Perseverance and Human Rights

Annotation:

A Long Walk to Water contains explicit themes of survival, adversity, role models, friendship, family, loyalty, kindness, and refugees. The story takes the reader through true historical content in Sudan during 1985. It begins in a quiet classroom setting that, within a couple pages, takes you into constant turmoil that the main character, Salva, must not only endure, but survive. Salva must find inner strength against a myriad of unimaginable adversities. Key to his surviving and maturing are his experiences, interactions with others and his past and evolving relationships. The reader witnesses Salva grow in resilience, compassion, understanding, and determination. We admire him as he becomes a role model and leader.

The reader further empathizes when introduced to the conflict and despair juxtaposition with the character of Nya, also set in Sudan in the 2000’s. Nya is sentenced to obediently spend 7 hours a day fetching water. Taking away her opportunity to go to school in order to forge a alternative avenue to a better life. Salva’s future perseverance as a humanitarian is bonded to this basic need, water.