Climbing The Stairs

The Personal and Cultural Value of Literature

“We read to know we are not alone” –C.S Lewis. Books have the unique ability to invite and unite people in a new realm’s experience. Books can define a group of people, give them hope, and provide insight into the world around them. The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan helps me connect with new friends, but also creates resiliency. The Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling helps me develop my sense of morality. Furthermore, Padma Venkatraman’s Climbing the Stairs introduces me to new cultural and social values. Finally, my experience with Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games produces self-awareness of my own status in society and builds empathy for the less fortunate. Therefore,

When my family came to Canada, we moved into isolation from all aspects of the Hindu lifestyle. We assimilated ourselves with the frigid rural Ontario atmosphere out of essential isolation from the religion. I grew distant from cultural values, never truly understanding the intricacies of my own religion. However, Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman focus upon Hinduism opened a realm of curiosity for me. Throughout the book, Vidya attends festivals, eats cultural foods and exemplifies the joys of Hinduism – something I had never experienced. This piqued my interest, so I asked my parents about their own experiences, to which they enthusiastically responded. Together, we became increasingly involved Hindus, visiting Temples and celebrating festivals. At first, I felt like an outsider, but friends and family offered me the

During the series, Katniss’s primary reason to rebel is for Prim. This mirrors my relationship with my own sister, as she looks out for me. During seventh grade, I was continuously harassed by my classmates. However, when I finally breaking down, my sister was there to comfort me. With her support I was able to cope with what had happened and being to move on. My sister is my motivator, mirroring Katniss’s relationship with Prim. My relationship with my sister is but one of the array of themes reflecting reality in the series. The Capitol in its concept is meant to represent first world society. Their quality of life is vastly superior in comparison to the districts, emphasised by Katniss’s reaction towards the simplest of foods. Similarly, 805 million people in the world do not receive proper nutrition. As a result, I felt guilty reading these scenes, noting the foods she savoured were easily accessible to myself. Truthfully, I’m guilty of not appreciating the vast opportunities, evidenced in Capitol’s “panem et circenses” (Collins 108). The Hunger Games has even inspired its own revolution in Thailand, where people have used the trademark three fingered salute as a symbol of revolt against its militaristic government. This act portrays the true potential of literature shaping the