Perseverance In Linda Sue Park's A Long Walk To Water

Every single person on this experience hardships and uses perseverance to overcome it. Linda Sue Park writes a historical fiction called A Long Walk to Water, which depicts how the quality of perseverance can lead a person to achieve their goal despite difficult circumstances. Park’s story of Salva Dut and the Lost Boys of Sudan demonstrates how these young men used perseverance to complete their quest for safety despite walking thousands of miles and being near-starvation.

Park’s shows the theme of perseverance numerous times throughout A Long Walk to Water. For example, “ Marial and Uncle were no longer by his side, and they would never be again, but Salva knew that both of them would have wanted him to survive, to finish the trip and reach the Itang Refugee Camp safely. It was almost if they had left their strength with him, to help him on his journey.” (Park 65)Perseverance is displayed here because Salva in spite of losing two companions, keeps walking to safety with his wounded feet.

Perseverance is shown again when Salva and the other refugees are exiled from Ethiopia.

Such as when, “ Salva saw the telltale flick of a crocodiles tail as it flopped into the water near they young man. Moments later, the man jerked oddly twice. A moment later, the man was pulled under. A cloud of red stained the water.” (77,78) Despite seeing this disturbing scene, Salva dives heroically into the water as gunfire flew through the air and crocodiles swam through the water hunting on the helpless as they were being swept away from the powerful

current.

Perseverance is displayed again when Salva is forced to become the group leader. Such as, “Salva heard the stories, he felt his determination growing, as it had in the days after Uncle’s death. I will get us safely to Kenya, he thought, no matter how hard it is.” (81) Salva despite having a large group steps up as leader and gets them to the refugee camps, through difficult circumstances such as lions and near-starvation.

Linda Sue Park’s historical fiction novel A Long Walk to Water shows perseverance from Salva despite difficult circumstances. Salva uses perseverance to walk thousands of miles to safety while facing severe dehydration, near starvation and loss of companions. Salva Dut’s story is inspiring to many and to those who perhaps are in need of perseverance.
Works Cited
Sue Park, Linda. A Long Walk to Water. New York City: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. Print