Island of the Blue Dolphins

The book is based on the true story of "The Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island", a Nicoleño Native Californian who lived alone for 18 years on San Nicolas Island, one of the Channel Islands off the California coast. Around 1835, the Nicoleño people were taken aboard a ship headed for California, with the intention that missionaries would convert them upon arrival on the mainland. Due to inclement sea-faring weather, the ship could not return and she lived on the island for nearly two decades before being discovered and taken to the mainland in 1853 by sea otter hunter Captain George Nidever and his crew. Just as the other Nicoleño Natives, who had previously been brought to the mainland, the Lone Woman died of dysentery after seven weeks. The boxes appear to have been cached intentionally sometime between 1725 and 1743. It was also believed the Lone Woman lived in a cave on the island. In 2012, archaeologist Steve Schwartz believed he discovered the location of that cave based upon a century old map and began an investigation, working with archaeologist René Vellanoweth and his students from California State University, Los Angeles. Commanders at the Navy base on the island ordered Schwartz to halt the dig in 2015. Despite gaining over 390 signatures, representatives from the Navy responded to the petition and formally expressed the safety and regulatory requirements met by China Lake. As such, the articles from San Nicolas were moved. ==Plot summary==

The main character is a Nicoleño girl named Karana. She has a brother named Ramo and an older sister named Ulape. Her people live in a village called Ghalas-at and the tribe survives by gathering roots and fishing and hunting. One day, a ship of Russian fur hunters and their Creole and Aleut workers led by Captain Orlov arrive and persuade the Nicoleños to let them hunt sea otter in exchange for other goods. However, the Russians attempt to swindle the islanders by leaving without paying. When they are confronted by Karana's father, Chief Chowig, a battle breaks out. Karana's father and many other men in the tribe die in battle against the well-armed Russians. Later, the "replacement" Chief Kimki leaves the island on a canoe for new land in the East. Eventually, he sends a "giant canoe" to bring his people to the mainland even though Kimki himself does not return. The white missionaries come to Karana's village and tell them to pack their goods and go to the ship. Karana's brother, Ramo, runs off to retrieve his fishing spear. Although Karana urges the captain to wait for Ramo to return, the ship must leave before a storm approaches. Despite restraint, Karana jumps off the ship and swims to shore, and the ship departs without them. While awaiting the return of the ship, Ramo is brutally killed by a pack of feral dogs. Alone on the island, Karana takes on everyone's tasks, such as hunting, making spears, and building canoes to survive. She vows to avenge Ramo's death and kills several dogs, but has a change of heart after wounding the leader of the pack. Karana tames him and names him Rontu. Over time, Karana makes a life for herself, even successfully hunting a giant devilfish (a massive creature like an octopus or squid) with Rontu. She builds a home made of whale bones and stocks a cave with provisions in case the Aleuts come back, so she can hide from them. Karana also tames some birds and an otter, named Mon-a-nee, while feeling a close kinship to the animals (the only inhabitants of the island beside herself). The Aleuts return one summer, and Karana takes refuge in the cave. She observes the Aleuts closely and realizes that a girl named Tutok takes care of the domestic duties including getting water from the pool near Karana's cave. Fearful of being discovered, Karana goes out only at night, yet the curious girl stalks Karana, and the two meet. Karana and Tutok exchange gifts and Karana realizes how lonely she has been. The next day, Karana sees the ship with Tutok departing before Karana returns to her house and starts rebuilding. More time passes, and Rontu dies. Karana soon finds a young dog that looks like Rontu and takes him in, naming him Rontu-Aru. One day, Karana sees the sails of a ship, but it moors offshore and leaves. Two years later in the spring, the boat returns. Karana dresses in her finest attire, a dress of cormorant feathers, and waits on the shore for the boat. Her rescuers make a dress for her, as they believe Karana's dress of cormorant feathers is not appropriate for the mainland. She does not like the dress, but realizes that it is part of her new life. The ship takes Karana, Rontu-Aru, and her two birds to the mission in Santa Barbara, California. There, Father Gonzales tells her that the ship that had taken her tribe away had sunk before it could return to the Island of the Blue Dolphins for her. ==Publication==

First edition After witnessing animal cruelty near his home, O’Dell first wrote Island of the Blue Dolphins in 1960, to promote a respect for all forms of life. Its first submission was turned down, as the publisher believed the story should feature a male protagonist. Yet, O’Dell felt strongly about Karana’s presence and looked to other publishing companies. Island of the Blue Dolphins: The Complete Reader's Edition, a critical edition edited by Sara L. Schwebel, was published in October 2016 by the University of California Press. It includes two chapters deleted from the book before publication. ==Film adaptation==

A film adaptation of Island of the Blue Dolphins was released on July 3, 1964. Howard Thompson writing for The New York Times characterized it as a children's film. Kaye won a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year for her performance. The film earned an estimated $2 million in rentals in North America. ==Reception==

At the time of the book's publication, The Horn Book Magazine said: "Years of research must have gone into this book to turn historical fact into so moving and lasting an experience." In a retrospective essay about the Newbery Medal-winning books from 1956 to 1965, librarian Carolyn Horovitz wrote: "The girl, Karana, is portrayed in such intimate and close relationship with the natural elements of her background, the earth, the sea, the animals, the fish, that the reader is given both the terror and beauty of life itself. It is a book to make the reader wonder." ==Analysis==

Literary analysis Since the time of its publication, Island of the Blue Dolphins has been the subject of many pieces of literary scholarship. The text explores the themes of independence, vulnerability, growth, survival, paternalism, and rescue, among others. Jon C. Stott, a professor of English, states that O'Dell's position as a Non-Native writer helped bring more attention to the culture and stories of Indigenous people. Island of the Blue Dolphins plays into this harmful idea as all the members of Karana’s tribe are either brutally killed or taken away by missionaries, thus disappearing from the narrative entirely. Further, she contends that children can grapple with critical issues such as colonialism, disempowerment, and resilience in school settings. ==See also==