Self-reliance

Karana comes from people who are self-reliant, in that they support themselves with what grows and lives on their island. They do not import or export any goods. After the people leave, Karana has no one but herself to rely on, and she herself is responsible for any dignity or respect her life has. Fortunately, she lives on an island where food and shelter are fairly easy to come by, and she has some time, free from necessity, to spend making things like weapons, spear points, and her cormorant skirt and sealskin sandals. She also has time to explore new caves and stock them with supplies in case she ever needs to use them. In this sense, Island of the Blue Dolphins is a very American tale about a young girl who has all of the resources and knowledge she needs to support herself without anyone's...