FORGIVENESS

FORGIVENESS

Karana finds on her island is a capacity for understanding and forgiveness. These come mainly through her need for companionship. By the end of chapter eight, Karana has two sworn enemies: the Aleuts and the wild dogs. When the wild dogs kill Ramo, Karana swears to herself that one day she will kill them all. Although she is motivated partially by a desire protect her own safety, there is a vindictive air to her vow. When she is on the verge of achieving this goal, however, and has the opportunity to finish off the leader of the wild dogs, she does not take it. Instead she brings the pack leader (whom she later names Rontu) back to her house and nurses him back to health. Though she admits she does not understand her own actions, she is later glad of them, for Rontu becomes Karana'a close friend and companion in a world where she is otherwise alone.
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In the same way, Karana repeats over and over that the Aluets are her enemies, and that she is afraid what will happen to her if they find her on the island. However, when Karana is surprised by the Aleut girl, Tutok near her house, she does not attack, though she is in easy reach of her spear. Again, Karana does not know what stayed her hand, and is initially distrustful of Tutok, but eventually Tutok, like Rontu, becomes Karana's friend. Both of these cases highlight not only Karana's need for companionship, but also her ability to forgive and to see past the labels of those around her. She gave Rontu and Tutok a chance in spite of her fear, and her reward was friendship.

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Karana's growing aversion to unnecessary killing develops the theme of community. She chooses to rescue and domesticate the otter—a gesture of protest against the Aleuts and Russians who come from the north to massacre the otters for their fur—and decides not to shoot an arrow at a sea lion that could provide her with ivory needed for implements. She waits until two battling male sea lions provide her with a dead animal in the natural order of things. These decisions culminate in her refraining from killing the enemy Aleut girl, Tutok. Even though Karana is especially afraid of the girl, who might betray her to the other Aleuts, she withholds her weapons, and a fruitful friendship ensues. In the cases of both Rontu and Tutok, Karana's ability to put compassion and forgiveness above vengeance is rewarded by friendship. But her friendship with Tutok causes Karana to feel more deeply her need for human society, and after her friend's departure, Karana looks forward with renewed intensity to the day of her rescue.

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SUMMARY
Karana needs companionship as she is lonely in her island. After the wild dogs killed Ramo, she swears to kill all of them one day. Although she is motivated partially by a desire protect her own safety, there is a vindictive air to her vow. When she is on the verge of achieving this goal, however, and has the opportunity to finish off the leader of the wild dogs, she does not take it. Instead she brought Rontu, the pack leader back to her house and nurses his health. Karana is glad she had chosen to nurse his health and not killed Rontu.

Karana mentioned that the Aluets are also Karana's enemies and that she is afraid what will happen to her if they find her on the island. Karana met Tutok and she is one of the Aluet but she do not attack even though she is in easy reach of her spear. Karana is initially distrustful of Tutok but eventually, Tutok, like Rontu, becomes Karana's friend. Both of these cases highlight not only Karana's need for companionship, but also her ability to forgive and to see past the labels of those around her. In both cases of Rontu and Tutok, Karana's ability to put compassion and forgiveness above vengeance is rewarded by friendship.

Karana chooses to rescue and domesticate animals and not killing them. For example, the otter - a gesture of protest against the Aleuts and Russians who come from the north to massacre the otters for their fur - and decides not to shoot an arrow at a sea lion that could provide her with ivory needed for implements. Karana culminate in her refraining from killing the enemy Aleut girl, Tutok. Karana is specially afraid of Tutok, who might betray her to the Aluets. But her friendship with Tutok causes Karana to feel more deeply her need for human society, and after her friend's departure, Karana looks forward with renewed intensity to the day of her rescue.

Information from: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/dolphins/canalysis.html

: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/dolphins/terms/charanal_1.html

: http://kids.aol.com/homework-help/language-arts/book-notes/island-blue-dolphins

DEFINITION OF WORDS :

1. vindictive: meaning - disposed or inclined to revenge; vengeful.

2. initially: meaning - of, pertaining to, or occurring at the beginning; first.

3. aversion: meaning - a strong feeling of dislike, opposition, repugnance, or antipathy.

4. domesticate: meaning - to take (something foreign, unfamiliar, etc.) for one's own use or purposes; adopt.

5. massacre: meaning - the unnecessary, indiscriminate killing of a large number of human beings or animals, as in barbarous warfare or persecution or for revenge or plunder.

6. ivory: meaning - the hard white substance, a variety of dentin, composing the main part of the tusks of the elephant, walrus.

7. culminate: meaning - to reach the highest point, summit, or highest development.

8. withholds: meaning - to hold back; restrain or check.

9. vengeance: meaning - infliction of injury, harm, humiliation, or the like, on a person by another who has been harmed by that person; violent revenge.

10. intensity: meaning - great energy, strength, concentration, vehemence, etc., as of activity, thought, or feeling.

Definitions from: http://dictionary.com/