Same Sun Here

“Mawmaw quit going to church a long time ago because the preacher said something about women’s rights that made her mad, and she never did go back. But every Sunday she reads to us from the Bible and she prays all the time, loud.” 

Even though Mawmaw no longer attends church, she still practices her faith by praying and reading the Bible. In the South, where Christianity is prevalent and small-town communities take note of who does or does not attend church, Mawmaw’s actions probably invited judgment from others about her faith. However, Mawmaw still lives out Christianity in the ways that count, showing that religion is more about one’s heart rather than one’s church attendance. 

“I can’t tell my friends at school these things because they’d make fun of me too bad. I am real good at basketball, so that’s all I talk about with them. Let’s say right now that we can tell each other our secrets and we won’t make fun of each other. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you sound weird, too. I am glad of it, because I can be my own true self with you.” 

River and Meena decide to be vulnerable with one another in a way they would not be with their school friends because of fear of judgment from others. The distance and differences between them allow them to share their secrets in a way they are not able to with their peers, which results in a strong friendship closer and truer than those they share with other friends. This shows that fear of what others think often keeps people from experiencing deep relationships, and that geographical distance and cultural differences are not a barrier to true friendship.  

“I wonder why feeding pigeons is against the law but saying mean things about people isn’t. That doesn’t make any sense to me.” 

Meena’s wise words after being called a terrorist at the library show the immense effect that words of judgment have on a person. She also recognizes the sometimes mixed-up priorities of the laws that govern society. Meena sees that many stereotypes are not true, and feels that mean words are so harmful that they should be illegal. 

“I love when storms come and remind everyone that Mother Nature is stronger than anything. It is easy in New York to forget that.” 

In the midst of missing the beautiful mountains and lush nature of Mussoorie, Meena relishes the storm as a reminder of nature’s presence and strength, even in the city. Her words show the contrast between her hometown and the concrete jungle of New York. They also show her appreciation for nature, even the stormy side of nature that most people view as negative. 

“By the way, the reason why Ana Maria is a big secret is because Mum wants Kiku to marry an Indian girl. She says if he marries an American girl, she will die of GRIEF and SHAME. She also says I’m not allowed to EVER go on a date EVER and that she will pick out a nice boy for me when it’s time to get married.” 

Even though Meena’s family now lives in America and is working towards American citizenship, their Indian culture still plays a significant role in their lives. House and Vaswani highlight the differences between Indian and American culture in regards to marriage. They show the differing viewpoints between Meena’s parents, who, as first-generation immigrants, want their children to follow Indian marriage customs. Meena and Kiku, who, as second-generation immigrants, drift towards American dating and marriage customs. 

“I usually walk through the woods instead of taking the driveway because it’s a different world there. It’s cooler, and the birds are louder, and there are all kinds of things to see. Sometimes I take my time and run my hand over all the moss. I get down real low and look at the ferns.” 

River appreciates nature more than the average 12-year-old boy. He seeks out time in the woods and notices the details of the leaves and terrain. House and Vaswani highlight Meena and River’s shared love for nature to demonstrate how the destruction caused by mountaintop removal saddens them and spurs River to take action to defend the natural areas he loves.  

“I’m sorry somebody called you and Kiku terrorists. To tell you the truth, though, I might have thought the same thing before I met you, because I never knew anybody different from me before.” 

Since River does not live in a very diverse community, getting to know Meena, an Indian girl, is a new experience for him. He realizes that he has several misconceptions about other cultures based on stereotypes. However, after he gets to know Meena, he realizes stereotypes are not always true, and he learns not to generalize about people based on their skin color or nationality.

“Nobody would stand up for me like your mamaw stood up for you. At home, they would just yell and say I have to get good grades and do whatever the teacher says and be a good girl, no matter what. Even Kiku would say this, although he himself is always breaking rules in little ways. He will not admit it, but he thinks boys do not have to behave as good as girls.” 

When Mawmaw defends River’s actions to the school principal, Meena is surprised, feeling like her parents would not do the same for her. House and Vaswani highlight another cultural difference between Meena and River. River’s Mawmaw values truth and justice over academic success, while Meena’s family prizes academic success more than anything. Meena’s comments about Kiku also suggest that boys are favored over girls in Indian culture. 

“I feel like I am learning a lot from you about Americans and what they’re really like. I would have been afraid to go to Kentucky before I met you. Kiku says that everyone in the South wants to hang us by our necks from trees. But since meeting you, I have told him he’s wrong.” 

Just as River’s stereotype of Indians is not true about Meena, Kiku’s stereotype of Southerners is not true about River. After writing a few letters to each other, Meena and River both realize that their preconceived notions were wrong, and that one should not judge others before getting to know them. House and Vaswani’s discussion of stereotypes shows readers the way prejudice can lead to conflict, while open-mindedness can lead to friendship. 

“Mrs. Lau says if a dog and a parakeet can love each other, then so can anybody. I think she is right.”

Mrs. Lau’s wise words show that, even though people look or act different on the outside, they can still get along with one another. The unique friendship between Cuba and the parakeet parallels Meena and River’s friendship. Mrs. Lau’s observation relates to the theme that, despite outward differences, people are essentially the same on the inside. 

“I thought it was really cool that people would stand in the rain to make their voice be heard. It made me want to be old enough to vote.” 

Seeing people stand in line in the rain helps River realize what a privilege it is to vote, and it makes him excited to be able to cast his own vote someday. Both Meena and River’s observations of the voting process show young readers the importance of forming opinions and taking action to stand up for one’s beliefs. House and Vaswani’s choice to highlight Election Day contributes to their theme that making one’s voice heard is important.

“There was only one thing I learned that I didn’t like. I didn’t know that to be an American citizen you have to ‘give up prior allegiances to other countries.’ Kiku defined that for me—it means that once you’re an American, you can’t be loyal to the country you come from. I don’t know why I can’t be loyal to India and America at the same time.” 

Both Indian and American cultures contribute to Meena’s identity, and she does not like the thought of choosing between the two. Her struggle reflects that of many immigrants who want to honor the traditions of their home country while also adapting to the customs of their new country. House and Vaswani show the difficultly of balancing two cultures, but they also show that one does not need to choose between the two—both cultures can be a part of one’s identity.  

“I feel like a different person. I guess anger and sadness are things that settle in your bones and become a part of you. I am still wearing my watch set to India time. I will never take it off.” 

Meena’s grief over Dadi’s death changes her. She knows she will always feel sadness over losing Dadi and anger that she wasn’t there for her. Meena’s choice to always wear her watch shows that India and Dadi will always be a part of her.

“Today the sun was out, and as I walked to school I wondered if it was sunny in Kentucky, too. And then I thought to myself that it’s the same sun here as it is there, and that made me feel like you’re not so far away after all.” 

Meena’s words and the title of the novel show that, although they live far away and differ in many ways, Meena and River live under the same sun and share similarities in the ways that matter most. This is a reminder to the reader that all around the world, people live under the same sun and can find common ground no matter their skin color, nationality, or beliefs. 

“It is so amazing how all this stuff goes into making a play and how all these crazy things happen backstage, but to the people in the audience, it looks perfect and easy. It’s like there are two worlds in Drama Club. The world onstage and the world backstage. It reminds me of how I feel all the time. Like there is America right in front of me, but backstage, in my mind, are Mussoorie and Dadi and the mountains.” 

Just like the different worlds onstage and backstage, Meena feels she has two worlds inside of her—America and India. Her thoughts highlight her inner struggle, feeling like she has to choose one culture or the other. Even as she adapts to life in America, a part of her remains in India and perhaps always will. 

“Mum always says it was money and immigration laws that kept us apart all those years. But I don’t know. Sometimes it feels like they just abandoned me. Like they wanted to leave me, like they wanted to go off and live a happy life without me and Dadi. Maybe that sounds crazy but I don’t think they missed me as much as I missed them.” 

Meena feels that when her parents left for America without her, they abandoned her. Even though her mother explains that they never thought they would be separated for so long, Meena can’t shake the feeling that they deserted her. Her feelings show how much immigration has affected her family relationships and the family unit as a whole.

“Meena. Don’t forget yourself. You are my Indian daughter, not my American daughter.” 

As Meena adapts to American culture, she begins to prefer some American customs to Indian customs, such as wanting to choose whom she will marry. House and Vaswani highlight the common barriers immigrant parents face with their children. The children more easily adopt the new culture, while the parents remain faithful to the original culture. 

“I had not seen hills or sat on a big rock in many years. The city, the skyline, looked blue and distant. It made me feel like we are all very small and unimportant. It is just when you are inside something that you forget that. But when you are outside of it and looking from far away, you can see. Kiku says that’s called ‘perspective.’” 

When Kiku takes Meena to the lighthouse for her birthday, she feels connected with nature for the first time in a long time, and she is able to look at her life in the city from a distance. Looking at the city and her struggles from far away allows her to see how small they are in the grand scheme of things. Meena’s musings are a reminder to young readers that sometimes one needs perspective to see things clearly.

“Mawmaw says this is the most exposure mountaintop removal has ever gotten and that now that people know about it, they will get mad about it. She says that Americans usually do the right thing if they know about it, that it just takes a long time to get their attention, especially if something bad is happening to poor people.” 

Since the people in River’s community are poor, the coal company more easily takes advantage of them. This reveals that those in power often take advantage of those who are weak, such as immigrants and the poor. However, Mawmaw’s decision to protest brings attention to the injustice in their community, showing that, even though they are not wealthy, they still have a voice and can make a difference.

“Mr. Orff said it’s because there are some people in the world who want to control other people, who want to be comfortable and rich and protected, and they don’t care who they hurt to get that way. It seems so unfair that some people work hard but don’t have anything to show for it.” 

Meena’s teacher’s lesson on serfdom reinforces the idea that the rich and powerful often take advantage of others to maintain their lifestyles. Just as the coal company takes advantage of Black Banks and the landlord takes advantage of rent-controlled tenants, so have the powerful taken advantage of the weak throughout history. 

“She said there are so many Americans—legal, illegal, citizens, not citizens—who love America and, also, the country they or their ancestors came from. I asked her if she felt that way about China and she said, ‘That’s what is means to be an American. To be free to love who and what you want, and to keep a lot in your heart at once.’” 

Meena’s conversation with Mai, the citizenship class teacher, shows that Meena can be American and still have a place in her heart for India. Similar to River’s suggestion that Meena can be both a teacher and a poet, she can also love both India and America. House and Vaswani show that a person can be a blend of cultures and backgrounds and still be American. 

“I didn’t tell him that I knew that because of you, because you are my best friend and that our friendship is better because we are different but also because we are so much alike, too.” 

River’s father admits that he was wrong to judge others because of their skin color. River has already learned this truth for himself in his relationship with Meena. He sees how they are similar in many ways, and how the differences they do have make their friendship stronger. House and Vaswani show readers the value of knowing people who are different from oneself, and the way that getting to know someone often leads to the discovery of more similarities than differences.

“Meena, it was the strangest thing, because I thought that not only could I feel the mountains, but I could feel the presence of all those people who had passed through the gap years and years ago, just looking for a better life. I guess they were all immigrants in their own way, just like you and your family. We all are, I reckon.” 

Visiting the Cumberland Gap with his family, River recognizes the common ground people from the past and present share in their quest for a better life. He gains a new perspective on what it means to be an immigrant, and he sees how his own life shares core commonalities with Meena’s.