Family and friendships are essential aspects of human life, especially for children, who need the love, support, and belonging that the best families provide. However, Carter Locke has no family or friends and feels lonely and isolated, trapped in a life he didn’t choose. He has few memories of his family of origin, but he does remember the quaint cottage that he and his parents shared by the sea. Though Carter longs to have the comfort of a physical home again, he pines the most for the love and security that a true family unit represents. His larcenous guardian, Uncle Sly, blatantly abuses him by failing to provide for his physical needs and keeping them on the run with his life of crime, and he is also guilty of psychological abuse when he denies Carter the compassion and tenderness that is essential to any child’s development. This life on the run, marked by neglect and hardship, has hardened Carter’s heart to the possibility of finding security or happiness. The narrative vividly illustrates his pain by describing his hopes for the future after his escape from Uncle Sly, stating, “[H]e’d find a cozy bed, a warm fire in the fireplace, and, most important of all, someone to say good night to him.