1. His father: Michael's father is a sailor who has gone missing at sea. Michael is deeply distraught and determined to find him, even though everyone else believes him to be lost.
2. A way home: While he is determined to find his father, Michael also longs for home. He is stranded on a deserted island, and despite the kindness of Kensuke, the Japanese man who lives there, Michael feels a deep longing for his family and the familiar comforts of home.