Summary
Karana and her people live on the island of the blue dolphins. Their island was full of life and the people new how to live off of the resources provided by it. When Russian trappers come to the island to hunt otters, Karana's father, the chief of the island, agrees to allow them in return for goods. All is going well and the Russians are very successful but when it comes time for them to leave, they refuse to make the agreed upon trade. This results in a fight breaking out between the natives and the russians and the chief dies.
The tribe decides to choose a new chief and the tribe decides they need to leave the island. The new chief embarks on a journey to find land and people to take them elsewhere. He eventually returns with white men who help the natives leave the island. The island is excited to leave so they all gather their essentials and head to the ships. Along the way, Karana's little brother realizes he left his hunting spear behind and sneaks away to get it. While everyone is on the ship, Karana realizes that her brother is not on it but do to the weather conditions, the ship can not wait for him. Karana dives off the ship to return to him on the island.
While on the island, they try to establish their own living space and begin to rely on themselves. One night, Karana's little brother sneaks off and Karana wakes up to him missing. She searches the island and finds him, surrounded by wild dogs. They killed him and he managed to kill two of them as well. Karana then learns how to completely rely on herself and becomes one with the island as she waits for the white men to return.
The tribe decides to choose a new chief and the tribe decides they need to leave the island. The new chief embarks on a journey to find land and people to take them elsewhere. He eventually returns with white men who help the natives leave the island. The island is excited to leave so they all gather their essentials and head to the ships. Along the way, Karana's little brother realizes he left his hunting spear behind and sneaks away to get it. While everyone is on the ship, Karana realizes that her brother is not on it but do to the weather conditions, the ship can not wait for him. Karana dives off the ship to return to him on the island.
While on the island, they try to establish their own living space and begin to rely on themselves. One night, Karana's little brother sneaks off and Karana wakes up to him missing. She searches the island and finds him, surrounded by wild dogs. They killed him and he managed to kill two of them as well. Karana then learns how to completely rely on herself and becomes one with the island as she waits for the white men to return.
Themes |
QUOTE |
Isolation
Patriarcal society
Self Reliance
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“I stood and looked back at the Island [...] I thought of Rontu lying there beneath the stones, and of Won-a-tee, and the little red fox that would scratch in vain at my fence, and my canoe hidden in the cave, and of all the happy days. Dolphins rose out of the sea and swam before the ship. [...] The little birds were chirping in their cage and Rontu-Aru sat beside me.”
(178) Karana has finally been found by sailors. A ship has landed on the island and is taking her to her people. She had positive expectations for her future as she reunites with her people. Karana has had happy memories of her lone life on the island and the relationships she made with it.
As we move from one great part of our lives to the next chapter, it’s important to learn from the past, and bring the good with you. Earlier, she mentioned that dolphins are a good omen. These dolphins taking her to her new life could represent that she is going to be happy and successful in her new life on the mainland with her people.
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Essay |
Scott O'Dell’s novel, Island of the Blue Dolphins, shows that friendship is highly impactful on, not only one’s life, but the world.
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The Impact of Friendship
True friends are worth more than all the treasures of the world. Scott O'Dell’s novel, Island of the Blue Dolphins, shows that friendship is highly impactful on, not only one’s life, but the world. Without friendship, empathy would be a rarity in the world. The influence friends have on a person can be highly impactful on others and their surroundings. Friendships can bring more good into the world by turning foes into friends.
Friendship helps people empathize and sympathize with each other. Without it, it’s easier to treat others badly. In Island of the Blue Dolphins, the chief explains to his people that “[The Aleuts] have come to take otter and to give us our share in many goods which they have and which we can use. In this way shall we profit. But we shall not profit if we try to befriend them. They are people who do not understand friendship.” (10). The chief knows that because these people don’t understand friendship, they can not understand empathy and that there is a fair chance of hostility. His suspicions end up being true. The lack of friendship between the natives of the island and the Aleuts ends with a battle on the beach, leaving many dead. Empathy is so important as we coexist with others but it’s not the only thing gained out of friendship.
Friends can be extremely effective at influencing others to do great good and bad. Karana points out the impact a strong friend can make when she says “I am sure that the pack grew bolder because of their leader” (89). Before this dog joined the pack, the wild dogs portrayed cowardice, and mostly scavenged for food. The influence of this dog changed all their behavior. His actions encouraged the other dogs to be more aggressive, and daring. This not only changed the dogs actions, but changed the whole island as the undaunted dogs changed their lifestyles. The world can be changed by friendships in ways other than their influence.
Some of the greatest relationships come out of previous adversaries. In Island of the Blue Dolphins, Karana tells about how “Always before, when [she] returned, [she] had hoped that [the wild dog] would be gone. But now as [she] crawled under the fence [she] did not feel the same.” (121). She thought that should would always hate the dog but she grew a connection with it. After she befriended the leader of the wild dogs, she made piece with them all. This not only changed her life for the better, but brought more peace and love to the island.
Friends can change not only lives, but the entire world. Friends cause sympathy between individuals, whether they know each other or not because of the previous relationships. They also can be highly influential on their peers. Past Adversaries can make some of the greatest and impactful friends. These kinds of true friendships are worth more than any amount of money and can change the world in ways money can’t.
Friendship helps people empathize and sympathize with each other. Without it, it’s easier to treat others badly. In Island of the Blue Dolphins, the chief explains to his people that “[The Aleuts] have come to take otter and to give us our share in many goods which they have and which we can use. In this way shall we profit. But we shall not profit if we try to befriend them. They are people who do not understand friendship.” (10). The chief knows that because these people don’t understand friendship, they can not understand empathy and that there is a fair chance of hostility. His suspicions end up being true. The lack of friendship between the natives of the island and the Aleuts ends with a battle on the beach, leaving many dead. Empathy is so important as we coexist with others but it’s not the only thing gained out of friendship.
Friends can be extremely effective at influencing others to do great good and bad. Karana points out the impact a strong friend can make when she says “I am sure that the pack grew bolder because of their leader” (89). Before this dog joined the pack, the wild dogs portrayed cowardice, and mostly scavenged for food. The influence of this dog changed all their behavior. His actions encouraged the other dogs to be more aggressive, and daring. This not only changed the dogs actions, but changed the whole island as the undaunted dogs changed their lifestyles. The world can be changed by friendships in ways other than their influence.
Some of the greatest relationships come out of previous adversaries. In Island of the Blue Dolphins, Karana tells about how “Always before, when [she] returned, [she] had hoped that [the wild dog] would be gone. But now as [she] crawled under the fence [she] did not feel the same.” (121). She thought that should would always hate the dog but she grew a connection with it. After she befriended the leader of the wild dogs, she made piece with them all. This not only changed her life for the better, but brought more peace and love to the island.
Friends can change not only lives, but the entire world. Friends cause sympathy between individuals, whether they know each other or not because of the previous relationships. They also can be highly influential on their peers. Past Adversaries can make some of the greatest and impactful friends. These kinds of true friendships are worth more than any amount of money and can change the world in ways money can’t.