Summer Reading Project ~ Island of The Blue Dolphins Blog 2

List at least three problems the characters faced? Which was the most life

changing? Explain

*Spoilers Ahead*

          

          One problem the main character, Karana faced was when her brother Ramo died. This was a problem for Karana because know she would be all alone. It also pained her greatly to see her younger brother dead. It would also mean that it would be more difficult living on the island when she would have to do the things her brother could have done. For example making weapons since it was forbidden in her tribe for woman to make weapons as they believed when a woman was in danger the weapon they made would break or not work correctly.

          Another problem Karana faced would be when she had started making weapons, since she needed them for survival. At times in the book she didn't know how to make the weapons, and made them off of her memory of the men from her tribe making them. This meant that she messed up making them several times, which cost her a lot of materials which she could have made other tools from. The materials themselves where also a problem for her. For example when she needed to make a bow she would spend days or "suns" trying to find the right wood needed for it. 

          A final problem (just for the blog but there was many other ones) was when she was going to leave the island. This is a problem because since she was spoke a different language from the men that had come to get her (I'm guessing they spoke English), it took a long time for them to understand each other. It was by pointing and hand gestures that she was able to communicate. It would also be a problem because it was later she had found out that her whole tribe had been killed from the ship sinking during a bad storm, so she had no one once she would get to the main land. 

          The most life changing out of all of these would probably be the last one, when she was taken of the island. I think this because after living so long on that island it would be a huge change to suddenly move to a place she didn't know. It would be very difficult for her to learn the different languages and cultures on the main land and with no one there to support or be with her it would be hard. Also, she would need to learn how to act appropriate for example not digging for her food, or dress in a skirt of feathers. 

Summer Reading Project ~ Island Of The Blue Dolphins Blog 1

• Describe the most important event. Give at least three reasons why you think it is the most important event.

*Spoilers Ahead* 

        I think that the most important event in the story would be when Karana jumps off of the boat for her brother, Ramo when he got left behind. Her brother had been left behind because he wanted to get his fishing spear, which Karana didn't let him. They where already a bit far from the island when she sees him and jumps to go be with him. Even if he dies about five days later.

        This is an important event because her little brother, Ramo was very young and wouldn't know how to survive by himself. Even if he did die about five days later I'm guessing it would have been sooner if she hadn't been there with him. He still wasn't old enough to hunt or make tools like the other men from the tribe so he would be in trouble. 

        Another reason why this is the most important event is because when she jumps off, that makes to story progress instead of ending really short. If she hadn't jumped off then the story would have ended there. By jumping off to be with her brother its progressing the story like for example her adventures on the island after Ramo died. Even if the book would have written her adventures on the main land to me it wouldn't have made sense because of the title of the book.

        My final reason why this is the most important event is because her jumping off shows that she loves her brother so much, that she would jump of just to be with him. I think this would be a very important event because to me family is forever and I think she knew that too and wanted to be with him instead of leaving him all alone. Risking his chance of survival like I had explained earlier. What made me curious is why didn't her older sister jump to? Was she restrained by the tribe on the boat after Karana jumped?