Love is a destroying force for many. The novel “Earthbound” by Aprilynne Pike portrays many different aspects of love, fate and power. Tavia Michaels is mysteriously a sole survivor of a plane crash that kills her parents. Fortunately, Tavia quickly finds herself a best friend that she later falls in love with;Benson, which helps her deal with her mental instability in the beginning of the novel. Still completely lost and sorrowful, she begins to see visions of a mystical boy that she has never spoken to before and starts to have strange feelings of attachment towards him. She soon starts to question if what everyone told her about her past was one enormous lie and is desperately searching for answers. However, when Tavia discovers that her guardians after …show more content…
Tavia later discovers that she herself holds the key to saving the world from the Reduciates; a destructive society that manipulates global events for its own shady purposes. Little did Tavia know that Benson wasn’t actually on her side - the Curatoria’s but was on the opposing side - the Reduciates and faked being in love with her to help his evil society. At the end of the novel, the only thing left for Tavia to do to save the world is for Tavia to unite with the boy from her visions but, love interferes; Tavia would have to reject Benson’s love which she swore to herself that she'd never do. Through the author writing in 1’st person perspective, the influence love has over Tavia is shown by her thoughts and actions. Also, as portrayed through the physical and mental violence that Tavia undergoes, the conflicts of this novel show the “dangerous” side that love has to offer. Finally, the novel uses symbolism to foreshadow the upcoming danger that Tavia faces. When love is used as cover for power and control, it becomes a form of abuse that leads to danger as well as the complete control of one’s thoughts and