Jennifer Kokotis
7/ 14/ 15
Summer Reading: A Thousand Splendid Suns #3
The sentiment from Laila’s childhood, that people should not have more children if they have already given all of their love to their other children, informs her reaction to becoming pregnant with Rasheed’s child because she was worried that she would repeat history by not loving Rasheed’s child as much as she loved Tariq’s. Laila did not feel that her mother loved her as much as she loved her brothers. She felt as if her mother had no love to give her because she had already given it all away to her two sons. When Laila became aware that she was pregnant with Rasheed’s child, she contemplated killing it inside the womb because she did not believe that she could love
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it as much as she loved Aziza. ”What a terrible thing it was, Laila thought now, for a mother to fear that she could not summon love for her own child. What an unnatural thing. And yet she had to wonder, as she lay on the floor, her sweaty hands poised to guide the spoke, if indeed she could ever love Rasheed’s child as she had Tariq’s,” (Hosseini 283). With this in mind, Laila could not follow through. She was determined not to repeat her mother’s mistake and to love both of her children equally, with all her heart. Babi, Laila’s father, loved her unconditionally. He taught her valuable lessons that Laila then taught to her children. These include giving her an education, loving her just as much as he loved his sons, and loving his wife, even in difficult times. Laila was insistent that her children received an education just as she did. Although females were not allowed an education, Laila sent Aziza to school and taught her. Laila also loved Zalmai just as much as she loved Aziza. She refused to love Zalmai more just because he was a boy. She sacrificed her safety for her children multiple times. One example is when she went to visit Aziza in the orphanage alone even though it was illegal for a woman to walk the streets without a man by her side. When Rasheed was killed, she married Tariq so that Aziza and Zalmai would have a father who loved them equally just like Babi did. Above all, Laila was a loving, compassionate mother despite what she might have thought in the beginning. Jennifer Kokotis 7/ 14/ 15 Summer Reading: A Thousand Splendid Suns #6 When Babi takes Laila and Tariq to the giant stone Buddahs, the driver makes a comparison of Shahr-e-Zohak to Afghanistan and how they have both been through a lot, but are still standing and strong. This passage also related to Laila and Miriam because they have faced many ongoing struggles one after another. Miriam has struggled with many issues during the course of the book. First, she had to deal with Jalil and how he pretended to love her. She followed him to his house and there she realized that he just wanted her to be out of his life. He arranged a marriage so she would be far away from him and so that his wives wouldn’t have to deal with his mistake of cheating on them. “You may not get another opportunity this good. And neither would they. They had been disgraced by her birth, and this was their chance to erase, once and for all, the last trace of their husband’s scandalous mistake. She was being sent away because she was the walking, breathing embodiment of their shame,” (Hosseini 48). Miriam also had to endure Rasheed and his beatings. He constantly beat her because she wasn’t obedient enough. She also had to cope with the fact that she could not have children. Laila also had to face many difficulties. Growing up, she had to deal with knowing that her mother didn’t love her as much as she loved her sons. When Mammy found out her sons had died, she couldn’t handle it. She didn’t realize that she still had Laila. “Laila lay there and listened, wishing Mammy would notice that she, Laila, hadn’t become shaheed, that she was alive, here, in bed with her, that she had hopes and a future. But Laila knew that her future was no match for her brothers’ past,” (Hosseini 142). Laila also had to witness the death of her parents. Because of this she had no place to go and was forced to marry Rasheed, which was another tough thing she had to go through. Miriam and Laila’s stories also relates to Afghanistan’s history, one invader after another. The country faced many challenges, one being the Taliban. They took over the country and made new laws that prohibited many things. They marched around Afghanistan and took over. In one particular scenario Laila has a bad encounter with one of their vehicles. “It slays Laila. It slays her that the warlords have been allowed back into Kabul. That her parents’ murderers live in posh homes with walled gardens, that they have been appointed minister of this and deputy minister of that, that they ride with impunity in shiny, bulletproof SUVs through neighborhoods that they demolished. It slays her,” (Hosseini 410-411). Although Miriam, Laila, and Afghanistan itself had to endure the many challenges in the book, they are like stone walls, not pretty to look at, but still standing. Jennifer Kokotis 7/ 14/ 15 Summer Reading: A Thousand Splendid Suns #7 The first three parts of A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini, are in past tense, while the fourth part is in present tense.
I think that the author’s intent was to show how the characters’ past plays a role in their future. Miriam, for example, had a rocky relationship with both of her parents. These relationships affected her later on in life. They caused her to have a lack of confidence and relationship problems with Rasheed. Miriam’s past caught up to her and played an important role in her life. Laila, on the other hand, had an excellent relationship with her father which helped her to have a more positive outlook on life. She became hopeful and always wished for the best. Laila then helped Miriam to become more hopeful, just as Laila’s father did for her. Both of these characters went through a lot and they brought their past with them. The shift from past to present tense also symbolized the characters putting the past behind them and focusing on the future. Miriam becomes more daring and goes out on a limb to escape Rasheed and stands up for herself. Laila also manages to escape Rasheed and marries Tariq. In part four, Laila goes to visit Mullah Faizullah to inform him on Miriam’s death. In the car on the way there, the driver tells Laila his story and how he lost two sisters. “I’m sorry,” Laila says, marveling at how every Afghan story is marked by death and loss and unimaginable grief. And yet, she sees, people find a way to survive, to go on. Laila thinks of her own life and all that has happened to her, and she is astonished that she too has survived, that she is alive and sitting in this taxi listening to this man’s story,” (Hosseini 395). Laila reflects on not only her past, but everyone’s, and is amazed that they got through it. It makes her become even more hopeful for what is still to come. The switch to present tense changes the effect of the fourth part because the first three parts focus on sadness, loss, and
struggle and the fourth part focuses on happiness, hope, and love. The author was trying to send a message that no matter what you do, your past has an important role in your present and future.
A human being develops and grows throughout their life through many challenges and sometimes it takes an event in one’s life to change a person. In the novel “The Caine Mutiny” by Herman Wouk, is a novel about Willie Keith, a chubby and well educated son from an upper class family who joins the Navy. Willie goes into the Columbia University School of Journalism, which has been converted for the war effort. He is almost rejected because of his physical reasons of not being fit, but his Princeton background saves him from being rejected. As soon as he stepped in this navy life and went through a long journey with the navy crew , Willie became more independent, responsible and courageous.
AP English Literature and Composition MAJOR WORKS DATA SHEET Title: A Raisin In the Sun Author: Lorraine Hansberry Date of Publication: 1951 Genre: Realistic Drama Biographical Information about the Author Lorraine Hansberry was born in Chicago on May 19, 1930. She grew up as the youngest in her family. Her mother was a teacher and her father was a real estate broker.
In the novel In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez, is a story of three girls who develop from being innocent girls to being part of a revolutionary to stop Trujillo a Dominican dictator. Throughout the story we see each of the sisters go through hard moments in their life. However the sister that has developed the most though is Minerva. She goes from being just a girl with a dream to be a lawyer too a woman willing to sacrifice anything to support the revolution and stop Trujillo.
Have you ever met someone so clever, determined, and cruel to leave a man to die over an insult? Montresor is the perfect example of these character traits. In “The Cask of Amontillado”, by Edgar Allan Poe, Montresor uses all of these character traits to get revenge on Fortunado for insulting his family name. Montresor’s clever planning, determination for revenge, and cruel murder are the perfect combination for his unequaled revenge.
From start to finish, one could see how much Mariam values Laila, Aziza, and their friendship. The first example is when Mariam vows to help Laila while they are in the hospital for Laila’s unborn child: “I’ll get you seen, Laila jo. I promise” (287). This simple promise is a deep portrayal of Mariam’s desire to help Laila find a doctor and deliver her baby. Additionally, one can see Mariam’s love for Laila when she protects her from Rasheed’s grip of death, “‘Rasheed.’ He looked up. Mariam swung. She hit him across the temple. The blow knocked him off Laila” (348). Rasheed was going to kill Laila, but Mariam steps in and knocks him off of her with a shovel to save her life. Mariam forms a tight-knit bond with Laila, and when Hosseini includes their relationship, one can see how Mariam values Laila enough to kill another man. The author also describes their relationship after Mariam and Laila discuss plans for leaving: “When they do, they’ll find you as guilty as me. Tariq too. I won’t have the two of you living on the run like fugitives.” … “Laila crawled to her and again put her head on Mariam’s lap. She remembered all the afternoons they’d spent together, braiding each other’s hair, Mariam listening patiently to her random thoughts and ordinary stories with an air of gratitude, with the expression of a person to whom a unique and coveted privilege had been extended” (358). The love Mariam has for
Throughout the novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, Mariam and Laila are constantly having their inner strength challenged from birth to death. They both had different lives growing up, but they both lived in the same society, meaning that they both dealt with the disrespect from the Afghani culture.
The play “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry has many interesting characters. In my opinion, the most fascinating character is Ruth because of her many emotions and captivating personality. She goes through extreme emotions in the play such as happiness, sadness, anger, stress, and confusion. Ruth is very independent, firm, kind, witty, and loving.
Throughout the book-Number the Stars- AnneMarie, a 10 year old girl, was told some lies that would keep her safe. Each lie that she was told, effected her life in the story, her relationship to the adults in her life, and on her journey from girlhood to womanhood.
In the play A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry (1959), the author depicts an African American family whom struggles with the agonizing inferiority present during the 1950s. Hansberry illustrates the constant discrimination that colored people, as a whole, endured in communities across the nation. Mama, who is the family’s foundation, is the driving force behind the family on the search for a better life. With the family living in extreme poverty, their family bond is crucial in order to withstand the repression. Hansberry effectively portrays the racism within society, and how it reinforced unity amongst the family members.
What is a Hero? In the Novel Mythology by Edith Hamilton it speaks of many Greek Gods and Goddesses, you get a clear outlook on many of the characters in the novel. Many of these gods fit some criteria on what a hero is. An Epic Hero is a character who is brave and takes risks to accomplish tasks not only for themselves but for the goodness of others. A Hero is someone who doesn't only do things to benefit themselves but benefits the people around them and goes on quests to establish their greatness. Who is also glorified by their community. In the Novel two characters by the name Theseus and Perseus meet many of these characteristics. Perseus is very brave and goes on a quest to capture an item that is very dangerous
No matter where one grows up, they will always strive for their parent’s approval. The location, the time, or their age will not determine if they would love for their parents to approve of them. The problem usually uproots because the parents grow up in a different generation than their kids. Some parents want their kids to do better than them, or grow up as they did. In Hosseini’s Kite Runner and in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club, express the problem that children have getting their parent’s approval very well.
Everyone dreams of having the perfect life. For hundreds of years, America has remained the land of opportunities. The American Dream is simply what lured millions to start the lives in America. It’s theoretically the basis of American life. However, in post World War 2, the American Dream seemed to be only targeted to white males. The American Dream seemed unattainable for racial minorities. Not only was life hard for non-white Americans, women also had a difficult time fulfilling their dreams. White males reigned supreme while everyone else was left in the dark. A Raisin in the Sun does a stupendous job of painting a picture of what hardships and injustices non-whites and women faced in the segregated 1950’s. A raisin in the sun focuses on
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind dramatizes the destruction of a relationship through personality differences. The director, Michel Gondry, alludes to relationship struggles, by stitching together a not so spotless tale of the mind searching for love and ultimately eternal happiness. Clementine Kruczynski first meet’s Joel Barish at a friend’s party, seemingly the only two awkward people eating separately from the bunch. Joel instantly notices Ms. Kruczynski for her tangerine colored hoodie. Gondry thus indicates that color, especially when related to Clementine, plays an intimate role in her personality structure, and her relationship Joel. At the party conversation strangely flows between Joel
It is in the final image of Laila’s family that Hosseini’s use of characters as smaller personal representations of a larger picture is most clearly, and most essentially to the significance of the novel, seen. The thoughts of Mariam that Laila has after her death are where the heart of the novel is revealed. “Laila resigned herself to moving on… Because in the end she knows thats all she can do. That and hope” (Hosseini 363). Hosseini at this point reveals the idea that the novel has been written to exemplify. Laila chooses to move on, as Mariam would have said to, learning from the adopted mother of her life. Hosseini paints a picture of hopefulness in this ability to move on that Laila posses. The entire novel has been centered around relationship of two women and the effect that that relationship had on the two characters as both individuals and windows into Afghan society. It is at this point that Hosseini shows not how he painted this picture, but why. Hoss...
The main protagonist of the story, Elizabeth Bennet (nicknamed both Lizzy and Eliza), is the second daughter in the Bennet family. Second only to her elder sister in beauty, Elizabeth’s figure is said to be “light and pleasing,” with “dark eyes,” and “intelligent…expression” (24). At 20 years old, she is still creating her place in society. Known for her wit and playful nature, “Elizabeth is the soul of Pride and Prejudice, [she] reveals in her own person the very title qualities that she spots so easily” (“Pride and Prejudice”) in others. Her insightfulness often leads her to jump to conclusions and think herself above social demand. These tendencies lead her to be prejudice towards others; this is an essential characteristic of her role