Three Cups of Tea Essays -- Literary Analysis, Greg Mortenson, Oliver

Three Cups of Tea is a book written by Greg Mortenson and Oliver Relin. It centers on Mortenson’s journey to build schools in Pakistan. When Mortenson ended up in Korphe after an attempt on the climb of K2, Mortenson was in the care of Haji Ali. Mortenson promised to build a school in Korphe after learning that Korphe did not have a school. Since then, Haji Ali became a large influence in Mortenson’s life and his mission in the Korphe school. Haji Ali, the chief of Korphe, first met Mortenson when he landed in Korphe after he failed climbing K2. He took care of Mortenson letting him rest and giving him tea. When Haji ali told Mortenson that Korphe had no school and that the Pakistani government didn’t prove a teacher, Mortenson promised to build a school for all the things Haji Ali did for him back in Korphe (Relin and Mortenson 31-33). He showed Mortenson the way of life in Pakistan, and the things need to be done in order to build the school. While Mortenson was away, Haji Ali discussed the school in Korphe. He told Mortenson that they have to build a bridge (Relin and Mortenson 97). Mortenson was angry, not angry with the villagers in Korphe, but angry with himself for not planning better. How else would they carry the supplies needed for the school? With Haji Ali’s advice of building a bridge, Mortenson stayed in Korphe until he understood everything that needs to be done in order to build the school. H aji Ali was the one that proposed every healthy man in the village to lend a hand in carrying the cable and stones to Korphe to starting building the bridge (Relin and 114). Sooner or later with everybody’s help, the bridge has been built with the final plank put in place by Haji Ali (Relin and Mortenson 123). After the b... ...bided the education of girls and the construction of the school. Mortenson learned to respect the ways of the Balti people when Haji Ali told him about the lesson of the three cups of tea. He now knows to trust the local villagers when it comes to finding another location for a new school by going to places where he already had contacts with. Mortenson learned from Haji Ali not to go anywhere in Pakistan without the hospitality of a village chief. Finally, Haji Ali’s last words taught Mortenson to listen to the children, as in to think of them when continuing to build more schools. With all the lessons Haji Ali taught Mortenson, Mortenson is now more effective with dealings with locals in the region resulting in being more effective as the director of CAI. Everyone needs someone like Haji Ali in their life to potentially succeed in whatever the mission life brings.