Ariel Analyzes HIS Writes Finalist: "Landlocked"

Analysis by Ariel Rojas; Original story, "Landlocked", by Jeremy Cheng and Ava Vaeth

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The story "Landlocked" by Zachary Cheng and Ava Vaeth tells the tale of two teenagers, Amber and Josh, who live in a future world where the pandemic never truly ended. Everyone stays locked inside, scared of going out, and that fear becomes part of their daily lives. Both characters are tired of living this way, but they don’t really know how to change it at first.

The first Truby idea we noticed as we read the story is Weakness and Need. Amber’s weakness is that she’s afraid and unsure of everything. She listens to the news, stays inside, and never questions what’s happening around her. But deep down, she needs to find courage and to think for herself. According to Truby, a story becomes powerful when the main character realizes what they actually need deep down. For Amber, that need is to stop being afraid and to find her own truth. The moment she sees government officials outside her window taking away her neighbor marks a significant turning point in her character growth. It’s the first time she starts to see that something is wrong and that she can’t just let it go. 

The story also shows moral arguments really clearly. It’s not simply about how people survive a ‘disease’, but it’s about how they follow the rules without asking why. The government uses fear to keep people under control, and makes everyone believe it’s for their safety. But as the story continues, Amber starts to notice the reality of what’s actually going on. And, when she tells Josh that the pandemic isn’t actually real, it’s not just her revealing a huge lie from the government but standing up against fear and choosing freedom over accepting control. 

At the end, there’s a clear self-revelation moment. After everything that happens, Amber takes off her mask and finally breathes in the fresh air. She says, “I smelled everything I haven’t smelled in so long,”. That moment feels really important because she’s finally free, not just from the rules but from her own fear.  Earlier in the story, she would only watch the stars from her window because of her fear, which was holding her back. But now, she’s the one opening the window and choosing to face the world. She finally understands that she can move on and live the way she wants, even if the world around her hasn’t changed yet.

Overall, Landlocked uses ideas of weakness and need, moral argument, and self-revelation to show how finding courage and truth can free someone from oppressive control. Amber’s small actions like watching the stars and finally stepping outside show how even small moments can lead to a lot of change.