When reading the first fifty pages of Boo's book, the concept of hierarchy within a community that I would have, at first glance, thought to have no caste system, as I assumed that the slums were a class themselves. However, as I read on, I discovered that there is a prominent sense of power and constant strain for control amongst the community's members. For instance, Asha's manipulation and "whatever it takes" attitude concerning the well-being of her family and collegiate daughter was actively portrayed as she maneuvered both breaking the rules (e.g., when Robert Pires "had made his own blunt proposal one evening as she was filling a pot of water at the tap. Asha had set down the pot and replied coolly, "Whatever you want. Tell me, bastard. Shall I strip naked and dance for you now?" No other woman, then or since, had spoken to the slumlord that way." Found wards the bottom of page 19). Another thing that struck me was that, just as Asha was, women in general seemed to play a huge role in the life of Annawadi. Abdul's mother, Zehrunisa, too had taken a role of dominance; playing the main figure in the house while her husband was "too ill to work." I couldn't decide whether I admired, or pitied, this sense of taking charge that the women were forced to do. It was as if their husbands were off being drunk or lazy and unsupportive while the mothers raised children, and just enough money to get by. So I guess there is a dual sided way of looking at this scenario: appreciation and admiration towards the strong and independent woman, but also commiseration for the lack of support that they received.
Another thing that caught my attention was how Sunil had such a conscience about what he was doing ("I don't like myself, doing this work. It's like being an insult." He thought he might like himself even less, being a thief." Found on the second to last paragraph of page 49). It was as if he was one of the last people left in the slum who still had their morality and dignity, in a sense, left. However, because of this, I found him to be one of the most relatable, and also lovable, characters, making him a future pivotal figure in the book (just a guess) because of the foreshadowing at the end of the third chapter ("Later, Sunil would come to understand the extent of the power that Mumbai police officers had over Annawadi road boys." Found on page 49, last paragraph). This sentence made me think that perhaps Kalu (the airport thief) was abused by the police. And although this guess may be far-fetched, I feel that the fact that he is constantly joking may be his way of coping with the darkness in his life. As it is said, oftentimes the people that are the funniest and make others laugh are actually depressed (or can fall into depression easily than others).
Now, whether this is true or not I do not know yet, but I love how Katherine Boo foreshadows and makes this work of reporting about a city that is in great poverty like a novel. I truly understand now what she was talking about in her Author's Note (i.e., how she talked about her interrogation-like questioning; unrelenting until she knew exactly what her interviewees were thinking when doing specific jobs. I caught myself reflecting on this unique aspect of the book frequently as I read, and appreciate the imagery and detail very much, especially since there are no images of what Annawadi looked like or how the people were. Boo captured images through her adjectives of choice and novel-like writing, and there is nothing in a book that is more valuable, to me at least, than that ability to connect names with invisible faces.
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