Jan 2, 2010

Island of the Blue Dolphins | Themes and Characters

Karana, the main character of the story, exhibits extraordinary courage and resourcefulness during her years alone on the island. The characters who make up her family appear only in the story's beginning and are presented with no real depth: her father, Chowig, is the dignified, wise chief of the village; her older sister, Ulape, is intelligent, but more flirtatious than Karana; her brother, Ramo, is an endearing mixture of pride, ingenuity, and mischief.

The narrative focuses on Karana's mental and emotional reactions to her predicament. Initially, she experiences a sense of...