How old was Karana in Island of the Blue Dolphins?

The protagonist and narrator of the book, Karana spends eighteen years as the only living person on the island of the blue dolphins. When the book opens, she is twelve years old, the daughter of the chief of Ghalas-at. Resourceful and resilient, she survives on her own after her tribe deserts Ghalas-at.
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How long was Karana on the island?

Island of the Blue Dolphins is a work of historical fiction based on the life of an American Indian woman who spent 18 years in isolation on San Nicolas Island, one of eight Channel Islands off the coast of Southern California. In the book she's named Karana.
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Who is Karana in real life?

Some have called her “Karana.” Others “Juana Maria.” Still others, simply, “The Lone Woman.” Yet her true name remains unknown. She is one of the nameless, faceless women of history, and she belongs to the California of my youth. Many versions of her story exist.
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How old is Ulape in Island of the Blue Dolphins?

Ulape. Karana's fourteen-year-old sister, Ulape likes jewelry and boys. Before she leaves the island, she paints the sign on her face that menas she is unmarried. Later in the novel, Karana often finds herself wondering what happened to her sister.
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What type of person is Karana?

A Strong, Mature Woman. By the time the last ship arrives on the island, Karana has changed from a young, inexperienced girl into a strong, courageous, and compassionate woman.
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Juana Maria | The Woman Who Inspired "Island Of The Blue Dolphins"



What karanas dad name?

Karana, Ulape, and Ramo's father, Chowig, is the chief of the Native American tribe on the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Chowig is his “secret name”; he usually goes by another name that Karana never shares with readers.
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Who did Karana forgive?

At that time he was angry with hunters' disrespect for life. Writing this book was one way that he dealt with this anger. Karana displayed an ability to forgive her enemies. She showed this when she made friends with Rontu, the former leader of the wild dogs who had killed Ramo, her brother.
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What is Chapter 21 in Island of the Blue Dolphins?

Chapter 21: The Aleuts return

Karana assumes that the girl will be all over the island looking for food, and may stumble upon Karana's cave. Karana remains in her cave and works on her skirt while staying away from the Aleuts. It takes her nearly two months.
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How did Karana get a new dog after Rontus death?

How did Karana get a new dog after Rontu's death? She put a mixture into the spring water to make the dogs go to sleep. Their ship had sunk in the storm, then their was no other ship.
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What happens to Karana at the end of the novel?

Two more years pass and Karana finally gets her happy ending. A ship full of white men arrive on the island. Though Karana doesn't speak their language, she understands that they will take her to safety. She packs up her pet birds and Rontu-Aru, and she leaves for the mainland.
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Is there a movie of the Island of the Blue Dolphins?

Island of the Blue Dolphins is a 1964 American adventure film directed by James B. Clark and written by Jane Klove and Ted Sherdeman. It is based on the 1960 novel Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. The film stars Celia Kaye, Larry Domasin, Ann Daniel, Carlos Romero, George Kennedy and Hal John Norman.
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How did Karana and Tutok become friends?

Tutok becomes friends with Karana when they exchange names and play games together during Tutok's short stay on the island. The friendship between the two girls is a very important one since it's based on understanding and communication with each other (even though they don't even speak the same language).
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What does Tutok look like?

Physical Description. The first thing the reader learns about Tutok is that she has long dark hair that shines in the light from the cooking fire. When Karana encounters her later, in Chapter 21, she describes Tutok as somewhat short, with a broad face and small black eyes.
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How did Rontu become Karana's pet?

Rontu Becomes a Friend

Since she is afraid of him, she sleeps on a high rock for four nights, leaving the fence open so that he can leave, but he stays. After the fourth night, Karana names him Rontu, which means 'Fox Eyes. ' Rontu becomes Karana's constant companion as she moves about the island each day.
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What caused Rontu's death?

Rontu gets attacked by the devilfish. Rontu walks the cliffs with Karana. When the Aleuts return to town, Rontu meets up with his former owner, Tutok. Rontu dies.
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How does Karana evolve and grow throughout the story?

Living alone on Ghalas-at tests her resilience, and as the story progresses, Karana grows through her experiences into harmony with herself and the world around her. On of the most important things Karana finds on her island is a capacity for understanding and forgiveness.
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What does Karana think the Aleut ship looks like at first?

Karana begins her tale by describing the driving force of the narrative, the arrival of the Aleut ship. Karana spots the ship in the distance, and describes it first as a "shell afloat on the sea," then as a "gull with folded wings." These comparisons show how Karana blurs distinctions between reality and perception.
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What did Karana do on the island?

Karana believes that the gray dog is an Aleut dog left on the island after the battle. In her attack against the dogs, Karana first builds a fire outside the dogs' cave, then pushes it inside to fill the cave with smoke. The dogs run out a few at a time, but Karana saves her arrows for the leader of the pack.
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Who is Nanko in Island of the Blue Dolphins?

Nanko is the man who brings the news that the ship that has landed on the island is not the Aleuts'. Rather, the ship has arrived to carry the people of Ghalas-at to the mainland (woo!). His role in the novel is that of a messenger.
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Who is Rontu in Island of the Blue Dolphins?

Rontu is the former pet of the Aleutian hunters. "He was a much larger dog than any of ours," Karana tells us, "which besides have short hair and brown eyes. I was sure that he was an Aleut dog" (15.3). Rontu used to belong to the Aleut.
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Who are the Aleuts in Island of the Blue Dolphins?

Aleuts are people who are natives of a Russian island. The leader of the Aleuts, Captain Orlov reassures Chowig that this time they will do their own hunting and will pay the villagers with half of their catch.
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