Island Of The Blue Dolphins Turning Points

900 Words4 Pages

Some may ask, What is a turning point in life? A turning point is when life turns direction. Turning points aren’t as easy as they sound though. Most of the time, turning points are distressing times, but the result of the complex decision is what affects you and possibly the way you look at your surroundings. The following will state how Karana (Blue Dolphins,) Rachel (Eleven,) and Moon Shadow (Dragonwings) faced life changing decisions which impacted their lives. In the excerpt, “ Island of the Blue Dolphins,” Karana faced a decision of revenge or compassion for a wounded dog. Karana wants revenge on the dog for killing her brother, Ramo. “ I fitted the arrow and pulled back the string aiming at his head. Why did I not send the arrow, I …show more content…

Price. “ The eleven-year-old has exceptional thoughts, but can’t share them” (Eleven.) When Rachel’s teacher insists and is confident that an ugly red sweater was Rachel’s and then demanded Rachel to put the filthy sweater on. Rachel has the knowledge to speak up, but doesn’t to show respect and to be the bigger person. At the same time, Rachel is not confident enough to admit her wisdom. “ What they don’t understand about birthdays and what they never tell you is that when you are eleven you are also, ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five, and four, and three, and two, and one” (Eleven.) This shows how she identifies the past and present years as they come and go, and notices that all your previous years are always still inside you. “ Because the way you grow old is kind of like an onion or like the rings inside a tree trunk or like my little wooden dolls that fit one inside the other, each year inside the next” (Eleven.) The result of Rachel’s actions was frustrating due to Mrs. Price being immature about the sweater situation, leaving Rachel humiliated in front of the whole class. Until a girl named Phyllis Lopez at the end of the class said the sweater was her. Soon, Rachel realizes, that it was too late to celebrate her birthday. “ Today I’m eleven. There is a cake Mama’s making for tonight and when Papa comes home from work, we’ll eat it. There’ll be candles and presents and everybody will sing happy birthday, happy birthday to you, Rachel, only it’s too

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