In stories of any genre, characters can change radically. This applies to many characters in Children of the River, a story that tells the true nature of change. The most obvious change is evident in Soka's character. His character starts out as very stubborn and strict and changes to that of a caring person. This essay will explore the true nature of Soka's behavior. At the beginning of Children of the River, the story takes place in Cambodia. Soka gave birth to a baby boy (who died later). A warring faction, called the "Khmer Rouge", has begun attacking the city where the family and himself live. She becomes stubborn, reluctant to leave her home, as she becomes weak. His stubbornness almost costs his family their lives. This also leads to conflict with her husband. Stubbornness can become a very distracting trait in people, as can Soka. However, this characteristic will become less evident throughout the story. Halfway through the novel, Soka changes a bit more, from very stubborn to very strict. He shows his severity especially towards his teenage niece, Sundara. Sometimes he is uncertain about his behavior. He believes a lot in the customs and beliefs of his culture. She thinks the Cambodian way is the only way. His beliefs become very annoying at times, especially towards his niece. These role models distance Sundara from her aunt, turning her partially rebellious side towards her family. Soka's feature keeps the story woven together and also adds a thorny edge to it. But this trait changes once again. The last part of this story is essential to Soka's final change. He starts showing sympathy towards Sundara's needs. Even if slowly. This change is the most evident in the entire story. What surprises the reader most is Soka's allowing Sundara to see his friend Jonathan. What first triggers this chain of reactions is the allowance given by Soka to Sundara to help Jonathan's father, Dr. McKinnon with his tongue due to a medical emergency needed in Cambodia. I think this is the most exciting part of the story. This change in Soka takes some of the distance away from Sundara due to his second change. This is a much needed change in Soka's personality. In conclusion, all of these changes in Soka's personality change the story in their own unique way..