Critical Thinking Question: How does this text deal with individuals and groups? Are the people acting alone and in competition with one another, or does the text help us imagine people working together?

“A long walk to water” by Linda Sue Park definitely shows the relationship

between individuals and groups. Throughout the book one of the main characters, Salva goes through times when he is alone because he was left behind by multiple groups. After reading a good chunk of the book it is clear to see that A long walk to water shows how people may work together or abandon each other.

An example in the book that demonstrates how groups of people of which you don’t know too well can be so helpful is on page 9. After walking around by himself for hours he finally sees people he knows, “Salva wandered around until he heard the words ‘Loun-Ariik! The village of Loun-Ariik, here!’ Relief flooded through him. That was his village! He hurried toward the sound of the voice. A dozen or so people stood in a loose group at the side of the road. Salva scanned their faces. There was no one from his family. He recognized a few people a women with a baby, two men, a teenage girl-but no one he knew well. Still, it was comforting to see them.” This scene shows how helpful it can be to be with a group even though you don’t quite know them. If I was in Salva’s situation I would too be very happy to see people that I’ve seen in my neighborhood.  

The author continues to illustrate what it is like to be in a group when the old woman tells Salva she will be leaving him on page 18. “On the fourth day, the old woman told him that she was leaving. ‘you  have seen that the pond is only a puddle now. Winter is coming, and the dry season. And this fighting.’ She nodded her head in the direction of the noise. ‘I will go to a different village near water. You cannot stay with me any longer.’ Salva stared at her as panic rose inside him. Why can’t I go with her? The woman spoke again before he could ask aloud. ‘The soldiers will leave me alone, an old woman on her own. It would be more dangerous for me to travel with you.” This is a great example of the different perspectives on being in a group. Again I agree with Salva’s feelings, being a male myself I would find it frustrating that I could be a target in a war because of my gender.

As the book goes on Salva finds a new group, yet again being with other people helped when a person had aided Salva and the rest of the group on page 24. “Buksa stopped abruptly in front of a very large tree. ‘yes!’ he said. ‘now go call the others!’ By now Salva had caught the feeling excitement. ‘But what shall I tell them?’ ‘The bird. The one I was listening to. He led me right here’. Buksa’s smile was even bigger now. ‘You see that?’ He pointed up at the branches of the tree. ‘Beehive. A fine, large one.’ ‘Honey! This night, we feast!” This portrays the advantages of being in a group. Salva must be delighted that Buksa found food and that he has the help of his group to survive during the war.

When Salva and his group along with his uncle are walking through villages with no money looking for food, being in a group comes to the rescue again shown on page 47. “None of the travelers had money or anything of value to trade, so they had to beg for food. The exception was uncle: The fishermen gave him food without having to be asked. Salva could not tell if this was because Uncle seemed to be the leader of the group or because they were afraid of his gun.” This again suggests that this book shows how it is like to be in a group. Salva must also be joyous that being in a group got him food again. I also have the same question as Salva, why did the villagers give Uncle their food?