The Blue Lagoon · Chapter
XI: The Island explained
Mr.
What happens
Mr. Button, Dick, and Emmeline spot an island from the drifting brig and prepare to abandon ship. They load the dinghy with supplies and row through a reef passage, landing on a lush, isolated island that feels like a wonderland to the children.
Themes in this chapter
Nature vs. Civilization
The island represents an untouched natural world, contrasting with the abandoned brig and the children's previous life.
Isolation and Survival
The characters must abandon the ship and rely on their wits and supplies to survive on a lonely island.
The Sublime and Terrible Nature
The beauty of the island is juxtaposed with the terrifying roar of the breakers and the dangerous reef passage.
Characters to notice
- Dick
Excitedly shouts 'Hurrah!' at the sight of the island and asks questions about the wind.
- Emmeline
Observes the island with wonder, smells the perfumed breeze, and shuts her eyes in fear during the reef passage.
- Mr. Button
Leads the escape from the brig, navigates the dinghy through the reef, and worries about the island being inhabited.
Key passages
““You’re not going to the island, Paddy,” cried Dick, as the old man put the boat on the port tack. “You be aisy,” replied the other, “and don’t be larnin’ your gran’mother. How the divil d’ye think I’d fetch the land sailin’ dead in the wind’s eye?””
Dick questions Paddy's sailing direction, and Paddy retorts that he knows what he's doing, explaining they can't sail directly into the wind.
Shows Dick's curiosity and Paddy's seasoned seamanship.
“Then, as though a door had been swiftly and silently closed, the sound of the surf became suddenly less. The boat floated on an even keel; she opened her eyes and found herself in Wonderland.”
After passing through the reef, the noise of the waves abruptly diminishes, and Emmeline opens her eyes to see the calm lagoon and island, which feels magical.
Highlights the transition from danger to safety and the island's enchanting beauty.