In "On Fortune's Wheel" by Cynthia Voigt, the characters find themselves lost and disoriented like a ship adrift in fog, emphasizing their confusion and lack of direction in life. Their skills and past actions hold little significance when they do not know which path to take. The metaphor of being afloat in an unfathomable sea illustrates the disarray and urgency of their situation.

The narrative suggests that knowledge and past experiences lose their value when one is faced with overwhelming uncertainty. The characters grapple with their identities in the midst of chaos, questioning what truly matters in defining their journey and survival in a world full of unpredictability.