The Girl from the Sea: A Graphic Novel

The novel amplifies the emotional tension in this section by deepening Morgan’s relationships with her friends, her family, and Keltie while showing how her pursuit of “normalcy” continues to isolate her. The story also begins to hint at hidden conflicts beneath Keltie’s cheerful exterior. 

Morgan’s insistence that her relationship with Keltie remain secret underscores The Burdens and Consequences of Secrets. Previously, Morgan’s secrecy only affected her, but now she forces Keltie into the same silence. Keltie’s expression and body language show her discomfort as she agrees to hide their relationship. Morgan feels beholden to the image others formed of her in childhood, unable to undergo the metamorphosis that is a natural part of adolescence. She feels that she will finally be free to be herself once she leaves the village of Blue Rocks and goes to college, but in the meantime, her secrecy hurts both her and Keltie. Morgan’s fear of exposure denies her the joy of being open, and it denies Keltie the right to be acknowledged. Ironically, as Morgan struggles to maintain control of her life, she also begins to lose control over how her secrecy affects others. Though Keltie is a foil for Morgan in her open embrace of her identity, this section reveals that she, too, has a secret, as she is hiding the real reason for her presence on land. This revelation foreshadows the conflict that will erupt between the two girls later in the novel. 

Morgan’s friendships become more complicated in this section, as she resists the vulnerability that comes with leaning on Family and Friends as Sources of Support. When she nearly drowns in the opening scene, the images in her eyes are of her parents cuddling and the torn paper where she wrote, “I think I’m gay” (49). The pairing is symbolic: Because Morgan realized that she’s gay around the same time that her parents separated, she conflates the two events in her mind, viewing her sexuality as vaguely connected to the collapse of her simple, happy childhood. Her wish for her parents to return to how they once were parallels her desire for a simpler version of herself, one that does not have to hide or explain. This fear of change prevents her from embracing her own identity, while Keltie, who openly accepts her dual nature, represents the freedom Morgan longs for but cannot claim.

Keltie’s relationship with Morgan reframes traditional selkie mythology. In selkie folklore, taking a selkie’s skin binds them to land and strips them of freedom. Since selkies are typically women who become the objects of male desire, the stolen skin symbolizes the autonomy women often lose in relationships governed by patriarchy. In contrast to this folkloric tradition, Morgan’s decision to take Keltie’s seal-skin is presented as a loving gesture, symbolizing her desire for Keltie to stay. Keltie’s private smile after Morgan takes the seal-skin from her shoulders makes clear that she welcomes the gesture: By allowing Morgan to take the seal-skin, she indicates her choice to stay. This moment sets the stage for the climactic moment later in the book, when Keltie, needing to rescue Serena, asks for the skin back, putting Morgan’s respect for her agency to the test.

The conversation about clothes in this section also reflects the burdens and consequences of secrets, as clothes function as a motif representing Morgan’s desire to blend in and go unnoticed. She used to make her own clothes, but she stopped because they “came out looking too weird to wear” (46). Even creative self-expression feels dangerous to Morgan. Her clothing choices shift depending on who she expects to see. When she goes into town, she wears trendy, coordinated outfits to fit in with her peers. When she spends time with Keltie, she dresses more casually in a T-shirt and overalls, comfortable and unguarded. Morgan tells Keltie, “Clothes will help you fit in […] so people don’t notice you,” reinforcing Morgan’s belief that invisibility equals safety (51). When Keltie chooses a gaudy dolphin t-shirt that none of Morgan’s other friends would ever wear, she shows that she is not interested in fitting in and would rather embrace her own taste and identity regardless of what others think. 

Keltie challenges this mindset by comparing Morgan’s desire to hide to a fish that disguises itself as kelp to avoid being eaten. She points out that such a life would be “very boring,” “little better than a plant” (52). Through this metaphor, Keltie becomes both a mirror and a moral compass for Morgan. She reminds her that safety can come at the cost of living fully. Still, Morgan is not ready to accept this truth. For her, blending in remains an act of survival. The difference between them highlights the gap between knowledge and acceptance.

By the end of this section, Morgan begins to take small steps toward honesty, showing the power of Change as a Catalyst for Personal Growth. She spends more time with Keltie, and their conversations let her voice thoughts she has never spoken aloud. However, her “plan” to wait until she leaves the island before coming out reveals how deeply secrecy shapes her thinking. She believes that she cannot be fully herself in her current world. This section of The Girl from the Sea demonstrates that transformation is not always magical or immediate. For Morgan, it is slow, painful, and often hidden beneath the surface. Morgan’s journey toward truth begins with the quiet realization that being seen, however frightening, is the first step toward becoming whole.