During the course of Kamala Markandaya's book Nectar in a Sieve many people lose hope and die of hunger or other various unpleasant deaths. However the main character, Rumania, found motivation and the will to live, which last her to the end of the book. Without this motivation Rukamni, like so many others, would have perished. Rukmani's motivation was a combination of a natural will to live it was aided with the outside influences of her knowledge of a greater God and then the help of her friends and family.
             No matter what race, sex, nationality or religion each and every human has a natural will to survive; Rukmani is no exception. Anybody and everybody would scream if they were drowning or in other life threatening danger. This is a natural reaction and it can only be subdued no deleted. As the forces of the outside world pressed hardship upon Rukmani and her family this reflexive reaction started to drive the characters on. Near the end of the book when Nathan had died and Rukmani was alone except for the young boy she worked to go back home only because she knew she had to live. That was instinct!
             Throughout the book Rumania demonstrates her belief in a greater God and that belief helps pull her though the trying time in her life. Religion was a decent part of life to Rukmani. Although she didn't go to church every week, as most Christian religions require, she was devote. She demonstrates this when she prays in the temple to have children after thinking she might be barren. Knowing that those Gods are looking after her she finds hope in them. At the end of chapter 24 she notices the statues moving. This gave her peace and let her relax in a hard time.
             Although her survival was ultimately her decision, friends and family went though the hardships with her and helped Rumania pull though. First Kenny gives her good advise and helps her talk about her problems. As in the part when they talk about s
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