A Long Walk to Water
61 pages • 2 hours read
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Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapters 1-2
Chapters 3-4
Chapters 5-7
Chapters 8-9
Chapters 10-11
Chapters 12-13
Chapters 14-15
Chapters 16-18
Character Analysis
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
Discussion Questions
The author combines two parallel plots that only connect at the end. How do they connect? What does that connection demonstrate?
What is the significance of Uncle Jewiir? What part does he play in Salva's life and personal philosophy?
Though the travelers never encounter the war itself, they are constantly running from it. What does Park seem to be saying about the unnamed casualties of war?
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A Long Walk to Water
By linda sue park, a long walk to water themes.
The characters in the novel all struggle to find enough resources and basic elements like food and water to survive. For them, the simple act of finding enough water is a task that requires at least one family member to walk each day a great distance to gather enough water. Finding a potable source of water is a problem for every character in the novel, and their lives are built around various sources of water like ponds or rivers. Survival is also an issue in regard to food, warfare, sickness, heat, and the perils of nature. Despite their hardship, the characters maintain a level of happiness and optimism that allow them to move forward and to never lose hope.
Family and Community
For the characters in the novel, family is the most important thing in the world. When the major character loses his family, the rest of the members of the tribe become his family. The tribe takes care of him even though they see him as a burden. This proves that in the community in which the characters live in, family, and tribe are the most important things in life.
War and Society
Salva lives in a time when his country is affected by war. Because of this, he is forced to leave the only home he ever knew and to live on the run for years, moving from one refugee camp to another. The war affected Sudan so much that it no longer mattered if those killed were women and children, and boys and young men were often swept up into fighting they did not want to take part in. The novel shows just how much war affects society and how the people living in a society change when their lives are in danger.
Perseverance
The obstacles Salva faces are formidable, to say the least. He is forced away from home, endures starvation and dehydration, almost has to fight in the war, almost drowns, and almost gets eaten by crocodiles. He loses not just family but also friends in his journey, and he wishes he could give up numerous times. Nevertheless, Salva perseveres. He isn't perfect, but he demonstrates a willingness to just keep going even though the situation is difficult and seemingly hopeless. He is an inspiring figure and one worthy of emulation.
Similar to perseverance, courage is one of Salva's salient attributes. It takes courage to remain on the move and not turn back. It takes courage to keep going after losing a best friend and an uncle. It takes courage to leap into a swiftly flowing river full of crocodiles. It takes courage to pick up burning feet to traverse an endless desert when everything in you is crying out to give up. It also takes courage to lead others when you don't feel like you have anything particularly special about you—which is how Salva feels when taking on the Lost Boys—and to speak in front of others when your English isn't perfect. Salva experiences real fear and anxiety before all of these experiences, showing he is not perfect, and thus encouraging readers to do the right thing even when it is hard or they want to give up.
Children as Victims
As with most wars, children do not remain unscathed. In the novel, Park shows how children in the Sudan fare when their elders are fighting. Salva and the other boys in his school are likely to be swept up into fighting for the rebels if they are caught. Children lose their parents and support systems, and they are often thrust out into the wild without anything to assist them. If they are lucky, they will fall in with helpful adults, but even then, the people who carry Salva with them are resentful of him.
Doing Good for Others
Salva would be perfectly within his rights to settle down in America and live a comfortable life. However, he is not content with that. He has a fire within him to help others, especially those in his home country. He does not want his community to suffer from poor drinking water and for children to lack basic necessities. He is grateful for the people who helped him along his own journey—the old woman, Uncle, Michael , Chris, and Louise—and wants to pay it forward.
A Long Walk to Water Questions and Answers
The Question and Answer section for A Long Walk to Water is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.
What are uncertainties in Salva's life
Salva did not want to get left behind again. He feels unsure if anyone will take him. He sees strangers and nobody is family. An old woman tries to convince the group of men to take Salva, but they claim he will be a drain on their resources. They...
How did Salva’s circumstances change from good … to bad … to good?
You can check out the short summaties of these chapters below:
https://www.gradesaver.com/a-long-walk-to-water/study-guide/summary-chapters-1-4
What is the main event in chapter 14-16
The main event is Salva as a young man. Now an engineer, he is finding water for his countrymen. This is really Salva's transition from boy to man both in the United States and in Africa.
Study Guide for A Long Walk to Water
A Long Walk to Water study guide contains a biography of Linda Sue Park, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.
- About A Long Walk to Water
- A Long Walk to Water Summary
- Character List
Lesson Plan for A Long Walk to Water
- About the Author
- Study Objectives
- Common Core Standards
- Introduction to A Long Walk to Water
- Relationship to Other Books
- Bringing in Technology
- Notes to the Teacher
- Related Links
- A Long Walk to Water Bibliography
Wikipedia Entries for A Long Walk to Water
- Introduction
- Water for South Sudan
Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Novel — A Long Walk To Water Summary
A Long Walk to Water Summary
- Categories: Novel
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Published: Mar 25, 2024
Words: 687 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read
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A Long Walk To Water Essay Example
The inspiring short story, A Long Walk To Water, shares two stories. One of a young girl, Nya, who goes on journeys for water. The other, Salva, is about a boy who leaves his home from a war going on in his town. Salva wanted to be safe and find his family yet he was forced to leave because of the war going on. But, Salva could not wait and look for his family as the fighting was getting closer and closer. So, he had to leave his hometown without anything and his family. Then, Salva continues his journey with hope for his family and for himself. Nya on the other hand, Nya wanted to get her family water. But, one day when she went down to the pond, there was a problem. The water in the pond had vanished leaving nothing behind. So, Nya was full of concern knowing that there was basically no water left. Then, she came across a group of hard-working men and they had provided a clean water pump. Although they are different stories and different characters, this novel showcases many physical and emotional challenges that both characters faced in their lives.
To start with, Nya and Salva both faced physical challenges such as having a hard time finding water and traveling up hills and mountains. To prove this, the author writes, “Every year when the rains stopped and the pond near the village dried up” (Park 26). This shows how Nya had a hard time getting water. Also, this shows how Nya would walk down the lake by her village and see nothing but dry, crinkly dirt, she would not have any water to give to her family and or herself. To add on, The author also includes, “Nya would make her second trip to the pond” (Park 20). This shows that Nya had to make more than one trip to the pond. This pond was further than the lake by her village, so she had to travel up and down hills and mountains multiple times because the lake in her village had dried up. Salva on the other hand was traveling countless miles to get to Sudan away from the war happening in his hometown. Since he wasn’t traveling for water and he was traveling to get away from war, water was not his top priority most of his journey, but it was something Salva needed to keep an eye out for. Salva had a hard time walking to Sudan at a young age and no water made his journey more difficult. To show, Linda Park writes, “Each time, Salva would think of his family and his village, and he was somehow able to keep his wounded feet moving forward, one painful step at a time” (Park 54). This shows that Salva had a hard time to keep walking and moving as he made his way through his journey. Salva had to keep pushing through the pain in honor of his family and for himself. Although he knew it was going to be hard, he was a fighter and kept pushing through the pain and torture. Also, to continue, the author adds, “But there was no water anywhere, though they searched for miles” (Park 37). This shows how Salva traveled miles to get to Sudan and on his way with his walking buddies, there was no water in sight. Water is a very important thing to have and Salva did not have a sip of water I a couple of days which was very bad for him. Both Nya and Slava did travel but Nya was traveling over hills to get water, as, on the other hand, Salva was traveling to get away from the war with no water in reach of him.
To continue on, Salva and Nya both faced emotional changes during their walks. Nya changed emotionally and faced emotional challenges because Nya worries about her family. The author writes, “Fear. Her mother was afraid. Afraid that the men in the family would run into Dinka tribesman somewhere, that they would fight and get injured- or worse” (Park 33). This shows how Nyas’ mother is affecting the way Nya is starting to feel because as Nya is getting older, she is realizing how dangerous the world really is and can be. As Nyas’ mother worries, Nya feels worried for her mother because she is scared about her family. Furthermore, the author includes, “ They had been lucky for all these years” (Park 33). This proves that Nya had been understanding how they had been safe all these years and then if something bad were to happen, Nya wouldn’t know the feeling because she would not be used to it nor would she be ready for it. This is making Nya start to realize bad things can happen pretty quickly and more often than ever. Now, Salva faced emotional challenges because he loses his uncle and finds his dad to be suffering in a hospital. To support, the author includes, “ As Salva watched, one of the men aimed his gun at Uncle. Three shots ran out. Then the men ran away” (Park 63). This is an emotional challenge for Salva because Salva has to live with the vision of his Uncle getting shot and dying. Again, Salva faces big emotional challenges when he sees his father suffering in the hospital. The author writes, “He learned more about his father’s illness. Years of drinking contaminated water had left Mawien Dut’s entire digestive system riddled with guine
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Home / Essay Samples / Literature / Literary Criticism / “A Long Walk to Water”: the Theme of Challenges and Leadership
"A Long Walk to Water": the Theme of Challenges and Leadership
- Category: Literature
- Topic: Book Report , Literary Criticism , Plot
Pages: 2 (855 words)
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Lines of Difficulties and Leadership in 'A Long Walk to Water'
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