TOW #16—IRB: “Behind the Beautiful Forevers” By Katherine Boo

TOW #16—IRB: “Behind the Beautiful Forevers” By Katherine Boo

                Poverty has torn our world apart. It resides in every country, every state, every city. It is extremely prevalent in India, where slums squat all around the outskirts of cities. The poor hide in the shadows of sky scrapers and scavenge through the trash of the rich, hoping to find something valuable. Millions of people live this way and there isn’t much they can do to help themselves. However, aide can be found from those who make a good living, who live with the benefits the poor have never had. But sadly, many people do not help. Most do not know the dire situation that is rampant throughout the world and some simply do not seem to care to help. Journalist Katherine Boo traveled to India and wrote a book on the lives of a few people living in the slums of Mumbai. She intertwines thoughtfully crafted diction in her story-like nonfiction book to create the feelings that her characters were experiencing in those moments. With this knowledge, readers feel inspired to help and to lend to the cause of the people living in the slums.

                Boo has the specialty and the ability to add powerful emotions into her writing. She clearly conveys what her characters feel, from each perspective and in each situation. It helps to explain the characters’ motivations, hopes, dreams, likes, dislikes, and insecurities. She does this by choosing her words carefully. She uses powerful verbs such as “shrieked” (Boo 96) and “inspected” (Boo 135) to convey feelings in the characters’ actions. Her strong description, such as “mast-straight” (Boo 135) and “poking along in bitty hearings” (Boo 205), paints a picture and adds feelings to the situation. Thus, the reader can easily develop relationships with the people and their situations. Whether this causes sympathy, inspiration, or depression, it motivates the readers to take action and to help people who experience this same pain.

                Boo’s book, sold world-wide, has inspired many. As the years pass, it only inspires more to take a stand on world poverty. Boo uses powerful language in her book to express the feelings and emotions these real, struggling people have and to motivate others to take action.