Island of the Blue Dolphins

by

Scott O’Dell

Karana’s Canoe Symbol Analysis

Karana’s Canoe Symbol Icon

Karana’s canoe symbolizes her independence and self-sufficiency. When she first attempts to use a canoe that other members of her tribe made to travel to the mainland, Karana discovers that the canoe is damaged to the point of being dangerous. Not only is it not useful, but this canoe also symbolizes the idea that Karana can no longer rely on her neighbors to protect and guide her. Rather, she must take matters into her own hands and work to ensure her own survival.

Thus, once Karana returns to the Island of the Blue Dolphins, she reworks the canoe not only to make it watertight, but to turn it into a canoe that she can handle by herself as a single woman. The resulting canoe—which Karana acknowledges isn’t as beautiful as it could be, but which is still extremely functional—gives Karana the freedom to explore the sea and the sea caves surrounding the island, as well as the means to travel to the reefs to gather food she’ll need for winter. The canoe gives Karana her freedom and makes her truly self-sufficient; it, more than anything else, enables Karana’s survival during the years she spends alone on the island.

Karana’s Canoe Quotes in Island of the Blue Dolphins

The Island of the Blue Dolphins quotes below all refer to the symbol of Karana’s Canoe. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Natural World Theme Icon
).
Chapter 5 Quotes

“Most of those who snared fowl and found fish in the deep water and built canoes are gone. The women, who were never asked to do more than stay at home, cook food, and make clothing, must now take the place of the men and face the dangers which abound beyond the village. There will be grumbling in Ghalas-at because of this. There will be shirkers. These will be punished, for without the help of all, all must perish.”

Related Characters: Kimki (speaker), Karana
Related Symbols: Karana’s Canoe
Page Number: 25
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 16 Quotes

I was not sure what I would do if the Aleuts came. I could hide in the cave which I had stored with food and water, for it was surrounded by thick brush and the mouth of the ravine could only be reached from the sea. The Aleuts had not used the spring and did not know about it because there was another one closer to where they had camped. But they might come upon the cave by chance and then I must be ready to flee.

For this reason I worked on the canoe I had abandoned on the spit.

Related Characters: Karana (speaker)
Related Symbols: Karana’s Canoe
Page Number: 95
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 20 Quotes

The star passed out of sight and another took its place. The tide lifted the canoe higher in the room, and as the water lapped against the walls it sounded like the soft music of a flute. It played many tunes through the long night and I slept little, watching the stars change. I knew that the skeleton who sat on the ledge playing his flute was one of my ancestors, and the others with the glittering eyes, though only images, were too, but still I was sleepless and afraid.

Related Characters: Karana (speaker), Rontu/The Leader
Related Symbols: Karana’s Canoe
Page Number: 123-24
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 26 Quotes

We had many happy times that summer, fishing and going to Tall Rock in our canoe, but more and more now I thought of Tutok and my sister Ulape. Sometimes I would hear their voices in the wind and often, when I was on the sea, in the waves that lapped softly against the canoe.

Related Characters: Karana (speaker), Ulape, Tutok/The Girl, Rontu-Aru
Related Symbols: Karana’s Canoe
Page Number: 157
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 28 Quotes

I came to the mound where my ancestors had sometimes camped in the summer. I thought of them and of the happy times spent in my house on the headland, of my canoe lying unfinished beside the trail. I thought of many things, but stronger was the wish to be where people lived, to hear their voices and their laughter.

Related Characters: Karana (speaker)
Related Symbols: Karana’s Canoe
Page Number: 167-68
Explanation and Analysis:
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Karana’s Canoe Symbol Timeline in Island of the Blue Dolphins

The timeline below shows where the symbol Karana’s Canoe appears in Island of the Blue Dolphins. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 10
Gender Roles and Survival Theme Icon
Karana selects the smallest canoe, which is still almost too big for her to handle. Using a slippery bed of... (full context)
The Natural World Theme Icon
Gender Roles and Survival Theme Icon
About halfway through the night, Karana discovers that the canoe is leaking. She bails out the water in the canoe until she finds a crack... (full context)
The Natural World Theme Icon
Solitude Theme Icon
Friendship Theme Icon
Karana lets the canoe drift. The thought of going back after working so hard is painful—and she’s not excited... (full context)
Chapter 11
The Natural World Theme Icon
Solitude Theme Icon
...she’s on slightly higher ground. In the morning, Karana gathers her things and turns the canoe upside down—this way, the tide can’t take it. Then she returns to the headland. To... (full context)
Chapter 16
Solitude Theme Icon
Colonialism, Violence, and Indigenous Culture Theme Icon
...spring near it. But she decides if she’s going to stay there, she needs a canoe in case she has to flee. So, Karana decides to improve her canoe. It takes... (full context)
The Natural World Theme Icon
Solitude Theme Icon
Friendship Theme Icon
Gender Roles and Survival Theme Icon
The canoe is still too big for Karana to easily get in and out of the water,... (full context)
The Natural World Theme Icon
Solitude Theme Icon
Friendship Theme Icon
When Karana finally finishes the canoe, she and Rontu take a trip around the entire island. It takes all day, but... (full context)
The Natural World Theme Icon
Friendship Theme Icon
...high tide, but there’s still a rock shelf—this is a perfect place to stash a canoe. If Karana cuts a trail from her house, she’ll be able to get to the... (full context)
The Natural World Theme Icon
Solitude Theme Icon
Gender Roles and Survival Theme Icon
The devilfish appears ahead of the canoe, but it’s too fast. Karana can’t catch up. Rontu doesn’t acknowledge Karana when she says... (full context)
Chapter 17
The Natural World Theme Icon
Friendship Theme Icon
Karana pushes the canoe into the water and heads for the reef where devilfish live. Through the clear water,... (full context)
Solitude Theme Icon
Friendship Theme Icon
Colonialism, Violence, and Indigenous Culture Theme Icon
After several hours, Karana hides her canoe in the cave she found last fall and hikes up the cliff to her house... (full context)
Chapter 19
The Natural World Theme Icon
Friendship Theme Icon
...there aren’t many starfish hunting). There are only a few starfish, so Karana fills the canoe with red abalone. Then, she ties the canoe and climbs onto the reef to spear... (full context)
Solitude Theme Icon
Gender Roles and Survival Theme Icon
...back to the cave, she’ll lose him. It’d be ideal to get back in the canoe and make the devilfish pull her, but she can’t untie the canoe one-handed. And Rontu... (full context)
The Natural World Theme Icon
Friendship Theme Icon
...limp. Karana is too tired to drag it out of the water or fetch her canoe. Both she and Rontu are covered in cuts and bruises. Though Karana sees two more... (full context)
Chapter 20
Friendship Theme Icon
Karana fills the canoe twice more with red abalones, cleans them, and dries them on shelves. There are no... (full context)
The Natural World Theme Icon
Solitude Theme Icon
Colonialism, Violence, and Indigenous Culture Theme Icon
As Karana turns the canoe to leave the cave, she notices a deep shelf with two dozen strange figures on... (full context)
Chapter 21
Friendship Theme Icon
Colonialism, Violence, and Indigenous Culture Theme Icon
Karana spends the rest of the day packing her things. She plans to take her canoe to the western part of the island until the Aleuts leave. Karana carries her baskets... (full context)
Chapter 24
The Natural World Theme Icon
Friendship Theme Icon
Colonialism, Violence, and Indigenous Culture Theme Icon
...of games she used to play with other kids years ago. Smiling, she fills her canoe and heads for the shore. But an otter follows her and then pops up in... (full context)
Chapter 25
The Natural World Theme Icon
Colonialism, Violence, and Indigenous Culture Theme Icon
...cave below the headland. Then she’s ready in case she needs to live in her canoe. For many years after the Aleuts’ last visit, the otters leave Coral Cove every summer.... (full context)
Chapter 27
The Natural World Theme Icon
...On what turns out to be the last day of this weather, Karana takes her canoe to the sandspit without Rontu-Aru, since he doesn’t like the heat. The sea is so... (full context)
Chapter 28
The Natural World Theme Icon
Solitude Theme Icon
...ever. It does destroy all Karana’s food and weapons stored in the cave, and her canoes. The canoes are a huge loss. Rather than spend all spring and summer looking for... (full context)
The Natural World Theme Icon
Karana finds the remains of her other canoe stuck so far in the cave that she can’t get it out. She manages to... (full context)
Solitude Theme Icon
Colonialism, Violence, and Indigenous Culture Theme Icon
...are here to hunt otter, she has to hide. They’ll find her fire and her canoe, but she’ll probably be safe in the cave. Alternatively, if Karana’s tribe sent these men... (full context)
Chapter 29
The Natural World Theme Icon
Solitude Theme Icon
Friendship Theme Icon
Colonialism, Violence, and Indigenous Culture Theme Icon
...she can see. She thinks of Rontu in his grave, Won-a-nee, the red fox, her canoe, and her many happy days on the island. Dolphins appear and swim ahead of the... (full context)