This will be my analysis on the novel “Challenger Deep” by Neal Shusterman published on 4/21/2015. Being honest, I listened to the audiobook narrated by Michael Curran-Dorsano. The book is set mostly in a Psychiatric ward. There a boy named Caden Bosch shares his perceptions of the ongoing realities of his situation.
The author Neal Shusterman has completed over thirty works, with his target audiences ranging in ages. Born and raised in New York city, he ended up moving to and graduating from high school in Mexico City in his early teens. He currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida. He is the recipient of the 2015 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, among other accolades. Mr. Shusterman also works on writing creative instructional works, television writing, and is currently working on film adaptations for various online platforms of his works. Mr. Shusterman has stated how his original aspirations were to do a bit of everything, but conceded the fact that writing eventually took most of his focus.
In his novel “Challenger Deep”, he is making several critiques on various social issues that revolve around individual mental health. The first being that our own individual perceptions of things can warp our realities into something only we (the individual) recognize. The second and most prominent critique is the inner struggle within us to be willing to trust others and ourselves. Especially when we may want to do things our way, inner thoughts may or may not spark conflict in our world. The third focus is that of our anxieties and how they impact not only us, but the world and people around us. He uses a particularly unique way to emphasize these critiques through imagery and symbolism throughout the novel. Every detail mentioned has a deeper meaning to the main character both in his mind and in reality. Chapter 85: “all meat must be tenderized”, Caden speaks on his thoughts on the ward, “there are shapes around you that sometimes make sense, and sometimes don’t. Monsters of malicious intent”. Chapter 77: “Oil Slick”, Caden speaks on being admitted to the psychiatric ward, “ now you think that maybe you were right, maybe they’re not your parents at all, they are imposters”. In chapter 142: “Are you now, or have you ever been?”, Caden speaks on his depression, “my sister is the failsafe, Mackenzie would be screwed up for life if I committed suicide”. In these brief excerpts one can see some of the examples of the critiques that the author puts fourth, although throughout the novel, major examples interlace to form a broad overall depiction of the events.
Alone
The novel is set up to be an account of one boy’s journey through a mental health crisis. It is presented from the perspective of the main character, Caden Bosch. Caden starts by mentioning his living circumstances to include his family and school life. He gives glimpses to his thoughts on events, people, and above all his perceptions of them. From the onset we see that he is steadily deteriorating in social outwardness throughout his experiences. He begins to stop sharing with others and his perception of reality seems to skew. He seems to have begun to find solace (so he believes) only in himself, particularly his mind. We begin to see how he begins his path towards isolation.
Lost
As Caden continues to unknowingly put himself on a course that will lead to breakdown, his family and friends begin to notice. Caden’s actions eventually draw enough attention to warrant his parent’s arrangement of a stay at a psychiatric hospital to further evaluate his condition. Caden then embarks on a mental journey in a space limited to minimal stimulation, structure, and constant evaluation. To him this all seems as an attempt to suppress his desired courses of action. While Caden knows that he is not functioning at 100 percent per say, he does not trust the individuals around him. He believes that only he knows what he is truly experiencing, and that he alone always will. Everything else is a murky grey area in his mind. His shift in perception has altered his reality, he views his mind as an ocean. His mind is something to navigate, with various characters coming in and out of play, much like his life. He seems lost and surrounded by transients.
After
An incident like the rapid deterioration of your mental state that leads to isolation and internment in a mental health facility, is impactful in one’s life to say the least. Given the fact that Caden is young enough to be shaped by it, yet old enough to remember, it will surly be a defining point for him. He grapples with the repercussions of his actions, implications to his family and friends, as well as the ongoing struggle for himself. Caden comes through his experiences with an altered view on things, and the knowledge that things have changed forever. Upon his release and through some of the closure he received, he realizes his strife is ongoing. The fact of the matter for Caden is that he now has an added responsibility for not only himself, but the way he sees it, to everyone around him.