Island of the Blue Dolphins

HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK REVIEW

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
O’Dell, Scott. 1960. Island of the Blue Dolphins. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0440439884

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This is the 1960 Newbery Award winning tale of Karana, “The girl with the long black hair.” The story is based on the real life of Juana Maria who was part of the Nicoleno tribe that was stranded on the small San Nicholas Island after a series of tragic events. The small village of Ghalas gets visited by Aleuts who wished to hunt sea otters. Karana’s father reluctantly agrees to allow them to hunt in exchange for money. Aleuts attempted to leave without paying the tribe, resulting in a fight among the two groups. Karan’s father is killed among many others in the tribe. The new tribe’s chief leaves to seek and bring help to the tribe by taking them out of the island. Years go by and with every sight of a ship she hopes it’s the chief’s return. Finally, a ship sent by the Chief comes to take everyone away; everyone is on the ship except Karana’s brother, Ramo. The ship cannot wait for the boy because of a heavy storm coming their way which leads to Karana jumping off the ship. Karana’s brother later is killed by the dogs that were part of the tribe that have turned vicious. She mourns the loss of her brother, cries herself to sleep at night, and endures harsh weather and later is able to cope and survive. She learns to do jobs men would do that are considered a sin in her religion. However , Karana builds canoes, spears, and knows that her enemies are the Laetus and dogs. During her explorations, she remembers about the death whale’s bones and their location which she later learns to use them creatively and usefully to build a house. Karana discovers a cave that’s she makes a hiding place for water and necessary supplies. After killing some of the dog pack and injuring the leader she becomes at peace with them while nursing them back to health..
After sometime Karana grows and matures into a self reliant woman by keeping a realistic attitude about her situation. Later the Leauts return and bring a young woman servant which lead to a friendship between the two, soon Karana goes unnoticed. After eighteen years, a ship anchors at the island to hunt for otter’s pelt this is were Scott O’ Dell beautifully describes Karana’s thoughts of the white men. She dresses with sea otter pelt and its viewed as inappropriate for the Santa Barbara Civilization so they dress her in there attire.


3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Scott O’Dell’s historical fiction book, THE ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS, a Newbery award winner gives some detailed information about the female character and history of her ancestors. Scott O’ Dell, provides the readers with “Author’s Notes” or research information at the end of the book by stating that, “The Island of the Blue Dolphins was first settled by indians in about 2000 B.C, but it was not discovered by white men until 1602.” He also estimates that Karana lived in the Island of the Blue Dolphins by herself from “1835-1853.” Scott O’ Dell, begins the story with Karana, the twelve year old girl with long black hair. The author describes the character as caring by doing things for the tribe’s benefit vs. herself. The story is told from the first person point of view. He develops the character with appropriate actions and thoughts of a twelve year old and continues this pattern simultaneously as Karana grows in maturity and age.
The author sets the tone in the first chapter by giving facts congruent with history details about explorers and Indian Tribes. Scott O’Dell provides us with this in chapter 1, when Karana or main character expresses her father’s description of Russians, ‘I had never seen a Russian before, but my father had told me about them and I wondered, seeing the way he stood with his feet set apart and his fists on his hips and looked at the little harbor as though it already belonged to him, if he were one of those men from the north whom our people feared. I was certain of it when the boat slid in to the shore and he jumped out, shouting as he did so." This creates pictures in the readers mind and touches on historical events. Furthermore, the author provides the reader with details about how explorers and Natives exchange goods with each other. In this case, the explorers “Leuts” were to pay money in exchange for permission to kill otters for their pelt. They brake their promise and many tribesmen are killed including Karan’s father.
The author sets the tone to touch on the theme of survival and overcoming barriers with Karana conflict with nature and self due to her religious beliefs. He also brings information that is congruent with historical events. This story is about how a girl made the island her home and used animals and nature her best friends. She learned to utilized death and living things by using the bones of dead whales to build shelter and fishing for food.
The book has author’s notes at the end of the book and provides facts about when the island was “…settled by Indians in 1600B.C., and how this woman Juana of San Nicolas was able to overcome her fears and survive in The Island of the Blue Dolphins for 18 years all by herself.


REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

"A haunting and unusual story based on the fact that in the early 1800s an Indian girl spent eighteen years alone on a rocky island far off the coast of California . . . A quiet acceptance of fate characterizes her ordeal." School Library Journal, Starred

A beautiful Indian girl stranded on an island off California makes her home with her brother while she awaits a rescue which will take years in O'Dell's moving classic story. Tantoo Cardinal's fine reading is enhanced by her background as an actress in this moving story, which comes alive in audio. -- Midwest Book Review
CONNECTIONS
Julie of the Wolves