Samantha Downey
REL-2300 MWF 12:30

Water Movie Analysis

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In the 2005 movie “Water” directed by Deepa Mehta, there is an amazing insight into the belief system and practices of Hinuduistic marriage among even the youngest generations. Young
Chuyia doesn't even remember being married and yet she finds herself being taken from her family and put in a home of widows when he dies suddenly. As the story unfolded and the child was given a new form of dress and had her head shaven because of a tradition she didn't even yet understand, I felt very angry towards the tradition and the idea that these children are in some sense, “thrown away” because of something they never could control at all. As she found happiness in the home with the older women who took her under their wing and showed her faith, I felt as though maybe the child wasn't completely ruined and could still have a somewhat happy life. But once she was given to a man as a prostitute by one of the older widows just to help pay for their house and food, I lost respect again. These women had lived hard and long lives and missed out on many things married women got to experience, but I couldn't understand how one widow could give a child away to a man knowing what he planned to do to her. The only man in this story who showed any sadness and interest in the widows showed that the ideas of the ancient world could be modernized and widows should be remarried and he really made both me and the characters within the movie hopeful for the future. This key issue of having a lack of men supporting the idea of these women deserving a second chance at life is what led to such a long debate. Since women weren't given much importance when speaking their opinions,

the need for change in the way the widowers were treated could not happen solely with their desire for change, but also that of the dominant sex, or the male community. Unfortunately in this time period, he found himself unable to change those around him and decided he needed