Literary Analysis On A Long Walk To Water

In the book “A long walk to water” authored by linda sue park,salva has to go on a personal journey to survive and it impacted him majorly. What is a personal journey? One might ask. Well a personal journey is when someone or something goes on a journey and on their journey they go along and meet allies and friends,they have struggles or obstacles,and they change (mostly in a good way) throughout the story.One lesson this story suggests is that “Sometimes the pain and struggles that you encounter will help you succeed”. In the story “A long walk to water”. Salva went on a personal journey and it impacted him drastically. He had to get away from the war in sudan and he met many people that helped him, he had many conflicts and struggles,and he even witnessed his uncle passing away. But when things were at his worst he found a miracle.

A Long Walk to Water is a novel by Linda Sue Park. This novel is about Salva, an eleven-year -old Sudanese boy who grows up in South Sudan. Later in the novel, he has faced challenges one wouldn’t dream of facing, through a long period of time. He has learned, if one helps other people, those people will then help more people, which will result in more happiness in the world. He is a round character, who changes throughout the novel. Salva is a different person at the end of the book. He has gone from hearing his death journey to fighting for survival to helping transform people’s lives forever.

Salva shows bravely In A Long Walk to Water, when he crosses the river while the rebels were shooting. Before Salva jumps in the river he had to think about if this was the only way. He starts to second guess his decision, but soon he makes up his mind and jumps in the river and starts to swim. In the book it states, “The soldiers started shooting into the river….. Salva had no choice he jumps into the river and begins to swim.” (Chapter 13, Page 78) This quote shows an example of survival because he has to make a do or die decision to cross the river while the rebels were shooting and deadly crocodiles were swimming. Salva didn't have to cross the river he could have took a different and longer trail, but he decides to cross the river putting his life at risk. That's a way of showing bravery.

Matters: If Salva didn’t go through these hardships he wouldn’t be the same person today. For example if he still hanged on those memories of grief he would have stop walking, because the path he walked was cluttered with thorns and needles. By also surviving the event with Nile River, Salva’s shown that he’s become a strong person and that he wants to live. ____________________________________________________________________________________

Kobe Bryant once said, “Everything negative - pressure, challenges - is all an opportunity for me to rise”. This quote is demonstrated in both A Night Divided and A Long Walk to Water as in both books the characters face great challenges that allow them to rise above others. In A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen Gerta and her family are divided by the Berlin Wall. Gerta’s oldest brother, Dominique, and father are in the west and Gerta her other brother, Fritz, and their mother are in the east. They decide to tunnel under the wall to get to the west for a better life and to get back to their family. This is their escape story. In the story, A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. Salva is in Sudan and his village is under attack by the rebels. He is separated from his family and must learn to survive the harsh conditions of Sudan to get to peace. The Salva’s family gets divided as and he is by himself. This is his account of his escape to the refugee camps. In both books, A Night divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen, and, A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park the authors use plot sequence to develop the theme, times of hardships and danger develop perseverance.

Sadly, a group of nuer that was against the Dinka had killed salva's uncle."They buried uncle in a hole about two feet deep, a hole that has already been made by some kind of animal."(64) Not only did Salva loose Marial but he also lost the only family member that was close to him. Salva couldnt hold on to this forver. This was the best they couldve done for his uncle, bury him. There was no way that his unc couldve cam back to life so Salva had to get over this tragic event to keep going. Even though he was in shock, he kept on traveling the next day.He couldnt stop moving. He knw that in his heart. It was logical that he continued with the group, othrwise he wouldve been left behind as the group didnt care for him any more since his uncle died. Following his uncle's death, "..the group's attitude toward him changed."(65) they had all thought that he was too small and weak to go along with the group. So as predicted they've started to neglect him again. Even though times were tough, Salva still begged for scraps because it was all he was going to get and he had to accept that. One of Salva's goals was to reunite with his family again.But deep in his mind he always knew that ther was a possiblity that he could never see his family again bcause they couldve ben kileld. But slava nevr chose to accept that reality, instead he looked on the bright said and

After reading the novel and accounts of the experiences of the people of Southern Sudan during and after the Second Sudanese Civil War, write an essay that addresses the theme of survival by answering the question: What factors made survival possible for Salva in A Long Walk to Water?

Salva had a positive attitude to survive.when he was in the u.s he didn’t forget about the people in sudan.Which made him want to get clean water for them and he did.When the war took him away from family,he still hoped he would see them again. Which encouraged to continue walking,so later on he could see his family.

Salva lifted his head proudly. They are wrong, and I will prove it.” When you’re dealing with loss you have to be positive and think for the better, that’s exactly what Salva did, in the book A Long Walk to Water. In the quote above it shows that Salva can accomplish anything he can as long as he has hope and persistence.

There are supposed to be refugee camps in Kenya.” (Park 79) Salva was scared of the war and of the soldiers so he thought of a safe path that would get him somewhere safer than the other two options. “One step at a time...one day at a time. Just today-just this day to get through.” (Park 82)

Another case was when Salva’s uncle was going to leave Salva, so his Uncle can fight the civil war in Sudan, and he overcomes this by continuing his life at the refugee camp, “He doesn’t want to leave me here, but he must fight for our people, I must not act like a baby, I must try to be strong.” (60) Salva did not want his Uncle to leave, but he decided to just accept the fact that

Salva showed courage and bravery, while he was running away from home and his school. He ran away from his family not knowing what he was leaving behind, sisters, brothers, parents. Salva knows he has to run so he can get some help “We will soon come back to the Nile River and across the other side.” (Park 42). Also, “Salva got into a canoe between Uncle and another man.

The second survival factor that made survival possible for Salva was Uncle Jewiir’s advice. Not only was his advice a survival factor, but he himself was a survival factor. While Salva was crossing the desert in chapter 7 he found himself losing hope. But Uncle Jewiir didn’t let that happen. He made sure to stay by Salva’s side when he needed somebody for comfort and he gave advice. According to chapter 7 (page 41), it states that “If it hadn’t been Uncle, Salva might have gone crazy with fear. Uncle spoke to him all morning in a steady, low voice.” This shows us that Salva was afraid of the lions and he needed someone to comfort him. This also shows that without Uncle Jewiir Salva would probably be long gone. It also says in chapter 9 (page 53) that “As if by magic, Uncle was suddenly at his side. “Salva Mawien Dut Ariik!” he said, using Salva’s full name, loud and clear. Salva lifted his head, the sobs interrupted by surprise. “Do you see that group of bushes?” Uncle said, pointing. You need to only walk as far as those bushes. Can you do that, Salva Mawien Dut Ariik?” This shows us that Uncle Jewiir’s advice helped him a lot and what Uncle was trying to imply to Salva was to take a step at a time instead of taking it all in one time. Not only did Uncle Jewiir’s advice help now, but years later too. He was

Salva was worried about his family. All day and all night he thought of them. He is afraid that he might never see them again. He thinks that they might of died, put he keeps on going. Another way Salva has a drive to find his family is when he finds out that they might be going to Ethiopia.

His Uncle. Though he did not last very long, he was still a huge turning point for Salva and helped his urge to keep moving, just a step at a time. On one special day in Southern Sudan 1985, Salva was stood off from an unusual sound, his name. But who was it called him? Then the man came toward him, it was his Uncle Jewiir. His father’s youngest brother who he had not seen in two years. Soon later Uncle took full responsibility for taking care of Salva. “Listing to Uncle, hurrying to stay close to him. Salva was able to make his feet move despite the cold terrain that froze his whole body.” To add later on chapter seven, page 41 second part, “ Just one step at a time, just a day at a time.” Salva was closer to reaching his goal First part. These quotes relates to how Salva had lost almost everything, but he did not want to lose Uncle too. So he was trying to everything that he can, so that Uncle would not get out of his sight and to keep him with him. Salva was very cautious during the time he had Uncle because he was at least someone that would willingly take care of him and helped the person that he is. It was also for Uncle’s words that helped Salva for when he was stuck. So that Salva’s goal will not loosen from his grip like almost everyone had. During Salva’s childhood, he always felt better for when he had Uncle. He acted as Salva’s guardian angel, a person that Salva could trust and love. For what happened to