49 pages • 1 hour read
Neela Vaswani, Silas HouseSame Sun Here
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2012A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Nature
House and Vaswani create two main characters who have a deep appreciation for nature to show the reader the importance of caring for the natural environment. For example, Meena highly values nature. When Meena thinks about growing up in Mussoorie, she thinks of the beautiful mountains there and how being out in nature was part of her everyday life. One of the hardest things for her about living in New York is adjusting to being surrounded by buildings rather than mountains. Now that she is removed from natural surroundings, she values them even more than she did when she lived in the beauty of nature.
River also appreciates nature. He chooses to walk through the woods on his way home from school, and he prizes the beautiful details to be found on the leaves. Some of his favorite things to do are fishing and collecting objects on nature walks with Mawmaw. When River sees that the natural world around him is in danger, he feels troubled, and like, Mawmaw, he wants to take action to protect it. Meena also feels sorrow at the thought of animals losing their homes and precious natural resources being wasted. Like her Dadi who stood with the village women to protect their trees, Meena figuratively stands with River and Mawmaw by supporting them in their protest against the coal company.
House and Vaswani’s choice to make the issue of mountaintop removal a central part of the plot shows they way businesses can place profits over what is best for the environment. Their use of the nature motif highlights the value of nature, and shows that young people can and should take an interest in protecting the natural environment.
Stereotypes
House and Vaswani highlight several stereotypes throughout Meena and River’s correspondence to show the way stereotypes are often not true of the majority. Their use of the stereotype motif contributes to the central theme that, despite outward differences, people are essentially the same. As Meena and River get to know one another, they realize that many of the things they’ve heard about each other’s states, religions, and cultures are not true of one another.
For example, after getting to know River, Meena realizes that, even though he is from the South, he is not racist, and therefore does not fit the stereotype she heard about Southerners. Furthermore, River is a Christian, but he contradicts the stereotype that all Christians think others will go to Hell if they do not convert to Christianity. Similarly, River learns how many of his own stereotypes are untrue, such as the idea that New Yorkers are rude and commonly get mugged walking down the street. He also admits that before meeting Meena, he probably would have judged her based on her skin color, like the man in the library who called her a terrorist.
Through their relationship, Meena and River learn the important lesson that stereotypes are often inaccurate and don’t describe the majority of a population. In this way, House and Vaswani show readers how stereotypes can create barriers between groups, even when they are false. The stereotype motif reminds the reader that taking time to get to know someone is the only way to truly understand their character.
Poetry and Music
Meena and River’s exploration of poetry and mutual love for music helps them find common ground, as well as draws them closer in friendship as a way to be vulnerable with one another. As they explore these mediums of expression, they simultaneously share their feelings during the ups and downs of the year. For example, River writes a poem about a childhood memory, reflecting on the contrast between his family’s togetherness in the past versus their separation now. Meena reads the poems posted on the subway, and she writes her own poems based on observations of her surroundings and what she hears people say. Poems help her process the New York City culture in which she lives.
In addition to poetry, Meena and River swap song titles that they like and explain why those songs are important to them. River feels like he can tell Meena about songs that he likes without worrying about judgement. For example, he enjoys the catchiness of Beyoncé’s “Sing Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” because it makes him want to dance, but he would embarrassed if his school friends found out he liked the song. Meena responds by encouraging him to learn the dance steps rather than judging his taste in music. Meena shares the music artists she likes with River, such as M.I.A., and listens to the ones River recommends, such as the White Stripes and the Beatles. Their back and forth sharing of music recommendations allows them to open up to artists that they wouldn’t have listened to on their own. Through their mentions of poetry and music, House and Vaswani show the enriching benefits of having friends who are different from oneself, and using artistic mediums to express oneself.
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