Problems – whether small or large – cannot be run from permanently. Eventually, they will catch up and action must be taken. This is displayed largely as one of the main themes in Borderline by Allan Stratton. In the novel, fifteen year old Mohammed Sami Sabiri is faced with several obstacles – the most prominent being racism – which eventually lead to his father’s arrest. Along with his best friends Andy and Marty, they travel to Toronto from the United States in order to uncover the truth behind the arrest of Sami’s father and prove his innocence. It is shown several times in the story that those who do not have the courage to face their problems will never accomplish anything, and this theme is demonstrated through the characters, the setting …show more content…
and the conflicts. The characters in the story play an important role in determining the theme.
Throughout the novel, Sami shows incredible growth in his personality. He starts out as spineless and afraid to stand up for himself, which leads him to be constantly pushed around by bullies: “And at public school, I never fit in. There was this little clique that used to point at me and make bomb sounds.” (9) Furthermore, instead of fighting for his innocence, he is given the blame because of his pusillanimity: “’Your cowardice speaks to your character, Sabiri.’” (105) These problems eventually build up to the point where Sami is at risk of being expelled, and only when he is pushed to the brink is he able to realize the graveness of his situation and take action. He also takes the huge initiative, by his own free will, to go to Canada in order to rescue his father from prison – risking his own life in the process: “Then – I don’t know how it happens, but it’s like I force myself out of my body – I’m not this scared useless kid anymore. I’m on a mission to find the truth.” (261) Sami’s problems were resolved after he decided to quit running from them, and instead faced them. As well, Andy faces problems of his own. He has issues within his family, which eventually leads to his mother to begin taking pills again. His inability to take action results in the condition of his family’s relationship to worsen. Since he does not do anything about it, nothing is accomplished and the problem persists. This is a recurring situation for Andy shown throughout the novel and it highly emphasizes the result of not standing up to your problems. In addition, it serves as a contrast between Sami’s and Andy’s situations and how when one has the drive to put the situation into their own hands, the outcome is always much better. Moreover, the character of Mr. Bernstein acts as a conscience for Sami and is constantly encouraging him to stand up for himself. He is always assisting Sami when it comes to
problems such as his bullies, and even puts his job on the line for him. The life advice that he gives Sami ultimately helps him make the decision to find the truth about his father and face his problems: “’Life can be tough, Sami. But hiding only makes things worse. In the end, no matter how hard you try, you can’t hide from yourself. Trust me.’” (101) He teaches Sami about the courage to fight for what is yours, and he uses this knowledge to face his problems. The theme is highly affected by the traits and actions of the characters in the novel. Not only is the theme influenced by the characters, the setting also affects the theme. Sami’s family is able to live where they are because of the fact that they fought for it. Originally, their developer did not allow them to live in the area because of their race. They had to fight and go to lengths such as threatening to sue if the developer did not sell to them in order to have a place to live. Furthermore, without facing the racism within the neighbourhood, they would have never been accepted and they would still be faced with prejudice: “’The neighbors didn’t want us when we first came here. That went away. It’s back again. But not forever. We’re Sabiris. We don’t run.’” (294) The Sabiris stuck together and faced their problems instead of running away, which allowed them to have the opportunities they have. In addition, this setting assisted in establishing the theme as they would not have been able to fight for their rights if they did not have these obstacles. Moreover, Sami’s bonding trip with his father to Canada gets cancelled. Since he did not fight for the chance to reconcile his relationship with his father and go to Canada, the situation becomes much more strained: “‘Look, Dad, just forget it, okay? It’s no big deal. You obviously have way more important things to think about than me.’” (26) This allows Sami the perfect opportunity to stand up to the problems between his father and him. Without this trip to Canada, the novel would be missing a great deal of plot advancement as well as evidence for the theme. In addition, Sami and his friends decide to go to Canada in order to clear his father’s name. This change in setting shows the effort it may take in order to solve problems, but in the end it pays off. Their decision to go to Canada demonstrates the immense character development in Sami from a spineless coward to an individual who is not afraid to take control: “No. We’re too close. We’ve come too far. Dad, I won’t let you down. Not this time.” (249) Instead of running away, Sami courageously decides to go to a foreign country in order to find his father’s innocence. The setting is truly instrumental in determining the theme. As well as the setting, the novel’s conflicts also affect the theme greatly. One of the main conflicts in the story is Sami’s father getting arrested. His father would have gone to jail, if not for Sami deciding to take action. He overcomes the fear he had before and goes all the way to Canada in order to find the truth and free his father: “’Dad could have gone to prison forever because of fear and shame.’” (281) Moreover, this conflict is the reason for Sami’s huge transformation from the beginning of the novel, and it clearly shows how his father would have not been saved if it was not for his plan. Without the courage to fight this obstacle, Sami’s father would have gone to jail for a crime he did not commit and the guilt of doing nothing would hang over Sami’s head: “’Who cares? If Dad’s innocent and I do nothing – how do I live with that?’” (224) Furthermore, Sami found the courage to stand up to his bullies at the end. He was constantly being pushed around in school and he would do nothing about it, which lead to increased misery for him. Eventually, Sami solves his problems by simply taking a stand: “’You guys can. It’s me they’re after. I’m not running. Not anymore.’” (289) Through the advice given to him by Mr. Bernstein as well as the circumstances of the conflicts, he was able to face his problem face on without fear: “’We can’t choose what life throws at us. But we can choose what we do about it. Our choices are who we are. And who we are – that, no one can take away from us.’” (209) In addition, Sami and his family fought the racism that they were first faced with when they arrived in their neighbourhood. They would not have anything if they did not stop this problem, as they were not even allowed to live in the area because of their race. The fact that they faced their problems shows that it is much better than running away; the result is much better than the outcome of backing out. The several conflicts in the novel influence the theme hugely. The various characters, conflicts and settings in this novel truly reflect the theme. Nothing is ever accomplished unless the courage for facing problems is obtained, and this is shown in many aspects in the story. The courage for facing problems is an extremely important trait, and will assist in everyday activities. Without courage, problems will be haunting and constantly a burden, which will push some to the borderline.
But life is not a fairytale. Standing there lonely, having no job is our Sammy. This is when Sam realizes his path, the true way to become mature. The moment when “Lengel sighs and begins to look very patient:” Sammy, you don’t want to do this to your mom and dad” (Updike) hold him back a little bit, we can feel the regret in his heart. But he cannot go back anymore, decision has been made. He gives up his last chance; from now on, he’s on his own. Sammy finally understands that it is responsible behavior but not playing “adult-like” game that will make him a true
“Trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair. - Anonymous”. If you have ever felt isolated from society, or feel that you are constantly begging for the mercy of your own subconscious, then you know the pain accompanied by expending trust. It is imperative for humanity to cultivate trust; if we lose it, we will simply degenerate into insanity. For instance, in the texts “On the Sidewalk Bleeding”, “The Tell-Tale Heart” as well as “The Landlady”, characters were tasked with uncovering the role that trust plays in conquering challenges. In doing so, they also suffered through fluctuating degrees of tailored hardships.
This lead to one of the biggest questions from the movie, how did he become that way? Hirschi’s Control Theory is a theory that states “that social control depends on people anticipating the consequences of their behavior”(Macionis 248). It was shown in the movie that Sam had a complicated relationship with his family, so his past is a big reason as to why he acts so deviant in the future. On of the four types of social control is attachment. Attachment is family, friends and school relationships. Sam was first introduced as one of Benny’s friends “crazy cousin”. It was clear that he did not enjoy having Sam around. This can reveal that Sam has a weak relationship with his family as a whole because he wasn’t even living with his parents. This would lead Sam to acting deviant without worrying about what they would think of him. It was also later revealed that Sam was kicked out of school based on his actions. Sam never had to worry about his family or school once that relationship broke off. Another type of social control is involvement. Involvement can mean many things, but it’s basically about holding a job, going to school, or participating in a sport. The character of Sam, as stated before, was kicked out of school. So, he didn’t have school keeping him away from deviant behaviors. And then there 's the reveal that Sam can’t write or read well. Sam had made an attempt to get a job at a movie store, but he would 've had to do an application, which required him to write. He was shown to be scared and nervous after he attempted at write on the form. Sam had little involvement in anything because he was a poor writer and reader, which lead him to act more deviant. A final reason as to why Sam acted so deviant, was because had little opportunity in life. He was self conscious about that fact that he couldn 't write, so he never made attempts to move up in the world. He
Orson Scott Card uses many themes in Ender’s Game to portray the type of person that Ender is becoming. The importance of the mind game, Ender’s techniques, and isolation from others are extensive themes that provide important in depth information about the world around Ender. The situations that he is put through ultimately give the reader an understanding of what Card is trying to show while also showcasing the events that Ender is put through.
Christianity is supposed to be practiced. Too often as Christians we separate our faith from our everyday life; this is not Biblical. Christ calls us to take Him into enter every aspect of our lives, and for Him to shape each and every way we view these areas of our lives. A good way to get into the practice of seeing and relating the things we do with God is to make connections between what we see and what we know about God. When looking at the film “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”, I was able to look at how Biblical principles and themes were displayed throughout the film. Some of these themes displayed may have been intentional, or they may not have been. Regardless of intention, it is important to be able to relate everyday activities to God
Ender’s Game, a book about futuristic war, betrayal, compassion, and friendship. It tells the story of Ender Wiggins, a boy who is sent to an army battle camp when he is only six years old. Ender learns independence and creates friends as well as enemies as he learns to fight for the sake of humankind. Ender goes through a lot of struggles as a young boy, and in the end, learns to accept and learn from it. In the book Ender’s Game, Mr. Card uses conflict to send the message that growing up in pain can lead to a hardworking but dangerous lifestyle.
In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey there are multiple themes portrayed throughout the story. Some of the themes such as emasculation and societal pressures are introduced at the very beginning of the story and are then slowly made more insignificant by other themes. A few of the themes are introduced when the protagonist, Randle McMurphy is arrives early in the story and starts to mess up Nurse Ratched’s outfit. The themes that come with McMurphy include the necessity for the expression of sexuality and the power of laughter. Throughout the story Nurse Ratched uses emasculation and societal pressures to control the patients until McMurphy shows them how to express their sexuality and use the power of laughter to regain their dominance.
Being in the wild is a great experience, it opens doors and bridges inside one’s mind. It allows people to be inspired, to find hope. It gives people a sense of direction and helps people conquer challenges that they never thought they would achieve. The example left behind by a young man named Christopher McCandless in Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer demonstrates how living on the road and surviving off the land can prove to be a pilgrimage and help enlighten others to go out in search of their own philosophical ideals. Whether it is being away from home and travel all across America, not settling down in one place, but staying long enough in one place and have an affect on someone else, or being with your family hiking up a mountain and be able to look at the scenery that nature brought forth.
The Illegal, and Some Great Thing by Lawrence Hill both contain several important themes. To explain, The Illegal features the main character’s loss of innocence, and the racism towards people because of their country of origin, and ethnic background. Next, Some Great Thing includes the themes of racism and prejudice towards not only the protagonist, but also to French Canadians because of the colour of their skin, or the language they speak, and the courage of characters to stand up for what they believe is right.
Though some may rise from the shame they acquire in their lives, many become trapped in its vicious cycle. Written by Khlaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner describes the struggles of Amir, his father Baba, and his nephew Sohrab as they each fall victim to this shameful desolation. One repercussion of Baba hiding his sinful adultery from Amir is that Amir betrays Hassan for his father’s stringent approval. Sohrab’s dirty childhood also traumatizes him through his transition to America. Consequently, shame is a destructive force in The Kite Runner. Throughout the course of the novel, Baba’s shameful affair, Amir’s selfish betrayal, and Sohrab’s graphic childhood destroy their lives.
Are classic novels still being referred in modern society? Yes. Yes they do. – David Ngo claims
In the story “Recitatif” author Toni Morrison, published in 1983, tells a story of two young girls, Twyla and Roberta, with two different ethnicities, who grow up in an orphanage together. Due to the fact that the story is narrated by Twyla, it seems natural for us the readers to associate with this touching story, as many of us have encounter racial discrimination back in the 1980s, making it clear that Morrison states the two girls grow up to always remember each based on the similarities and the childhood they both encounter together, come from different ethnic backgrounds, and as the story reveals, destiny is determined to bring the girls’ path together.
Sam physically exposes Charlie to new experiences that change him into a more confident person. At the start of the school year Charlie is an anti-social and introverted freshman who is reluctant and unsure of himself. He enters high school with no friends, but soon becomes friends with a small group of seniors, most importantly Sam, that influence him to become a stronger individual. Sam introduces him to many new things that he never would have experienced before. For example, drugs, alcohol, love, sexuality, parties and relationships change Charlie into an more confident person by breaking him out if his comfort zone. Sam plays a huge role in his development from being easily influenced to making decisions for himself. Sam motivates him to explore a new side of life and he realizes that life needs to be lived and not watched. Charlie grows from being someone who sits by and watches life to a person who fully participates in life. Charlie begins to develop and mature as his character is faced with unfamiliar situations that take him out of his s...
One of the main themes throughout the book is the title of the book “Night”. There are references from Eliezer about night during the book, which are full of symbolism. The word “night” is used repeatedly, and Eliezer recounts every dusk, night and dawn through the entire book. For instance, Night could be a metaphor for the Holocaust—submerge the family and thousands of Jewish families in the darkness and misery of the concentration camps.