Karana's Choices
Why does Karana decide she needs weapons?
To protect herself, especially from the wild dogs.
What is an external conflict?
A struggle between a character and an outside force.
Name one character trait Karana shows in these chapters.
Brave, resourceful, patient, determined, independent, cautious, etc.
Name one resource Karana uses from the island.
Wood, stone, plants, animals, food sources, materials for shelter/tools, etc.
What major challenge is Karana facing during these chapters?
Surviving alone on the island.
Why is making weapons a difficult decision for Karana?
Her people’s tradition says women should not make weapons.
Name one external conflict Karana faces in Chapters 11-15.
The wild dogs, dangerous conditions, finding food/shelter, surviving alone, etc.
What does motivation mean?
The reason a character acts or makes a choice.
Why is resourcefulness important for Karana?
She is alone and must use what is available to meet her needs.
What animal threat remains important during this section?
The wild dogs.
What does Karana’s decision to make weapons show about her?
She is becoming independent, practical, brave, and willing to adapt to survive.
What is an internal conflict?
A struggle within a character’s own thoughts, feelings, or beliefs.
What motivates many of Karana’s decisions in Chapters 11-15?
Survival and protecting herself.
What is one way Karana improves her safety?
Makes weapons, strengthens shelter/protection, prepares for wild dogs, etc.
What does Karana begin doing that shows she is creating a more permanent life on the island?
Building/improving shelter, making tools, weapons, gathering resources, establishing routines.
What is the difference between acting impulsively and making a careful survival decision? Give an example from Karana.
A careful decision considers danger and consequences. Karana plans and uses resources rather than acting without thinking.
What internal conflict does Karana face when she considers making weapons?
She needs weapons to survive, but her culture teaches that women should not make them.
Give one example showing that Karana is becoming more resourceful.
Building/improving shelter, making tools/weapons, using island resources, finding food, etc.
What is the difference between luck and resourcefulness in Karana’s survival?
Luck happens by chance; resourcefulness means using skills, knowledge, and available resources deliberately.
How is Karana’s situation different now from when she first became stranded?
She is more prepared, skilled, confident, and capable of surviving independently.
How do Karana’s choices in Chapters 11-15 show that she is changing from the beginning of the novel?
She becomes more self-reliant, resourceful, confident, and capable of making difficult decisions alone.
Explain how one conflict in Chapters 11-15 causes Karana to make an important decision.
Answers vary
Which trait has become most important to Karana’s survival? Defend your answer with an example.
Imagine Karana ignored the resources available on the island. What would likely happen, and why?
Survival would become much harder because she depends on the island’s materials for food, shelter, tools, and protection.
Summarize the most important change in Karana between Chapter 11 and Chapter 15.
She moves from simply reacting to being stranded toward actively building a life and taking control of her survival.