Rice Without Rain By Mingfong Ho

For farmers, the fields are the solitary source of any significant income. Some of the farmers nowadays are still proletarians due to the fact conditions are not always right for harvesting. Farming boils down to a precise science. One must have enough harvest to make it all worth it. They have to pay off all debts for the season as well as putting food on their table. When conditions are not right, it can lead to immense problems as seen throughout the novel Rice without Rain by Mingfong Ho. In addition, one can only comprehend true burdens through specific experiences. However, when everyone comes together, one might just make a difference. Working the fields are a way of life for thousands of people all over the world. Fields provide food
Harvesting the rice fields is hard even with a good season. All villagers must pitch in and help. Jinda states, “The day Lung Tong’s field was being harvested, the wind was especially strong. The men were collecting sheaves of rice and tying them in huge bundles before hoisting them onto shoulder poles” (39). No one intentionally sits out, even though the men do most of the heavy lifting. Once the four college kids come into Maekung, they were put to work in the fields. Jinda recalls the scene, “True, Sri worked very slowly, sawing clumsily with the sickle blade when a deft slash would have done. But even when her small, soft hands became badly blistered, she never complained” (38). Sri had the experience firsthand of how hard working in the fields had been. She saw just how hard it was to tend to the fields. Yet, she did not complain once because she was there to learn the ways of working the fields. However, once Jinda went to Bangkok, she discovered all the students’ shoes. They were all in perfect condition. Jinda elaborates, “Jinda remained outside, looking at the shoes. Most of them were white canvas tennis shoes, but were pairs of leather shoes, some rubber slippers, and even a pair of shiny high heels. Slowly Jinda kicked off her own rubber sandals. She noticed that hers were worn and rust-brown with dirt –the only pair to show any sign of
Prior to the development of the rally to lower rent, four college students from various universities in Bangkok traveled to the small village in Maekung. Ned clarifies, “We feel that as students, we should learn more of how the farmers of our century live… We are asking permission to live here in Maekung with you for the next few months” (20). The villagers were shocked that anyone would want to travel all this way to an extremely poor village just to learn of their ways. However, they at least tried to get some sort of an experience. During their visit, they saw that there were major issues. The rent being the biggest issue. The rent is so high that after paying the rent collector they barely have anything to live off. After the students returned to Bangkok, they decided to plan for a rally to help lower the rent cost. With these types of rallies done in the past, several things have been accomplished. Ned explains, “A new minimum wage law, legal trade unions, better hospital. And now parliament may even change the land rent law” (160). To help with this, Jinda traveled to Bangkok. She would be able to tell the public what it is like to suffer. However, with a good cause comes a bad cause. After several months of planning, the rally finally goes underway, disaster breaks out. Jinda describes the horrific scene, “But it was too late. Soldiers were fanning out