Content Warning: The source material includes descriptions of abduction, torture, murder, and graphic violence, as well as sexual references, objectification, and harassment.

Dee’s raison d’être, the purpose that keeps her alive on Alcatraz 2.0, is her burning desire to reveal the truth about her innocence and bring Monica’s murderer to justice. This mission fuels Dee’s efforts to survive and informs her interactions with the others on the island. To succeed, Dee must define justice for herself and learn that truth requires trust. Dee’s perseverance against all odds shows her grit and the strength of her beliefs.

Dee initially fears “normalization” on Alcatraz 2.0. She thinks it would be easy to slip into island life and “embrace this role” the Postman has given her (58). Despite Griselda’s advice to accept her fast-approaching death, however, Dee chooses to “rage against the dying of the light” as poet Dylan Thomas urged (Thomas, Dylan. “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.” Poets.org). Dee wants to stay alive to find Monica’s killer and prove her innocence. To do so, Dee must find the inner strength and confidence to fulfill her quest.

Dee empowers herself by taking as much control of her life as possible.