Dec 24, 2009

Island of the Blue Dolphins | Literary Qualities

Island of the Blue Dolphins is narrated from the first-person point of view. O'Dell's artistry consists in great part in his ability to allow his characters to tell the story. O'Dell has Karana draw her images and facts from the only world she knows, that of a very small island in a very large sea. Her words and simple similes seem entirely appropriate to a teen-aged Native American girl who has spent her life on a small island. She speaks and thinks in terms of rocks, sand, sea, wind, birds, and fish. O'Dell taps the inherent beauty of this perspective to render a rich portrayal...