Marie Claire Frasl

Literary Essay
January 10, 2015
Essay
Dara Shows Courage
In The Clay Marble by Minfong Ho, Dara is courageous because she takes
risks, because she survives without adult help, and most of all, because she does all
she can do to protect her family and friends.
The first reason why Dara is courageous is because she takes risks. For
example, when she arrives at the refugee camp to steal food and Kung Silor
catches her, she asks him for food and eventually gets a job in the kitchen for free
food in return. This shows that Dara takes risks because Kung Silor could have
killed her because she stole his food and it was dangerous because in war food was
very precious. Another example of how Dara takes risks is when she and Nea go
back to get Jantu and her baby brother. When they walked back in the middle of
the night and Jantu gets shot. This is risky because they could have walked the
wrong direction or path and all three of them could have got shot.
Heres a
quote where Dara says something risky, So thats what I am going to do. I am
going home now, to plant that next crop of rice. This quote shows that Dara takes
risks because she doesnt know if war ended in Cambodia in her village and
speaking up to her brother who is the head of the family. Often it is difficult for
younger siblings to speak up to older siblings but the most risky reason is that she
wants to leave her family behind.
The second reason why Dara is courageous is because she survives without
adult help. For example, when the bombing began she got separated from her
family to help Jantu because her baby brother got shot in his foot. Jantu tells her to
go and search her family and she does that. She walked back to the refugee camp
where the bombing went on; Chnay (a bully) tells her that her family only left a
few hours ago to a refugee camp where they take the families from soldiers like
Sarun. This shows that Dara survives without adult help because she finds her
family without any help and also survives. Another example is when Dara was

alone in the refugee camp she got herself a job and got free food in return, while
Chnay searches for her family. This shows that Dara can survive without adult help
because she gets herself a job without anyones help and also finds her family all
by herself.
The third reason why Dara is courageous is because she does all she can do
to protect her family and friends. For example, when she and her family are at the
refugee camp and Sarun wants to stay to be a soldier. Dara stands up and tells
her family that she is going back home to plant the next crop of rice, rebuild the
house find new friend and live there happily ever after. Youre right, Sarun, I
said quietly, anyone can do that. So thats what I am going to do. I am going home
now, to plant that next crop of rice. Her Mom suddenly steps to her, then Nea and
Baby (Jantus brother and Neas cousin), then Grandpa Kem and after talking with
him finally Sarun. This shows that Dara cares about her family because if she
would have not spoke up her family wouldnt go home. Another example is, when
they leave the refugee camp Dara drops the magic marble from Jantu and wants to
jump off the oxcart to get it back. But then she realizes that the magic isnt in the
marble it is was in Jantu and before she died Jantu told Dara the magic is also in
you. This shows that Dara cares about her friends.
So too sum up Dara is a courageous character because she takes risks,
survives without adult help and most of all because she cares about family and
friends.