pgs. 50-75

Manju seems to be one of the most kind and ethical characters in the book; because of this, she reminds me of the nicest person I know, Jamie Janiga.  Both are very kind and look out for people’s well being.  Manju stopped Devo’s mother from beating him right in front of her other students.  She also goes around the slum to gather the rest of her students that have not shown up yet for class; this seems like something very few teachers would do, especially if the majority would only teach on the days a supervisor was present.  I know Jamie from an art class I took in my junior year of high school.  She was always putting others in front of her and wanted to help someone in anyway she could if they needed it.  The two are unlike in that Jamie is a genuinely nice and giving person; while it was mentioned in the book that Manju was kind because she wanted to rebel against her mother and because of fear.  Although, some people may say that because these are her reasons for being “nicer than she had to be” that she is not honestly a good person.  But I think because she recognizes that what Asha is doing is wrong and does not want to be like her says that Manju is a better person than her mother.   Some of her other characteristics are obedience and perseverance.  She does so much work that she only sleeps four hours.  One of the things that she spends a lot of time on is her schooling so she could possibly, at some point, get out of the slums.