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Influence Of Salva's Family In A Long Walk To Water

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In the novel, A Long Walk to Water, written by Linda Sue Park, one of the main protagonists, named Salva, is greatly influenced by his family throughout his journey across many countries to refugee camps. While trekking across many dangerous landscapes such as blazing deserts and crocodile-infested waters, Salva was constantly encouraged by the longing to be able to see his family again. Without his family, Salva’s whole life would have turned out differently and he may possibly not exist anymore, so Salva’s family evidently played a major role in the novel. After Salva was driven away from his home village, Loun-Ariik, by rebel soldiers from the Second Sudanese Civil War, he was all alone, with no one that he recognized from his group of fellow Dinka tribesmen. The only thing that was able to comfort Salva was the thought that he had a family that had greatly cared and loved him. This drove Salva on to stay alive and try to meet his family at least once in his lifetime again. Every time more Dinka tribespeople joined his group, …show more content…

Even after the Ifo refugee camp closed due to the collapse of the Ethiopian government, Salva still contained his determination to survive and see his family again and led fifteen hundred boys for one and a half years to the next refugee camp: Kakuma. After staying at Kakuma for some time, Salva was chosen to be rehabilitated in America, where he would soon find out that his father was still alive in a hospital. Salva immediately travelled back to Sudan and found out that his family was safe and sound in their home village. Knowing that his family was alive, Salva flew back to the United States and began a non-profit organization called Water for Sudan to bring water wells to Sudanese villages so people wouldn’t have to walk many miles in the sun to fetch water for their

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