When reading the text we can see the theme of poverty through Nya’s story. As stated on page 8, chapter 2, the narrators says, “…she looked at the bottom of her foot. There it was, a big thorn that had broken off right in the middle of her heel. If Nya had a pair off shoes she would not be in the pain that she was in. In addition to Nya facing poverty she had to struggle with the fact that she had no running water in her home or close to home, therefore she has to walk 8 hours each day just get water for her family to drink. The theme of abandonment is shown throughout Salva’s story. This was highlighted on page 13, chapter 2, “finally he sat up and opened his eyes. No one else was in the barn. He rushed to the door and looked out. Nobody. Nothing. They had left him. He was alone.” Salva was also abandoned by “Aunti”. On page 18, paragraph 3, it stated “On the fourth day, the old women told him that she was leaving’’. “You have seen that the pond has turned into a puddle now. Winter is coming, and the dry season. And this fighting. She nodded her head in the direction of the noise. “I will go to a different a village near water. You cannot stay with me any longer”. Aunti told Salva that she is not going to be able stay with her anymore, leaving him on his own. I thought that this was a great example to show abandonment, because it describes an event in which he was actually going to be abandoned by someone he was depending on.
Loneliness was also shown in Salva’s story as well. This was highlighted on chapter 4, page 22, ‘’and the days became a never ending walk. Salva’s feet kept time with the thought in his head over and over. Where is my family? Where is my family? This highlight shows me how much he misses his family and how lonely he was.
“ A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park has many developing themes, but the three themes of abandonment, poverty, and loneliness are more important themes, central idea of the novel. There will be many more to develop as we read this text
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