An extract from Wave by Sonali Deraniyagala

The quotations below are included as ordinary sentences. None of them uses block-quotation formatting, indentation or a vertical border.

Introduction

Wave is a memoir written by Sri Lankan author and economist Sonali Deraniyagala. The prescribed extract is taken from the first chapter. It recounts her direct experience of the Indian Ocean tsunami on 26 December 2004.

Sonali was holidaying at a hotel in Yala with her husband Steve, their sons Vikram and Malli, and her parents. Within a few minutes, an ordinary family holiday was destroyed by the tsunami. Sonali survived, but she lost her husband, her two sons and her parents.

The extract follows the events almost second by second: the first sighting of the unusual wave, the family’s desperate attempt to escape, their journey in a safari jeep, the final onslaught of the water and Sonali’s return to consciousness alone and injured.

The passage is powerful because it is a true account. Its first-person narration, short sentences, repetition, vivid imagery and rapid movement communicate the confusion and horror of an unexpected natural disaster.

About the author

Sonali Deraniyagala is a Sri Lankan economist who studied, worked and lived in England. She married Steve Lissenburgh, a research professor, and they had two sons, Vikram and Malli.

The family visited Sri Lanka in December 2004 and stayed at a hotel near the coast in Yala. On 26 December, the Indian Ocean tsunami struck the area. Sonali survived with serious injuries, but her husband, children and parents were killed.

For several years, she struggled to accept the loss of her family. Writing Wave became part of her attempt to confront her memories and grief. The memoir was published in 2013.

The genre

Wave is a memoir. A memoir is a factual narrative in which a writer records important personal experiences and memories.

Unlike an autobiography, a memoir does not necessarily describe the writer’s entire life. It normally concentrates on a particular event, period or emotional experience.

The first chapter possesses the following features of a memoir:

  • It is based on a real event.

  • The author is also the narrator.

  • It is written from a personal point of view.

  • It records both actions and feelings.

  • It presents real people, places and relationships.

  • It combines immediate experience with later recollection.

  • It reflects on the lasting effects of a traumatic event.

Historical background

The Indian Ocean tsunami occurred on 26 December 2004. It was caused by a massive undersea earthquake near Sumatra, Indonesia.

The tsunami affected several countries around the Indian Ocean. Coastal areas of Sri Lanka were severely damaged, and thousands of people were killed or displaced.

At the time, many people in Sri Lanka had little knowledge of tsunamis. There was no effective warning system. Sonali and the people around her therefore failed to understand immediately what the unusual movement of the sea meant.

This lack of knowledge contributes greatly to the tragedy and suspense of the extract.

The setting

The action takes place at a coastal hotel near Yala National Park in southern Sri Lanka.

Before the tsunami appears, the hotel seems to be a safe and peaceful holiday environment. The children behave naturally, and the adults are involved in ordinary activities.

This peaceful setting is suddenly invaded by a destructive natural force. The contrast between the relaxed holiday atmosphere and the tsunami intensifies the horror.

The main events move through several locations:

  • The hotel room

  • The area outside the room

  • The path along which the family runs

  • The safari jeep

  • The flooded landscape

  • The unknown place where Sonali regains consciousness

The principal characters

The important people in the extract are:

  • Sonali, the narrator and mother

  • Steve, her husband

  • Vikram, also called Vik, their elder son

  • Malli, their younger son

  • Sonali’s parents, who occupy an adjoining room

  • Orlantha, Sonali’s friend

  • Beulah and Anton, Orlantha’s parents

  • The driver of the safari jeep

The use of real names makes the narrative authentic and immediate. These are not invented characters in a fictional adventure. They are ordinary people unexpectedly placed in a life-threatening situation.

The opening family scene

The extract begins with an ordinary family incident involving Malli. His mischievous behaviour towards a younger girl presents him as a lively and playful child.

This opening performs several functions:

  • It introduces the family naturally.

  • It establishes the affectionate relationship between Sonali and her sons.

  • It creates a relaxed atmosphere.

  • It presents the family’s normal life before the disaster.

  • It makes the arrival of danger more shocking.

  • It reminds readers that the victims are ordinary people.

The reader knows that a disaster is approaching, but the family members do not. This creates dramatic irony.

The first warning

Orlantha is the first person to notice the unusual movement of the sea. She warns Sonali, “Oh my God, the sea’s coming in.”

The exclamation communicates surprise and fear. Orlantha realizes that something strange is happening, although she may not understand its cause or possible consequences.

The use of direct speech makes the scene immediate. Readers seem to hear the warning at the same moment as Sonali.

The simple phrase “coming in” also shows that the characters do not possess the knowledge or vocabulary needed to identify the approaching tsunami.

Sonali’s initial reaction

Sonali looks towards the sea but does not immediately feel alarmed. She sees only a “white curl of a big wave.”

The description initially appears harmless. The word “curl” suggests an attractive curved shape, while the white colour suggests ordinary sea foam.

This image is tragically deceptive. The apparently beautiful curl is the first visible sign of the force that will destroy the family.

Sonali’s calm reaction is understandable because she has never experienced a tsunami. At first, the water does not resemble an obvious wall of destruction. It appears merely unusual and interesting.

The contrast between the harmless description and the later disaster creates tragic irony.

The gradual recognition of danger

Sonali initially wants Steve to come and look at the unusual sight. She treats it as something strange but temporary. She assumes that the foam may disappear before he sees it.

The water, however, continues moving inland. It reaches places that ordinary waves could never reach. The foam does not dissolve or return to the sea. More water follows.

Sonali gradually notices that:

  • The water is advancing too far inland.

  • The waves are not receding normally.

  • Their colour is becoming darker.

  • Their movement is becoming violent.

  • The sea is rapidly approaching the hotel.

  • The waves appear increasingly powerful.

Her amazement changes into fear when she realizes that the sea is behaving in a completely unnatural manner.

The tsunami as a living force

The advancing water is described through forceful verbs. It appears to rush, leap, charge and churn.

These verbs personify the tsunami. It is presented almost like a living creature or an attacking army.

This personification:

  • Communicates the speed of the water

  • Emphasizes its violence

  • Gives it an apparently hostile personality

  • Presents the family as helpless victims

  • Increases suspense and fear

The sea changes from an interesting spectacle into a furious force attacking the hotel and everyone in its path.

Failure to recognize the tsunami

Neither Sonali nor the people around her appear to recognize immediately that they are facing a tsunami.

If they had understood the danger earlier, they might have attempted to move towards higher ground or warn Sonali’s parents. However, the disaster develops so rapidly that there is little time for careful thought.

The passage shows how people depend on previous knowledge when responding to danger. When an event is completely unfamiliar, they may fail to recognize its warning signs until it is too late.

Sonali’s maternal instinct

When Sonali finally understands that the family is in danger, she does not stop to analyse the situation. Her immediate reaction is to protect her sons.

She grabs the children and begins to run. This is an instinctive rather than carefully planned action.

Her behaviour reveals:

  • Maternal love

  • Courage

  • Quick thinking

  • Fear for her children

  • A strong sense of responsibility

  • Willingness to risk herself to protect them

Her priorities are clear. She focuses entirely on the immediate safety of Vikram and Malli.

Why Sonali does not warn her parents

Sonali’s parents are in an adjoining room, but she does not call them before fleeing.

This becomes one of the most painful parts of the tragedy. However, her decision must be understood within the confusion of the moment.

Possible reasons include:

  • The danger develops within seconds.

  • Her mind is focused entirely on her children.

  • She acts instinctively rather than logically.

  • She does not yet understand the scale of the disaster.

  • She may assume that her parents will notice the danger.

  • There is no time to organize a complete family escape.

Her failure to call them is not deliberate neglect. It demonstrates how terror can narrow a person’s attention during an emergency.

Use of repetition

The narrative contains repeated words, thoughts and actions, particularly during the escape.

Repetition communicates Sonali’s disturbed state of mind. She cannot form calm and carefully organized thoughts. Her attention is fixed on immediate actions and dangers.

The repetition creates:

  • Urgency

  • Panic

  • Breathlessness

  • Confusion

  • Psychological realism

  • A rapid narrative rhythm

It also allows readers to experience the disaster almost second by second.

The children’s response

The boys run without fully understanding what is happening. The thorns and difficult ground do not stop them.

Their silence is significant. Children may normally complain about pain or discomfort, but the seriousness of the situation removes all ordinary reactions.

Their behaviour reveals:

  • Fear

  • Obedience

  • Trust in their parents

  • Physical vulnerability

  • Instinctive awareness of danger

The children depend entirely on the adults, making their situation especially poignant.

The escape in the safari jeep

The family reaches a safari jeep and attempts to escape from the advancing water.

The jeep initially represents:

  • Safety

  • Hope

  • Speed

  • Human technology

  • Temporary protection

  • The possibility of survival

For a brief period, the characters believe that they may be escaping the danger. However, the vehicle cannot overcome the power of the tsunami.

The jeep eventually becomes surrounded by water and is overturned. Something designed to protect and transport people becomes powerless before nature.

Temporary relief

During the escape, Sonali briefly believes that the danger may be passing. She remembers thinking, “the waves must have receded, I thought.”

This assumption creates a temporary feeling of relief, but it is tragically mistaken.

Tsunamis often arrive in a series of waves. The first movement may be followed by another that is more powerful and destructive.

This brief pause is structurally important. It gives the characters and readers a moment of hope before the final onslaught.

The two phases of the tsunami

The structure of the extract reflects two phases of the disaster.

The first phase is shorter and initially less intense. It alarms the family and forces them to escape.

A brief pause follows, creating the false impression that the danger is ending.

The second phase is longer and more violent. The water overwhelms the jeep and overturns it.

This pattern increases suspense because hope is created and then suddenly destroyed.

Beulah’s fall

While the group attempts to escape, Beulah has difficulty getting into or remaining in the jeep. The driver is desperate to move quickly because the water is approaching.

When the jeep moves, Beulah falls. Sonali calls for the driver to stop, but he continues driving.

The incident presents a moral conflict. Stopping could allow them to rescue Beulah, but it could also place everyone else in greater danger.

The driver’s action may appear cruel. However, it may also be understood as an instinctive attempt to save the passengers already inside the vehicle.

The incident shows how disasters force people to make terrible decisions without enough time or information.

Anton’s sacrifice

Anton refuses to abandon Beulah. When she falls, he leaves the jeep to remain with or help his wife.

His action demonstrates:

  • Marital love

  • Loyalty

  • Courage

  • Self-sacrifice

  • Humanity

  • Refusal to save himself at the cost of his wife

From a practical point of view, his decision places him in extreme danger. From an emotional and moral perspective, it is an expression of unconditional love.

The incident shows that the extract is not only about destruction. It is also about love and sacrifice during a crisis.

Sonali’s reaction after Anton leaves

Sonali does not continue demanding that the driver stop after Anton leaves the jeep.

Her reaction should not be judged too quickly. Her immediate responsibility is to protect her husband and children. She knows that any delay may destroy their chance of survival.

Her response reveals the strength of the human survival instinct. In extreme danger, a person’s attention may become limited to protecting immediate family members.

The memoir honestly presents both the nobility and limitations of human behaviour.

Thoughts about her parents

The fate of Beulah and Anton may remind Sonali of her own parents. However, she does not know what has happened to them.

This uncertainty creates emotional pain. The narrative cannot immediately explain their fate because Sonali herself has no information.

The omission increases suspense and reflects the reality of the experience. During a disaster, people may become separated without knowing whether their loved ones have survived.

The final onslaught

After the brief pause, another powerful surge reaches the jeep.

Water enters the vehicle and rises around the passengers. The jeep begins to float and loses contact with the ground. The physical force of the water removes all human control.

Steve and Sonali attempt to protect their children. Their actions reveal parental love and desperation. However, the power of the water is greater than anything they can resist.

The jeep is finally overturned, forming the climax of the extract.

The overturning of the jeep

The overturning of the jeep represents the complete defeat of human control.

Until this point, the characters continue making decisions. They run, enter the vehicle and attempt to drive away. Once the jeep overturns, they lose even this limited control.

The vehicle’s destruction also symbolizes the weakness of human technology before a powerful natural force.

The event is described rapidly, reflecting the speed and confusion of the actual experience.

The gap in Sonali’s consciousness

After the jeep overturns, there is a gap in Sonali’s consciousness. She cannot provide a continuous account of what happened.

She may have been knocked unconscious or physically overwhelmed by the water.

This break in the narrative communicates the effects of physical and psychological trauma. Some experiences are too violent and confusing to be remembered as a complete sequence.

Sonali regains consciousness

When Sonali becomes conscious again, her situation has changed completely.

She is:

  • Alone

  • Injured

  • Confused

  • In an unfamiliar place

  • Separated from her family

  • Physically helpless

  • Unable to understand what has happened

The contrast with the opening is devastating. At first, she is surrounded by her husband, children, parents and friends. At the end, she is completely alone.

This movement from family warmth to isolation gives the extract much of its emotional power.

Structure of the extract

The extract follows a mainly chronological structure:

  • An ordinary family moment

  • The first warning

  • Curiosity about the wave

  • Recognition of danger

  • The instinctive escape

  • Entry into the jeep

  • Temporary hope

  • The incidents involving Beulah and Anton

  • The second and more powerful surge

  • The overturning of the jeep

  • A gap in consciousness

  • Sonali awakening alone

This rapid progression reflects the speed with which the disaster transforms the family’s life.

First-person narration

The memoir is narrated in the first person. Sonali describes only what she sees, thinks and experiences.

This limited viewpoint creates authenticity. She does not provide scientific explanations while the event is happening because she does not yet understand it.

The first-person narration also creates uncertainty. Readers know only what Sonali knows. When she loses sight of someone, that person’s fate becomes unknown.

Present experience and later recollection

The memoir was written years after the tsunami, but the narration recreates the immediacy of the original experience.

The adult writer knows the terrible outcome. The Sonali experiencing the event does not.

This creates two levels of awareness:

  • Sonali as she was during the tsunami

  • Sonali as the survivor remembering the disaster

The tension between these two perspectives creates tragic irony.

Short sentences and fragments

The extract frequently uses short sentences and incomplete thoughts.

These reflect:

  • Shock

  • Panic

  • Breathlessness

  • Rapid observation

  • Confused thinking

  • The speed of the disaster

The fragmented style places the reader inside the narrator’s disturbed mind. A calm and elaborate style would not communicate the same urgency.

Repetition

Repeated words and sentence patterns represent Sonali’s confused mental state.

In a crisis, the mind may return repeatedly to the same thought or instruction. Repetition therefore makes the account psychologically convincing.

It also accelerates the pace and creates a feeling of breathlessness.

Direct speech

Direct speech is used at crucial moments, particularly when the wave is first noticed and when the family responds to danger.

It has several effects:

  • It makes the incident immediate.

  • It reveals fear and confusion.

  • It makes the characters appear real.

  • It breaks up the narration.

  • It increases dramatic tension.

Because the spoken words are simple and ordinary, they emphasize that the characters have no prepared response to the disaster.

Visual imagery

The narrative contains strong visual images of foam, waves, trees, darkening water, flooded land and the overturned jeep.

The water changes in appearance as the danger develops. What begins as a distant white shape becomes a dark, violent and overwhelming force.

These visual details help readers follow the progression of the tsunami and imagine its terrifying scale.

Auditory imagery

Warnings, shouting, the movement of the jeep and the force of the water contribute to the confusion.

Direct speech allows readers to hear the characters’ fear. The disaster is not presented as a silent picture but as an experience involving voices, movement and noise.

Kinaesthetic imagery

Kinaesthetic imagery communicates movement.

The family runs, the water advances, the jeep moves and the waves toss the vehicle. The constant movement creates urgency and prevents the narrative from becoming static.

Readers feel that the characters are being driven forward by a force they cannot control.

Personification of nature

The tsunami is presented almost as a living attacker. Its rapid and violent movement gives it qualities associated with anger and pursuit.

This personification turns the situation into a struggle between vulnerable human beings and an apparently hostile natural force.

However, the tsunami is not morally evil. It is a natural event without conscious intention. The personification reflects how it appears to the frightened victims.

Suspense

Suspense is maintained through several techniques:

  • The danger is revealed gradually.

  • Sonali initially underestimates the wave.

  • The water continues approaching.

  • The family has little time to escape.

  • The fate of Sonali’s parents remains unknown.

  • The jeep provides uncertain protection.

  • Temporary relief is followed by another surge.

  • Beulah and Anton are left behind.

  • Water rises around the jeep.

  • The vehicle overturns.

  • Sonali loses consciousness.

  • She awakens without knowing where her family is.

Even though readers may know the historical outcome, the second-by-second narration creates intense suspense.

Dramatic irony

Dramatic irony occurs because readers know that the approaching water is a deadly tsunami, while the characters initially see only an unusual wave.

Sonali’s early curiosity is therefore painful. Her desire to show Steve the strange sight becomes tragic because readers understand that every second is important.

The ordinary beginning also becomes deeply moving because readers know that the family’s life is about to be destroyed.

Contrast

Several important contrasts appear in the extract:

  • Ordinary family life and sudden disaster

  • Curiosity and terror

  • The harmless-looking foam and the destructive tsunami

  • Hope and despair

  • Human technology and the power of nature

  • Family companionship and complete isolation

  • Self-preservation and self-sacrifice

These contrasts intensify both the suspense and emotional impact.

Love and sacrifice

Love is one of the central themes.

Sonali and Steve attempt to protect their sons. Anton refuses to abandon Beulah. The family members remain concerned about one another even while facing death.

Love is expressed through action rather than long speeches. It appears through physical protection, loyalty, courage and sacrifice.

The power of nature

The tsunami demonstrates the immense power of nature and the weakness of human beings.

The hotel, jeep and human plans provide no lasting protection. The disaster destroys familiar boundaries and carries people and objects away.

The extract reminds readers that modern technology cannot always control or overcome natural forces.

Human vulnerability

The characters are ordinary people enjoying a holiday. Within minutes, they are running for their lives.

This sudden change reveals the fragility of human existence. Safety, happiness and daily routines can be destroyed without warning.

The extract therefore encourages readers to value their relationships and recognize the uncertainty of life.

Survival instinct

The behaviour of the characters demonstrates the strength of the survival instinct.

They run without fully understanding the danger. The driver refuses to stop. Sonali focuses on her children. Each person reacts according to immediate fear and responsibility.

Some actions appear heroic, while others may appear selfish. The memoir shows that behaviour during a disaster cannot always be judged according to normal standards.

Grief and loss

The first chapter mainly describes the disaster rather than the later grieving process. However, the reader’s knowledge of Sonali’s loss gives every event emotional significance.

The final image of her awakening alone prepares readers for the grief explored throughout the rest of the memoir.

Her physical isolation represents the greater emotional loneliness that follows.

Restraint and lack of sentimentality

Sonali does not repeatedly explain that she is frightened or heartbroken. She concentrates mainly on actions, objects and physical details.

This restraint makes the narrative more powerful. Readers understand the emotions without being constantly told what to feel.

The controlled style may also reflect psychological shock. During the disaster, there is no time to analyse emotions because survival requires immediate action.

Authenticity

The memoir feels authentic because of:

  • The use of real names

  • Precise physical details

  • Uncertainty about events

  • Gaps in memory

  • Repetition

  • Fragmented thoughts

  • Lack of exaggerated heroism

  • Honest presentation of difficult reactions

The narrator does not present herself as a perfect hero. She records confusion, fear and instinctive behaviour honestly.

Significance of the title

The title Wave is simple but powerful.

Literally, it refers to the tsunami that destroys Sonali’s family.

Symbolically, it may represent:

  • Overwhelming grief

  • The force of memory

  • Emotional suffering

  • Sudden and uncontrollable change

  • Experiences that return repeatedly

  • The movement between remembering and attempting to forget

Just as the tsunami arrives in waves, grief and memory can repeatedly overwhelm a survivor.

Central message

The first chapter shows how suddenly an ordinary life can be transformed by disaster. It reveals human weakness before nature but also demonstrates love, courage, loyalty and sacrifice.

The extract encourages readers to:

  • Value family relationships

  • Develop awareness of natural disasters

  • Avoid judging people’s emergency actions too quickly

  • Recognize the power of parental love

  • Sympathize with survivors

  • Understand the lasting effects of trauma

  • Appreciate the strength required to continue living after loss

Critical appreciation

The first chapter of Wave is a powerful account of a real human tragedy. Sonali Deraniyagala begins with a warm and ordinary family scene and then traces the rapid destruction of that world.

The first visible sign of the wave appears deceptively harmless. As the water advances, the language becomes more urgent and violent. Short sentences, repetition, fragments, direct speech, active verbs and vivid imagery recreate the narrator’s confusion and fear.

The chronological movement gives the passage the intensity of a second-by-second report. Temporary hope is created when the family reaches the jeep, but this safety proves false. The incidents involving Beulah and Anton reveal both the survival instinct and the human capacity for self-sacrificing love. The overturning of the jeep forms the climax.

The first-person viewpoint limits readers to Sonali’s knowledge. The fate of her parents, friends, husband and children therefore remains uncertain within the immediate narrative. Her awakening alone creates a devastating contrast with the family warmth at the beginning.

The extract avoids excessive sentimentality. Sonali records actions and physical details with restraint, allowing the horror and sadness to emerge naturally. Her controlled style makes the experience more convincing and emotionally powerful.

Ultimately, the first chapter is both a disaster narrative and a story of love. The tsunami destroys Sonali’s family, but the actions of the characters reveal the depth of their attachment to one another. The passage remains a testimony to human vulnerability, parental love, sacrifice, grief and endurance.