David is the protagonist of The Voyage of the Frog, and for much of the novel, he is the only living character. By using David’s perspective to portray the stresses of being lost in the Pacific Ocean, Paulsen creates a sense of verisimilitude and highlights the dynamic changes that David undergoes as a character. As David’s experiences force him to undergo a journey of growth and resilience, he transforms from a grief-stricken 14-year-old boy into a responsible young man. Initially overcome with grief, regret, and frustration at the world, David is also portrayed as an intensely empathetic character. Upon seeing his beloved uncle Owen bedridden in the hospital, he is so overcome by the smell and by his uncle’s diminished appearance that he vomits. He then becomes immediately sheepish, feeling terrible that he cannot maintain a show of strength in front of his dying uncle. His bond with his uncle is so strong that when Owen asks a favor of him, David thinks to himself, “I will die for you if it will save you. Anything” (7). David feels and demonstrates his emotions deeply and honestly. However, this emotional candor creates problems for him at the outset of the novel, for his intense desire to fulfill his uncle’s last wish leads him to sail into