In 7/8 MNL, we were assigned with an essay to write about a character from the story, a Long Walk to Water, i chose the young boy Salva. b
Salva
In the story a Long Walk to Water, by Linda Sue Park, a character I found interesting is a a young boy named Salva. Salva throughout the Novel twas, scared after a shooting occurred at his school forcing him to flee to the bushes nearby, leaving his family and old life behind him. Salva from the tribe of Dinka, natural enemies to the Nuer tribe.
One quality Salva displayed was that he was courageous. to show this, he had walked for miles, to get away from danger with a group of people that would ignore Salva, they slept the night over, in a barn with no one in sight. Salva woke late in the morning, alone, and confused, the group left him! The boy walked around the unfamiliar land, and beyond the horizon he could spot, a shack with a little old lady. As he walked closer he realised she had a V shaped scar on her forehead. This made Salva relieved, this is the symbol from Salva's tribe Dinka. The lady managed to smuggle the boy into a new group that wouldn't leave him if he kept out the way. You see if Salva didn't pick up the courage to speak to the lady he wouldn't be in the position he is in now.
Another quality that Salva displayed, was that he was kind. He portrayed this as he, made a new friend named Marial, he met the boy when a another group attaches to Salva's. Salva shared his low resources of water and food to the boy. this isn't the only time Salva portrayed kindness, years after all his walking and tragic childhood. When Salva found out he was going to be transported to America, obviously Salva was ecstatic, he was going to another country that's not a continent in Africa. When he arrived in New York he was respectful, and appreciated them taking him in to there home.
Last but not least Salva was happy, and greatful. The boy from his young age to his elders was grateful for every little thing in life. He was a happy boy, and it puts a smile on his face when he recalls those bittersweet childhood memories with his family, like the succulent sweet taste of mango that his father would bring back from the market, and the time's his family would pass a bottle of coca cola around from one to another, laughing at the bubbles bursting in their mouths, like mini explosions, like those in the background, waiting for others bad luck to touch Salva and his new life to come.
So Salva was a sweet and kind young boy, his life was difficult but he fought through it. He recalls on his memories from his childhood, that was striped away from him at a moment's notice, I imagine him lying on his deathbed recalling on the memories he had enjoyed at his once called home shedding a light tear, as the light shines on him once again and reunites with his family.
