Deep Water

Shane is tall and athletic with long hair, and he is about the same age as Julie. His family is wealthy, and he wears all the popular brands. Before the dive, Key shows that Shane is cocky and argumentative. He follows his father’s disregard for Gibson’s safety recommendations and is more concerned with spearing fish than following the rules. Upon surfacing after the dive, Shane is unable to stay calm; he resists Julie’s instructions and struggles to think clearly. As they drift, he complains often and asks questions that Julie obviously cannot answer. From Julie’s point of view, Shane is annoying, immature, and unhelpful.

Shane has a poor relationship with his father; they argue over petty things, and midway through the novel, Shane admits that he feels like his father is not proud of him. When father develops the bends, Shane has a hard time feeling sorry for him, revealing the lack of affection between father and son.

Shane’s character undergoes a significant change throughout the novel. He opens up to Julie about his relationship with his dad and about his insecurities. Learning more about Shane helps the reader understand his earlier unkindness and garners the reader’s sympathy. Shane’s vulnerability also helps Julie understand and appreciate him in a new way, and the two young people grow in closeness. Although their personalities are different, they find common ground in their shared family turmoil.

Once on the rig, Shane stops complaining and starts helping. He takes initiative to lead the duo through the rig to look for supplies, and he helps Julie since she has limited use of her hands. When Julie reaches a mental low point, he encourages her and remains positive. Finally, Shane shows resourcefulness when he thinks to break the light on the derrick, and this time, he is the one to act. By the novel’s end, Shane has grown by leaps and bounds in terms of maturity and kindness and has formed a close bond with Julie because of their shared experience.

Julie describes her father as an “overgrown kid” (5) with wild, unkempt gray hair and sun-faded clothing. He is diabetic, and does not always take care of his health, which acts as a catalyst for the novel’s conflict. Julie’s dad has a passion for diving. He is living his dream of owning his own dive shop and charter business, but in the process, has lost sight of what truly matters: His family. His obsession with finding the Malzon tanks clouds his sense of responsibility and gets in the way of his relationship with Julie’s mom. Gibson lets the shop—his dream—decline not only in favor of finding the Malzon tanks, but also as a coping mechanism for dealing with his divorce. Without Julie and her mom around, Gibson seemingly falls apart.

Julie’s relationship with her father is close-knit. He taught her to dive when she was nine years old, and thinks of her as his business partner, probably placing too much pressure on her. Julie is proud of her dad, but disappointed to find how much he has changed when she returns to Alabama for the summer. However, she is committed to helping him improve the charter business, and she is proud to see his strength when facing Mr. Jordan.

Gibson is both knowledgeable and safe when it comes to diving, and teaches Julie good safety practices, discipline, and a healthy fear of Mother Nature. Julie often relies on information from her dad while drifting in the ocean, and it helps her act and make decisions. Julie’s flashbacks show that her father tries to impress Julie’s mom and seems to still love her. By the novel’s end, Gibson has realigned his priorities. Almost losing Julie helps him change; he is willing to give up his dreams to keep Julie and her mom, as they are the most important part of his life.

Hank Jordan, Shane’s father, is characterized as rude, arrogant, and unwilling to listen. He works as an attorney and flaunts his wealth to feel superior to others. Despite his financial stability, he is greedy, telling Shane to record the coordinates to the Malzon tanks. At one point in the novel, Shane admits that his father is embarrassed to have grown up poor, and money puts a strain on their father-son relationship even though they have plenty of it.

Key uses Mr. Jordan as a foil for Julie’s character. Ironically, although Mr. Jordan is the adult of the group, he is the least responsible. He panics on his ascent to the surface, leading him to get bent even though he had enough air. Instead of admitting his mistakes, however, he blames his paralysis on his pony tank. He also fails to listen to Julie’s reasonable instructions. His death results from his panic, pride, and inability to listen to Julie and Shane.

Key does not offer any redeeming qualities for Mr. Jordan, making him a difficult character with which to sympathize. Even though Mr. Jordan has a chance to make things right with Shane, he does not attempt to do so, nor does he acknowledge his mistakes or show humility. Mr. Jordan serves as a reminder of the downfalls of pride and greed, and acts as a catalyst that makes Shane want to change for the better.