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In the Shadow of the Banyan


A hauntingly powerful novel imbued with the devastation of monumental loss and ...
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How much do you think Raami really understood?

Created: 05/25/13

Replies: 12

Posted May. 25, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3444

How much do you think Raami really understood?

Tata tells Raami, "The problem with being seven—I remember myself at that age—is that you're aware of so much, and yet you understand so little. So you imagine the worst." How much do you think Raami really understood?


Posted Jun. 04, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
rebeccar

Join Date: 03/13/12

Posts: 548

RE: How much do you think Raami really understood?

Just like Scout as the narrator of To Kill a Mockingbird, there are times where Raami understood immediately, times where she sensed something just wasn't quite right, and times where we - the reader- benefited with an enriched narrative as the author conveyed adult knowledge through the eyes of a child.


Posted Jun. 04, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
rebajane

Join Date: 04/21/11

Posts: 320

RE: How much do you think Raami really understood?

I don't even think the adults understood what was going on so it was much more difficult for Raami. It was the death of innocence, for sure


Posted Jun. 05, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
terri

Join Date: 04/11/12

Posts: 102

RE: How much do you think Raami really understood?

She may have been only seven, but living through something like this forces one to mature more quickly I think. As time goes on and significant events happen around her, she becomes aware and understands more and more of what is happening.


Posted Jun. 06, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
alisonf

Join Date: 01/31/13

Posts: 110

RE: How much do you think Raami really understood?

I agree that the adults really didn't understand everything that was happening or what was coming. Being a child made that even more true and nothing was familiar. People were no longer predictable, routine was constantly changing but Raami certainly understood that nothing was right with regard to their circumstances.


Posted Jun. 06, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
paml

Join Date: 10/25/12

Posts: 83

RE: How much do you think Raami really understood?

At times I had a hard time with Raami, seven years old, being the narrator. It wasn't always believable, however, most of the time it worked. Children don't use the filters that adults use, so Raami's observations were more pure. Her perspective was different than the adults as were her worries.


Posted Jun. 06, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
joyces

Join Date: 06/16/11

Posts: 410

RE: How much do you think Raami really understood?

I think in the beginning she understood very little and just clung to her family hoping for the best. As reality set in she was very slow to accept but smart enough to adapt to do what she had to do. She knew that she nor the adults in her life had any choice in how they lived and her innate survival instincts kicked in. The stories in her head gave her mental respite from the horror around her and the example of her mother kept her going.


Posted Jun. 13, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
susanf

Join Date: 09/14/11

Posts: 5

RE: How much do you think Raami really understood?

I think she understood a lot, yet as just a seven year old did not truly understand the evil of man. She drew her strength from her lovely home and the wonderful, beautiful stories her father told her. I think with out that back ground, she would not have survived.


Posted Jun. 14, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
lesleym

Join Date: 05/12/11

Posts: 34

RE: How much do you think Raami really understood?

For such a young child, Raami was very observant and open to the environment around her. She was unaware at first what was happening, but quickly "grew up" and realized what to do, say and fear to survive. She adapted well to her situation and even when things were desperate, she seemed to take some pleasure in everyday things.


Posted Jun. 16, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
melindah

Join Date: 12/25/12

Posts: 52

RE: How much do you think Raami really understood?

I think Raami understood more than we might think, and less than she may believe.


Posted Jun. 17, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
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christy

Join Date: 05/22/12

Posts: 41

RE: How much do you think Raami really understood?

Well put, melinda h! I completely agree.


Posted Jun. 24, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
tswaine

Join Date: 09/14/11

Posts: 94

RE: How much do you think Raami really understood?

I think Raami knew what was going on around her. Kids pick up more of what is happening around them than we might think. She knew what she had to do to survive and acted appropriately.


Posted Jul. 10, 2013 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
booksnob

Join Date: 11/12/11

Posts: 31

RE: How much do you think Raami really understood?

She knew enough to survive and enough to turn her head when she needed to. She knew when to listen and when to distract herself. Raami was resilient.


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