The Wish

Ocracoke is a small island in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of North Carolina. It is part of the Outer Banks, a large tourist destination during the summer. The island itself is only 8.6 square miles, with a population of 709 people as of 2023 (“Ocracoke, NC.” Census Reporter). Because it has no road leading to the mainland, relying on its ferry and boats for transport to the mainland, the island is largely isolated from the rest of the Outer Banks. Its residents survive off the tourist industry or from commercial fishing, as Bryce’s family does in The Wish.

Due to its size, location, and isolation, there is a duality to Ocracoke that Sparks highlights through Maggie’s experiences in The Wish. When she first arrives, she notes how quiet it is and how different it is than what she expected. She notes how “Ocracoke [is] nothing like [she’d] imagined. [She’d] been picturing pretty pastel cottages nestled in sand dunes, with tropical views of the ocean […]; a boardwalk complete with burger joints and ice cream shops and crowded with teens” (39). Instead, she finds a small, isolated community, which grows in the summer season but is still a smaller tourist destination than the rest of the Outer Banks.