...Literary Element: Character Title: Saving Sourdi (May-Lee Chai) Character and Saving Sourdi The short story Saving Sourdi by May-Lee Chai is an interesting story in how the characters play completely different roles. Nea, the narrator and Sourdi’s sister, is the main protagonist in the story as she and her sister grow up from children into adults. Although they grow up together, their characters develop differently, and Nea falls behind, maturity-wise, while Sourdi continuously matures. This is likely due to her aggressive behavior in combination with her anxiety, which play negative roles throughout the story. Nea is constantly attempting to save her sister throughout the entire story but fails over and over again; this shows Nea’s perseverance but also shows her aggressiveness. However, she never truly grows up in the story, while her sister develops into a woman. Nea is very plain and non-exciting, but she continuously tries to save her sister from situations. Does she remain childish so that she won’t be compared to her much more beautiful, older and more desirable sister, Sourdi? The theme of companionship is a very prominent and obvious theme as the story develops around the two sisters growing up. Nea and Sourdi had a close friendship as small children; Nea also tries to save Sourdi a considerable amount of times as they grow older. When Sourdi becomes of age, her mother arranges a marriage for her to Mr. Chhay. Sourdi and Nea are both unhappy about the...
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...Alida Lamagna 2/12/12 Literature and Composition Turner Nea: Saving Sourdi Character Analysis “Saving Sourdi” by May-Lee Chai, discusses a classic plot of the metamorphosis from childhood to adulthood. In her story, the two main characters Sourdi and Nea develop in stark contrast to one another. Nea, the younger sister, has difficulty growing up and maturing as her own life, as well as her sister’s life, progresses. Her naivety, aggression, and anxiety influence her decisions throughout the story in a negative way. Chai’s character is easily believable and relatable, everyone has had a point in their lives where they didn’t want to grow up, handled a situation poorly, or realized that their relationship with someone has changed drastically to the point of no repair. Nea, the protagonist in “Saving Sourdi”, is a tragic hero. We experience her attempts at protecting her sister and watch as they fail time and time again. Nea is a flat and static character. Throughout the story she does not change, she remains childish in her actions and decisions. Their mother addresses this issue early on by saying, “You not thinking. That your problem. You always not think!” (Chai 70) Chai does not show us another side to Nea making her a flat character. We see her in the same light despite the life lessons she experiences. Nea is the same drastic, hardheaded child in the beginning as she is in the end. Growing and maturing is crucial in life. Some people, however, suffer from a sort...
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...Saving Nea In the short fictional story, “Saving Sourdi,” author May-lee Chai focuses on the bond and relationship between two sisters, Nea and Sourdi. Nea, the younger sibling in “Saving Sourdi,” looks up and admires her older sister, Sourdi. As the two sisters grow in age, Nea isn’t ready to face reality and watch her older sibling start a life without her. Throughout the story, Nea makes desperate attempts to “save” her older sister. In reality, Nea is the character in the story that needs to be “saved”, rather than her sister. Nea, the protagonist and major character in “Saving Sourdi,” is immature and dramatic. At the age of eleven, Nea stabs a man at the restaurant, after hearing him call Sourdi a “China doll.” While Sourdi manages to remain calm during this event, Nea reacts without thinking of the consequences. Toward the end of the story, Nea calls Duke and tells him that her sister is in danger. “Look, I don’t have time to explain. We have to go tonight. It’s an emergency. A matter of life and death.”(Chai 91). Here, Nea acts without thinking and makes it sound like Sourdi will die if they don’t go to Des Moines. Nea’s decision to call Duke for help leads to Sourdi’s husband getting punched in the face. Also, this episode results in the two sisters growing further apart, which is not Nea’s intention. The mother brings some light onto Nea as a character. She tells Nea: “You not like your sister. Your sister know how to bear things!”(Chai 90). What does the mother mean...
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...REFLECTION OF LIFE FICTION, PART2: MORE THAN SKIN DEEP: APPEARANCE VS. REALITY 1. How do you think Nea feels about her sister Sourdi based on this information? How does what s at the beginning of the story foreshadow what happen. later? In May-Lee Chia story “Saving Sourdi “tells the story of two sisters who were very close and the youngest (Nea) felt she had to save her sister (Sourdi). Nea is the narrator of the story and it is told from her perspective, so it follows her emotions, thoughts, and ideas and it all transcend time. Nea is very spontaneous character and she holds on to the memories of her and Sourdi and she do not won’t to let go of her sister. Through the beginning of the story Nea being the protagonist stated that she was eleven years old of age, someone was dissing her sister and she felt the need to save her sister. Sourdi wanted to change the way Nea was thinking but it never happen. Nea still felt hat Sourdi need saving eve after she got married. 2. This story is told from Nea’s point of view. How do you think the story would change if it were told from Sourdi’s point of view? Do you feel closer to the character than you would if this story were told in third person? If the story was told by Sourdi it would sound totally different because she is a dynamic character that seems to have changed several times throughout story. Sourdi did not want anything to happen to her sister and she told her so. Then she changed when Duke kissed her and she began a...
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...Saving Sourdi is a short story, which deals with the struggles and perceptions of Nea, who is one of the characters. The main characters are the elder sister Sourdi and the younger sister Nea. These two sisters are close and grew together all through to their life. Their growth and togetherness exhibit their different roles played in this story thus clearly bringing out their definite characters. This story is illustrated to show how the character of Nea and her viewpoint shapes the interpretation of the reader about the story. Saving Sourdi is a tale that holds up the strong bonds of sisterhood and family and change as people grow to maturity. The story is created from a point of view that can influence how one views the characters and their choices. This short story by May-Lee Chai is quite interesting in showing how the characters ultimately play different roles. Nea, who is the sister to Sourdi, is the narrator as well as the principal protagonist in “Saving Sourdi” as they grow up into adulthood (Chai, 43). Although Nea and Sourdi grow up together, the development of their characters is differently manifested. Nea falls behind, maturity-wise, but Sourdi continuously matures. This is most likely due to her aggressiveness together with her nervous behavior that plays the negative roles all through the story. It is evident from the story that Nea continually attempts to save her sister all through the entire story but with no success over and over. Her action shows her perseverance...
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...Ashly Aquino Professor McIntyre ENC 1102 April 22, 2016 Saving Sourdi “Saving Sourdi” is a short story written by May-Lee Chai. This short story is about two sisters, Nea and Sourdi, who have a sisterly bond however, Nea the protagonist character starts feeling like her relationship with her sister is being threatened by the men that enters Sourdis life. This causes Nea to become a courageous, protective, and ignorant character throughout the story. While Nea assumes that she is helping her sister, she fails to realize that she makes the situation worse. The author uses characterization as a literary device to show how siblings can act towards a loved one ignoring the consequences that are yet to come. “A sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves- a special kind of bond.” (Toni Morrison) Having a sister can be either a blessing or a curse. A sister can be your mirror, partner in crime, your midnight companion, and a teacher. For many it's a blessing however, at times a sister can bring out many attributes and moods. Nea and Sourdi are two sisters that grew up together and were seeking for the real America with their mother. The sisters encountered many events and shared many moments “…the two of us, so we could talk about things like boys at school or who was…”...
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...January, 20 2013 Round Character Analysis “Saving Sourdi” In this general response I choose the character Nea, Sourdi’s younger sister from the literature piece “Saving Sourdi”. This story was originally written by one of the world famous author’s Langston Hughes. In this story both Sourdi and her sister Nea is the two main characters discussed. Both Sourdi and her sister Nea display having a close bonding type of sister relationship. At the beginning of the story , the author discusses about how Sourdi and Nea’s mother once choose Sourdi’s husband for her to marry. Sourdi’s mother chose a wealthy man named Mr.Chhay whom also plays a large role in the story. In this story Nea, Sourdi’s younger sister is convinced that Sourdi’s husband Mr.Chhay is a bad man. At the beginning of the story Nea seems to be very skeptical about her sisters husband Mr.Chhay. Not only does Nea feel as if Mr.Chhay has already taken her sister Sourdi away from her. Also, Nea seems to be under the impression that Mr.Chhay is a bad man. In this literature piece Nea is determined to do anything in order to save her sister from what she thinks is an abusive relationship. The main character chosen for this piece of literature work Nea, known as Sourdi’s sister, comes off as a round character. A round character is one of the main characters that encounter conflict within the story are eventually changed because of it. As the literature book states “Round characters have more depth and require more...
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...The Character analysis of Saving Sourdi “The hardest part about growing up is letting go of what you were used to, and moving on with something you’re not.”- Kamari aka. Lyrikal Saving Sourdi is discussing a classic plot of the metamorphosis from childhood to adulthood. In her story, the two main characters Sourdi and Nea develop in distinct difference to each other. Nea, the younger sister, has difficulty growing up and maturing as her own life, as well as her sister’s life, progresses. Her naivety, aggression, and anxiety influence her decisions throughout the story in a negative way. Characters in this story are easily believable and relatable, everyone has had a point in their lives where they didn’t want to grow up, handled a situation poorly, or realized that their relationship with someone has changed drastically to the point of no repair. Nea, the protagonist, is a true hero. We can see her attempts at protecting her sister and watch as they fail time and time again. Nea is a flat and static character. Throughout the story she does not change, she remains childish in her actions and decisions. Their mother addresses this issue early on by saying, “You not thinking. That your problem. You always not think!” Growing and maturing is crucial in life. Some people, however. Nea can be described as an impulsive, strong-willed, and selfish adolescent who will never truly grow up. The family has never had it easy, always having to work and tolerate prejudice due to their...
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...Literary Element: Setting Title: Saving Sourdi (May-Lee Chai) Setting and Saving Sourdi The story Saving Sourdi took place in the United States after their family had moved there while the girls were at a very young age. Sourdi’s family operated a bar in South Dakota, where the story opens with a recollection of Nea’s first saving of her sister, Sourdi. The setting of the bar plays a key role in developing the protective characteristics of Nea; the bar causes situations to arise where she feels that it is necessary to save Sourdi from the situation. Despite Sourdi being older than her sister, Nea still tries to save Sourdi from angry and/or drunk customers at the bar. Towards the end, the setting changes as Sourdi moves away to start her own life with her husband, Mr. Chhay, leaving Nea behind with her mother at home. Nea is upset that they have to be separated and is skeptical about Mr. Chhay, which helps even more with building the character of Nea. The theme of companionship ties in greatly with the setting of the story. This is present in the earlier parts of the story because the girls are growing up as sisters living under the same roof. They develop their friendship and love for their siblings as they mature together. Nea trails behind in maturity, but she is also younger than her sister, which is ironic because Nea still feels protective over Sourdi. As mentioned above, the setting changes as Sourdi is moved away after her arranged marriage to Mr. Chhay...
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...Chai's "Saving Sourdi" Whether stabbing a man with a paring knife or getting a friend to punch her sister's husband in the face, Nea always manages to start trouble for her and her sister, Sourdi. She doesn't do it on purpose, it's just that Nea will do anything to protect her older sister. The issue stems from when the family lived in their native Cambodia; Nea was only four and Sourdi carried her across a minefield on her back. Ever since that moment, Nea has felt indebted to her older sister and has been determined to protect her at all costs. However, the costs seem to be high as her identity has become tied to this notion of debt. In May-Lee Chai's "Saving Sourdi," Nea's identity is shaped by her feeling of indebtedness to her sister Sourdi, which compromises her ability to grow and objectively see the world. The cause behind the story's central conflict lies in Nea's devotion to Sourdi, which in turn was caused by a distant memory. "Once upon a time", Nea recalls, "Sourdi had walked across a minefield, carrying me on her back" (Chai 140). With the terrible war background on the Khmer Rouge-era in Cambodia as an exposition, Nea recalls her sister Sourdi carrying her across a field by stepping on countless dead bodies to avoid the mines. This is something that Nea views as secret between just her and her sister, one she will never reveal to another soul. It is because of this single incident that Nea vows to "walk on bones" and "rotting flesh" to "save Sourdi," which...
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...describes the relationship between two sisters in her short story, “Saving Sourdi.” After reading “Saving Sourdi,” discuss the following questions in 3–5 paragraphs: 1. The story begins with a strong revealing statement from Nea, the narrator. How do you think Nea feels about her sister Sourdi based on this information? How does what happens at the beginning of the story foreshadow what happens later? 2. This story is told from Nea’s point of view. How do you think the story would change if it were told from Sourdi’s point of view? Do you feel closer to the character than you would if this story were told in third person? 3. Nea briefly mentions an experience she and Sourdi had in a minefield when they were younger. What impact do you think this had on the relationship between the sisters? 4. Nea’s family is not originally from the United States. What are some clues the author gives to describe the origin of their ethnicity? Give 2 examples of characters who say things that are racially offensive, and discuss how this makes you feel about those characters. Can you relate to these experiences? 5. How does the author describe Duke and Mr. Chhay? Do you get a sense of who these characters are based on these descriptions? 6. As the story progresses, how does the relationship between Nea and Sourdi change? Why do you think it changes? 7. What does the mother value, based on how reaction to updates she receives from Sourdi? Why do you think she might feel this...
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...Nea the Antagonist South Plains College April 20, 2015 Research Paper In May-Lee Chai’s “Saving Sourdi,” Nea would be the antagonist of the story if the literary development of point of view and characterization were different. Point of view and characterization in literature is what allows us to see, hear, and feel a story the way it is designed. An author’s attention to detail is crucial. He or she may put more focus into every small element in a setting or they may emphasize more on development of plot or character. Every literary piece is different. Point of view is an essential tool in arranging the world in a story that sets itself apart. Development of character can only begin after we know from where the story is coming. Chai writes “Saving Sourdi” in a first person point of view through a naïve character. We are “restricted to the perceptions, thoughts, and feelings of [this] single character” (Meyer 138). For the rest of my analysis it is important to remember this. The narrator tells a story of the two main characters and the relationship between them. The actions of our immature main character throughout the time of this story takes place continue to fail her, creating contrast between the two of them. The reader can tell this is happening, but because the story comes to us from this first person narrative, we also know that Nea truly believes she is doing the right thing. We can always know too much or too little of what we are supposed...
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...Kyle Loewen Professor D’Alotto English Comp II 01 February 2016 “Saving Sourdi” Critical Reading Response In the short story “Saving Sourdi,” two sisters by the names Nea and Sourdi have polar personalities. The contrasting attitudes of these siblings cause them to handle situations very differently. Although they grow up together, their characters develop in different ways. The younger sister, Nea, is the somewhat controlling one. She seems to take on the "oldest" sister role, instead of the younger sister that she is. She wants everything to stay the way they were when they were little, but that does not happen. Sourdi is much more calm and compliant compared to her little sister, and she rarely voices her opinion. Nea falls behind maturity-wise while her sister Sourdi continuously matures. This is likely due to her aggressive behavior and anxiety, which both play negative roles throughout the story. At the beginning of the story, Nea shares how “some men got drunk and I stabbed one of them” (Chai 81) when she was only eleven years old. This immediately tells the reader that she was not a normal child. Nea’s mother arranges Sourdi’s marriage to a wealthy older man named Mr. Chhay. This is where the author really sets up the characters. Although Sourdi is unhappy about the arrangement, she does nothing to change it and just accepts that this is the way it will be and hopes for the best. However, Nea voices her opinion to her mother, who is unwilling to listen. Nea is skeptical...
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...Reyes 1 Melissa C. Reyes Professor Marilyn S. Turner English M102 13 February 2016 Character Analysis “Saving Sourdi” by Nay-Lee Chai is a story of sisterhood from childhood to adulthood. The two main characters in the story are Nea, the younger sister and Sourdi, the older sister. The story is narrated by Nea and what she discusses is her difficulty growing up. Chai’s character is very relatable as we all have may have had some moments in our life when our parent’s have said something along the lines of what the girls’ mother says to Nea, “You not thinking. That your problem. You always not think!” (82). She also indirectly discusses the contrast between herself and Sourdi and how her aggressive thoughts and actions influence her decisions but also define who Nea is as a character. Nea is very much a static character from beginning to end. She does not develop at all at any point during the story. Nea from the get go is the protagonist in her sister’s life. The story starts off very dark as she describes that she was only eleven years old when she stabbed one of the drunk men in their families restaurant. She describes Sourdi as looking distressed when one of the men grabbed her and kept holding her tighter as her sister begged to be let go. Nea goes to the kitchen and sees a knife and that is what she saw as the solution to their problem. She leaves the kitchen with the knife and begins to wave the knife at the men. They start laughing and Nea Reyes...
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...“Saving Sourdi” by May Lee-Chai discusses a plot of story about a transition of life from childhood to adulthood of a family of two girls and their mother. May Lee-Chai makes use of the characters in the story to demonstrate the strong relationship between two sisters and different ways character show their love. Although the two main characters Nea and Sourdi grew up together they develop completely in contrast. As time flies, Sourdi seems to be matured while Nea has difficulty to maturing her own life. Nea aggressiveness, anxiety and naivety lead her to made decisions throughout the story. Readers could feel the strong relationship of the two sisters in the story when both of them willingly to do anything to save one another life. Waving...
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