Theme Of Desperation In Dy By Jarrod Shusterman

“We had water two days longer than anywhere else. The problem is, now everyone’s getting sick from it”(Shusterman 187). Desperation is born when the need for the most essential element in life is present. In Neal and Jarrod Shusterman’s novel DRY, desperation began early on when water was no longer one faucet away. Alyssa is one of the first characters in this novel to experience the need for water. When the California drought begins to escalate to life threatening proportions, Alyssa is forced to make difficult decisions in times of need. One question remains, were her sacrifices worth it? In the end, DRY educates the reader on the current event of climate change through an exceptional story while also familiarizing the readers with the desperation

We were also introduced to Alyssa, the main character, and her little brother Garret. Alyssa and Garret, along with everyone else have always experienced water restrictions but never real thirst. Garret, for example, does not fully understand that water is now extremely sparse, and continues to freely drink gatorade from the Morrow's limited supply. Alyssa thinks, “He’s ten–six years younger than me. Ten-year-olds have issues with delayed gratification. It’s almost finished anyway, so I let him keep it” (Shusterman 6). Alyssa’s willingness to give into her whining 10-year-old brother shows how she is not ready or prepared for the drought. Alyssa still has yet to experience what real thirst and water rationing

Despite the many challenges they encounter, Alyssa and Garrett remain determined in their pursuit of what is most important, their survival. When they are forced to flee their home, Alyssa reflects on the importance of resilience, "Resilience was a strange thing. It was the thing that kept you going when you should have given up, and it was the thing that made you give up when you should have kept going" (Shusterman 173). The people in the book struggle to deal with the drought’s emotional toll as well as the physical difficulties of being without water. Such as the loss of loved ones and the collapse of society. The theme of resilience emphasizes both the value of determination and the perseverance required to endure under difficult