Fatimah Shaikh

September 4, 2020

Kaling and Thomas Response-

After reading both of these passages, I felt somewhat inspired. Although each story had a

very different mood, they both proved that one should help others by being themselves,

embracing their hardships and characteristics. After reading both stories, I found Kaling’s story

much more relatable. I related to her in a way that I too was not myself when trying to make

friends. Her story made it more natural to go through something like that, and then realizing that

one should not force friendship but let it happen by chance. Kaling’s story was inspiring in a

sense that it may allow one to be themselves, and not try to think about others' opinions about

themselves. Thomas’s story was much more difficult to read because it showed a very dark and

intense side to many people’s realities. This passage portrayed more so the idea of helping others

through the experiences that one went through themselves. Thomas’s story was more interesting

because I have not read that many stories on one’s detailed experiences before, during and after

fighting in a war. Thomas’s story was inspiring because it shows the effect of embracing ones

dark past experiences in order to help others.