Thirst

In an interview with the Texas Library Association, Bajaj reflected on the title of the book and its figurative significance to the story: “Halfway through the first draft of this story, I realized that Minni is thirsty. She feels the need not just for water, but the need to have access to education, to opportunity, and to respect” (“Thirst Author Varsha Bajaj.” YouTube, uploaded by Texas Bluebonnet Award, 20 Mar. 2023). The experience of thirst, therefore, is a symbol of all the other ambitions Minni and her community have. Minni’s thirst for education and a better future for herself and her family pose massive challenges for a community that has been systemically deprived of resources. As the Compounding Effects of Resource Deprivation hinder Minni’s family’s ability to achieve some of these goals, her thirst for a better life is what drives her forward. In the end, this deep-seated motivation is what empowers her and her brother to prevail. Toward the end of the book, she offers this hopeful observation: “Sanjay is right. We are both thirsty. And it’s our time to do the things we want” (170). By defeating the water mafia, Minni finds a way to slake her thirst, literally and symbolically.