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,

literature’s impact is not only tangible in myself, but throughout the world.

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

support I needed. In contrast, the novel also exposed me to struggles Indian women face throughout their life. Vidya’s ambition to attend college is put at risk due to her family’s misogynistic traditions. This is too true a reality for numerous Indian women today, treated as a liability from birth. Female infanticide has resulted in 30 million ‘missing’ girls. Moreover, India’s cultural disregard for women makes it one of the most dangerous places to live. The National Crime Records Bureau states that a crime against a woman is committed every three minutes, a woman is raped every 29 minutes, a dowry death occurs every 77 minutes, and receive abuse by a male relative occurs every nine minutes. As outrage grows, the chance of India’s progression towards true equality becomes increasingly attainable, echoed in the novel.
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling introduces to intricacies of morality, and how these ethical dilemmas can be applied to Canada itself. I was young when my obsession with Harry Potter began. Reading through the series growing up, I despised Severs Snape. Though he always seemed to look out for Harry’s safety, he still made sure to treat him unkindly, due to his father’s cruelty towards him as children. This ambiguity of his true alliance made it all the sourer through his betrayal in the Half-Blood Prince. I felt personally furious for his deception, labelling him an evil coward. However, the revelation during “The Prince’s Tale” in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that Snape had been helping Harry throughout the course of the novel proved my expectations wrong. His grey mortality was intriguing in that he legitimately cared for Harry and ended his life protecting him. His ethical questionability is applicable to Canada’s reaction to the Syrian refugee crisis. With over 8 million people displaced in Syria, Canada has chosen to sponsor only ten thousand people. The Canadian government is concerned for the costs of supporting refugees, adding to Canada’s growing debt. Thus, an ethical dilemma develops – either way, loss is bound to occur. Thus, the moral ambiguities reflected in Harry Potter are applicable to today’s world issues.
The themes in The Hunger Games mirrors my struggles, as well as conflicts around the world.

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

world.
In conclusion, literature is an important tool for personal growth, but also to further understand society and the world. Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman helps me connect with my culture and develops my understanding of the challenges they face. Next, the Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling gives me the moral base to make me question the ethics of government decisions. Finally, reading Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games reflects my relationship with my sister, as well as promoting self-awareness in my privileges. Thus the importance of literature is thread through our everyday lives, linking us to a unity of collective experience.