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America for Beginners


A poignant debut that explores unlikely friendships forged in unusual ...
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How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?

Created: 07/26/19

Replies: 14

Posted Jul. 26, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3444

How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?

"Nothing would erase the sense of continued shame" that Satya feels for abandoning his friend Ravi and edging him out of a job. How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?


Posted Jul. 29, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
JLPen77

Join Date: 02/05/16

Posts: 362

RE: How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?

I think it’s understandable. Desperate poverty can drive people to do desperate things. This was not an act of wilfull violence and pain inflicted on someone, or a theft of a solid asset—it was a betrayal of trust, depriving Ravi of an opportunity. Satya’s remorse and efforts to locate his friend and make amends show that people are never as bad as the worst thing they’ve ever done. In a case like this with non-fictional characters, I wouldn’t feel it was my place to judge, and it would be Ravi’s place to forgive or not.


Posted Jul. 30, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
ritah

Join Date: 05/26/11

Posts: 80

RE: How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?

It is very understandable though I did not quite understand why Ravi would reach the conclusion of having been betrayed so quickly. Both boys grew up in conditions of extreme poverty and racial discrimination. Survival is critical and Satya was a survivor. He did not forget Ravi, however, and gave him a boost up the ladder in the end.


Posted Aug. 03, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
reene

Join Date: 02/18/15

Posts: 497

RE: How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?

In my opinion, betrayal of trust is often worse than inflicted pain. Pain will often pass, whereas betrayal continues to damage how one sees themselves and others. Satya knows he did a terrible thing and is haunted by his guilt. Ravi was his closest friend, the one he grew up with, a brother. I am glad that Satya made amends and hopefully Ravi will forgive him. Will he ever trust him??


Posted Aug. 05, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Sooz

Join Date: 07/29/14

Posts: 62

RE: How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?

To me Satya's betrayal of his best friend Ravi was unforgiveable and I can understand why Satya was haunted by guilt due to his actions as well he should have been. True friends would not for any reason do such a thing.


Posted Aug. 05, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
acstrine

Join Date: 02/06/17

Posts: 438

RE: How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?

I have never had to live on the street or worry about where my next meal was coming from, but I can imagine the fear and desperation Satya felt when it looked like he was running out of options. I very much agree with the comment that Satya's whole life up to this point was only about surviving. What makes this a little more difficult for me to answer is that Satya didn't just happen to be in the right place at the right time or end up with Ravi's job by chance. He PLANNED to take the job interview by getting his friend drunk. I do think the fact that Satya felt remorseful immediately and knew deep in his heart that he was wrong made me feel a bit more forgiving of him. It wasn't like he callously put the blame back on Ravi for missing the interview or said to himself that Ravi would have done the same thing to him. He did take responsibility after the fact.

And whether Ravi and Satya ever share the closeness and friendship they once did, Satya will at least know he did his very best to make it right.


Posted Aug. 05, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
beckyh

Join Date: 05/08/11

Posts: 113

RE: How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?

I think it was BOTH understandable and unforgiveable. I cannot see the two of them ever being friends again.
Trust between the two has been broken and no amount of "amends" can ever erase that betrayal. In the end it will be up to Ravi to decide to forgive or not. Satya planned the betrayal which makes it worse.


Posted Aug. 13, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
juliaa

Join Date: 12/03/11

Posts: 276

RE: How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?

I agree with beckyh that it is both understandable and unforgivable. I realize that Satya acted out of desperation, but betraying a lifelong friend is to my mind not forgivable.


Posted Aug. 14, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
djcminor

Join Date: 03/14/19

Posts: 208

RE: How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?

Satya continues to search for Ravi to make amends. Satya did his friend a terrible injustice; in Satya's defense, however, the circumstances were dire. In the end, Satya redeems himself by finding Ravi and making sure he has a job.


Posted Aug. 14, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
tracyb

Join Date: 09/22/11

Posts: 102

RE: How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?

Okay poverty can be a very destructive force in a persons life, but a true childhood friend is a friend. One doesn’t take advantage of a situation. Satay has struggled with guilt along with being unsure how to do the job. I would say unfortunately that what he did is unforgivable.


Posted Aug. 16, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
xandrabk

Join Date: 04/16/19

Posts: 44

RE: How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?

I feel that Satya's betrayal of Ravi is unforgiveable. In my opinion, there's not a reason, including poverty, that I can think that should cause betrayal of a friendship, or any other relationship. Loyalty is a strong value and definition of true morality that NEVER, EVER be broken.


Posted Aug. 16, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3444

RE: How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?

I'm surprised about how strongly many feel about the betrayal. If I was Ravi, I agree that I might find it difficult to get past Satya's action but, still, I think he will because Satya has really worked hard to make amends and is genuinely sorry for what he has done. Their friendship may not be the same as it once was, but I think they will be friends again.

When I look around the world at countries where different groups are living in harmony where once neighbors were literally killing each other--such as Rwanda--and they have managed to forgive, even if not to forget, it seems harsh to think that Ravi and Satya's friendship would be undone by what is a relatively small action in the grand scheme; and one that Satya set right in a matter of weeks.


Posted Aug. 19, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
acstrine

Join Date: 02/06/17

Posts: 438

RE: How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?

I also think they will be friends again. Ravi and Satya have been one another's only real support over a lifetime. They will continue to need one another as they navigate life in a new place. Their relationship is like that of brothers. Brothers may fight and stay angry for a while. In the end, they realize how much they mean to and need one another. I think having the security of the tourism job and income will help Ravi move toward forgiveness.


Posted Aug. 21, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
BuriedInPrint

Join Date: 08/03/19

Posts: 8

RE: How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?

The fact that Satya was not able to forgive himself suggests to me that it was an unforgiveable act, even if the two do continue to be friendly after all. But often something a person does, which truly disappoints one's own self, is a terrific incentive to change, to be better. Often we have to really mess up before we see our way to living according to a different moral code.


Posted Aug. 25, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
teachlz

Join Date: 07/28/16

Posts: 54

RE: How do you feel about Satya's betrayal of Ravi? Is it understandable or unforgiveable?

Satya couldn't make enough excuses to himself for what he had done to Ravi. He constantly thought of finding him and did write Ravi's mother, more justification of the fact that he knew he had crossed a line. Satya was used to survival and really thought about himself first. Knowing Satya's and Ravi's life, it is understandable.


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