Bamboo People

As the novel concludes, all the major themes and symbols converge. Chiko and Tu Reh’s friendship develops to the point that it becomes similar—if not equal— to Chiko’s friendship with Tai. However, Tu Reh must come to terms with and accept this progression of events—and overcome his fear of reprisal from his community. Although he better understands Chiko as a person and enjoys the time they spend together in private, the negative associations from other camp residents leave Tu Reh isolated and torn, especially after his fight with Sa Reh. Because of the general hatred for and trauma caused by the Burmese military, Tu Reh struggles to connect his Karenni identity with his friendship with Chiko and succeeds only after the community vote. This shows the influence that society can have on individual choices—and the courage it takes to befriend someone regardless of public opinion. As demonstrated by the voluntary loan of his mule and his gift of a new bamboo pole to Chiko, Tu Reh has learned that it’s possible to forge friendships across cultures, even during armed conflict. He enthusiastically supports Chiko’s dreams of becoming an educator by asking the camp teacher to mentor and encourage Chiko.

Tu Reh’s bamboo and Chiko’s glasses converge as important symbols for adaptability and power. Tu Reh passes on his most precious possessions to Chiko: his bamboo pole and mule from his home village. In this way, he acknowledges their similarities and demonstrates how much he values their newfound friendship. Tu Reh’s final return of Chiko’s glasses signifies the importance of literacy—and the power and agency this skill gives Chiko. Although Chiko despairs because of his amputated leg, the camp teacher’s visit and shared experiences revitalize Chiko’s teaching dreams. In addition, he’s finally able to read again—and finds strength in Frodo’s loss of a finger in The Lord of the Rings. As Chiko muses on his journey home, “No hero comes back unscarred” (260). Even after the hardships he has faced, Chiko is resilient and rekindles his dreams for the future.

Highlighting the theme of The Importance of Strong Role Models, Tu Reh and Sa Reh remain foils for each other in their respective character developments. During the community vote meeting, Tu Reh aligns with the grandfather in defending Chiko; he can finally and confidently voice his motivations for saving Chiko. This shows that he’s now able to make and defend his own independent decisions without relying on others. Sa Reh, however, continues to emulate Bu Reh’s blind hatred for Chiko. He begins to change only after he triggers Nya Meh’s trauma, deciding that he wants to be better for her. Although Sa Reh doesn’t have much character growth in the story, this decision—in opposition to his father—shows that he has the capacity for change; he just needs the initiative to do so.

Resolving the inherent conflicts in the theme of Education Versus Propaganda/Hatred, Tu Reh demonstrates that despite all the justifiable reasons not to, overcoming hatred in favor of friendship is not only possible but beneficial. His friendship with Chiko is a key example, but it’s also evident during the community vote meeting. Like Tu Reh, many camp residents are apprehensive about helping Chiko, a Burmese soldier. Many support Bu Reh’s suggestion to abandon Chiko in the jungle. However, the community rally via the Karenni anthem teaches them the value of being both Karenni and merciful, separating individual humans from the abstract, oppressive state. The change from “his [Tu Reh’s] soldier” to “our stranger” (243) indicates their acceptance of Chiko and willingness to help him. Similarly, when Chiko asks how to repay the Karenni for their kindness, Tu Reh tells him, “Tell your people to stop killing Karenni” (248), which contrasts with his original impetus to instruct Chico to stay behind (and thus die) and demonstrates Tu Reh’s own character growth through the education of experience. Chiko chooses to honor his promise through education and by sharing his story with Daw Widow, whose influence can spread the message even further. Through this channel, Chiko not only pushes for the importance of education but also demonstrates the importance of multiple perspectives instead of unilateral, biased propaganda. Like Tu Reh, Burmese citizens can each decide for themselves what sort of person to be.

Chiko must decide this himself on a physical level because of his prosthetic leg. He knows, thanks to the Karenni teacher’s example and encouragement, that he can achieve his dreams regardless of whether his leg is flesh or plastic: “I’ll call that one [the prosthetic] my Karenni leg,” he promises (249), in remembrance and gratitude for all the help, healing, and friendship he received at the Karenni camp. On a more abstract level, his prosthetic symbolizes a better, more diverse Burma. Like his prosthetic, the Karenni people may not be the same as the Bamar/Burmese—they’re distinct ethnicities and cultures. However, when united, coexisting, and diverse, the prosthetic makes the body a stronger, unified whole. Likewise, the Karenni and other persecuted ethnic groups, peacefully coexisting with the Burmese, would make Burma a more diverse, stronger nation (or neighboring nations). Chiko’s family’s acceptance of his prosthetic symbolizes their acceptance and appreciation for such a new, diverse coexistence. Chiko expresses this mutual respect in his parting gift to Tu Reh: “‘Good-bye, my brother,’ he replies [...] in Karenni” (250). By learning the Karenni language, he demonstrates respect for the people and culture as well as his desire to use his privilege to uplift them in the small ways that he can.

Finally, the photographs play an important symbolic role in the novel’s Epilogue. By confessing his feelings and returning Lei’s photograph to her and Daw Widow, Chiko demonstrates that all his hopes have been fulfilled: He’s home with his loved ones, his feelings are mutual (and approved), and he’s determined to help his Karenni friends however he can. Best of all, Father is returning—Chiko’s greatest dream throughout the novel. Since all his desires have come true, he no longer needs a symbol of hope to sustain him—he has the real thing—and he returns Lei’s photo to Daw Widow. However, he keeps the photo of Father as a sign of his resilience. Chiko and Tai have experienced so much together and apart, but resilience remains an ongoing struggle. Like his father, Chiko knows he can survive whatever the future may bring—his expression mirroring Father’s reflects that—but the reminder remains helpful.