The Image of Sundara rocking the baby
In the first chapter of Children of the River, Linda Crew narrates the scene of Sundara as she rocks her aunts newborn baby:
"... Sundara sat rocking the new baby in the wooden swing on the front porch. The afternoon air was soft and warm and warm; a pleasant breeze wafted up from the gulf. Nuzzling the baby, she breathed in the sweet newborn smell" (Children of the River, 6).
This description paints in the reader's subconscious mind an image of the thirteen-year-old girl as she dutifully takes care of her aunt's baby, the breeze as it wafts up from the gulf. Crew uses this vivid description in order to enhance the creation of the setting and bring to the attention of the reader the mood of Sundak's surroundings.
The serenity of Sundara's sorroundings in the village of Ream
Before the change of leadership, which causes a stir in the whole of Cambodia coupled with the displacement of people and the subsequent migration of Sundara to Oregon in the United States, the surroundings of Sundara are presented as serene through a rather vivid description of the same. In this description, we are able to visualize the events as they unfold in the story:
"A sad love song played on the radio and Sundara kept time, lazily dangling her rubber thong from her toe..." (Children of the River, 6).
The image of the events following the change of leadership
"People crowded on the pier with their squalling children and hastily gathered possessions, stumbling in panic up the gangplank to a large freighter. A few men rolled motorcycles on board; one family pushed a refrigerator. All was shouting and confusion" (Children of the River, 8).
In this description, an image of the confusion that ensues following the change of leadership is evident as most of the people crowd at the pier, fleeing for their safety on the purported approach of the communists. We are able to visualize "squalling children", "hastily gathered possessions", and the "stumbling."
Sundara's manouvre to the ship
"The wind whipped Sundara's hair about her face as she gripped the baby in her krama with one arm, balanced Pon on her opposite hip and swept by the mass of people, began the long, sloping climb up the gangplank to the ship" (Children of the River, 8).
This vivid delineation brings the image of the girl as she carefully and assiduously makes her way to the ship with her aunt's baby carefully strapped to her chest and Pon to her side. The description also brings to the attention of the reader the plight of women, girls and children in times of political unrest.
Sundara's view from the classroom window
"The third-flow classroom window was open, allowing a wispy thistle seed to float in on a breath of late summer air. Sundara clenched her hands on her desk and watched the spinning puff drift by" (Children of the River, 11).
In the second chapter of Children of the River, Linda Crew brings into the reader's attention the mood of Sundak's environment as she stands by the window of her classroom. We are able to imagine her as she clenches her "hands on her desk." It is apparent that the mood is that of anxiety and restlessness.
