Island of the Blue Dolphins

Chapters 1-7

Reading Check

1. Otters (Various chapters)

2. Half of the hunt’s profits (Chapter 1)

Short Answer

1. Years ago, a man named Captain Mitriff led a group of Aleuts to the island, and they exploited the villagers by forcing them to hunt otters. (Chapter 1)

2. Karana feels angry because she considers the otters her friends. (Chapter 3)

3. A battle erupts after Captain Orlov and the Aleuts try to leave without paying the villagers the price they promised. Most of the village’s men die in the battle, and Karana’s father, Chief Chowig, is among the fallen. (Chapter 4)

4. Karana’s younger brother, Ramo, was left behind when he went back for his fishing spear, and she refuses to leave him alone on the island. (Chapter 7)

Chapters 8-14

Reading Check

1. Wild dogs (Chapter 8)

2. Blue dolphins (Chapter 10)

3. Bull sea elephant (Chapter 14)

Short Answer

1. According to Karana’s people’s laws, women are forbidden from making weapons. The village’s authorities, including her late father, told Karana that failure and natural disasters would smite any woman who dared break this law.