▁is ▁the ▁oldest ▁of ▁the ▁three ▁children . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁port rayed ▁as ▁a ▁logical ▁and ▁responsible ▁boy , ▁doing ▁his ▁best ▁to ▁help ▁his ▁sib lings ▁surv ive . ▁Otto ▁R ig onda ▁is ▁the ▁pert , ▁sometimes ▁over conf ident ▁middle ▁child . ▁He ▁uses ▁knowledge ▁that ▁he ▁has ▁g lean ed ▁from ▁books ▁to ▁help ▁the ▁family . ▁Paul ine ▁R ig onda ▁is ▁the ▁pretty ▁young est ▁sister , ▁and ▁is ▁port rayed ▁as ▁very ▁observ ant ▁and ▁grace ful . ▁ ▁She ▁under go es ▁a ▁transformation ▁as ▁the ▁story ▁progress es , ▁becoming ▁wise ▁and ▁reg al ▁and ▁sett ling ▁disput es ▁sens ibly . ▁Mal ines ▁is ▁the ▁hard ened ▁first ▁mate ▁of ▁an ▁em igr ant ▁ship . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁strong ▁and ▁hand some , ▁but ▁sur ly . ▁He ▁is ▁the ▁villa in ▁of ▁the ▁story . ▁ ▁Mother ▁Lyn ch ▁plays ▁the ▁mat ri arch ▁in ▁the ▁story , ▁dealing ▁with ▁every day ▁tasks ▁and ▁inc idents . ▁She ▁is ▁the ▁nur se ▁and ▁chief ▁care g iver . ▁Dr . ▁Marsh ▁is ▁death ly ▁ill ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁story ▁and ▁requires ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁special ▁care . ▁He ▁and ▁Otto ▁become ▁close ▁friends , ▁and ▁the ▁others ▁respect ▁his ▁jud g ement . ▁ ▁Gen re ▁and ▁style ▁ ▁The ▁story ▁is ▁told ▁through ▁an ▁editor ial ▁voice ▁that ▁frequently ▁convers es ▁with ▁the ▁reader . ▁The ▁story ▁is ▁narr ated ▁in ▁the ▁present ▁t ense . ▁There