Monday, July 21, 2014
A Walk Across the Sun, after Part 2
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I was shocked throughout the first two sections of Addison's work. Just when hope is near, Sita is taken away by Navin. This leaves Ahalya more devastated than ever, despite her now hopeful future in the Child Welfare Committee. Ahalya asks Sister Ruth to plant a blue lotus for Sita. This lotus represents Ahalya's hope for Sita's return, and for her sister to stay strong in the face of evil. This is further represented through Hopkin's quote: “O thou lord of life, send my roots rain”. The lotus is delicate and difficult to grow; faith is a must for it's roots to gain strength. Sita needs all the faith and strength she can get if she wants to re-unite with Sita, her only family left. Meanwhile, Thomas meets up with his wife Priya for the first time in four years. I was surprised by Priya's indifferent reaction to Thomas' arrival. While they do meet up, I would've expected them to try to get along better now that they're no longer separate. Their love is no longer shackled by living in separate lands, or “enclosed in bones” as Thiruvalluvar states. I was also surprised by Surya's harsh comments toward Thomas. He states that Thomas betrayed his trust and took his daughter from her family. He also implies that Thomas is a racist for working with CASE, “carrying the white man's burden”. One bittersweet moment is when Ahalya puts Sita's bracelet on Thomas. He unintentionally promises with his life to find Sita.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the valid points you have proven. I think that the symbols of the lotus flower and the bracelet are very symbolic. By planting this lotus flower, Ahalya shows that even though it is a long shot that it will grow and prosper, she will continue to have hope. Also it shows that she will be patient in the finding of her sister. The bracelet is the most symbolic though because it not only shows the hope that Sita will return to her but it also shows the hope that Ahalya has in Thomas. Also, Thomas has extreme hope at the end of Part 2 as well. By travelling to Bombay and taking a job with no pay to possibly convince his wife, Priya, and her stubborn father, Surya, that he is a changed man and that he will do whatever it takes to win her back. The symbols show the hope and faith in all 3 main characters in the novel.
Delete-aven
I agree with all of the thoughts you touched upon. I was extremely surprised and shocked by Thomas decision to take a job where he doesn't get paid and is at the mercy of his wife and his father in law to prove that he has reflected upon his life and decided to become a better man. The lotus flower grown by Ahayla is a difficult plant to grow and may not be able to survive but Ahayla shows hope just like Thomas does.
DeleteATRIM
DeleteThe main thing I was in shock about at the end of Part 2 was the faith and hope Ahalya and Sita still had that they would return to their normal lives. After losing their parents and loved ones in a tragic storm, they kept searching for hope. Every time it seems they had found success in starting a new life, it was taken away from them. After the storm, when they had thought they had found a way to get to their sister, they were taken and sold to Chako and his wife and had been sold many more times after. If I were in their spot, every time I got moved to a different owner and a different place my hope and faith would be lost. They continued to believe even after being separated from each other. Ahalya got placed in the home with Sister Ruth and Sita continued to be sold and to be moved from place to place. At the end of part 2, I had no hope of the sisters reuniting.
ReplyDelete-aven
Human spirit is an amazing thing. There is a saying in biology that “Life always finds a way”. Ahalya kept herself from losing her mind with the thought that she could shield Sita from the horrors of Suchir’s customers. Even after being completely helpless, she never gave up hope because she is the “glass half-full” type of person. It would seem that hope and strong will is contagious. This is the same reason people look up to superheroes. Ahalya’s faith and strong will (which though shaken, still stands strong) echoed in Sita through her harsh ordeal in the restaurant with Aunti-Ji. When Sita saw Natalia in pain she did what she thought her sister would do and helped the girl. It would seem what Sita did for her was merely a small gesture on the surface, but to Natalia that might as well have been Jesus himself. Sometimes small things go a long way.
Delete-JGen
James, I may be drawing on your reference here when we look at man's ability to survive and suffer in the Spring. One thing all religions seem to agree on is that life is suffering, so the extent to which man can and then not only survive but maintain hope and faith is incredible.
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DeleteAs James quoted "Life always finds a way" and the essence of this quote is truly embodied in part two. when i compare that quote to this book I take away from it that faith always has a way of staying around, through the thick and the thin. Even when Sita is tricked into training herself to swallow bags of drugs she still is able to move on and stay strong because she knows that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. From there she gets her light when she was taken by the police to the Sisters of Mercy, to operate on her and to heal her as she helps them in a type of convent. Yet again her faith to get though tough situations was put to the test, when she got to Paris. she was now locked in a restaurant kitchen to eat and sleep. while cleaning the restaurant during the day was not terrible, she had no heat at night and a cold floor to sleep on. to top things off she wasn't even fed well enough. The fact that she made it through this is proof that faith can always get you though anything.
DeleteI am unraveled over how many times the book reminds me of the dreadful situation that Ahalya and Sita are in. Almost immediately at the beginning of Part 2, Navin almost immediately starts training Sita for the sex trade by swallowing grapes whole. Many of us aren't really familiar with the sex trade because we think it happens "somewhere else" when in reality it happens all over the world including the United States. The story continues to take the reader to a different heartbreaking point because after reading about Navin taking Sita to Paris the story then focuses on Ahlaya and how she loses hope of ever seeing Sita ever again, but then she vows to reunite Sita even though she doesn't know where they are, which surprised me because just felt despair from what she considers a "deathblow" about how Sita was gone, and now she's resolved to find her right after thinking that she's gone. As the story progresses we find that Sita becomes nothing more than a tool in a restaurant which didn't shock me but it saddened me to think how Sita went from an innocent girl to a tool that strangers use. The restaurant itself at this point was symbolizing dread and turmoil because she was always asked to perform a chore in the restaurant and the work was never good enough and was no such thing a break, always sleeping on the floor of kitchen every night only to perform the same chores again. The work became a grinding misery taking whatever strength and courage she had left. This in turn really presents itself as one of the many hopeless situations that Addison's work has plenty to show. I myself felt that there was no hope since Ahayla has no idea where Sita could be, however she does know who took Sita, which means that there is a chance Ahlaya may reunite with Sita
ReplyDelete-gand
I would like to point out that Navin was not training Sita for the sex trade, though I could see why one would interpret it this way. Navin was actually training Sita for the smuggling of heroin. He concealed 30 pellets with powder, and made her swallow all of them. This benefited Navin in three ways. If Sita didn't go along with the plan, she would get in trouble for having heroin inside her body. In addition, any abnormal movements would cause the pellets to rupture, forcing her to follow Navin's instructions precisely. Finally, he was using Sita to import the heroin to France, as the pellets were released intact. Navin actually tells Sita that he was taking her away from the sex trade: “No pimp, no madam, no sex with strangers.” Although, the forthcoming events prove otherwise. While Sita's work in the restaurant does take away from her physical strength, I feel Sita is consistently courageous throughout the work. We never see her give up hope, and she always tries to comfort those in emotional distress.
Delete-CPar
I was waiting to see if anyone noticed that discrepancy. Good close reading.
DeleteI am saddened by how human life to some is meaningless. I agree with your point made how Navin is devious and ruthless in training Sita to transport heroin. Sita had to be trained to swallow 30 pellets filled with heroin and dipp[ed in coconut oil to swallow easier. If she did not obey Navin, she would suffer the consequences, and if the pellets burst, she would die. I believe faith helped Sita through so much torture and unbelievable situations. when Sita was given to Navin's Aunt Ji, she was told she had to earn her keeps. Sita had to clean the restaurant , and can only eat after she is done cleaning. She would have to sleep on the cold floor, and would only be feed rice and chutney. This restaurant represented misery and grinding daily work. What happened to Ahayla and Sita are real situations that young girls are forced into. Sex-trafficking is real and must be stopped.
Delete-VCal
I would like to first point out the fact that Ahalya and Sita are extremely influential people and I have grown to admire their gift to remain hopeful throughout these extremely hard times. The storm took their lives and completely turned in upside down, they lost everyone. Their mother, their father, their grandmother, almost everyone near and dear to their hearts. She only had distant relatives whom she hadn't spoken with in multiple years. This book just shows how sick-minded some people can be. Navin trains sita for the sex trade by making her eat and swallow foods whole without chewing and this just made me feel terrible for Sita. Once Ahalya loses Sita, her forever lasting hope almost seems to go away, but she doesn’t stop believing, she makes a promise to herself that she will, no matter what the circumstances are, to rejoice with her sister. Ahalya is an inspiration to me because I feel if I was in this situation I wouldn’t be able to remain hopeful for the return of my sister. The only evidence that Ahalya has towards the kidnapping of her innocent sister is the person who took her. Ahalya has much better circumstances then Sita does, as she is with Sister Ruth. Thomas, a lawyer from the US comes to india through an organization called "CASE". During a rescue mission by CASE, he is mesmerized by the story of Ahalya and swears to find Sita by Ahalya's request. This gave me a small amount of hope to look for a possible light at the end of this long, dark, and emotionally spending tunnel. So far I have felt sad, hopeful, inspired and compassionate, and it is only part two. Loving the book so far!
ReplyDelete-tzir
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DeleteI completely understand what you mean Tim. Ahayla and Sita are incredible characters that really are models of hope and determination. Ever since the tsunami you see Ahayla taking up the responsibility of caring for her younger sister. She becomes her mother, Ambini, and does her best trying to keep Sita safe and calm. For example, after they were sold by Kanan to Chako, they were offered food. However Ahayla encouraged Sita to eat most of her food so she had more strength. When Ahayla was raped by Skankar she was devastated and extremely distraught, but stayed strong because she knew Sita was relying on her for hope and guidance. On the other hand, Ahayla could not always be there and so Sita had to take care of herself when she was sold to Navin. Sita stayed strong when he forced her to smuggle drugs by swallowing pelts of herion because thats what Ahayla would of done to survive. The whole trip to Pairs Sita never lost hope in herself and continued to push back the pain of the drugs. When these sisters had nothing left, not even themselves. All you have is hope and it becomes your new motivation. Thus, I still have hope Thomas will rescue Sita and reunite the girls.
Delete-KDra
I never would have thought that the quote at the beginning of Chapter 10, " In the dark of night live those for whom the outside world alone is real", would impact so many innocent lives. Those helpless people who are trafficked have no daylight, and their life is the darkness of the night. Ahalya and Sita were forced to worked as slaves during the day, and than are given to perverts for their lust at night, simply for their owners greed for money. The girls are bought and sold to transport illegal drugs, and are trafficked through various countries, from the United States to India, France, and Russia. Thomas Clark, a member of "CASE", made it his personal mission to save these girls. I would have never thought of how intelligent and how ruthless these sex traffickers really are, and going to any length possible for sex, drugs, and wealth. One fact that puzzled me is how these traffickers are never prosecuted. The reason: the police and judges were also corrupt people. The conclusion of the book makes me think about the illegal children entering the country. Is it because their future will be of darkness and prostitution?
ReplyDelete-VCal
I have to agree with what you stated. The lengths that these people go through just for wealth is disgusting. All the young girls who are trafficked are seen as no longer people, but possessions. These men like Navin are terrible people and clearly have no morals or mercy. They take away the girls innocence and life for wealth, drugs, and sex . These men impact so many innocent lives and have no remorse. What shocked me even further is how corrupt the court system can be, taking bribes instead of saving a human life. As well as how long it even takes for a case to get processed through the court system. Sita and Ahalya have the rare ability to maintain hope and strength. They still maintain their hope to be reunited one day and be happy again. Hopefully it gets them through this whole ordeal and they can live normal lives again.
DeleteI agree with what you both said, seeing that these people achieve their wealth through the suffering of others is just revolting. It really makes you think about how far someone would go to get wealth and how much evil they would have to commit in order to get this wealth. It makes me wonder about how some people in this world can only see other people, just like you and myself, could possibly be able to sleep at night knowing that they're the reason why someone is suffering. And even knowing that people in this world are doing this as an occupation, is disgusting. These men like Navin and Suchir make a profit off the innocence of young girls for money and drugs, which is horrifying, but whats worse is that the police and the courts in most of these places won't raise a hand to these monsters and put them away before they do it to someone else. the unwavering hope of some of these people like Sita and Ahalya gives light to a future for some of these people returning to society without deteriorating too far into insanity.
DeleteI agree with your posts and seeing how these men treat these girls is inhuman and how they profit tons of money off these girls' innocence is sad to read about. The traffickers are able to do this to these girls because they don't see them as people they see them as walking dollar signs and don't care about their emotions or their self worth. Navin and Suchir make great profit off the girls but as you guys said the more disturbing thing is the way the judges and lawyers just let it happen and they don't convict anyone. By the time the girls are freed they're already back in the trade and the brothels are reopened. You can only hope that the hope Ahalya and Sita possess turns into reality and they are saved.
DeleteAddison's work is very eye opening, the amount of hope the sisters have is truly amazing . Ahalya and Sita are thrown into this explicit world of sex trade and smuggling but remain hopeful of being saved. When Ahalya is finally saved by CASE. Sita is taken down another path in this explicit world, the path of drug smuggling. Ahalya is terribly afraid for her sister even though she herself now has hope of a future and is safe. Shockingly Ahalya and Sita both still have hope of being reunited with each other. Ahalya plants a blue lotus that represents the hope and strength they both need if they hope to ever be reunited. Sita is now thousands of miles away in France, in a new strange world, with no idea of whats going to become of her, but still holds on to that fleeting hope. On the other hand i never would of thought that Thomas would have such an odd relationship with Priya. Thomas and Priya clearly have a love of each other, but also have problems. What shocks me even further is the harsh and rude comments made towards Thomas by Surya. Claiming Thomas took Priya away from her family, and that Tom should have just left her alone.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you on what you said especially about the blue lotus flower. That flower symbolizes Sita and everything Ahalya hopes for, she puts into that flower. Even though Ahalya is in a safer place, the same can not be said for Sita. Sita is being moved from city to city in a few weeks span while Ahalya can just hope for the best and safety of her sister's return. Within the book, Ahalya only keeps fighting each day because of the flower. She says that the flower is the only reason she wakes up that day, to see if anything happened to it. She knows in time, hope will succeed and this nightmare will be just another painful memory. But for now, she can only wait and pray for the survial of her sister and that she is not too traumatized by what has happened to them.
Delete- ACar
I agree with you that this work is very eye opening. Before reading this work i did not realize that human trafficking was still a widespread thing in the world today. Even though both girls went through such terrible things somehow both of them still have hope of being reunited. The blue lotus flower is very significant because
Deleteit represents the hope that Ahalya has for Sita to come back. Sita is a remarkable person because even though she is very young and is now taken from her sister and forced to traffic drugs from India to France she never gives up. The unwavering faith that Ahalya and Sita have gives the reader hope that one day everything will get better
I found that A Walk Across the Sun was intriguing and it complimented the dialogue with intense scenes such as the Thomas’s chase with Navin along with deep character moments such as the bracelet that Ahalya gave Thomas which represents the promise he made to her. I was appalled at how shallow Thomas’ character seems so far. I get a feeling that he is helping with CASE as a side-job while his real goal is Priya. He does his job at CASE but he always has her on his mind. Thomas tends to spend a lot of time moping around with his blackberry. The book alternates between Thomas’ and Ahalya/Sita’s perspective on a chapter by chapter basis. While the book delivers a revolting look into the underground world that is entirely real, I feel that the book relies on shock value too much. While it shows the damage to the characters by such events it leaves open questions such as: How does Ahalya learn to cope with her trauma beside the lotus flower and the studying? At this point we are only seeing Ahalya from Thomas’ perspective and we don’t actually see her emotion and her pain as we are only seeing the surface whereas when she was in Suchir’s brothel we saw the pain firsthand and we saw her crumble as a human being and her attempt to keep the walls from collapsing in on her with her stories of home and her culture.
ReplyDelete-JGen
I have to disagree with two things you wrote above. First I do not find Thomas shallow or even doing anything that bad. His wife just left him, with no promise to return and in a very cold way. As he told his parents and when talked about it to others, he felt very strongly that Priya isn't coming back. It is like an unofficial divorce, and the man is hurt so who could blame him for sleeping with someone who filled the hole that Priya left. I also don’t think she is the real goal he went going to India. She is just one of the reasons just as good as all the others. I also feel like Ahalya and Sita are much more developed characters than Thomas. I can imagine the chapters that Ahalya and Sita tell but Thomas’s seem somehow un-imaginable or un-relatable(not that I can relate to Ahalya or Sita.)
Delete-KWie
I disagree with you, Karl. Ahalya and Sita aren't more developed characters. We only get a few pages of introduction before disaster strikes. I have no clue who these girls are. I get the sense that this book really focuses on Thomas's point of view since the majority of Thomas's chapters are longer or perhaps it just seems that way since most of those chapters are so dry and boring. Call me a conspiracy theorist but I think that A Walk Across the Sun was meant to be a autobiography of Corban Addison because Thomas' character is pretty much Corban; it seems like Ahalya and Sita's stories were only added as a reason for people to read the book since nobody wants to read a autobiography of a lawyer turned author.
DeleteAddison and Thomas Clarke are basically the same person: http://www.apbspeakers.com/speaker/corban-addison
The only difference is that Thomas was partially forced to go to India by the Wharton group. As far as I have read about Addison, he volunteered to go to India and Europe but I do not have the full story. This made me hate this book and I dreaded almost every Thomas chapter except the ones that contained action and chase scenes.
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DeleteI agree and disagree with your statement James because while Thomas felt obligated to go to India for his own personal reason, that being to try and repair the damaged relationship with his wife,. However he did not have to go if he chose to, because his boss recommended that Thomas take a leave of absence for a year and that he could go wherever he wanted to. Although he could not stay on his present case that he was helping, his boss only really made him feel obligated to take the vacation, since it usually isn’t the smartest idea to go against what your boss tells you, regardless of Thomas father, who is known as the Judge and the respect that Thomas’ boss has for him. I felt the complete same way as you did about the Thomas scenes since I dreaded them as well, and enjoyed the action scenes as well.
Delete-Alih
Of the many appealing characters of this book one in particular takes the cake. By far I find Prasad the worst. I feel as if he was the one to slowly break Ahalya. The first man she had sex with, was a monster and I find the birthday boy almost innocent (he didn’t know better) but Prasad was by far the worse. Slowly he made her feel hallow inside. The stories she told fell flat and she had trouble smiling. Finally when Ahalya decided she had to detach herself (finally broken) the story gets flipped upside down. I am happy to have it end but I feel like she would rather be back I the attic then without her sister. I wonder why she felt any sympathy for Prasad as he told his story, after what she had been doing to her. Being raised like that is no excuse to do what he does to Ahalya.
ReplyDelete-KWie
I don't see why Prasad can be seen as the "worst." Prasad, although he would come to Ahalya at certain times during a few nights to rape her, is just a boy trapped behind his father's will. He has nothing else to do but follow the orders of his father, and since his father is a brothel owner he has no other choice but to live by it. The only reason why he did what he did to Ahalya is because of what he received on his thirteenth birthday. Prasad received an induction into manhood by his father which was raping a girl as a gift for his birthday. After it was found that his "first love" caught a venereal disease, she was released from the brothel to survive on her on. Prasad then found Ahalya, but he confessed his story of manhood to her showing his innocence in not knowing what his actions truly meant. I actually think that Shankar is the worst since he was the first person to remove Ahalya's innocence, moreover her virginity. Shankar also requested that he have Ahalya but with no condom, and this was the first time Ahalya was used in the brothel.
Delete-SPab
After completing the first two sections of Addison's work, I was shocked by the courage and strength of Ahalya and Sita. After the tsunami destroyed their homeland, the girls were left homeless and no where else to turn to. Their family and loved ones were killed during the destruction of the storm and then they were abducted and sold into the sex trade. Even after experiencing rape and abuse by others, Ahalya and Sita still remained strong and hopeful. When Sita was separated from Ahalya, hope was diminshing but still alive. Ahalya was brought to Sister Ruth while Sita was being transported from country to country. Both were losing their minds but remained faithful and hopeful that one day they would be reunited and go back to their old life. This shocked me because after reading about the abuse and torment these girls went through, I thought they would have given up but instead, they continued to believe that this would all be done soon. I was very impressed by the way they held themselves up even when times got to hard to handle and deal with.
ReplyDelete- ACar
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DeleteI completely agree to the underlining idea that hope is in fact one of the many themes of this touching novel. Considering how Addison redundantly mentions hope, reinforces the importance of it and how it guides the sister's throughout the novel . At first, I too, never would have thought that Ahalya would remain hopeful after countless tragedies impact her one after another. But throughout the novel it is evident that hope does prevail. Even after she loses the only family she has left, Ahalya's hope for the unification with her sister still remains strong. The blue lotus planted by Ruth symbolizes the hope Ahalya has for the return of Sita. Even when Sita isnt physically there with Ahalya. Her hope for their happiness is still robust. Your input on the girls' qualities as individuals is very accurate. I too, interpreted that Ahalya and Sita are very valiant individuals. Throughout the novel,their strong will to survive and endure the hardships proves the significance of the power of hope. One can withstand even the greatest torment and prevail through the toughest situations if they have faith. Ahalya's situation serves as a keen lesson for us today. Addison's character inspired me to understand that it's not the situation that matters, it's what you make of it. Ahalya obviously didn't have the best of situations in her life but she did what she could and, with hope, survived through the hardships.
Delete-TNgu
I agree as well because the sex trade that’s been around for a very long time still has a strong presence in the world. But has hopeless and awful as it has been made in the novel A Walk Across the Sun, as well as is the case in our world today. It is a sick living to force young girls to have sex for the profit of others since they are kidnapped and rarely if ever do so by choice to have sex with other men. But even though Ahalya could not escape that fate and had sex with another man and ended up having his child, she still dealt with the pain and saw her son as her silver lining in the clouds instead of the shameful reminder of what she had to go through. Her character shows that she is strong especially after going through what she did.
Delete-Alih
The amount of amazement after reading the first two parts of Addison's work was heart-stopping. The determination of Ahalya and Sita to survive through the horrific events that occured was unbelievable. Although this is just a work of fiction, I don't think any girl especially at the age of Ahalya and Sita could survive the numerous amount of tragedies. Sita has become my favorite character so far because she exerts courage and braveness. It shocked me how she followed the orders of Navin even though she had no choice to do so. My initial thought when she and Navin went to the airport was that she would cause a commotion in order for the police to help her from Navin. I like how Addison includes the blue lotus as one of the main symbols because it resembles Ahalya's hope for Sita's return. Similarly the quote at the beginning of Chapter 17, "Hope may vanish, but can die not," can be seen as a correlation between the blue lotus and the theme of hope. In this chapter, Thomas pursues Navin but then Navin is released due to the corruption of the police in India. After that moment, Thomas makes it his final decision to continue to find Sita in Paris because Ahalya has faith and hope in him.
ReplyDelete-SPab
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DeleteI agree with your point about the Blue Lotus. Ahalya is just like the lotus, just planting her roots after being tossed up and scattered by the tsunami. However her growth as a person can't be compared to the linear nature of a plant's growth. She will mature and change in different ways now that her life has been altered in such a way. Ahalya has one thing left that she needs in order to sustain her life, and that is Sita. With her gone, Ahalya's life will continue on like a plant that lacks sun or water. The way the Indian police treated Navin I feel can be compared to how world authorities deal with human trafficking. This issue exists due to corruption in many countries, and independant forces like CASE can make all the progress they want, yet outside authorites will continue setting their work back time after time.
Delete-DBer
I would have to agree with you steve. Ahalya and Sita have amazing determination to survive. What they have gone through is horrible. Although my favorite character is Ahalya because i feel she gives Sita courage and hope. Ahalya deals with the rape of the men and she still finds ways to comfort Sita with stories and such. I feel without her sister Sita wouldn't be able to function. But to your point i agree Sita does show some courage going with Navin to the airport. I also like how Addison includes the lotus. It shows us that even through enormous odds the girls have hope. Ahalya has hope thats he will see her sister again and Sita has the same hope that one day she will see her sister and they have a normal life again. The quote is perfect cause it shows how much hope they have and still believe.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAfter the first two sections, I was horrified of what happened inside Golpitha. Ahalya and Sita had one tough break after another that finally lead them to be stuck in that prison, essentially losing their freedom. I see Sumeera as an example of the loss of hope that will eventually descend on Sita, taken somewhere else and further away from her sister. It will be interesting to see how Sita will change now that Ahalya is no longer at her side. She won't have the safety she feels with Ahalya, the only loved one she has left in life. I look forward to seeing how Ahalya will heal from these emotional scars after her rescue and how Thomas plays into the situation. He came here to prove a point to Priya, but i feel that he will seek closure on this matter just like how he is always asking his friend Andrew about Abby Davis. Thomas is seen to be very persistent, and he looks to be trustworthy enough to assume the great responsibilty enough Ahalya asked of him with the promise that comes with the bracelet.
ReplyDelete-DBer
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DeleteI agree with you that Priya is a major cause of why Thomas went to work with CASE in Bombay and accepted the sabbatical. I also feel that Thomas' failure of saving Abby Davis also led him towards the work that CASE does since he had an experience with the horrors of kidnapping and trafficking. This is why i wasn't surprise when Thomas took an interest in Sita and Ahalya's situation. I feel that the promise bracelet was also a huge part of the dedication Thomas took into Ahalya's situation. I disagree on what you said how Thomas went to Bombay to prove a point to Priya. I feel he went to Bombay to either win back Priya or seek closure, not to prove a point. The closure he seeks with Andrew Porter is different than the closure he seeks with Priya. Since Thomas witnessed the kidnapping of Abby Davis I believe he feels involved and concerned for how the case turns out for the sake of himself and especially Abby's mother. While the closure he seeks with Priya is to determine if the separation of them is serious or temporary and to see what went wrong.
Delete-ACuc
Just by reading the first two parts, Addison revealed to me the large scale situation of human sex trafficking, before this i never even acknowledged this terrible issue. When reading the first two parts of this book I am so amazed by how strong Sita and Ahalya are. They are by far stronger than any character I've ever read in a book or seen in a movie. An example of this is shown when almost instantly of the discovery of her dead parents, Ahalya, takes charge and looks to protect her sister. It is clear how undeserving they are of what has happened to them. From what we read in the beginning, the Ghai children are religious, well educated, cultured, and respectful. This made me just feel so much more towards the unfortunate events occurring. I couldn't believe how hopeful Ahalya was towards finding her sister, despite the minimal chances. I was very disappointed that Sita was not saved when her Ahalya was, but it drew me in and caused more discoveries of the horrors of the human sex trafficking industry. Although brave and hopeful, Sita seems to be losing the hope the more she is forced to work and travel. I am very intrigued to see where parts 3 and 4 will take Sita.
ReplyDelete-ACuc
I agree completely with what you said about the human sex trafficking and I think that it is neglected today, and almost pushed aside because no one wants to think about how terrible it truly is. I myself never thought of the human sex trade until I read this book and it truly disgusts me and sadly, reminds me how terrible some people really can be. I was also surprised by the level of maturity and responsibility that Ahalya showed when this terrible storm hit. I found it amazing that Ahalya was able to remain hopeful and strong through the loss of her sister. I agree with you hat Ahalya and Sita are two of the most strong characters I have ever read about and they have inspired me. I hope that Ahalya is able to remain this positive and hopeful outlook on finding her sister.
Delete-TZir
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteUpon reading the first two sections of this somber novel, it is evident that one of the underlining motifs is hope. Throughout the novel, Addison illustrates to his audience about the heinous tragedies that ensue Ahalya and Sita and how hope is the one thing that helps them to overcome the tragic disasters in their lives. The sisters' take on great burdens at a very early age. They lose their parents as well as their freedom which impart great tolls on them as individuals. No child should ever have to endure what these courageous sisters did. It is evident that the sisters are very gallant. I'm sure most can agree when i say that Ahalya is a very dynamic character. With the death of her parents, Ahalya quickly takes on the responsibility and maturity of an adult.She cares for and watches over her little sister. When ahalya loses Sita her strong will to survive and overcome these misfortunes in her life pushes her toward. Hope plays a dominate roll in the survival of the sisters'. Only with hope, can they prevail through the hardships and find freedom from this abominable reality called slavery. I am anxious to read about Thomas' determination in the rescue of the sisters.
ReplyDelete-TNgu
I completely agree with the points you have made about Ahalya and Sita being such brave individuals. Ahalya is definitely a “dynamic character” because she truly shows the most change and adaptation throughout the course of these events. Even when the girls were alone in the attic basically suffering, Ahalya was there to comfort Sita and remind her of the good times they shared at home. As she undergoes her first couple of awful interactions with these strange men, she feels hollow, scared and violated. It is also true how these girls had not deserved to be treated so horribly because they had been religious, joyful and had a great relationship with their family. Hope is indeed a big role in Ahalya and Sita’s circumstances, however no one can save the girls from what they have experienced which saddens me. I am also hoping that Thomas’ work with CASE ends up successful, especially for Ahalya to find Sita again and rekindle that sisterly bond.
Delete-DMcA
I agree with you both 100%, Ahalya is indeed a "dynamic character" because she changes drastically. After her family and home are destroyed by a devastating tsunami, Ahayla takes the role of being a caretaker or mother to her fifteen year old sister, Sita. Before the storm, I can guarantee you that Ahayla wasn't a mother or caretaker to Sita. They probably had sibling rivalries and fought many times. But as tragic events occur, people change and in Ahalya's case, she changed for the better. I also agree that hope is indeed the emotion that gives Ahayla and Sita the determination to survive and find help. Hope is the underlying motif and we must all recognize what a powerful emotion it is. I am also anxious to see if Thomas can rescue the sisters. He reminds me of Liam Neeson from the movie "Taken". Thomas is determined and I hope he will succeed.
Delete-DFes
Throughout reading parts one and two of A Walk Across The Sun I was appalled by how Ahalya and Sita’s karma went from bad to worse. Ahalya constantly tries to look out for her younger sister however it is increasingly difficult when Sita is taken away. The ill-fated girls had lived a seemingly wealthy lifestyle their entire lives until they had been awaken to a new cruel world around them. After reading about Thomas’ unfortunate turn of events and how he realized how slim the chances were of finding someone who had been taken, my hopes were somewhat crushed. In no way could I imagine anyone going through this turn of events let alone young girls. As Ahalya and Sita’s story progresses the girls find themselves going from man to man and country to country doing horrible things that no woman should have to go through. The strength and sisterly bond between these girls is outstanding and truly a model for us all. As Thomas makes his journey to discover Sita’s location, I am hopeful of his success and it is what Ahalya truly deserves, to have her sister with her once again.
ReplyDelete-DMcA
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DeleteI understand how it can be very frustrating to see someone's luck get even worse than what it was before. I'm also a Karma believer as well, and I felt a much similar feeling when Sita and Ahlaya's lives took a complete one hundred and eighty degree turn, which can leave anyone empty inside. What kept me reading however was that the girls have courage and hope that they will see each other again. Part one is a backdoor example of showing human nature in which we read of how they hope to be back together again. The characters are given human emotions as seen throughout the entire novel as well. Part 1 is no different, at times their very unsure of what to do, and at other times such as Ahlaya's despair in realizing that Sita is gone reflects her despair and her failure to keep Sita safe. Sita also is given emotion at points for example when she is given a new identity under the name Sundari Rai. She cried under realizing she had to live under a name and was no longer Sita Ghai. I prefer not to focus on Thomas's emotions because his story does not interest me and the story seems to focus more on Ahlaya and Sita's stories more. Though I will say Thomas's story is developed and from what I've read up on he is given plenty of charcter as well.
DeleteI could not help but feel a sense of respect toward Ahalya and Sita who have had so much tragedy, loss, and an overabundance of misfortune, and who refused to give up, regardless of how karma had set their fate. They began their journey by losing their home and family to a tsunami and are forced to take care of each other. Ahalya steps up as the older sibling to take care of Sita during the tragic event. As they search and find help, they are captured and put to work in a brothel, Ahalya forced to lay with men, and Sita manages to escape this fate through what they believe is their father watching over her. Although Alhalya is rescued by a team in India that fights the sex trade, Sita is sold many times and travels across the world as she is bought by different people. Both dealt with their faith well given the circumstances, and as the head lawyer had said to Thomas Clarke: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” As Thomas Clarke traveled the world to free Sita from her captors and did something to prevent evil from triumphing, and Sita and Ahalya grew stronger instead of weaker from their experiences.
ReplyDelete-ALih
I agree with your opening statement because I have a tremendous amount of respect for these two girls. They have lost everything important in their lives and still were positive and did not give up. After losing their home and loved ones, they were abducted and sold to a sex trade. Alhalya does manage to escape but Sita is still sold many times. The sister separated did still remain to keep their faith and hope. These two incredible characters should be looked up to by all readers everywhere. I for one have been intrigued from the beginning with the strength of these sisters and hope they only get stronger.
Delete-aaci
It’s amazing how any person can have hope in this situation, and yet astonishing how two people can hold on to hope. Ahalya and Sita had no choice but to be sex slaves, yet they still had hope for a chance of a better life outside of slavery. Ahalya was saved by CASE meanwhile, Sita was put into a drug smuggling organization and the light at the end of the tunnel seemed to be getting dimmer. Even though Ahalya is fine now, she still worries about her sister’s safety and freedom. Ahalya and Sita still have hope that they will again be together. Ahalya plants a blue lotus that symbolizes the willpower they both need if they hope to be together again. Something else that struck me was Thomas and Priya’s relationship, since they’re such a weird pair. Thomas and Priya are in the kind of relationship where they always fight but at the end of the day they still love each other. What shocked me even further were the negative remarks Surya made towards Thomas. She says that he took Priya from her family and was better off left alone instead of being with him.
ReplyDelete-MNew
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DeleteI agree with the fact that it is amazing that people can hold onto hope when everything appears hopeless. It is easy to slide down a rode where there is no turning back, but somehow Ahalya and Sita still hold onto hope. Without hope there is nothing. Easily someone in their positions could contemplate suicide. After being raped a woman is robbed of the life she knows. She is violated to a degree we can not understand. At such young ages the sisters bodies were violated in different ways. It's hard to think of life at the end of the tunnel when you can't even see the next day. The blue lotus symbolizes the hope they have. Ahalya and Sita need to focus on each other so they can get through each tragic day. The courage it took for them to have the hope that they did was from deep within their hearts and souls. That symbol was a reminder. Thomas and Priya's relationship could have gotten stronger after the death of their daughter or it could have been the demise of them. When people loose a child it can go either way. By Thomas taking comfort in another woman their relationship was almost over. It wasn't the right thing to do even if Priya's pulled away from him. He should have stood by her no matter what. Death causes people to respond in different ways. If he truly loved her he should have tried his hardest to make it work before giving in to being with another woman. Will there be a new beginning or are they finished?
DeleteCMen
I agree, Ahalya and Sita have gone through unimaginable torture and still mange to hold onto their hope. The rest of their lives are completely out of their control. There is no telling what might happen next and Ahalya seems to understand that quite well. Sita is her main concern and losing her would mean to lose everything that's left of her world. When the brothel is raided by CASE and Sita is missing Ahalya still doesn't give up hope. The amount of human trafficking in India overwhelming for a team like CASE. With little help from the authorities and justice system CASE is all the hope these enslaved women have in a country so corrupt. But the people of CASE understand that every life has meaning. If it means working for no pay and only saving a handful of women every year its worth it. Thomas and Priya's relationship seems to be a mess. After all the hardship they went through Thomas doesn't give up and takes the opportunity with CASE to finally see her again. Hopeful in saving their relationship, Thomas risks it all for a slight chance winning Priya over.
DeleteARai
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DeleteI could not agree more, the fact that any person can still have hope after everything is inspiring. Ahalya and Sita have had it rough losing family and being sex slaves constantly being used as objects can really disturb a woman output on life. For any woman to be raped is horrific for a young girl to go through it, her psyche becomes questioned. Through thick and thin they held on and are still holding on to the hope they have. Although separated their bond is strong and it is shown through the blue lotus that they will once again be reunited. Thomas and Priya lost their daughter many people handle grief differently it can set family apart or bring a closer bond to one another. It is unfortunate that Thomas became close with another woman and brings the relationship in deeper turmoil when Priya is looking upon her love for comfort and care
DeleteBMor
It's hard to understand what encourages people to make others suffer when nothing good will come out of it. In chapter 14 Sita is in Paris working in a restaurant for Navin's aunt. Sita was sold to the Aunt and Uncle for 5000 euros. Her job was to mop, sweep and scrub. These are all tasks everyone has seen done in any restaurant. But in this case once she is finished she has to sleep on the cold floor in the closet and shiver through the night. She was given little to eat. Eventually she became so sick she passed out, and lost several days of work. Wouldn't it have been smarter for the aunt to feed Sita properly and to give her adequate sleeping arrangements such as a bed and heat? She would be able to work better longer and would not loose any time. What came of the Aunt's poor treatment? Nothing. It reminds me of slavery in the south. So many plantation owners treated their slaves poorly and the end result was the slaves died. No one won in that situation either. the plantation owner lost a good worker, his investment and the work didn't get done
ReplyDeleteI agree , I dont understand how some humans can treat other human beings so badly without any feeling of remorse. The fact that the Aunt paid for Sita , it boggles my mind that you would treat Sita so poorly. By abusing Sita , not only is she making her weaker and sick , she also wouldn't get the best work from Sita. Who would want to work for someone treating them that poorly. People normally respond to a happier environment and when treated right work harder because they feel they need to and want to. Sita's environment is horrendous , the Aunt treating her this way is just eye-opening to see how cruel some humans can be. What can the Aunt possibly get out of continuously abusing Sita? A broken down human being who is too sick to work or a worker who is fed up being treated like this and tries to escape
Delete-CPor
Upon reading the first 2 parts , Addison reflects onto a topic that is talked about constantly. The topic is human trafficking, although we here about this all the time , fortunate for us we most likely have never experienced this in our lives. Since this topic is constantly only revealing some details of human trafficking , seeing the horrors Ahalya and Sita encounter are horrifying. The fact that these two girls keep hope that they will be free once again is astonishing. During there capture , Ahalya was saved but it wasn't the same case for Sita. Even after the two sisters are separated , there faith actually grows! There hope for them to meet again and once again have a normal life is there drive to get through everything. Sita , at a mere age of 15 is traded throughout the world to do countless jobs , to be treated like a slave. Ahalya being rescued allows her to plant a blue lotus which symbolizes love , passion and qualities of the heart. The planting of the lotus shows even though Ahalya and Sita are split apart and dont know where each other are , they both still believe they will reunite one day.
ReplyDelete-CPor
Although, you may feel that the topic of human trafficking is talked about constantly, I feel that human trafficking is something that is not talked about or expressed enough. The social media is too busy talking about the lasted fashion trend, they are forgetting about the realness of our world and how people are being abused, after completing just the first two parts of this novel, the realness of human trafficking is revealed truly through both Sita and Ahalya after they are sold into the sex trade. Although it may seem like Ahalya is losing hope that she will never see Sita again, she still has the hope in heart that one day they will be reunited. This moving novel, is a great way to reveal the realness of human trafficking to the world. But the most important message revealed in this novel is hope and faith to never give up. I do agree with you that the blue lotus plant represents Ahalya's hope, love, and passion.
Delete-CCro
I agree with Cro, human trafficking is never spoken about in the news, because it is such a "touchy" topic. you would think you would hear more news reports about human trafficking since it happens so much. That's why the first two parts of this book is so important because if shows the severity of the human traficking when Sita and Ahalya are sold as sex slaves. When Portelli said "Ahalya being rescued allows her to plant a blue lotus which symbolizes love , passion and qualities of the heart. The planting of the lotus shows even though Ahalya and Sita are split apart and don't know where each other are , they both still believe they will reunite one day." I think this is a perfect way to describe the importance of this flower to the girls.
DeleteI was not sure how A Walk Across the Sun by Corbal Addison was going to be. I found the description on the back of the book a bit intimidating- the subject matter touching on situations that could be graphic and violent. At first I thought the book had a slow start, however, it was within the first 100 pages that I was captivated. I was also relieved that thus far we were spared graphic details; that’s not to say the writing is not powerful, moving, and shocking at times, it is.
ReplyDeleteI found the strength and courage of both Ahalya and Sita to be amazing. One could only hope the real life victims of such tragedies can also display such determination and hope. At the start of chapter 16, located on page 225, a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote can be found, “The most dangerous thing is illusion.” While reading I, at times, thought the hope displayed by the girls was just an illusion. For instance, earlier in chapter ten the girls were separated and Sita was trained in ways of transporting heroin. She knew that if the heroin was to break open in her stomach she would die; still she held on to hope that not only would she survive, but she and her sister would somehow be reunited.
-CGar
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ReplyDeleteWhile reading A Walk Across the Sun by Corban Addison I was reminded of how the will to survive is so deeply hidden inside of us. The will to live through tragic events help the Ghai sisters to become stronger. After Ahalya and Sita survive a tsunami and loose their family and home they choose to live and go on. They could have given up out of despair, and they knew they needed help. Though their fate was proven to be devastating they prevailed under terrible circumstances. Even after they were kidnapped, sold into the trafficking industry, and separated they still have the desire to live and the faith to find each other. Sita is sold numerous times and you think Ahalya is never going to find her. Ahalya is raped over and over and Sita has been enslaved as a worthless servant that is not taken care of. They endure horrific measures of pain and suffering trying to survive each day while being threatened. Sita was even used as a heroin smuggler transporting the drugs within her body. Addison describes their tragic lives in detail and we can feel their despair yet they still had hope to be together. As terrible as they felt they were still a comfort to others. When Ahalya was raped she protected Sita and comforted her.When Sita was enslaved at Uncle-ji's she comforted Natalia, the girl from the Ukraine, who was raped. Part of what helps the sisters get through this is the visions of the life they once knew. I am amazed by the courage both sisters displayed. I don't know anyone who could survive the loneliness, despair, anguish, loss and tragedy that Ahalya and Sita did.
ReplyDeleteCMen
These first two parts of the book did detail a lot of destruction- so much loss, yet, like you point out determination to survive. Beyond the natural disaster of the Tsunami that brought total loss of family and home, from there we moved on to the pure torture that the kidnapping brings. Although the book is fiction, the story is eye opening. There are countless Ahalya’s and Sita’s out there. In this story the girls were able to comfort and somewhat protect one another; its doubtful real life victims have that support system. I guess we could hope that every Natalia out there has a Sita to comfort her.
DeleteWhile I agree that hope and courage are the constants throughout, again I can’t help but wonder about the real life faceless victims this book brings light to. I agree with you completely that I just don’t know anyone could survive the loneliness, despair, anguish, loss, and tragedy that Ahalya and Sita did.
-CGar
The first two parts of Addison's novel, A Walk Across the Sun, have been eye-opening to me. I find the atrocities of human trafficking horrifying. What is more horrifying is how little attention it receives in the media. It is gratifying to witness the confidence that both Ahalya and Sita both demonstrate throughout these chapters. First, the devastating tsunami tore apart these families. These girls are then taken, used for sexual and labor purposes, then split apart but somehow still remain optimistic that one day they will reunite. I enjoyed the symbolism that Addison uses with the blue lotus flower and the promise bracelet that Ahalya gave to Thomas. I feel that these symbols will play a bigger role as the novel progresses. The quote in the beginning of Chapter 15 stuck out to me upon finishing the chapter. "As a person acts in life, so he becomes." - Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. We watched Thomas grow in chapter 15 in a number of ways. He made it a point to go see Ahalya while she was at The Sisters of Mercy home and received that promise bracelet from her and found out the true meaning of it from Priya. Thomas had acted brave in telling Alayha he would do everything he possibly can to find her sister. Thomas then became that person in the closing of Part 2 by going to France to live up to his promise.
ReplyDelete-DBey
The first two parts of the novel were eye opening for me as well. It is crazy to think that human trafficking occurs without anyone reading about it in the media. It is mind boggling to know that human trafficking occurs daily in other countries including ours. The thought of Ahalya & Sita being sold into a brothel is beyond horrific. Both girls were unaware of Suchir's plan for them which only increased their fear and terror. I agree with your point about symbolism being present throughout this novel. The lotus flower shows that Ahalya believed that one day she and Sita will be reunited. The lotus flower symbolizes the never faltering hope of these two girls, regardless of their obstacles. After reading chapter 15, I too, saw a bit of change in Thomas. Thomas made a promise that he would do whatever he can to help find Sita. When he went to France, I truly believe that Thomas changed since the first chapter of the book. He has more courage and now he is putting all efforts into finding Sita. After a lead he received from Navin, Thomas is going into a country that he barely knows and has an unlikely chance in finding her.
DeleteAfter reading part 2 of Walk Across the Sun it made me realize how important family actually is. The sisterly bond that Ahalya and Sita has is one of the main reasons they are able to prevail. After the tsunami its all that they have remaining of their life and their memorizes. In the Bombay brothel Ahalya is willing to sacrifice her body to a customer rather than her sister. Love is when your willing to put others before you put yourself, and that's exactly what Ahalya intends on doing for her sister. Being the older sister Ahalya is forced to take on a lot of responsibility regarding herself and her sister. No one else is going to look after Sita the way Ahalya will. For two young girls to lose their mother at such a young age is a tragedy for their development into mature adults. Even though Ahalya isn't much older than Sita she must fill the position of being a mother to ensure Sitas safety and to comfort her. Transitioning from their lives in the past to the present reminds them not to take anything for granted. Even though their lives were ruined, they are still lucky to have a strong sisterly bond. Ahalya and Sita are everything to each other. I hope that this bond remains strong and neither of them give up their hope.
ReplyDeleteARai
I completely agree with everything you have said. Ahalya was still young when her parents died, and she had so much responsibility to assume so quickly. Not only did the sisters loose their parents, but they also lost everything they had including their home. Ahalya, even though going through a very hard time herself, made sure her sister was taken care of. The love that is shared between these two girls is unparalleled by any other bond I have seen. Their close relationship, along with their ability to look on the brighter side of things, is one of the main reasons they are still living through these horrible events. Their unyielding hope is also an essential part of them overcoming this horrible experience. Ahalya, like you said, even gave her self up in the brothel just so her sister wouldn’t have to be sexually abused. I found this to be such an incredible act of selflessness and courage that I respect greatly.
DeleteUpon completing the first two parts of Addison's novel, A Walk Across the Sun, I realized the horrifying realness of sex trafficking. This novel truly depicts how horrifying human sex trafficking is. The message that is revealed from the start of the novel is the bond and love that two sisters have for each other. A horrific tsunami destroys everything and destroys Ahalya and Sita's family. The sisters have nothing left but the clothes on their backs. On their way to find shelter, they are kidnapped, sold into trafficking and then split apart. But even through this horrendous time Ahalya and Sita still have hope that one day they will live to something better and become reunited. I was truly amazed, how strong two young girls are, after being sexual abused and separated. I would have thought they would have given up. But this theme of hope portrayed throughout the first two parts of this touching novel. Human trafficking is something that should be taken more seriously and this novel, is a great way to spread it with the world.
ReplyDelete-CCro
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DeleteI completely agree with everything you're saying. In my eyes the Ghai sisters are the two strongest characters in the book. Despite having lost their family in the storm, despite being sold into trafficking, depite being brutalized by people only driven by money, despite being at the core of such evil they remain hopeful. I think it mostly has to do with how they were raised and taught by their father no matter how difficult things get, they must keep hope. I also agree with the fact that the book shows the true horror of human trafficking in the world. the idea that people would treat other human beings so shamefully, and then sell them as if they were objects left me dumbfounded. When all is said and done I feel that the book delivered some powerful messages in the first section and I look forward to finding out what happens in the coming chapters.
DeleteAfter reading the first two parts of Addison's tragic novel, I am completely inspired by Ahalya and Sita's extraordinary gift of hope. After losing their home and family from a devastating tsunami, the girls were determined to find help. Sadly, they were captured and sold into human trafficking and used for sex and labor. Shortly after, the girls become separated however; they never lose hope that someday they will be reunited and together again. To a certain extent, the girls remind me of Bethia and her dreams of someday becoming educated and equal to men. After the deaths of her mother, sister, brother, and father, Bethia never gave up, she went to college and she fulfilled her dreams. I wonder if Ahalya and Sita will fulfill their dreams and goals throughout the novel like Bethia did. Will they remain persistent and reunite or will they break down and never see each other again?
ReplyDelete-DFes
Ahalya and Sita’s “gift for hope” is truly outstanding. Likewise, I too find myself admiring their outstanding trait. Even at such a young age, these girls possess an overwhelming amount of hope and courage. I would never be able to stay as strong and determined as these girls have. Their desire to reunite is remarkable. They look past all the devastation that surrounds them, and focus on the belief that they will see each other once again. Also, I am able to see the connection you have made to Bethia. Even though the odds are stacked against her, Bethia never gives up. Her hope never fades. She is persistent and continues to chase her dream. Like the Ghai sisters, she has faced her fair share of wreckage and death. She stood strong and accomplished her goals. I hope Ahalya and Sita are able to do the same. I am hopeful that through the help of Thomas, the two will be able to reunite and begin to rebuild themselves from the ongoing torture they suffer from.
Delete-KRos
To be honest the courage Ahalya and Sita showed was very surprising. Unfortunately for these poor girls their family was killed during the tsunami. This horrible storm also destroyed their home and the girls were left to fend for themselves. They tried making a journey to the convent where they attend school.They are abducted almost immediately and sold to a Mumbai brothel owner, beginning a hellish descent into the bowels of the sex trade. Ahalya still stayed strong for Sita after being raped in order to give Sita hope.The efforts to keep hope alive were shattered when Sita was taken away from Ahalya. Poor Sita was being sent to numerous countries. Ahalya was brought to Sister Ruth knowing that her poor sister is off somewhere. Even through all this the sisters had a little bit of hope left that they will one day see each other again.That reminded me of the quote "Hope may vanish, but can die not," at the beginning of chapter 17. It shows the will of the girls to still have hope that they will live a normal life again. I feel that after all they been through it would have killed their hope but they stay strong.
ReplyDelete-SNic
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ReplyDeleteCan you say awe inspiring? Upon reading the first 2 sections of Addison’s thrilling novel, I cannot help but to feel the pain of the two young Ghai sisters. I cannot imagine having to transfer from my ordinary life to suddenly being homeless and introduced to the dreadful world of human trafficking. Both Ahalya and Sita are kidnapped and sold into the trafficking industry and yet, they remain driven by hope. Hope is a trait most of us possess, but in times of misfortune, our hope begins to wither. These girls are a genuine example of the strength and endurance it takes to make it through a tough time. The girls are separated and Sita is sold numerous times, each time having to suffer unspeakable torture such as rape, abuse, and drug smuggling. Even when faced with there horrific happenings, the girls strive to survive and to one day reunite. I find myself developing a strong admiration towards their will to survive, their will to do what ever is necessary to get themselves out of this calamity. After being introduced to Thomas, my optimism that the girls will reunite had been shaken. Thomas realizes the numbers are against him. Finding these girls will be no walk in the park. Will the girls ever reunify? I am confident that Thomas will do everything in his power to settle this case and make two halves whole once again.
ReplyDelete-KRos
Seriously Kevin, the relationship between the two sisters is just totally amazing. I think that their real hopefulness is completely driven by their great love for each other. I think that Ahalya and Sita are just the prime example of how people should act when they are in a situation of desparation. No matter how difficult life can become, we must keep that ongoing hopefulness within us strong. I feel that although Thomas is just a symbol of hope in the novel. He gives reassures Ahalya's hope for finding Sita, and although it will be very tough, it could most definitely happen. Thomas knows that it is going to be a tough journey to rescue Sita but he is so selflessly willing to try. Thomas is endangering his own life trying to rescue Sita. I am just really hoping that everything will turn out for the best for Thomas and the Ghai sisters.
Delete-WHard
I completely agree with you Kevin. The relationship between the sisters is completely awe-inspiring. No matter the hardships they faced they never gave up hope. While most people would give up in their situation they never waver. Their hope is based on the love they have for each other and their unbreakable bond. I also agree that Thomas being introduced made me believe the girls reuniting might not happen. He is doing everything he can, but the odds are stacked against him. This shows that maybe hope and determination isn't enough. Tom may be risking his life, but how far can that take him. Even so, Tom still never gives up and gives it his all to help the sisters and to give them a better life. He believes that he accomplish his goal and help this pair of troubled sisters find a better life. So, much like the sisters and Tom I believe that the sisters will eventually be together again.
Delete-SPic
Part 1 and 2
ReplyDeleteThroughout the first two sections of the book, I was shocked as to how many tragic events had occurred to Ahalya and SIta. It started when the storm had taken their family away from them, then continued when they were kidnapped and sold to Suchir. Under his watch they were tortured physically and spiritually brutalized, especially Ahalya as she was the one who was forced to sleep with strange men and "lost her purity." Even when rescued by CASE, their suffering continued because Sita had been sold and taken by Navin. Under any other circumstance a person would lose hope, and their were moments when I believe that all the main characters lost hope within their situations; Ahalya with her sister and Thomas trying to recover the broken relationship with his wife Priya. However I feel that Ahalya still kept hope, shown symbolically when she grew the lotus flower, and when she then gave Thomas her bracelet meaning that he promised to bring back Sita. I look forward in finding out if Thomas will keep his promise and reunite the sisters.
-JAss
After reading parts 1 and 2 the characters of Ahalya and Sita were believed to be ones of faith, hope, and courage. After the natural disaster destroyed their homeland, the 2 were left homeless but never lost hope in returning to their normal lives. This storm killed the family members and left the girls all alone. Tragically, the two were later captured and sold to sex trafficking. After being abused in this type of business, the two remained positive. As a reader I have no idea how thy remained so strong and positive after being moved and sold so many times. Eventually they were separated and showed a little sign of being lost but even then they kept their hope and strength. I was in absolute awe that they were so strong through all of this, but I also had hope that they would be reunited and happy once again.
ReplyDelete-aaci
I agree with the points you make here as it is surprising how much hope and faith they have that things will get better. Their lives have been destroyed by the tsunami initially yet they continue to believe they can return to their normal lives. It seems hard to believe they can have a normal life as they knew it, however, it is crucial that they continue to have faith and hope. By using what their parents told and taught them they are bracing where they have ended up despite the bleak looking outcome. Ahalya is freed from the brothel and plants a lotus plant to symbolize this hope. Thus the meaning of the quote "O thou lord of life, send my roots rain" becomes clear. It means that the possibility of the lotus growing shows the growing hope that Sita will return to Ahalya and they will be reunited once more. Their strength here is something to look up to as I'm not sure all would be as strong in the face of such hardships.
Delete-DD'Am
Human sex trafficking has become a worldwide issue. This horrible crime is affecting so many young girls in every part of the world, even though some places more than others. The first two parts of the novel clearly validate this fact. After the loss of their parents in a terrible tsunami, Ahalya and Sita are out in the world alone. These sisters hope to return to a state of normalcy, however, the complete opposite occurs. They were stripped of their freedom when they were abducted and taken to a different and unseemly world. They were sold into a Mumbai brothel, and were opened up to the evil terrors that occurred there almost immediately. After experiencing just the beginning of the horrors, Sita was taken away from her sister. The two girls became caught up in the human sex trafficking ring, separated from each other. Their streak of bad luck was not only undeserved but it’s inhumane. Their courage and undying sense of hope to be reunited inspires me that even though they are enduring such terrible times, things will hopefully get better.
ReplyDelete-TBru
I agree, the sex trafficking has become a worldwide issue and its terrible there is not much media attention exposing this horrible epidemic. It is terrible to read as these two sisters are put down time and time again. Ahalya and Sita were inspiring throughout these two parts. It was unbelievable to see how much these sisters went through and somehow they seem to remain hopeful that one day life will bring them back together and show them some bit of mercy for what they have gone through. I am excited and hopeful that some bit or relief is to come for the girls in the next parts of this novel.
Delete-DBey
As I continue to read this novel A Walk Across the Sun we find out what is going on with the girls in Suchir’s brothel. We also know that Thomas is now involved with CASE to help rescue girls that were kidnapped and sold for prostitution. As I continue to read I started to find out that Suchir sold Sita to Navin who brought her to his uncles restaurant in Paris, France to do different chores. Forty minutes before she was sold from the brothel Thomas and Greer lead a raid on the brothel and rescued the girls but didn’t see Sita. Greer arrested Suchir and he confessed that Navin bought her and he will be back to make additional payments. When they find this out they wait near the brothel and have Suchir trick Navin and they arrest Navin and try to get him to talk and he confesses that she is in her uncles restaurant in Paris, France. I felt hopeless and scared for Sita in this part of the book because she was taken away from her sister and doesn’t know where she will end up.
ReplyDelete- ASar
As I continue to read this novel we find out that Thomas had made a promise with Ahalya that he will find her sister so Ahalya gave him the bracelet that Sita made for her. Thomas then is aware when Priya tells him that it means that the man is her brother and he is bound to act in her defense. Knowing this he then meets Julie in Paris, France looking for Sita. He asks this owner of an Indian restaurant and the owner brought Thomas to a friend and he didn’t recognized her photo. He tells Julie to meet at the Indian restaurant he asked and the waitress recognized the photo and brought them to where Sita was but it was too late because they had already moved her to the United States. As we get closer to the end they found the safe house that Sita and other girls were being held and they rescued the girls and when Thomas brought Sita back to Ahalya they ran and hugged each other. After the celebration Thomas finds out that Priya’s father has accepted Thomas because of what he did. As I read closer to the end of this novel I felt excited that they finally found Sita and that she was ok.
ReplyDelete-ASar
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ReplyDeleteAfter finishing parts 1 and 2 I was left in shock. How could a series of events so devastating happen to such harmless girls. First the Tsunami, then being sold as basically slaves, and last being split up with your only family. Ahalya and Sita automatically show courage and hope. Knowing that they are orphans, you would think that they would be in a state of mind that does not give them any hope in a future. On top of that, once they are sold into Suchir's Brothel they still keep hope that everything will be ok. Ahalya gives strength to Sita when they first arrive at the brothel, but after Ahalya is called for a customer, you see Sita start to give strength to Ahalya and telling her that it will be ok. When Thomas joined case to raid the brothel I found a sense of hope that Ahalya and Sita are going to be able to start their lives, but I was totally thrown off when Sita was gone and sold to Navin. This changed my mood and all my hope was lost. Navin's plans for Sita were as bad as the Brothel in my opinion but not being with your only family member made it even worse. At the end of part 2 when Thomas makes a promise with ahalya to do whatever he can to help find Sita my mood started to change once again giving me hope that Thomas would be able to find Sita. As you can see these two parts changed my emotions as the series of events unfold, just as Ahalya and Sita's emotions changed.
ReplyDelete-MTra
While reading A Walk Across The Sun I realized how strong people can become in the face of adversity. There are no better examples than Ahayla, Sita, and Thomas. The novel starts off with a devastating tsunami which destroys the lives and homes many, but leaves Ahayla and Sita homeless and orphans. After the tsunami the sisters are abducted and sold to a brothel. Ahaylas courage truly shows when she is being taken to be raped by Shankar. She doesn't fight because she doesn't want Sita to when it's her turn, or she could get hurt. Thomas Clarke witnesses a kidnapping, and is so moved by it he takes a sabbatical to Bombay to help fight human trafficking. Ahayla is saved, but after Sita was sold once again. Ahayla never gives up hope that her sister will be found and plants a lotus to present to her when she is found.
ReplyDelete-JGia
Ahalya and Sita are incredibly strong characters. They endure some of the worst suffering imaginable. The worst part is that right before CASE is going to do a raid on Suchir’s brothel, Sita is bought by Navin and transported out of the country. It’s sad that Sita was still suffering but at least Ahalya was saved. Every little bit counts. I admire Ahalya: she took her inevitable pain and did what she can to cope while at the same time trying to protect her younger sister. I feel that it is an older sibling’s responsibility to protect their younger brothers/sisters. I feel that Thomas is a good guy but I feel bad for him since the lawyer group he was with tried to throw him under the bus and that his wife had left him. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I were in his position. However I started to not feel bad for him when he cheated on his wife with Tera. Despite that I admire his passion for protecting others after witnessing a kidnapping in the United States. If I saw something like that myself I would also flip out and do whatever I can to help.
Delete-LLun
It's difficult to understand what drives people to make others suffer when nothing good will come in result. In chapter 14 Sita, is in Paris working in a restaurant for Navin's aunt. Sita was then sold to the Aunt and Uncle for 5000 euros. Her job was to do nothing but clean. These are all basic anyone has witnessed in a restaurant. But in her “special” case, once she is done cleaning, she then has to sleep in the freezing cold floor with little to eat. Eventually she became very ill, to the point that she had passed out. Wouldn't it have been smarter to feed Sita adequately and to give her a bed? She would be able to work at a much more efficient pace. Nothing had come in result to the terrible treatment.
ReplyDelete- CShe
Reading of what hard times Alphya and Sita have gone through makes me give sympathy for children around the world that have gone through underground sex trafficking. It is a shame that anybody can be so heartless towards another human being to take their freedom and basically crush it. Given that Alphya and Sita have gone through so much pain and sorrow still pick their heads up and keep holding on to the belief that their pain will end and they will live a happier life. This is very inspiring and eye opening to us the readers to appreciate what we have and to never take anything like our freedom for granted. As Icontinued reading I began to feel that there is no hope for the poor children however, when Thomas was successful in rescuing Alphya but was too late for Sita gave me that feeling that everything will be okay soon as Thomas makes it his mission to save Sita.
ReplyDelete-BMor
I totally agree with you. I find it hard to believe that sex trafficking goes on in our world and feel terrible for all those affected. None of their lives will ever be the same afterwards, if they even escape, which unfortunately most do not. It takes somebody with absolutely no heart to take away another persons rights and freedoms as a human being, all to be sold for personal gain. The worst part is people grow to accept it and not see it as doing anything wrong. In the brothel Ahayla and Sita were first brought to, I was disgusted when the father bought Ahayla for his sons birthday gift. The son saw nothing wrong with it, because that's the way there culture is. Ahayla tried all she could to prevent Sita from being sold, even offering herself as a replacement so Sita wouldn't lose her innocence. In the end Sita is sold. Anaya is them rescued by CASE agent Thomas Clarke and the hunt for Sita begins.
DeleteA Walk Across the Sun not only addresses but also attacks a subject that most
ReplyDeletepeople cringe at when mentioned: Human Trafficking, Sex Trade and Slavery. While
many turn a blind eye, author Corban Addison dives right in and challenges the
subject head-on. Although the story in and of itself is fictitious, the
devastating tragedies it portrays certainly is not. It is very real in the world
we live in today. Human trafficking is a in humane practice and must be stopped.
Addison fully shows this through the characters in his book.
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DeleteIt is incredibly appalling how these two sisters, Ahalya and Sita Ghai, can keep so much hope in such difficult situations. The sisterly love between the two girls is evident right from the beginning of the novel. I find it horribly ironic that in the beginning of the novel that their longtime housekeeper does something called ‘the kolam ritual’ which is a prayer to Lakshmi, the hindu goddess of fortune, for an auspicious day. This ritual is clearly the complete opposite of what happens to the girls and their family. It’s completely baffling how humans have really no control against the forces of nature. Here in this part of the novel we see some what of a comparison between natural and super natural forces and the devastating tsunami shows that natural forces outweighs the supernatural forces completely. Life is truly unpredictable how one minute these girls have perfect plans to be together for the day with their and the next minute they are being shipped around the world and separated. Although they are separated it seems they have an unbreakable, elastic bond that no situation can break. I find it interesting for Thomas’ story because in a sense his story parallels the girls in the sense that he is also looking for hope in his slowly dying relationship. I feel Thomas’ quest to help the Ghai sisters is in a way to him a way to reconcile with his own personal battles.
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ReplyDeleteI am completely shocked after reading the first two parts of Addison's work. When I bought this book I really had no idea what to expect. I was just stunned to find out that this work is all about human sex trade, and slavery. At first I felt great pity for the sisters when the tsunami struck. The thought of that experience alone is completely terrifying, but that was unfortunately only the beginning of their journey. I was amazed by the strength that the sisters had and how they were able to be there for each other in the darkness of the brothel. It was such a tragedy when the sisters were separated because all they had left was each other. The sisters symbolize and represent the importance of family relationships because your family will always be there for you. I felt I could really relate to them because I am really close with all 3 of my brothers.
ReplyDeleteThomas is one of the most determined characters I've ever read about. I am surprised how he is willing to take a leave from his job and just travel the across globe to work for such a noble organization and to win back the love of his wife. I am unsure what to expect for when they are in Paris.
-WHard
I too agree with you on the determination of Thomas’ character. It shows his bravery how he wishes to help the Ghai sisters half way across the world, unknown if he could really help them. I believe this shows how much Thomas really is determined to help them, especially when he takes a leave from his job. That’s not something easy to do especially the fact that he’s been having personal problems with his wife. I think the determination of him helping these two girls against all odds also reflects that he is also determined to finally piece his marriage together and win back his wife’s love, as you said. To me I feel like it would be really hard to recover from the death of a child, and would be even harder if your marriage was teetering on ending. Thomas sort of makes it difficult for himself when he has the one night stand and his wife finds out.
Delete-DVa
I totally agree with your statement about how the sisters being a symbol for the importance of family relationships. The two sisters have been through the worst events imaginable together, and they keep going and keep their hopes up because they are staying strong for each other. When Ahalya and Sita are seperated, Sita is surviving because she knows that Ahalya would want her to stay strong and get through this. Even though Sita is being treated horrible, she wants to get through it so she could maybe see her sister one day. Also, I agree with you when you say Thomas is a very determined character. He is literally going around the world to try to keep his promise he made with Ahalya. There is another upside to keeping his promise; Priya is gaining her respect back for him because he is helping those in need, and he isn't even getting paid for it. If he finds Sita, he will make both Ahalya and Priya happy, and that will in return make him happy and all of this work will pay off.
DeleteAs Addison's story progresses, the story of Ahalya and Sita take some interesting turns. Just as hope seems to be restored and Suchir's brothel is raided enabling Ahalya to be free of the wretched sex trade, Sita is taken away to Paris. Yes, it did seem much too early in the book for any sort of resolution to their problem, I did not expect the problem to complicate as much as they did. Thomas' determination to this cause shows that one person can in some cases make some sort of a difference although whether he will succeed or not is yet to be seen. The admirable trait of the sisters is their undying faith and hope that they will be returned to each other and as much a regular life as they can have seeing as their house was destroyed. They have been given much reason to despair and lose all hope yet they do not. This is seen as Ahalya gives Thomas a bracelet to give to Sita and she plants a lotus plant in hope that she will return. I think that the story took a more interesting yet somewhat tragic turn in the second part of this story. Despite the hope the sisters have their predicament seems more difficult than ever and it is unclear what will happen and if Thomas can get Sita back. I look forward to reading the third and fourth sections and am looking forward to seeing what Paris has in store for Thomas.
ReplyDelete-DD'Am
I agree with you on many of the points you have made. It is truly incredible how through all the horrific events that took place, Sita and Ahalya still have hope that they will see each other and live a happy life. It hasn't been long at all and Sita and Ahalya have already seen and been through too much. They went from seeing their parents dead to being thrown in a brothel to being completely separated from each other. Meanwhile, Thomas is doing whatever he can to find Sita and reunite her with Ahalya. However, I disagree with the point you made of Sita feeling relieved that she is being taken to Paris. Sita is definitely feeling very lonely and scared for she is separated from her sister for the first time. "For Sita, Paris was a dungeon of suffocation and toil" (Addison 205). However, Sita is definitely relieved that she was brought to Paris for any reason other then to be used for sex.
Delete-AGir
After finishing part 2, I am dismayed at how much trouble these girls have been through in such a short time. After seeing their whole family die, the girls are taken to Suchir's brothel, a place where they are completely vulnerable to being "rented" for the use of sex. They are then separated as Sita is bought and taken to Paris against her will. What I find most appalling isn't what the sisters have been through, but how they still have strong hope and faith that they will still see each other and live a happy life even though they are several thousand miles away from each other. This is symbolized by Ahalya's planting of the lotus flower and Sita's always holding Haruman close to her. Meanwhile, Thomas is doing whatever he can in order to gain as much information as he can on the location of Sita. He too still has strong faith that he will be able to reunite the two sisters. Part 2 ends with Sita overhearing a conversation that she thinks will have to do with her relocation to another area. Sita is scared but still has strong faith that everything will be ok. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the book to see what will happen with Sita and where she will end up next.
ReplyDelete-AGir
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DeleteYou have made some very valid points in this post. I also sympathize greatly for these two young women. It is eye opening to even imagine having to be taken to a brothel directly after losing their family. In general, being sexually abused like Ahalya and Sita would permanently damage the souls of a very large percentage of women. Most women would probably lose all hope and faith that they had in living a happy life directly after being forced into a brothel. It is simply amazing how these two young women continue to fight for their happiness after all that they've been through!
Delete-NBow
I found that a lot occurred in the first two sections of Addison's work. I found that a common point for our three main protagonists as of now: Thomas Clarke, Ahalya and Sita Ghai. That one common thing was horror and pain at the loss of a loved one. In Ahalya and Sita's case, they lost their entire family in the blink of an eye to a horrible tsunami, and as for Thomas he felt the pain of losing his new-born daughter and becoming agonized by the grief he felt whenever he thought of his wife, whom had left him shortly after the incident. Shortly after the tsunami, Ahalya and Sita are sold into being sex slaves and Ahalya is violated several times. Thomas witnesses and fails to stop an abduction of a little girl and this haunts him for some time after the incident and he is eventually sent away from his work on leave to hunt down these kind of traffickers with the group called CASE. This leads to Thomas and the CASE group raiding a brothel where Ahalya and Sita are being held. Sita is taken and this starts Thomas's hunt to rescue this one girl.
ReplyDeleteA walk across the sun by Corban Addison starts with the terrible event of a tsunami destroying the home and killing the family of the two main characters Ahalya and Sita. While this might seem like the worst thing that could happen to someone it only gets worse for these two young girls. They are abducted and sold into the sex trade. I admire the fact that even though it seems nothing could get worse these girls still have hope. Thomas is the other main character in this work, he is an American Lawyer in India working with a group that goes by the name of CASE, CASE is a group of people devoted to stopping the sex trade. One day during a raid on a brothel in Bombay Thomas finds Ahalya when they question her about the whereabouts of her sister she tells them that she was taken away shortly before the raid. By the end of part two I was hopeful because Thomas makes it his mission to find Sita.
ReplyDeleteUpon reflection of the first two parts of Addison's novel, we learn about the horrifying circumstances that Ahalya and Sita are forced to live under. After being hit with a tsunami and losing both their home and their family, one may believe that life couldn't get any worse for these two girls. After being separated from each other shortly after being subjected to the brothel, the only thing each of these girls have left is hope in themselves. Even when it seems as if there is no hope left for both of these girls, they continue to fight through it as much as they can under such horrible circumstances. To me, I can look at both Ahalya and Sita as an inspiration. They have the ability to teach me to keep fighting through whatever battle I am faced with, and to always keep my head up. As I continue to read, I have a great respect for Thomas because he is an individual who never gives up in his efforts to fight for what he believes in. This helps me to believe that he will be successful in his efforts to find Sita.
ReplyDelete-NBow
Upon reflection of the first two parts of Addison's novel, we learn about the horrifying circumstances that Ahalya and Sita are forced to live under. After being hit with a tsunami and losing both their home and their family, one may believe that life couldn't get any worse for these two girls. After being separated from each other shortly after being subjected to the brothel, the only thing each of these girls have left is hope in themselves. Even when it seems as if there is no hope left for both of these girls, they continue to fight through it as much as they can under such horrible circumstances. To me, I can look at both Ahalya and Sita as an inspiration. They have the ability to teach me to keep fighting through whatever battle I am faced with, and to always keep my head up. As I continue to read, I have a great respect for Thomas because he is an individual who never gives up in his efforts to fight for what he believes in. This helps me to believe that he will be successful in his efforts to find Sita.
ReplyDelete-NBow
The number one thing that astounded me the most in the first 2 parts of the novel is the hope that Ahalya and Sita have that they will be free. After having a tsunami kill their family and then being kidnapped and sold into the sex trade the girls still keep hope that someone will save them. One of the more disturbing things about parts 1 and 2 is how horrible the traffickers are towards the girls. They keep them locked away all day in tiny rooms and feed them bad food and then they dress them up so they could lose their innocence for profit. The girls are simply told that this is their life now and to forget their families and to move on. As I continue to read I can only hope that Thomas and CASE save these girls and put an end to their captors business.
ReplyDelete-MGal
I too was amazed on how the two sisters kept there hope throughout all that had happened to them in the first two sections of the novel. With them being locked up in tiny cells that were not kept in the best conditions to being dressed in clothes that took their innocence away made me feel sad for them. I felt bad on how there life had taken a drastic turn for the worse. As a reader I can only hope for them to be saved from the horrors of the sex trafficking by Thomas also. The fact that both Ahalya and Sita held out this long without going crazy and losing their hope makes me think further along in the novel they will be free.
Delete-NSco
After reading the first 2 parts of A Walk Across the Sun, I can see that the blackmarket and sex trade is not only in third world countries, and that the people involved are totally ruthless and have no mercy. Ramesh, the man who first sold Ahalya and Sita, knew that their whole family was just killed by a horrible tsunami, and instead of helping them, he tricked them and was able to make money off tif them. Thomas shows he is very brave and noble when he leaves his job to work for free to help another country stop the sex trade. I believe what made his do this was the kidnapping he saw. Sita and Ahalya are also very brave because they are going through the sex trade and they are staying strong, but not for themselves; they are staying strong for each other. Even when they are seperated, Sita tells us that she is staying strong because that is what Ahalya would do. Also, even though she is not being raped anymore like her sister, her journey is equally as horrible; she smuggled drugs, travelling against her will, working long hours, being starved, and has to watch all the other girls be abused. Also, her failed excape attempts are starting to make her lose hope. As the book progresses, I can see why Corban Addison split the chapters fmor one story to the other, because I feel eventually he is going to get them to intertwine.
ReplyDeleteSo far I like A Walk Across the Sun better than Caleb’s Crossing. Addison’s work is much easier to read and has a modern tone and setting that someone can possibly relate to today, unlike Brook’s work. I also find the main characters (Thomas, Ahalya, and Sita) to be relatable and easy to become attached to. However I was appalled at how gruesome the book has turned out to be in Parts 1 and 2. Almost immediately Ahalya and Sita’s family is gone. Shortly after they are abducted and sold. Who could put a price on a human being? Some sick people apparently. I knew this kind of stuff happened in the world and that the real world is a really cruel place but it made me not like this book that much. The book has very depressing moments in it where the girls are being sold and sold again and again until they reach Suchir’s brothel and Ahalya is put on display like a piece of merchandise in a mall. She is bought and raped. There are quite a few points where I actually had to put the book down since the content bothered me so much. Violence and criminal things typically don’t bother me (Goodfellas is a great movie) but seeing something happen to a child angers me.
ReplyDelete-LLun
Throughout the first two sections of the book a series of unfortunate events happen to Ahalya and Sita. I was shocked on how quickly the book went from tragedy to tragedy within a short time. The book began with a tsunami that had destroyed there home land which left the two sisters homeless and orphaned. They were then sold into a human sex trafficking thing in which they were abused physically and spiritually. I learned that this act of selling young girls into sex trade is common which came as a surprise to me while reading. Both Ahalya and Sita were sold to a person named Suchil and from there the two sisters were separated. What really left me in Awe was how they both stayed so strong and still kept there hope throughout what happened.
ReplyDelete-NSco
I agree that i was surprised by the constant tragedy's that happened, especially since they all occurred very quickly within a the book. Unlike Caleb's crossing, which was very predictable and yet stable throughout the book, i was taken back by the sudden
Deleterush of negative events. Moreover, i was also appalled by the fact that the sex trade was such a common business; the government in Bombay would give the people lesser sentences for taking part in it, which is completely stupid. Also i agree that both Ahalya and Sita definitely showcased a huge amount of bravery in remaining hopeful of their desperate situation.
-DLar
After reading the first two parts of the book, I was absolutely stunned by the amount of hope that the two girls have. Ahalya and Sita never give up no matter what the obstacle was. Even though it was one misfortunate event after another. First they lost their family in the tsunami and were left alone. After that the man named Ramesh took advantage of these girls and led them to believe he was helping them. However, he tricked them and they were sold into human trafficking and used for sex and labor. Even though they were stuck in this awful situation they never gave up hope. Even the two sisters being separated didn't diminish the amount of hope these two girls had. They keep on believing no matter the odds and look towards a better future. In a way the girls remind me of Bethia who never gave up even after losing her entire family. She never gave up and went to college to fulfill her dreams. This leads me to believe that maybe one day with their hope and their determination Ahalya and Sita can be reunited again and finally live better lives.
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ReplyDeletePart 2 of this book definitely captivated my attention. I was interested in the fact that Sita was transported to Paris from the the infamous red light districts of Bombay. In a book where the whole concept is based on sex trafficking, Sita is sent to go work as a housemaid...it didn't really add up to well. Regardless of this, I was amazed by Sita's inability to say anything to the police once she arrived in Paris if i was being trafficked as a slave and had the chance to speak to authorities, i wouldve spoke up asap as they most likely would help you. Though i do admire Sita's profound hope in the midst of all she went through, even as she was being treated like an animal, she still allowed herself to remain positive. Furthermore, I was generally upset when the police released Navin on bail as it seemed that the entire police force of Bombay was corrupt. Lastly i respected Ahahlya's willingness to be reintroduced back into society even as her life was completely destroyed.
ReplyDelete-DLar
Part 2 was definitely interesting and not boring. I was amazed at the hope and courage that Ahayla and Sita showed. These young girls lost their mother,father, and most loved ones to a tragic storm. The trend seems to be that once the success is in sight something tragic happens and takes away everything they have been working for. Ahayla is my favorite character because of the lotus flower. This shows that no matter how dim the circumstances are she will always keep hope. As much as i like the characters Ahayla and sita, i feel the same amount of dislike for Ramesh and Navish. Navish disturbingly trains Sita for sex trade by making her eat grapes whole without chewing. Ramesh takes advantage of two very vulnerable girls. The girls are tricked into making them believe that they where being helped but in reality were tricked and ended up being sold into human slave trade.
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