A Long Walk to Water

by Linda Sue Park

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A Long Walk to Water

In A Long Walk to Water, Salva demonstrates leadership qualities through perseverance, cleverness, courage, compassion, and organization. By taking charge of the group of Lost Boys, he makes critical...

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A Long Walk to Water

Nya is a tall eleven-year-old South Sudanese girl from the Dinka tribe.

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A Long Walk to Water

In "A Long Walk To Water," five main conflicts are faced by the protagonists, Salva and Nya. Salva struggles with external conflicts such as the Sudanese Civil War, the loss of his family, and...

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A Long Walk to Water

In A Long Walk to Water, Salva's greatest survival challenges include abandonment, hunger, and the loss of loved ones. Initially abandoned by his village group, he finds temporary aid from an old...

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A Long Walk to Water

The rebels in A Long Walk to Water were fighting the Sudanese government to form a new state, South Sudan, due to religious suppression. The majority of Sudan is Muslim, while South Sudan is...

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A Long Walk to Water

The narration in "A Long Walk to Water" is shaped by alternating between Salva and Nya's perspectives, providing a dual insight into South Sudan's war and resource scarcity. Salva's...

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A Long Walk to Water

The author begins each chapter with Nya's story to ground readers in the present and tie Salva's experiences to contemporary times. Nya's simpler, shorter story helps engage readers and often...

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A Long Walk to Water

Linda Sue Park connects the characters Salva and Nya at the end of the novel by having them meet when Salva, who founded a humanitarian organization, constructs a well in Nya's village. This...

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A Long Walk to Water

Water profoundly impacts Nya's life, dictating her daily activities in a remote Sudanese village during a civil war. Initially, she makes long walks twice daily to collect contaminated water, which...

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A Long Walk to Water

The Nuer and Dinka tribes have a long-standing feud primarily due to territorial disputes over unclear land boundaries in Sudan. The conflict is exacerbated by the scarcity of water resources, as...

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A Long Walk to Water

The title "A Long Walk to Water" reflects both Nya and Salva's arduous journeys. Nya endures long daily treks to collect water, which dominates her life until a well is finally built in her village,...

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A Long Walk to Water

The quote "Despite the numbness in his heart, Salva was amazed to find himself walking faster and more boldly than he had before" appears on page 65. This occurs after Salva's uncle is killed by...

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A Long Walk to Water

In A Long Walk to Water, Salve Dut undergoes several informal types of schooling during his experience in refugee camps. First, Salve attends school in a tent in a refugee camp in Ethiopia (with no...

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A Long Walk to Water

Salva's role in "A Long Walk to Water" is both influential and moral, highlighting his journey from a young boy separated from his family during the Sudanese Civil War to a leader who saves lives...

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A Long Walk to Water

In A Long Walk to Water, Salva feels sad and confused when he finds out that the group has left him behind at the barn. At first, he doesn't know why the others have left him and begins to cry. All...

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A Long Walk to Water

Salva and his group face significant challenges in the desert when they encounter armed soldiers from the Nuer tribe. The soldiers, wielding rifles and machetes, rob the group and kill Uncle Jewiir,...

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A Long Walk to Water

Nya can be seen as both a flat and dynamic character. As a flat character, she maintains consistent goals throughout the novel, like fetching water and ensuring her family's safety, with little...

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A Long Walk to Water

Salva is depicted as a resilient and courageous young boy in A Long Walk to Water. Based on a true story, he is an eleven-year-old from the Dinka tribe who becomes a "Lost Boy" during the Sudanese...

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A Long Walk to Water

A Long Walk to Water is a 2010 historical fiction novel by Linda Sue Park about the Second Sudanese Civil War, which lasted from 1983–2005. It fictionalizes the story of Salva Dut, a boy who grew up...

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A Long Walk to Water

Uncle Jewiir plans to return to Sudan to continue fighting for the South Sudanese rebel army after dropping Salva at the Ethiopian refugee camp. Salva is initially comforted by his uncle's presence...

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A Long Walk to Water

Salva realizes he's leaving his old life behind just before departing for the airport because, after years in a refugee camp, he is finally stepping onto American soil. This moment marks the...

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A Long Walk to Water

Salva demonstrates kindness by working to provide Nya's village with a steady supply of clean water, addressing a critical need in South Sudan. Nya shows kindness through her dedication to her...

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A Long Walk to Water

The honey is worth it for Salva and the group in that it allows them to have a feast the likes of which they haven't had for some time. The cost is that a lot of the men get stung by angry bees.

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A Long Walk to Water

The snake bite incident in A Long Walk to Water highlights the dangers and hardships faced by Nya and her community. It underscores the perilous environment they live in and the constant threat of...

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A Long Walk to Water

Water in "A Long Walk to Water" symbolizes survival. It is a critical resource that Salva and Nya desperately need, highlighting the harsh realities of their environment. Salva witnesses many die...

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A Long Walk to Water

By being without a family, Salva loses not only his immediate family but also the extensive support network of his Dinka community. This loss leaves him lonely, frightened, and disoriented. His bond...

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A Long Walk to Water

In A Long Walk to Water, the drilling boss has very good skills in working with people. When his crew are discouraged by leaks, he keeps them going and encourages them by laughing and joking with...

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A Long Walk to Water

The exposition of A Long Walk to Water consists of Salva sitting in his class at school in 1985. The initial, or inciting, incident is the sound of gunfire that suddenly breaks out. Immediately,...

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A Long Walk to Water

Two clues suggest that Nya's water may not be safe: both people and animals drink from the same water source, increasing the risk of disease transmission, and the water is described as muddy and...

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A Long Walk to Water

The protagonist of A Long Walk to Water is Salva Dut, a kind-hearted and selfless boy separated from his family during the South Sudan Civil War. The novel follows his journey of survival and...

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