Thirst

“They say water is life.

Does it know the trouble it causes?

The fights?

The lines?

The heartache?

Today, though, it’s calm.

Beautiful, like yards and yards of a blue sari

woven with threads of silver.”

In this poem, Minni personifies water, imbuing it with the potential for self-awareness. It also introduces the idea that water is a source of both survival and danger. The simile likening water to a blue sari helps to establish the book’s cultural setting for readers unfamiliar with Mumbai and India more broadly.

“‘Were the people who lived on the islands part of the dowry?’ she asks. ‘Were we like cattle, of no importance back then?’”

Shanti’s lesson helps to contextualize the book within Indian history, clarifying Mumbai’s postcolonial circumstances in the 21st century. Faiza’s pointed question in response indicates the dehumanizing nature of colonial history and also evokes the dehumanization imposed on Minni’s community in the present by systems of inequality, including patriarchy.

“You’re fifteen—don’t you know you can’t afford to be curious about everything?”

Ram’s acerbic question for the boys is meant to help them realize that they are old enough to start behaving more maturely. Although the question is directed at Sanjay and Amit, it also has implications for Minni, who will soon have to step into a far more responsible role within the family.

“I feel like Superman and Hanuman rolled into one when I’m jumping.”

By comparing himself to Superman and Hanuman at the same time, Sanjay’s self-image is clarified for readers unfamiliar with the Hindu god, a flying monkey with many superhero-like abilities. Additionally, in likening himself to a god and a superhero in the same sentence, Sanjay displays a youthful hubris that will soon be challenged by his dangerous run-in with the water mafia.

“I didn’t say namaste

or smile at Trouble

or invite it home.

I didn’t recognize it.

Like Red Riding Hood

didn’t recognize the wolf.”

In this poem, Minni personifies trouble, referencing the classic fairy tale “Little Red Riding Hood.” Like most of Minni’s poems in the book, she does not use a rhyme scheme, instead relying on repetitive structures (in this case anaphora) to give her thoughts form. By using consistent devices throughout the book, Bajaj endows Minni with a distinctive poetic voice.

“‘Faiza,’ I say, ‘what is going on? Why are so many bad things happening to my family?’”

Minni’s questions for Faiza are unanswerable, both because Faiza is just as naive and young as Minni and because negative twists of fate do not necessarily have definable reasons, as Bajaj explores throughout Thirst. Reckoning with these unpredictable changes will facilitate Minni’s character development as she achieves a more mature, pragmatic outlook by learning what is and is not within her control.

“If growing up means not having my mother or brother around, I don’t want any part of it.”

Minni displays resistance to growth as she struggles to accept the changes that are occurring around her. The idea of “growing up” is thrust upon her so suddenly that she does not understand exactly what it means. Attaining that understanding will take the course of the book to achieve.

“Minni, I did say that the ground was marshy, but don’t forget that it has held us up for centuries. It may not be the strongest, but it’s stronger than you think.”

In another one of her lessons, Shanti uses the swampy landscape of Mumbai as a metaphor for Minni herself. Once again, the novel evokes history as a key part of Minni’s story and a symbol of Minni’s circumstances in the present.

“Water flows through the taps in Pinky’s bathroom.

The tap doesn’t need a marigold garland wrapped around it.

Money, not prayers, makes the water flow.”

Marigold garlands reappear, this time as a commentary on Pinky’s wealth and privilege. “Money” and “prayers” are juxtaposed with one another, revealing the stability within Pinky’s home but also a lack of connection to tradition. Additionally, the distinction that the taps are located in Pinky’s private bathroom immediately calls to mind Minni’s family home, which consists of only one room.

“Good news spreads fast in our neighborhood, trickling like water into the smallest crack—we are so thirsty for it.”

This simile likening news to water is an example of the metaphorical significance of the book’s title. The community’s “thirst” for positive change leads Minni to think of water and optimism as equivalent resources.

“I want to say, My friends call me Minni too, but you’re not my friend. If you were my friend, you would say, ‘Minni, my grandmother is wrong about you.’”

Minni bristles at Pinky’s desire to call her by her nickname. This tension is a byproduct of the fundamental differences between the two characters and their inability to fully understand each other. Despite being young girls of roughly the same age, Pinky cannot be a true ally to Minni because she does not understand her profound daily struggles. Furthermore, Minni cannot understand the depth of Pinky’s loneliness.

“Faiza was right. The computer class opened a door into a fairy-tale world, and I forgot my reality, which is far from magical.”

Computers are a symbol associated with the supernatural realm throughout Thirst (see also Quote 1). In this instance, Minni understands that her perception of them as magical objects can also have negative implications for the rest of her responsibilities. The tension between optimistic fantasy and pessimistic pragmatism within Minni will resolve itself when she realizes that both attitudes are necessary for carrying her forward through life.

“I wonder if Anita Ma’am remembers that I go to school too. That I need to eat and study. Maybe she thinks I’m a robot who lives to serve?”

Minni understands that Anita has dehumanized her, imagining herself as a machine in the wealthy woman’s eyes. These questions are rhetorical, implying that no, Anita does not consider Minni’s educational needs, and yes, she does view Minni sole purpose as servitude. However, Minni displays an immense amount of self-control by not voicing these thoughts out loud and maintaining her oath to her mother not to speak unnecessarily while working.

“Shanti told us that our parts of the city—the parts that people call the slums—get only 5 percent of the city’s water supply, but we have almost 40 percent of Mumbai’s population.”

This statistic educates readers who are unfamiliar with the water inequality situation in Mumbai. Shanti’s role as a storyteller in the neighborhood serves as a narrative vehicle for Bajaj to deliver such expository information to her readers; throughout the book, Shanti informs Minni of key information about Mumbai.

“‘When I try to read, the letters dance on the page. They said I needed special classes, but there was nowhere nearby for me to get them. I had no choice, but you do,’ Latika says. ‘Promise me you’ll go to school tomorrow. I’ll even fill a bucket of water for you.’”

Latika’s story is a good example of the Compounding Effects of Resource Deprivation. Her learning disability was compounded by educational inequity, resulting in limited career opportunities for her and limited opportunities for socioeconomic growth. By observing Latika, Minni discovers her own relative privilege as a student without a disability and learns that she must continue to pursue her education despite the immediate hardships.

“I’ve learned that our father’s advice about trying not to see, hear, or speak about evil, like the three monkeys, isn’t always possible or helpful. Bad stuff happens no matter what.”

Minni has an ultimately pessimistic response to her father’s favorite proverb, “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.” Her inability to understand the proverb’s figurative significance is indicative of her youthful perspective. Nevertheless, her realization that some harmful events are completely out of her control is a key step in attaining a new, more mature perspective.

“‘We working girls have to help each other,’ Miss Shah says. Her kindness and her concern bring a lump to my throat.”

Miss Shah is one of many community members who support Minni in her time of crisis. Through her struggles at work, Minni has unwittingly joined a network of women in her neighborhood who identify with one another, as evidenced by Miss Shah’s use of the first-person plural pronoun.

“Technology can give us power. I feel like the goddess Shakti, who fights evil and sometimes rides a tiger, instead of powerless me.”

Associations between computers and the supernatural continue, this time with a reference to the Hindu goddess Shakti, whose domain is feminine power and energy. By selecting Shakti, rather than another of the many other Hindu deities, Bajaj highlights Minni’s particular circumstances as a girl in disadvantaged circumstances and ties computer education directly to female empowerment.

“I go back to the corner and mop the floor as hard as possible. The scrubbing is helping me not scream.”

Minni’s visceral response to Anita’s callous demeanor reveals the depth of dehumanization she endures at her job. Ironically, by channeling her anger at Anita into cleaning the floor, Minni can do the work that Anita demands of her even better.

“As I head home, I wonder, Am I a thief? But all I stole is a copy of a photo, not something precious like water, which we all need to live. My theft is not hurting people.”

In a moment of philosophical introspection, Minni considers the ethics of her decision to steal the photo from Pinky’s room. Her conclusion that theft is only wrong if it physically harms people ultimately justifies her actions, although it is very likely that Pinky and her family would view the theft in a very different light.

“I nod. Tears of relief flow down my face freely. That sounds so simple. Why didn’t we know this?”

The simplicity of the sentence structures in this quote reflects the simplicity of the solution to the family’s problem. They also contrast with the complex web of compiling struggles that have resulted from not knowing about the hepatitis vaccine. The Compounding Effects of Resource Deprivation are unraveled in a brief moment.

“Sanjay is right. We are both thirsty. And it’s our time to do the things we want. It’s hard realizing that as much as I want Sanjay home, it isn’t the best thing for him.”

Bajaj’s use of thirst as a symbol in this quote illustrates Minni’s character development. Her decision that it is okay to be away from Sanjay to allow him to pursue his dreams is a direct contradiction of her feelings in Quote 8 and demonstrates that Minni has developed a selfless instinct that she did not have before.

“Lately I’ve seen way too much of the bad side of human nature. And since I can’t ‘see no evil,’ I’m happy I can also see the good.”“Lately I’ve seen way too much of the bad side of human nature. And since I can’t ‘see no evil,’ I’m happy I can also see the good.”

Minni balances her new mature, pragmatic approach to life with the optimism that came naturally to her at the beginning of the book. This peaceful contentedness signals the resolution of the internal conflicts that she has struggled with since being thrust into adulthood by her mother’s illness.