5 To 1 Essay

854 Words2 Pages

Sahana Luxman Ms. Manhas ENG1W1 23 May 2024 Empathy; a trait all teens should have In today's society, having empathy will get you far in life. It is the basis for creating strong, lasting relationships and feeling connected with those around you. The novel 5 to 1 by Holly Bodger is about the lives of two rebellious teens, Sudasa and Kiran, who live in the dystopian country of Koyanager, where there are five boys for every one girl. Women are considered a commodity, with men having to compete in a Test to win their hand in marriage. Sudasa is now forced to choose a husband, with Kiran being one of the five contestants. Readers can see how compassion for others helps the female protagonist build mutual trust with her peers. Sympathy is especially …show more content…

Empathy is essential for developing emotional intelligence, a trait that helps teens make more intelligent decisions by thinking about themselves and those around them. In the book, Sudasa displays empathy towards the boys in the tests and feels that it is not fair that they have to compete for her hand in marriage. For instance, when Contestant Five (Kiran) tells her he wants to escape and not get married, she still attempts to help him and says, “I promise I will help you. But if I do not give those to you now, these tests are done and I am not ready for that. I need some time to fulfill your request. Some more time to find some other. options.” (Bodger, 189). Although his decision meant Sudasa would have to marry her cousin, she still shows compassion and respects Kiran’s …show more content…

Furthermore, a lack of empathy typically leads to resentment and strain in relationships. Throughout Holly Bodger’s novel, it is apparent that Nani, Sudasa’s grandmother, does not show compassion towards those around her, specifically her close family. This, in turn, led to her relatives resenting her and creating strain in those relationships. Take the example of when she cheated the system and made sure Sudasa’s second cousin had a place in her test to help repay a debt with her sister. This made her granddaughter angry and exclaimed, “I know that’s Mota Masi’s grandson. And I know he didn’t get there by coincidence. You can force me to do these tests. You can even force me to marry the winner. But I will never pick the one you want.” (Bodger, 77). This decision demonstrates that Nani does not think about anyone but herself and is really self-absorbed. It is apparent that Sudasa resents her grandmother for trying to control every aspect of her life, further proving that she does not have a good, loving relationship with her

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