Written by Hugh(현.초6)/September 5,2025
Survival: a Hope that Makes Dream Come True
A war broke out in Sudan, villages were destroyed and many people fled. One boy lost his family and kept walking to survive. Few decades later, a girl walks to get water. They both wanted to give up, but they kept walking and they could survive. The boy came to the refugee camp and the girl got water which is cleaner than she wanted. The book ‘A Long Walk to Water’ written by Linda Sue Park is a story of a boy named Salva surviving in a civil war in Sudan, and a girl named Nya getting clean water and walk many miles. In the novel, the author suggests that if one does not give up and maintains the desire to survive, the hope can become reality.
To begin with, the author demonstrates that if you don’t give up and still have the temptation to live, the dream can come true by showing Salva’s journey in the desert. In chapter 7, Salva finds out that his companion Marial had died by being eaten by a lion: he says “It had sought out prey that was small and motionless: Marial, sleeping. And it had taken him away” (41). Marial’s death horrifies Salva reminding him of the constant risk of death. Also, in chapter 9, his uncle encourages Salva by giving him small goals: he says "When they reached the bushes, uncle pointed out a clump of rocks up ahead and told Salva to walk as far as the rocks, after that, along acacia…”(54). His uncle repeats these small goals so that Salva doesn’t give up. Salva got strength after Marial ad uncle’s death. They both wanted him to survive the journey. So, he could go to the camp. This shows people’s death and making small goals impact during the survival.
In addition, the author implies that if you don’t give up and still have the wish to survive, the aspiration can come true through showing Nya’s journey getting water. Nya needs to get water to drink and she walks to the water and gets it she says “She untied it, scooped up the brown muddy water and drank. Nya filled the container all the way to the top.”(pg.14). Nya knows it’s a dirty water but to survive she has to drink it. She doesn’t give up and wants to find better water. Also, in chapter 18, the well is made and Nya drinks the water it says “A stream of water flowed from the mouth of the pump. The water was delicious.”(pg.112). Finally, she got the water she wanted, she didn’t give up hope and her dream getting clean water actually came true.
In conclusion, the author suggests that if you don’t give up and still have the dream to live, the hope can come true. The author hopes that readers to support and know about the civil war in South Sudan and the citizens are trying to survive. Most importantly, she wants them to catch a dream, chase and not give up their dreams. Them someday or sometime, it can be come true.