Scott O’Dell’s books have entertained and enlightened millions of readers around the world. Because of his stories about young people whose survival depends on their determination and self-reliance, he was able to capture the reader’s thirst for adventure and love of nature. Although Island of the Blue Dolphins was the first book to debut O’Dell’s writing ability, still it remains to be the most popular and best-loved of his books until today.
Island of the Blue Dolphins is a precious, powerful and potent story of an Indian girl named Karana, a daughter of the chief of the tribe who lives on the Island of the Blue Dolphins. The people from her tribe are very independent for they are the only ones inhabiting the said island. At some point in the book, the tribe is visited by foreigners who wish to hunt otter (marine animals) in exchange of gold and weapons. Killing nearly all the otters in the area, the foreigners decided to leave without properly fulfilling the closed deal. Instead of trading with the tribe, they attack these poor people and made a quick escape. During the attack, many of the tribe members die - including Karana's father.
After the hunters left, the tribe was forced to move to a neighboring island. While they were leaving, Karana looked back and realized that her little brother has been left behind. In an astonishing act of bravery, she jumped out of the boat and swam back to the island. Although they were alone, they were able to perfectly feed themselves for the place was formerly their home. Yes, it might be their home, but it was still dangerous. Shortly after, she found out that her brother has been killed by the wild dogs. Alone on the island, she had to fend for herself and find a way to live. As the days turned into months and the months turned into years, she struggled to keep herself alive by building a shelter, making weapons, finding food, and fighting her enemies – the wild dogs.
The above plotline of the Island of the Blue Dolphins only proves that this masterpiece is not only about an unusual adventure of survival, but also a tale of natural beauty and personal discovery. It actually seems less about adventure and lies much more about the heart-breaking trials of Karana. Yes, this subdued book contains a number of pages on how she survives alone for years, but of all her survival skills, the most important thing she learns is how to cope with loneliness.
I was simply thrilled by the very descriptive language used in the book. The story is filled with so many sensory details, and that contributes to its simplicity. Yes, the writing style is really very simple, but when you start to read the story, you can actually see yourself going through the world Scott O’Dell describes. The style used is really effective; no wonder I can see myself so much absorbed in the plotline! During most parts of the book, the author has a very lively tone but gets very sad at times. I guess the mood suggested by the author just suits the totality of the story’s concept since the main character, Karana, although alone and isolated, still has this optimistic approach to life.
Adding to the richness and beauty of the story is the author’s unusal technique of establishing the emotional impact to the readers. Many events that occur early in the novel are echoed later, but of course with slightly different conditions. For instance, the part when Karana finds Rontu (her pet) in the forest attacked by the pack of wild dogs almost exactly mimics the scene in which she discovers Ramo (her brother) being killed by the same pack. For me, by making one scene resemble another so closely is an excellent tool to evoke a strong emotion for the readers. With that incredible wit, O’Dell is able to show a progression, make a contrast, or highlight a similarity.
What’s more interesting is that in O’Dell’s footnotes, he says that this story is “actually based on the true story of Juan Maria, the “Lone Woman of San Nicolas”, a a Nicoleño Indian marooned for 18 years on San Nicolas Island off the California coast before being rescued in 1853”. I did not know until I finished the book that it was a true story! O’Dell creates an exceptional narration of Juan Maria’s experiences, thus engaging the reader’s full interests. With that, the reader can simply get lost in this moving tale full of loneliness and strength.
O’Dell never forgets to include a lesson in his stories. In the Island of the Blue Dolphins, he tries to paint a picture of women being independent, as well as a person who can withstand different levels of loneliness still needing a companion. After reading this, I fed my urge to be able to survive on my own even futher. All in all, this remarkable story teaches us about living it up smart on our own and to make the best of the bad moments.
The book is awesome, indeed. Kudos to O’Dell, kudos to the Island of the Blue Dolphins!
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