English & Literature

Who is Yasheeda from Marching Powder: A True Story of Friendship, Cocaine, and South America's Strangest Jail and what is their importance?

Asked by
Last updated by anonymous
1 Answers
Log in to answer
Yasheeda is a beautiful young Israeli woman whom Thomas meets in a La Paz nightclub after he has bribed the guards to let him out of prison for the evening. Not knowing who Thomas is, she asks if he has any cocaine. He procures some for her, and late that evening, when he tells her that he is a prisoner, her initial response is rage because she thinks he is lying. Yasheeda displays what Thomas admits is a hint of craziness in agreeing to come to his cell that night. He describes her as a warm and tactile woman, and she shows much loyalty to him over the ensuing months, returning regularly to stay with him after periods outside the prison. She also organizes a surprise birthday party for him in the prison, which requires ingenuity. Eventually, however, she leaves him, which must be interpreted as confirmation that, for her, the episode with Thomas with primarily a big adventure.