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A Retrospective On A Year Of Reading Thai Literature

Books read:

Aquanaut by Rick Stanton

A Wish In The Dark by Christina Soontornvat

Based on the fact that the narrator in “Aquanaut” embarks on a underwater exploration mission into the underwater caves of Thailand in order to save the boys trapped in the cave, I learned that Thailand boasts a diverse geography that includes not only beautiful beaches but also extensive cavern ecosystems. The vivid descriptions of underwater caves, their formations, and the space in the book highlight Thailand’s underground regions and its significance as a natural beauty and how entertaining it is to explore them. Also, While reading “A Wish in The Dark” My eyes were open to both the mountains as well as the rivers in the story which allowed me to picture more of Thailand’s natural beauty in just this narrative.With the descriptions of the water, and the mountain range really touched my heart.

In “A Wish In The Dark,” the story is set in a fictional Thai-inspired city called Chattana, where the narrative draws parallels to historical events like the abolition of slavery. Through this setting, I learned that Thailand has a complex history marked by social issues such as inequality and injustice. The book sheds light on how historical events have shaped Thai society and influenced its path towards progress and equality. In “Aquanaut” it is the actual story of the historic rescue of the 13 boys from the soccer team who were trapped in the cave.

Based on the fact that characters in both books engage with traditional Thai customs and beliefs, I learned that Thai culture is deeply rooted in traditions and spirituality. In “Aquanaut,” references to Thai cuisine like spicy curries and aromatic herbs showcase the importance of food in Thai culture. Additionally, the portrayal of Buddhist temples and rituals in “A Wish In The Dark” underscores the significance of religion in shaping social values and community practices in Thailand and the story of the light orbs is also significant as the most sacred light is the golden orb and in Thai culture, it is the color of Kings.

From “Aquanaut,” I learned about resilience and determination through the protagonist’s unwavering pursuit to rescue others and put your life on the line despite facing challenges in the underwater caves. This book emphasizes the importance of perseverance and courage in overcoming obstacles to achieve one’s goals.From “A Wish In The Dark,” I gleaned insights into themes of justice, compassion, and hope as characters navigate a world divided by privilege and poverty. The story highlights the power of empathy and solidarity in bringing about positive change and fighting against oppression. Together these two stories increased my understanding of Thailand and The beautiful world woven into these narratives. Both the real Thailand in “Aquanaut” as well as the world of Chattana in “A Wish In The Dark” painted Thailand in a way I have never thought of before. From the symbolism and thematic ideas in “A wish in the dark” touching my heart, to the heart-stopping, incredible narrative of the rescue of those boys in “Aquanaut”, I definitely recommend anyone to read Thai literature as it is very enjoyable.

Word count: 513 of the blog

536 in total

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“Pongs hand was on fire A fire with no flames.As soon as he grabbed the Governor's wrist, the raw light swirling in the Governor's right hand went out, throwing the bridge into darkness.”— Christina Soontornvat, A Wish In The Dark (360)

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“Nok held right to her staff with sweaty palms. What should she do? Leave? Join her father on the other side of the bridge? This felt like a test she hadn't prepared for.”— Christina Soontornvat, A Wish In The Dark (350)

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“Anxiousness rippled over Somkit's face. "Why every officer?"They're planning on arresting everyone who marches tonight," said Nok, keeping her voice low so she didn't cause a panic.”— Christina Soontornvat, A Wish In The Dark (350)

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“Her father nodded sadly. "The Governor allowed us to take you out on the condition that I take the job as warden.”— Christina Soontornvat, A Wish In The Dark (330)

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“The figure of the Governor glided past Pong with out looking at him. He walked north, towand Chattana Father Cham watched him go out of sight, his face fig of hope.”—Christina Soontornvat, A Wish In The Dark (320)

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“Later, as Pong made his way to the boat waiting for him, he wished hed given Somkit a proper hug goodbye.”—Christi Soontornvat, A Wish In The Dark (310)

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“"Your lantern," he whispered to Somkit. "Show them."Somkit had one small sun orb tucked in the cloth satchel hanging from his shoulder.”—Christina Soontornvat, A Wish In The Dark (300)

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“The flames danced defiantly, and at first it seemed that the hoses were no match for them. But slowly, the black smoke gave way to gray steam. The fire retreated from the windows.”— Christina Soontornvat, A Wish In The Dark (290)

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“The search orbs pivoted away. The buzz of the motors faded. The police had turned to search elsewhere.Somkit and Pong both let out heavy, relieved breaths.”— Christina Soontornvat, A Wish In The Dark (280)

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“‘Somkit made a sour face and shook his head.Not even a snip of wire.’ He mashed his forehead to the bars, scanning the stable.”— Christina Solntornvat, A Wish In The Dark (270)

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“The Governor's dark eyes flickered. All the amusement drained out of them, and this time Nok knew she had said the wrong thing.”—Christina Soontornvat, A Wish In The Dark (260)

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“A hot bubble of shame rose in Pongs chest. He was leaving again. Running away — again. But couldn't Somkit see that he had no choice? "Is that all you care about?" Pong shouted. "That stupid march?"”— Christina Soontornvat, A Wish In The Dark (250)

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“Once she realized that, her mind was made up. Nok always did the right thing”-Christina Soontornvat, A Wish In The Dark (240)

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"Yai's mother was Ampai's friend. When she died, Ampai promised shed look after him. I guess Yord just comes along for the ride. They are pretty useful at certain things. They can get anything you need on the Hidden Market, like medicine and stuff, so Ampai looks the other way when it comes to them skimming off the top."-Christina Soontornvat, A Wish In The Dark (230)

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A Wish in the dark is a story about a young boy and girl on opposite sides of life looking for the light in their lives, literally. To represent this I made my symbolic object yellow orbs all around the paper to represent the hope of the main characters against the black background which represents the oppressive evil of the gov’t. Finally, The Font goes from this sinister black to the brilliant yellow as well to demonstrate how our main characters progress from the darkness to the light in the story.

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“She stretched her stiff neck side to side. She hated her squeaky cot at the gym. She missed the light from her parents' room shining under the crack in the door.She missed her parents.”—Christina Soontornvat, A Wish In The Dark (220)