Sadia Shepard, author of “Squalor, Not Scenery”, published February 20, 2009, conveys a clear meaning as to what dogs mean to people. Dogs are seen as unclean and unsafe animals, to people living in india. People from america don't see dogs in that same manner, as americans we love dogs and we look at them as our friend and companion. People from India have a whole different perspective of what the word “dog” means to them. Shepard is trying to send a clear message to everyone about the reasons as to why people from india take the word “Dog” offensive to them. We as americans see it as something big, as to oppose to people from India they see that as an insult to their people. Choose your words wisely.
Both authors present a very convincing argument but Sadia Shepard, won this debate. She provides the meaning of the word “Dog” and what it means to the people of India. She supports her evidence by having reasons as to why people protested against the movie. While Divakaruni gives more insight of the movie itself, Shepard describes the way their minds are thinking and what caused them to lash out in an angry form toward the “Slumdog Millionaire” title. As American people we don't necessarily see slums when we walk out our door, therefore we don't necessarily know how it feels to live in a slum. People in india are living their lives in a slum from the day they are born to the day they die, and in some cases they never get out. For us the word has a different meaning, but for them it's an insult to their people.