43 pages • 1 hour read
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Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of mental illness, suicidal ideation, animal cruelty and death, illness, and death.
Michael is the novel’s main character. He is 12 years old when he reaches the island. The story is narrated by an older version of the character, now a college graduate, more than 10 years after his rescue. The creative boy loves to express himself through sketching, painting, and writing, visualizing his creativity as a connection between mind and body: “I spoke it from my head, down my arm, through my fingers and my pencil, and onto the page. And that’s how it reads to me now, all these years later, like me talking” (17). The personal log that he keeps during his time aboard the Peggy Sue adds a layer of realism to the adventure narrative. Michael’s courage shapes his characterization and the story’s plot. For example, he becomes stranded on the island because he risks his life to protect Stella during a storm. Morpurgo also emphasizes Michael’s adaptability—a quality modeled for him by Kensuke. He quickly adjusts to the new realities of life on the Peggy Sue, his solitary existence on the island, and his routine with Kensuke.
By Michael Morpurgo