Meeting Maung-Maung

In Pico Iyer's essay Meeting Maung-Maung, he addresses the theme of money versus happiness. Although it is possible to have both, he specifically focuses on the lack of money through Maung-Maung, a Buddhist trishaw biker: "I do not make much money...Experience, I believe, is the best teacher" (20). The conflicts that Maung-Maung experiences (page 21) while following his principles of life are commonly crossed and most can relate to those experiences. The description of the letter notebook paints quite a picture in the mind, and it brings a sense of reminiscence to the audience: "Inside, placed in alphabetical order, was every single letter he had ever received from a foreign visitor" (22). Maung-Maung cares very much about the lives he was able to touch, as shown through his meticulous handling of the letters.