A long Way from Home by Alice Walsh follows the story of a teenager called Rabia. Rabia and her family used to live in Afghanistan but they are moving to New York to escape the brutal Taliban. Years ago in Afghanistan, Rabia’s family was much bigger because she had two older brothers, Amir and Yousef who were killed. Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan tells the story of Rachel who is a teenager. Before she lost her parents they used to live in England but she was born in Africa. The hospital is full of people because of a very dangerous virus called Influenza, Rachel’s father is one of the only doctors in the hospital. Throughout both stories It’s clear to see that the main character’s families are very different, the family has different power levels and also in both stories big tragedies are happening and killing a lot of people.
It is clear to see that both main character’s families are very different. In a Long Way from Home, readers can identify that Rabia’s family need to save themselves but in the same time they are resilient precisely because they have to face many types of problems, they had to leave their country because of a terrorist the loss of two brothers, the father in jail and the prejudice they suffer in the United States because they are muslims but they keep moving forward. On the other hand, Rachel’s family are supportive and always try to help people who cannot help themselves. In Africa the virus Influenza is happening and killing people but Rachel’s father is one of the only doctors in the local hospital that is full of sick people, as there are many patients, his father has to teach men and women from other communities to be his assistants. At the begging of the books, it is evident that Rabia’s family were almost forced to leave their own country to protect theirselves and escape the terrorists group mainly Taliban, on the other hand, Rachel’s family moved to Africa to save and help people from Influenza because hospital there was almost no doctors.
Readers can notice that the families of the main characters have different power levels. At the beginning of the stories, it can be seen that Rabia’s family are the ones who has less power because, as i mentioned before they lost their oldest child for a group of terrorist which is why they left their own country to avoid wars, genocides and for women’s right to be very downgraded with Taliban there. While Rachel’s father is one of the only doctors in the hospital saving people’s life and teacher and boss of his assistants he has more power there. He helped people with Influenza and even people who had other types of problems/diseases, the patients in the hospital see him like a savior. Even when Rachel’s parents died, she moved to England to become a doctor to save peoples lives like her father.
During the book it is clear to see that both stories talk about very serious tragedies and the consequences. It can be noticed that A Long Way from Home happens when the attack on the World Trade Center is happening. In Listening for lions It is evident that the virus Influenza is happening in Africa. When Rabia was almost landing on New york, the terrorist attack happens and kills a lot of people, and by the terrorist group are islamic extremists, not only Rabia and her family suffer prejudice instantly but the whole group of muslims in united states. In the same way, Listening for lions shows a very dangerous virus that is happening in Africa and other places and even with the excellent doctor that Rachel’s father is, he couldn’t take care of everything and he and his wife ended up catching the same disease and passing away.
In conclusion, both books have completely different stories but can have something similar. Throughout both stories It can be noticed that the main character’s families are very different, the family have different power levels and also both stories have big tragedies happening and are killing a lot of people. Both stories can pass almost the same meaning that is people who was affected by tragedies even tho one was a attack on purpose to kill and the other was a virus that wasn’t on purpose
