Creating Change

I have currently just finished reading the book The Bite of the Mango, and with everything that happened, I think Mariatu is one of the bravest people today. “Something in me had changed. I knew now that I could look forward and back-without any regrets-at the same time” page 212. Mariatu is a very inspiring person and knows that what happened to her was forgivable, she is one of the most heart-filled people I have ever heard of. “I hope you’re very sorry for what you did to me. But I forgive you.” page 197. She knew that those boys were kids just like her, “Maybe in the bush they had thought of their parents and sisters, and felt alone and scared like I had.” page 197. Many people out in the world would not forgive a person for something small, but Mariatu found a way to forgive the rebels from doing something outstandingly horrible. If I were to put myself in Mariatu’s shoes, I don’t think I could find one reason to forgive those people because of what they’ve done. Mariatu is different though, I bet she could find at least five reasons to overlook what had happened.

For a person to be inspiring they need to be able to notice the world and want to create good change, and Mariatu began to care, “My mind was churning over everything that I was seeing: my family’s ripped and dirty clothes; the sadness in their eyes; the wilted stems of their crops, now that the rainy season creeps upon them for only a few weeks each year, rather than a few months, because of global warming. I hadn’t noticed any of this when I lived in Sierra Leone. But now I lived in a place where many families drove two cars, bought new clothes every month, and dined out at restaurants regularly.” page 207. Mariatu began to think of how lucky other places are and notice that change needs to happen to benefit the people that need the extra help. For any change to happen she knew that if others weren’t going to take charge, then she would. “I will meet the president tomorrow. I will speak for all the people of Sierra Leone who are not being heard.” page 212. The ending of this book really surprised me because from the starting of the book to the end of the book, Mariatu became a very powerful person that probably encouraged many people to do the same thing.