Children Of The River Essay

Children of the river essay Sundara’s life may be seen as a river or a road. At some points in the book children of the river it seems as if Sundara’s life is forced along like a river. But at other times it seems like she can chose where to turn like a road. Her aunt and uncle pick who she marries and who she talks to. But Sundara also goes against what they say often.
Sundara’s life is like a river because she doesn’t have very much choice over her life. She has to marry a Cambodian man picked by her aunt and uncle. “..you’re becoming an American brat, I will never find you a good husband…” (crew 115). In Cambodian culture parents arrange marriage for the daughters. Males can have multiple wife’s. By not being able pick the one who they marry Sundara’s life is like a river because no matter what happens she still doesn’t have a choice. When Sundara was caught with Jonathan by Pok Simo. “to walk by and find her alone with white skin. Pok Simo would love nothing better than to get her in trouble” (crew 75). When Sundara is caught with jonathan she can get in trouble because she is not supposed to talk to boys let alone white boys. Only because her aunt and uncle want her to be a good Khmer wife. This makes it so Sundara’s life is more like a river. Only because she can’t talk to whom she wants to. In the beginning of the book Sundara didn’t have the choice to come to the states. “’get out! Get out! The communists! The Khmer Rouge! They’ve taken Phnom Penh and they’re coming here!’” (Crew 3). Sundara and her family had to come to the states. The states ay have given Sundara a chance to have a life like a river in the past and like a road in the future.
Sundara’s life is like a road because when she talks to Jonathan she is making a choice. When Sundara went to the hospital to see Jonathan she chooses to go against Soka wanting her to go to the market. “After breakfast, with the excuse of buying notebook paper, she headed for the nearby 7-elevens pay phone”