Opening Night The Scene From The Airport Slums - 1268 Words

In Katherine Boo’s â€Å"Opening Night: The scene from the airport slums,† we see the continual contrast in Mumbai between the extremely poor and the rich. She describes the effects of extreme poverty. The juxtapositions highlight the social disruption, economic disadvantages can cause. We also learn that movie’s depiction of slums is glamorized and unrealistic. Most shocking the author focuses on several characters, mostly young people (like Sunil), and describes the environment they live in. We see the overwhelming effects of extreme poverty in every aspect of their lives and realize they will not be able to escape and rise out of the slums. The lack of education and jobs are preventing these people from progressing. We realize how the rich†¦show more content†¦The â€Å"garbage business† consists of gathering airport garbage and recycling. He had to roam the airport roads and retrieve objects others tossed away. He was a â€Å"lawful† s cavenger. However, he had to change his profession when the American recession occurred. People in the garbage business had to resort to stealing metal. Sunil postponed certain burglaries as a way of procrastinating since he was terrified. He was risking his life to provide food. A child having to support his younger sibling is shocking. The author explains why. Sunil has to immediately assume the parental role of supporting himself and his sister, mainly because his father had only occasional work and then drank his wages. Often he never bothers to work, he is constantly drunk, and has no relationship with Sunil or his daughter. We discover Sunil has to take control and responsibility beginning at the age of seven. Now at thirteen, he is fully responsible for his younger sister. He emphasizes he works daily, unlike his father who occasionally works. Yet we see the small boy when he states that â€Å"when he was small, he’d lost his sister for a week, but he has been careful not to misplace her after that.† We see a boy at a very young age assume complete responsibility for his sister, which means that he by in large no longer can be a child. He no longer can get an education. It is shocking how he states he lost his sister when he