Behind the Beautiful Forevers: 1-50

Katharine Boo gives very specific detail about the culture, and sees through the eyes of the people she is writing about. It is easy to forget this is a true story, as the characters are so vibrant and filled with life. Boo is able to see a third dimension in people that normally goes unnoticed, and she captures the individual characteristics that set each person apart. For example, when Boo describes Abdul's mother, Asha, she not only describes the way the world sees her, but the way she sees and thinks herself. Boo says, "She thought about money most of the time; Annawadians called her Squint behind her back" (ebook, page 536). This statement reveals Asha's hunger for power and motivation for her social climb. It also reveals that the caste system is not permanent, while still maintaining that Asha's special and spirited personality is a crucial factor in her climb.

The names of each chapter also tell the reader that they will receive a well-rounded view of Annawadi and the people who live there. The first chapter, titled "Annawadi", is mostly from the point of view of Abdul, who sees all the different parts of Annawadi, and thinks about "his neighbors' huts, some held together by duct tape and rope... Children in school-uniform neckties... hauling pots of water from the public taps... Even goats' eyes were heavy with sleep" (ebook, page 291). Then, we read about Asha, whose natural inclination toward money and power is able to give the reader a  picture of Annawadi's social structure. Later, in the chapter titled "Sunil", we see more about the lives of scavengers and the poor, and so on.

Boo writes the book as if the reader lives among the Annawadians and has somehow tapped into the thoughts of their neighbors. Boo has written about culture in a way that doesn't feel real. How can one city have so much life, so much character? It is extremely intimate, which reflects life in Annawadi: houses and people are always close, space is limited, and privacy is rare. A perfect example of this is the way Boo describes Mirchi and his friends listening to Rahul's account of the hotel party: "The boys stood close together, though there was plenty of space... For people who slept in close quarters... the feel of skin against skin got to be a habit" (ebook, page 367). Boo writes the book as though one would write fiction. It is gloriously detailed without the dryness of many non-fiction books, and makes the reader feel as though they have delved into the mind's of all of those in Annawadi. I think this is important when writing about culture; it is easy for the reader to feel detached. Boo's approach, however, forces the reader into each scenario. Her writing has given me culture shock. I can't imagine a place like this, it sounds like things one reads about in stories. But this is real, and has completely altered my impression of India. And that, I believe, is the goal when writing about culture: to alter the readers' concept and understanding of the world.