English M102: Literature and Composition
19 September 2016
Character Analysis Essay “Saving Sourdi” by May-Lee Chai
“Saving Sourdi” by May-Lee Chai, discusses the transformation from childhood to adulthood. This short story involves two sisters, Sourdi and Nea, that are complete opposite of one another. When reading “Saving Sourdi” I instantly perceived Nea to be an impulsive child who isn’t afraid of confrontation. It doesn’t seem like Nea is trying to prove herself to anyone and appears to be very stubborn. While reading this short story, Nea, is genuinely concerned about her sister. It might seem as though Nea is a trouble maker and doesn’t carefully think things through, but she truly cares for Sourdi. Nea and Sourdi are some years apart,
…show more content…
From the beginning of the story to the end Nea is pigheaded and doesn’t think about the consequences of her actions. Nea misconceives Sourdi’s unavailability for being in danger and unhappiness in her marriage when in actuality she’s happy and expecting another child. Sourdi is a dynamic character because she shows growth throughout the story. Though subtle, Sourdi shows courage when she marries her much older husband not knowing what to expect, but hoping he can provide a more satisfying life. She becomes independent, no longer leaning on the support of her relatives and starts a family of her own. Nea, is a static character, showing no growth or development. She doesn't learn from any of her mistakes. She displays her controlling behaviors by continuing to make hasty decisions. For example, when she spontaneously calls Duke to drive to Sourdi’s house based only on assumptions yelling “Duke! It’s important! It’s Sourdi, she’s in trouble.” (Meyer 91) Nea does not make any adjustments to change her sporadic behaviors causing her to view every situation that doesn’t go as planned in a negative …show more content…
Chhay is the cultivation of Nea’s ill thought out plan crumbling before her eyes. Her immaturity caused an easily avoidable confrontation. Near the very end of the story, Chai shares Nea’s insight on her situation. “Sourdi looked at me then, so disappointed. I knew what she was thinking. She has grown up, and I had merely grown unworthy of her love.” (83) Nea finally realized she was being foolish the whole time. Chai’s protagonist in “Saving Sourdi”, Nea, is naïve, impulsive, and brash. She is unchanging and narrow-minded. Nea’s journey seems solely based on saving her sister when in actuality she is trying to find excuses to avoid growing up. The tragic hero fabricates false dangers to compensate her desire to be needed by her sister who has moved on with her life. Nea feels abandoned becausen Sourdi matures while she remains a child. Ma and Sourdi remain connected with traditional customs that Nea simply cannot understand due to her exposure to American culture. Her over active imagination, anxiety, and aggression get her into trouble. When Nea tries to rescue Sourdi from her husband, it is the last straw and she knows that she has lost her dear older sister for good. “She had made her choice, and she hadn’t chosen me.” (84) Sourdi has matured and moved on while Nea is stuck in the memories of her
I should have fought harder than, I should have stabbed this man too”(pg.88) Nea is very overprotective and feels attached to Sourdi and can’t bear the thought of her ever leaving. I think I can make sense of the title “Saving Sourdi” now because Sourdi doesn’t need saving, but Nea constantly tries to defend her because the real reason is that she doesn’t want to be left alone. She is old enough to make sense that Sourdi will have to leave her one day.
I think it’s ironic that she changed due to her environment, she was always independent. But her moving into a more conformist environment caused her to change. Her perspective altered to not look at your flaws as negative, empower them, and make them yours. Even with Natalie’s unusual upbringing, she was able to overcome her physical flaws, and express herself. Growing up in a Minnesota High School she reflects back as to what happened to make her change.
She also the girl who would reacts in rash and aggressive to protect the relationship that she has with Sourdi. After heard Sourdi cried from the phone, she assumed that Sourdi in trouble.
Naomi has to figure who to live with either her grandma or Skyla. Naomi has to go through an adventure to make her decision. Naomi is a compassionate person, she looks after her brother and benefits her grandma. “I imagine what’s inside and take away what I didn’t need” (Ryan, Pg.14). This describes that Naomi imagines things and doesn’t give any attention to what others think.
Manyara is selfish and ignorant, while Nyasha is kind and generous. Then word reaches them that king is looking for a kind and caring wife. So Manyara and Nyasha both want to get married. So Manyara is in a rush and leaves at night. She encounters two people that have problem and is rude to the.
Nia experience eclampsia, which is a seizure during a woman's pregnancy. while Nia is in the coma, Bobby has to take care of Feather. Adding on to the stress, he has to wake up every night to take care of Feather, then he has to take her to the babysitter and head to school, and then finally work. through the book Bobby is going to experience some changes that will change his world.
Just keep your mouth shut and don’t cause my any more trouble.” Sena knew that this was her cue to piece the fragments together, but she honestly couldn’t imagine by the orc would be in trouble when she was the one dying. Frowning, she observed the female orc, who shrugged helplessly. “You really haven’t chosen the brightest light around, have you Nar Siryn?”
The ending of Noda 's essay is an effective way to bring closure to her ideas by giving a thoughtful understanding of how she defines herself through discovering her identity. For example, in the begining Noda is confused about who she really was. People of white culture defined her by what they saw and heard of her people; they defined her bu= y her looks. Noda was unsure how she defined herself.
These two sisters have grown together all through their life’s, creating a strong bound, and the fact that her family and a “old guy” is taking away her sister is something she can’t stand. In the end Nea believes that she is saving Sourdi from Mr.Chhay and her mother. However what Nea does not understand in all her youth and idealism , is that sourdi does not want to be saved: She willfully accepts her fate and her marriage to Mr.Chhay because she finds financial stability and a secure future.
Nea gets too excited to save Sourdi onece she feels that sourdi is in danger and she never thinked twice or the reason behind of it, she just acts as fast as she can. As her mom says in the story “ You not like your sister. Your Sister Know How To Bear Things.” At the end of the story Nea still thinks that she is right and everyone else is wrongs. She still thinks that Sordi is in danger and wanted to be killed everyone and save Sordi.
The differences I see between these two poems can be found in the speakers. One is a first person speaker and the other is observing, but both are reflecting on the transformation from youth to adulthood. In “Quinceañera” by Judith Ortiz Cofer the speaker is growing up and becoming a woman. She must put away childhood and embrace womanhood. Take the first passage, “My dolls have been put away like dead / children in a chest I will carry / with me when I marry” (lines 1-3).
The women in Njal’s Saga take advantage of all the power they are given. Marriage is highly valued in the lives of men and women in this culture. The woman is usually given a choice to see if she will take the power of the household. This act is a very big
Without Sudasa sacrificing her love life with Kiran, he would not have been able to try to leave Koyanagar . Not only did Jimmy sacrifice his trust with his mother, but he did what no other child was willing to do to help Paul. These novels show that relationships are worth fighting for, regardless of how much we have to change and sacrifice for
This strength however, is not true strength that Nel has, but it is rather an apparent strength that comes out of Nel’s outward appearance and her duty to her loved ones. Even in Nel and Sula’s childhood, Morrison depicts the duo as, “unshaped, formless things, Nel seemed stronger and more consistent than Sula, who could hardly be counted on to sustain any emotion for more than three minutes” (53). Morrison shows that of the two girls, Nel is the one who brings strength to the unity that is their friendship. However, Nel and Sula are also ‘unshaped’ and ‘formless’ much like the ‘custard’ skin of Helene and the ‘custard’ skin seen on Nel after Sula and Jude’s affair.
Rashid Uncle tells her that she has her mother’s mouth and that her brother has her eyes. He told Nisha, “She loved you both before you were born…” (208). Nisha’s past is her mother, and learning about her past makes her feel more connected to her family in the