How Does Mitali Perkins Build Stereotypes In Babino People

Judgemental to Altruistic: A Literary Analysis of Chiko From Mitali Perkins’ Bamboo People

“The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete”(Adichie 13:04). In the short novel Bamboo People, by Mitali Perkins, the author also emphasizes how important it is to be open minded. Perkins shows throughout the novel that stereotypes are untrue. Chiko, who started as a close-minded and judgemental person, became more selfless and open-minded due to the cultural collision with Tai; the author uses this dynamic character to show one should learn more about a person before judging them.

When Chiko is first introduced in the novel, he is shown to be judgemental and close-minded

Chiko becomes more open-minded, and one prime example is when one night, Tai starts worrying about his sister, Sawati, while the recruits are eating dinner. Chiko gets irritated about the fact that Tai keeps on worrying about his sister, and then tells Tai that he can help. He exclaims, “‘You have to learn to read and write… I can teach you quite a bit…’”(Perkins 99). This shows that Chiko has become more open-minded because he is offering to teach Tai how to read and write, even though Tai is illiterate. Chiko also becomes altruistic and puts Tai’s well-being before his. The captain has come to the camp to pick someone for a special job. He ends up choosing Tai, but then Chiko says that he will go instead, and that Tai can go to the job in Yangon. Walking over to Sergeant U-Tha-Din, Chiko whispers to him, “‘Send Tai to Yangon instead of me… I’ll go with the captain…’”(Perkins). This shows how Chiko has grown to become more selfless. He gives Tai safety, and instead risks his life and goes with the captain since he has no idea what he is getting into. He puts Tai in a safe position, and this even allows Tai to be able to find his sister. Chiko could have stayed silent and returned to Yangon to his mother, but he instead puts Tai’s needs before his. The reader has gotten to see Chiko grow for the better, through his relationship with Tai. This happens due

People shouldn't be judged from the outside, but rather on the inside. The new recruits had a long day of physical labor, and Tai had made all of the work easier by working smarter not harder. While the recruits are relaxing, Chiko is thinking to himself, “...spiky hair even more untidy… tanaka paste on his face making him look like he had a disease. Mother always told me not to judge people by their appearance. She was certainly right in Tai’s case”(Perkins 53). This shows how after being around Tai, Chiko has learned that one doesn't have to look smart, to be smart. This has made Chiko more compassionate. The author is also trying to make the reader understand that people are more than they seem like. One night Tai and Chiko had to put all the rocks back into the river, as a punishment given to them by the captain. After they finish the work and are going to sleep, Chiko thinks about how smart Tai actually is. Chiko reflects back to when he first met Tai, “... I remember back to when I first saw him. Uneducated boy, I thought then. Who does that kid think he is? Tonight, all the book learning in the world couldn't have helped me finish the impossible job on my own”(Perkins 73). Through this, the reader is able to see how Chiko has changed his view on Tai. Even though Tai is illiterate, Chiko is now accepting that