General Information
Title: A Long Walk to Water
Author: Linda Sue Park
Genre: Historical and Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Date of Publication: 2010
Cover Design: Christine Kettner
Lexile Level & Target Audience
Lexile: 720L
Age Range: 10-14
This text is suitable for boys and girls alike. With its emphasis on perseverance, self-growth, and the tangible results of individuals effecting change in society, it will inspire readers who long to make a difference in the world around them.
Brief Summary
A Long Walk to Water chronicles the stories of two young individuals from the country of South Sudan––Nya, whose story begins in 2008, and Salva, whose story begins in 1985; these stories run parallel, yet independent of each other, and eventually join in a remarkable way. The novel is set during a heightening conflict between North and South Sudan, in which the government has begun to force its' Muslim religion upon the country as a whole, inciting an upheaval and rebellion from a large portion of the southern inhabitants. As war breaks out, we follow Salva through the trials and tragedies of his escape from Sudan, and, eventually, through his mission to effect real change in the tattered world of his fellow countrymen.
Evaluation: Pros & Cons
Pros:
1. Salva is a character to look up to. His journey is full of physical strain (traveling days through a desert with little water and food), excruciating loss (the death of a close friend and an uncle), and emotional struggle (fear, doubt, loss of hope)––and yet, he perseveres, and even becomes a leader for other young boys, passing on the strategies and encouragement he himself has learned to apply amidst trying circumstances. In addition, Salva later returns to his home country to meet a very practical––and desperate––need for the people of Sudan (including a tribe who has been historically at war with his own!).
2. It's based on a true story. While some readers will care about this more than others, the fact that this novel is closely based on actual events [the book even includes a note from the author at the end] is powerful in driving home its goal of encouraging students to effect real change in their own cities. Because these events actually happened, students will be more apt to believe that this type of change is actually possible.
3. Salva changes and grows. In the beginning, Salva is presented as a simple boy, with nothing particularly outstanding or remarkable or charismatic about his character; he's afraid, like any "typical" young boy would be, and students will relate to his normal and understandable responses of emotion and despair. Salva's perseverance is never seen as an "easy" road, but rather as one he chooses in spite of the fear and exhaustion he faces. We see him grow into a strong, kind, and compassionate leader, heavily influenced by the example of his uncle.
Cons:
1. The writing style is lacking. If you're looking for a book to help your students learn the intricate and delicate craft of beautiful language and sentence structure, this isn't your best choice. While the message is remarkable and inspiring, the way it's written feels somewhat choppy throughout, falling short in word choice, form, and flow.
2. Nya feels hard to relate to and sympathize with. While it's wonderful to follow Salva's journey, and while we do get a few intimate glimpses into the struggles of Nya and her family, readers could use a bit more depth in Nya's story to better relate to her and really understand the hardship of having limited access to clean water. Although we find ourselves rejoicing with Nya and her village in the end, we'd rejoice more, I think, if we could see a more moving and dire picture of their previous situation.
3. The ending feels rushed. Near the end of the book, as Salva is working on his project for the people of South Sudan, we're told that he attends higher education (where he learns how to build wells), and has to speak in front of audiences in attempt to raise money for his project. While we believe in the success and validity of the project because we know it is a true story, this part of the novel feels rushed and underdeveloped; time and place feel rather blurry, and the believability doesn't quite hit home as much as it could have if the author had slowed down and added more detail. These additional details of the process of Salva's project––which was no doubt another long and trying journey in itself––would help readers to accurately assess the amount of work, trial and error, and failure that it takes to truly accomplish something that powerfully influences and changes society.
Literary Elements
Parallels & Reoccurring Themes: Obviously, the major parallel between Nya and Salva's stories is their shared citizenship from the country of Sudan. Another common thread which is weaved throughout their stories, though, is water––or rather, the lack of it. Both Nya and Salva's relatives suffer from diseases brought on by unclean water, and both experience the pains of not having enough of it readily accessible. We don't find out until the end, however, why this repeating theme of water is so significant to both of their lives.
Foreshadowing: A little over midway through Nya's story, workers arrive at her village to begin drilling a well which will give access to clean water. We don't find out until the end that these workers are actually led by Salva himself, but there is a point at which readers may guess that it is indeed him, as he is described in such a way that alludes to his type of leadership and character.
Distinct Structure: The unique structure of running two stories at the same time is one that takes much care and attention; and, although Nya's story is significantly shorter (in detail) than Salva's, we as readers find ourselves rooting for her and her family to find relief from their difficulties. In addition, the structure makes us curious about "what will happen next" and how the stories will finally connect, adding anticipation and intrigue.
Mini-lesson Idea(s)
Pulling from what I consider to be one of the strengths of this book, students could create their own (shorter) work by using the parallel story structure found in the novel. Like Park, students would need to find a way to create reoccurring themes between the two stories and ultimately connect them in the end. For an added level of analysis, students could be required to base their work(s) off of a true story from a certain era and/or group of people. You could provide topics for them to choose from and/or help them to develop their own; in addition, students could create visual presentations of their research about the people and eras they chose to write about.
Cheers!
- Aubrey
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