it. The stars come to represent something different to each member of the family. They are a comfort to some and a curse to others.
Ethan’s mother is the first to view the cosmos with a sense questioning. Shortly after Ethan vanishes she becomes an insomniac, “spend[ing] hours […] out with the stars” (The Odd Sea 53). ...