Assertion Journal 1 I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation.

We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Elie Wiesel Elie Wiesel said this in his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in 1986. Wiesels experiences as a prisoner in German concentration camps are what led him to become an author and a global activist. In this quote, Wiesel is explaining that it is important to speak up for others and for yourself. Being silent never benefits the victim. In order to help someone, you must speak up for them. Saying nothing will only make it worse for the victim. Wiesel makes a good point; speaking up is the right thing to do. I think that hearing this quote now, especially from a holocaust survivor, makes it more apparent that speaking up for those who cannot is the correct thing to do. This is apparent where Wiesel says we must always take sides. In nearly everyones life, there have most likely been times where they could have spoken up, but did not. Perhaps they didnt know how, or maybe they were too afraid, but in the end, they remained silent. I believe that it is important to speak up for others in order to save them from suffering and humiliation like Wiesel pointed out. I do not think that these types of situations should be ignored because this will only harm the victim even more as Wiesel indicated when he stated Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. In school or other locations, many people have probably seen someone being bullied by a peer at some point. This is a type of opportunity that people have to speak up for another person. Not saying anything to the bully only makes them feel stronger, and therefore they bully the victim even more. This is how silence encourages the tormentor. When I was nine years old and my younger sister was just four, she stood up for me when I was being picked on by our neighbors. She spoke up and told the neighbors to stop picking on me, and they did. At just four years old, she spoke up for someone who was being bullied, and made an impact. We should all be brave enough, just like my sister, to speak up for victims of bullying as well as other victims who cannot speak up for themselves.

Assertion Journal 2 What was it we had to learn? To fight against tremendous odds? What was the use? One only lost the little one had. Of what use to fight when the conclusion is known? (Markandaya 69) Markandaya uses this quote to show the differences in the opinion of Rukmani versus the opinion of her sons, Arjun and Thambi, and Kenny. Rukmani does not understand the need to fight for change. She understands that it is possible to fight for change, but she feels that it is unnecessary and does not see the point in doing so because she feels that the conclusion is known. Based on her other lines in the novel, we can infer that Rukmani accepts suffering and sees it as necessary. This is apparent when she says What use is it to bewail that which has always been and cannot change? Kenny, on the other hand, believes in fighting suffering. This is shown in his line: ...you must cry out if you need help. It is no use whatsoever to suffer in silence. Arjun, Thambi and Kenny believe in fighting for change. Markandaya shows how Rukmani has a more primitive viewpoint of her life and of India, whereas Kenny, Arjun and Thambi are keeping up with the modernization of India in terms of their lives and ideas. I disagree with what Rukmani and Markandaya about the idea that the conclusion is known. I do not think that the conclusion is known. There are many instances in life where the outcome of an event, idea, etc. is surprising and unexpected. For example, the summer before freshman year I signed up for band. I did not want to do this, but my parents pushed me and told me they thought I would enjoy it. I was adamant that I would not join, but in the end I reluctantly did join. Marching Band ended up being one of the greatest experiences of my life and it was completely unexpected. This is an example of an event that caused me to believe that the conclusion can never truly be known. I also disagree with Rukmani and the point Markandaya is making about fighting for change. I believe that it is important to fight for change and to stand up for what you believe in. Without fighting for change, there could be no advancements, or good things to come. Mahatma Gandhi fought for change in India. He fought for equality, independence and human rights. Gandhi said You must be the change you wish to see in the world. Without fighting for what he believed in, Gandhi would not have been able to accomplish change or influence the rest of the world. I also believe that we as individuals must be the change to see change in our own lives, just as Kenny, Arjun and Thambi are trying to be the change to see change in their lives.

Assertion Journal 3 This affliction--hope--is so cruel and stubborn, I believe it will kill me (McCormick 256) Lakshmi feels this affliction while she is waiting for the American with the pictures to come back to rescue her. The hope she has makes it harder for her to continue to work at the Happiness House. She wants desperately to believe that the good man will come back, but she eventually feels that it is useless to keep hoping that he will return. Lakshmi is torn between staying hopeful that the man will return, and giving up and accepting that he will not. McCormick is expressing that hope is a force that can lead to destruction and devastation instead of achievement and salvation. She is conveying the idea that hope can be a negative force as well as a positive one. I disagree with McCormick. I believe that hope cannot ultimately be a destructive and devastating force. Hope is beneficial because it teaches people to persevere. Hope drives people to accomplish their goals, and allows them to keep a positive outlook on things. I understand that hope can cause pain, but ultimately I think hope is a good thing. For example, in a particular horse show I had very high hopes of doing well, and I believed that I had a very good chance of doing so. However, early on, I made a mistake that cost me dearly. At first, I was devastated because I had worked so hard to be where I was, and my chances of doing well slipped through my fingers. However, in the end I learned from my mistake which allowed me to become a better rider. This is an example of how having hope initially hurt me, but ultimately taught me a lesson, which is a positive thing. Traumatic experiences can cause people to lose hope, but I believe that when they recover they will be stronger because they survived the experience. I also believe that they will be able to influence and teach others because of the knowledge they gained from the experience. I feel that if Lakshmis story had continued, she would look back on her experience in the brothel and see it as a lesson to never lose hope. Lakshmis hope and perseverance ultimately allowed her to escape the brothel, even though she had considered her hope to be an affliction.