A Sea of Unspoken Things

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of emotional abuse and death.

Fraught family relationships are at the core of this novel’s narrative and thematic structure. Although James and Johnny’s relationship is the most overt example of fractured family bonds, the novel broadens this theme through the portrayal of their childhood and the similarly complicated lives of secondary characters such as Autumn and Ben.

James and Johnny have a close bond that is both intimate and damaging. Their connection is almost preternatural: They can often feel what the other is experiencing and, even when they are not physically together, they remain aware of each other’s emotional states. James describes them as being “connected in places that no one could see, in ways that [she] still didn’t understand” (4). It is because of this connection that James not only knows that Johnny killed Griffin in a moment of pure rage but also that Johnny’s death was not an accident. In each case, she knew exactly what Johnny was feeling during these moments of heightened emotion and danger, and it led her to a greater understanding of each death. The closeness of their bond thus helps her to unravel the mysteries of the past, but it also traps her in an emotionally burdensome dynamic. Johnny is a volatile, difficult individual whose poor choices repeatedly require damage control from his sister and Micah. Their co-dependency, which is rooted in loyalty and shared trauma, prevents James from prioritizing her own well-being over Johnny. It is not until James leaves Six Rivers that she gets to reclaim her own self and agency, but even then, she finds herself drawn back into old worries about her brother. 

Their close but unhealthy bond is deeply rooted in their upbringing. Their mother abandoned them shortly after they were born—she had bigger ambitions and did not want to be a stay-at-home mother in a tiny town. Their father left them alone to fend for themselves as teenagers when he took a logging job in another town. Without parental care or supervision, the twins became each other’s primary support system. Their adult relationships reflect this paradigm—they are bound together emotionally and fail to develop growth or independence. 

The theme of fractured families extends beyond the twins, encompassing several families in Six Rivers. Autumn is a gifted artist like James, and she, too, comes from a troubled background. She lacks meaningful parental support and relies on her teachers for mentorship and love. Autumn’s lack of family support is also a key aspect of the mystery surrounding her disappearance: Her disappearance goes unnoticed for months, which underscores how a lack of familial concern contributes to vulnerability. Similarly, Ben, too, comes from a fractured family. It seems likely that Johnny is his father, although Sadie doesn’t want to admit this because she doesn’t see Johnny as a role model and doesn’t want him in Ben’s life. Sadie’s overprotectiveness and Ben’s desire for paternal connection adversely impact him and are at the heart of his anxiety and withdrawn behavior. It is only when James offers him the opportunity to take a DNA test and build a relationship with her that he begins to repair some of his emotional damage, highlighting the importance of connection and security.