According to the novel, Piya and Kanai’s experiences establish that spoken and written languages are inadequate means of communication, especially compared to a shared visual or emotional language, such as fear. Because Piya speaks no Hindi or Bengali but works in a remote part of India where few people speak English, she must realize that she does not necessarily need a common language for her work. For her, visual cues are far more effective than words. Although Piya begins her work on a Forest Service boat, she then abandons the organization as soon as possible– even though she can communicate well with the forest guard and the boat pilot through gestures and mime, they show little to no interest in listening to her. This is an early example of how sharing a language of some sort does not guarantee effective communication between two people. Respect and a genuine desire to connect are necessary for understanding other people, two qualities that are clearly lacking in Forest Service officials toward Piya. Fokir, who is a local fisherman who does not speak English, saves Piya from the Forest Service, and it soon becomes clear to her they do not need to speak the same language. Through gestures, drawings, and laminated flashcards with pictures of the dolphins she is looking for, she communicates with Fokir, and despite the language barrier, he willingly helps her complete her research. 

 In discovering the limits of spoken and written language, Kanai undergoes the greatest transformation. While he is proficient in six languages, he does not learn what the locals insist is the true language of the Sundarbans: the emotional language of fear. The locals, including Fokir, Nilima, and Horen, a fisherman, explain that, according to local wisdom, even saying the word tiger is to invoke the beast itself they suggest that words can evoke the same visual reality as Piya begins to demonstrate with her dolphin flash cards. When Kanai comes face-to-face with a tiger, he confronts a reality that is far more terrifying and real than any words could ever describe. It is evident that language fails him, both spoken and, in his head, and instead, the tiger becomes “an artifact of pure intuition, a reality that it could not even have dreamed of existing so intensely.” In this experience, Kanai learns that fear is like language, as it is something one internalizes and uses to comprehend one’s surroundings. 

As I read The Hungry Tide to me it felt like the afterlife of what would happen if the Parable of the Sower was extended– this novel felt like what life would have been like after the crisis. It constantly reminded me of the Sower because of the references to guns, questioning oneself, expectations, and findings of new land. In both novels, I saw connections between environmentalism, destabilization, and globalization.

“A long-buried memory stirred in Kanai’s mind. “The Matla will rise.’ Is that what he was saying? He must have been thinking of that story he used to tell.” (pg. 23) This part reminded me of the Sower, particularly the part that mentions ‘The Matla will rise,’ I kept thinking about the damage we are causing to the world– almost like we continue to do certain things, global warming, etc will happen, and water will rise. 

“Nilma’s eyes had grown sad, as they tended to do when she was reminded of those of the world’s ills she was powerless to remedy.” (pg. 26) As trauma goes on in our lives, we experience sadness, we look different– we express ourselves differently. This reminded me of the Sower because of the trauma both novels introduce. 

“The sight of the weapon induced her to make her way back down the corridors to ask if the gun was really necessary. The answer was yes, it was; regulations required it because her route would take her through the tiger reserve. There was always the possibility of an attack.” (pg. 27) This reminded me of Parable of the Sower because of the use of guns– this idea of using guns for the ‘safety’ of any possible attack. 

“And who lived in those places? No one– in the beginning. Remember, at that time there was nothing but forest here… So why did people come, then? For the land, Kanai. What else? This was at a time when people were so desperate for land that they were willing to sell themselves in exchange for bigha or two.” (pg. 44) This part reminded me of the ending of the Sower– because of how Lauren/ the group was second-guessing staying on Bankole’s land because of fear for their safety. They came to Bankole’s land for freedom and a new beginning so this reference to people coming somewhere to start over caught my attention. 

“But what could this be a country? Said Kanai in disbelief. There’s nothing here – no electricity, no roads, nothing.” Nirmal smiled. “All of that was to come, he said.” (pg. 45) To go on with the connection I noticed between this novel and Parable– both novels indicate starting all over, from scratch, the finding of new land and what to do with it– what can they do with it? 

“All night I have been asking myself, what is it I am afraid of? Now, with the rising of the sun, I have understood what it is: I am afraid because I know that after the storm passes, the events that have preceded its coming will be forgotten… there is nothing I can do to stop what lies ahead.” (pg. 58-59) As I continued to read this novel, I kept making connections– this novel felt like what Parable afterlife would have been like– which is the focus on survival– sort of like we survived this crisis, we can’t go back, we can only go forward now– this is where things get real now. I saw this as him questioning himself, almost questioning his decisions of survival– for example, I did all of this to survive, how can I stop now? I can’t. This fear of the future but continuing to survive for it.

One of the main themes Lauren mentions is ‘God is Change’– that change is inevitable. This is something we see within the changes in Lauren’s beliefs, change in knowledge, change in chaos, change in trauma/ loss, change in social relationships, change in economics– change of all kinds. Although this novel covers different topics, the topics that stood out to me were religion– intergenerational change, and a dystopian mirror future. Religion because Lauren differs from her father’s beliefs– she stopped believing in his God and created her own which she later named in chapter six ‘Earthseed,’ and this is something relatable to me, the skeptic ability of God. The dystopian mirror future also caught my attention because of the way the story was told– the timeframe/ date, the way it was written– like a diary/ journal, it felt relatable because this is something that can happen. 

“I’m learning to fly, to levitate myself. No one is teaching me.” (pg. 4) 

Coming back to this quote after reading chapters 1-7 is intriguing– this is an example of intergenerational change. Lauren is teaching herself, she is learning about her God, one that brings her comfort and peace, a God that she has created– she is finding what she believes in. I pictured this quote as Lauren flying indicating she is now free, her soul is free, that she has now control of her own destiny– control of her future.

“We can get ready. That’s what we got to do now. Get ready for what’s going to happen, get ready to survive it, get ready to make a life afterward.” (pg. 55)

Lauren is disturbed and can not believe the world she lives in, what is going on– she wants change! We saw this when Lauren spoke with Joanne who misinterpreted the conversation. Joanne understands this as she wants to run away but Lauren just wants to prepare for the future, she wants a plan for if stuff goes wrong. 

“But, Dad, that’s like… like ignoring a fire in the living room because we’re all in the kitchen, and, besides, house fires are too scary to talk about.” (pg. 63)

This quote showed Lauren’s change in chaos– things were becoming worse and she was not oblivious of it. By this point, we know Lauren has lost various neighbors– including a 3-year-old– this made a change in trauma– this is the youngest age thus far that Lauren has experienced a loss. As we read deeper into the novel we become aware that Lauren loses her brother. This also shows a change in trauma/ loss– losses from neighbors to now family. 

“The destiny of Earthseed is to take root among the stars.” (chapter 7) Lauren acknowledges by this point that the world she lives in is no longer for humanity– it is not safe. We see her beg her father to travel north but he feels secure– he can feed his family, he has a job, etc, but Lauren is not content– this is not the future she envisions.