‘In times of conflict, ordinary people find themselves capable of extraordinary things’
When the waves of conflict come crashing at your door, your willingness to turn the handle relies heavily on whether you’ve sailed the rough seas, or merely dabbled your feet in the pond of calm waters. Those who have endured conflicts of extreme intensity possess a resilience foreign to those who have not. Their actions, whilst regarded as ‘incredible’ by outsiders, reflect the need to keep their head above the violent, ripping tides of conflict – they must choose to swim when others may sink.
The entire concept of being ‘ordinary’ and carrying out the ‘extraordinary’ is largely a cultural and environmental construct, as what is perceived to be ‘ordinary’
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Najaf fervently declares himself an ordinary man - just another of Allah’s creations. His belief that he is simply another ordinary human being is symptomatic of his immense faith in God. The formation of his perception of himself is largely due to how he has been raised, both religiously and environmentally, and through his life experiences. Living in Afghanistan; a country that has been war-torn for decades on end, has normalised the colossal strength and moral fibre needed to survive in these circumstances. As a member of the oppressed ethnic group of Afghanistan, the Hazara, Najaf’s need to be a resilient and irrepressible character seems innate. As onlookers, living in a privileged, westernised culture that is not governed by war and terror, we see Najaf as a courageous and extraordinary being: his spirit …show more content…
The vicious waves of tsunamis can destroy whole cities, leaving nothing but silt and toxic waste in its wake. However, without its purifying and regenerative force, how would anything grow, prosper - survive? Water is symbolic of hope as it is what keeps us afloat – keeps our head above the unforgiving tides. This significance is only intensified to those who have made the bold decision to risk potential death by fleeing their countries on rickety boats, all in hope for a better quality of life. For Najaf, and millions of other refugees alike, his hope and faith overshadowed the prospect of death, disease and loss. Against the odds, Najaf remarkably survived the treacherous journey in a state of good health; both physically and mentally. The stakes of him making it all the way to Woomera’s detention centre, only to be sent back, were exceptionally high. Despite this, his faith and hope prevailed. His journey is what we in westernised cultures would describe as the ‘extraordinary’, but to those who have endured the ceaseless deluges of conflict; it is simply viewed as a necessary means to survive. Our concept of what is ‘extraordinary’ closely parallels to what is uncommon to us, as countless Afghani citizens flee their war-ravaged countries; yet Australians have never needed to consider this foreign concept. Everyday Australians view Najaf’s story as so incredible, as we live such a privileged
In the novel Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand uses both internal and external conflict to show the theme people can stand up against enemies even when the odds seemed stacked up against them. Whether it be simply defending himself or lying, Louie found a way to get through prison camp alive. After the war, this left him leaving the camp feeling euphoric. Louie’s experiences really show that no matter what situation someone is in, they can stand
In the aftermath of a comparatively minor misfortune, all parties concerned seem to be eager to direct the blame to someone or something else. It seems so easy to pin down one specific mistake that caused everything else to go wrong in an everyday situation. However, war is a vastly different story. War is ambiguous, an enormous and intangible event, and it cannot simply be blamed for the resulting deaths for which it is indirectly responsible. Tim O’Brien’s story, “In the Field,” illustrates whom the soldiers turn to with the massive burden of responsibility for a tragedy. The horrible circumstances of war transform all involved and tinge them with an absurd feeling of personal responsibility as they struggle to cope.
A human being is a complicated entity of a contradictory nature where creative and destructive, virtuous and vicious are interwoven. Each of us has gone through various kinds of struggle at least once in a lifetime ranging from everyday discrepancies to worldwide catastrophes. There are always different causes and reasons that trigger these struggles, however, there is common ground for them as well: people are different, even though it is a truism no one seems to able to realize this statement from beyond the bounds of one’s self and reach out to approach the Other.
The way our friends treat us in the face of adversity and in social situations is more revealing of a person’s character than the way they treats us when alone. In Khaled Hosseini’s novel The Kite Runner, ethnic tensions, nationality, and betrayal become the catalyst that drives and fuels Amir, Assef, and other characters to embark on their particular acts of cruelty. Serving as a way to illustrate the loss of rectitude and humanity, cruelty reveals how easily people can lose their morals in critical circumstances. Through Amir, Assef, and the Taliban’s actions, cruelty displays the truth of a person’s character, uncovering the origin of their cruelty. Amir’s cruelty spurs from his external environment and need for love from his father, choosing
A natural response to such a violent environment is to simply behave in a way that portrays no weakness. If the soldier does not show any signs of weakness, he finds it much easier to convince himself that he can survive by his strength. In asserting his control over himself by hiding all of his weaknesses, h...
The history of Afghanistan influences the way Amir’s life develops by affecting his relationship with himself, Baba, and Hassan. People are greatly influenced by the culture that they grow up in, and a community’s culture is shaped by the events that they go through. Throughout the book, the reader can see that Amir struggles with his self-confidence and often-times looks down on himself as a weak and unworthy human being.
(AGG) Thanks to the news, when we think about the Middle East, all that comes to mind is facts, and it doesn’t really register that these are real people, under tragic and desperate circumstances, trying to make a living. (BS-1) Najmah was initially a somewhat childish girl who couldn’t imagine who she’d become after encountering the ruthless Taliban. (BS-2) Najmah’s thoughts and actions while with Akhtar’s family have been the foundation in tracking her developments, and her silence, if dug into deep enough, portrays some development in her mindset as well. (BS-3) Najmah and Nusrat’s losses have built a connection between both of them, but Najmah still learns, experiences, and develops while spending time with Elaine. (TS) Under The Persimmon Tree
As can be seen, Paul Boyer, Tim O’Brien, and Kenneth W. Bagby, convey the notion that war affects the one’s self the most. Through the use of literary devices: tone, mood, pathos, and imagery, these 3 authors portray that war affects a person’s self most of all. War is not only a battle between two opposing sides, but it can also be a mental conflict created within a person. Although war is able to have an effect on physical relationships between family, friends, or even society, conflict within oneself is the most inevitable battle one must face during war times.
Nordstrom looks to obscure and illuminate violence in the context of war. From the beginning of her book, she clearly states her goal as being “to explore the widely shared cultures of violence and the profound creativity t...
War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, written by the talented author Chris Hedges, gives us provoking thoughts that are somewhat painful to read but at the same time are quite personal confessions. Chris Hedges, a talented journalist to say the least, brings nearly 15 years of being a foreign correspondent to this book and subjectively concludes how all of his world experiences tie together. Throughout his book, he unifies themes present in all wars he experienced first hand. The most important themes I was able to draw from this book were, war skews reality, dominates culture, seduces society with its heroic attributes, distorts memory, and supports a cause, and allures us by a constant battle between death and love.
The Reconstruction period in the United States was from 1865-1877. Unfortunately, Abraham Lincoln passed away and so the vice president took over. This was unfortunate because he was a southerner which means he was pro slavery. Because of this, Johnson vetoed a bill, Freedmen’s Bureau and Civil Rights Bills, that caused a permanents disagreements with Congress that lead to his impeachment in 1868. The Reconstruction was going great, but as soon as the soldiers were taken out from the South everything went back to the South’s old ways. White Supremacy became very present in the South. This means that people believe white people are better than black people. One of the main organized groups that were white supremacists was the Ku Klux Klan.
Resolving conflict is a major part of life. If people don’t handle problems well, then things could go very bad for them. If they do handle them well, their problems will be fixed without any other issues. One of the most effective ways for solving conflict is using hope and courage. Both Anne Frank and some people in Dear Miss Breed used these techniques to deal with their problems.
The main character in The Rugmaker of Mazar-E-Sharif, Najaf flees punishment from the Taliban and takes off on a journey to seek asylum in Australia. Throughout the book, Najaf struggles with the challenges of displacement, cultural alienation, and the loss of his homeland, all of which majorly affect his sense of
In Khaled Hosseini’s novel “The Kite Runner,” he illustrates a fine line between what is defined as moral good and evil. During their lives as kids, Amir and Hassan had always been close, but there had always been one problem. Amir was the son of a rich and powerful Pashtun man who was almost always given everything he wanted, while Hassan was a Hazara boy who had spent his life serving Amir and his family with his father. Although the two of them seemed to always be inseparable when they played games or flew kites, there was always the defining factor of who they really are, a servant and his master. Being a Muslim and living in Afghanistan, there are certain rules and morals that you must live up to.
The Warrior’s Honour by Michael Ignatieff conveys the harsh realities of ethnic war to the reader. It opens a window to pictures and experiences that most cannot, and do not , think of on a daily basis. Michael Igantieff has experienced there realities as he travelled around the world in his work as a journalist, and it is in this book that he shares with us his thoughts and ideas about these war torn countries. In this paper I will review the book and discuss major themes and arguments, as well as the downfall and shortcomings of it.