Finally, a ship arrives. Karana, now a woman, decides to trust the strangers and leaves her island home for a mission in Santa Barbara, accompanied by her pets. Film and Historical Context
Missionaries arrive to evacuate the remaining tribe members to the mainland. As the ship departs, Karana realizes her younger brother, Ramo, has been left behind. She jumps overboard and swims back to the island to stay with him. Island of the Blue Dolphins(1964)
Directed by James B. Clark, the film stars Celia Kaye as Karana, a performance that earned her a Golden Globe for New Star of the Year. Finally, a ship arrives
Over nearly two decades, Karana builds a home of whale bones, hunts for food, and develops a deep respect for the island's wildlife, eventually vowing to only hunt when absolutely necessary for survival. As the ship departs, Karana realizes her younger
The narrative is inspired by the true story of Juana Maria (the "Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island"), who lived alone on a Channel Island from 1835 to 1853.
Based on the 1960 Newbery Medal-winning novel by Scott O'Dell, the 1964 film tells the survival story of Karana, a young Native American girl stranded on an island for 18 years. Story Overview
The story begins in 1835 on the island of Ghalas-at, where Karana's tribe, the Nicoleño, lives.