In the exposition, what do you discover about the main character?

In the exposition, we learn that Karana loves her brother and sister, Ramo and Ulape respectively, and she feels a strong sense of responsibility for their safety. This is especially true for Ramo, who is only six. We also learn implicitly that Karana is a quiet, introspective girl, but that she is more than capable of surviving. After Ramo dies, she shoulders the tragedy with great maturity, and does not let it keep her from moving forward. Even though she is guided by her emotions - the village depresses her, so she burns it down - she does not let them consume her. Instead, she moves forward, making prudent decisions that will prolong her life. Thus, the moment when she makes her own weapons is something of a personal triumph: she is realizing that she is an individual capable of more than her tribe taught her she was capable of.