Talal Rizq: Describe two obstacles Talal encountered during his life, and how he sought to overcome them in order to achieve his goals. Talal Rizk was raised in a middle-class Druze family in Damascus. He had well educated parents and they closely directed his education. He did well in school especially in history, literature, and languages. He attended American University at Beirut near Lebanon. Lebanon’s civil war was going on but, it was safe for him to attend school there. He came to understand the Arab world while in school and knew the obstacles and challenges he would face in his life became clear to him. Talal Rizk became a Syrian engineer and like other Syrian college graduates during the late 1990’s, he faced obstacles. One obstacle that he faced was …show more content…
The unemployment rates were above 20% and millions of Syrian workers were forced to look for jobs overseas. That was just what he did to overcome that obstacle, he accepted a job abroad which was unrelated to his degree in Saudi Arabia. His observations there allowed him to see why many educated Arabs found themselves caught between hope and despair. Another obstacle he faced was when his father died unexpectedly in September 1991, he was the only son so he felt he had to step up and care of his family. The carefree life he had at school ended when he had to come home. He refocused his studies on agriculture because it was more practical and that is what is father encouraged him to do when he was alive. He became too distracted so he withdrew from his courses and did not complete his classes because without his father’s income which was money for his tuition; it became a burden. When Talal was finally able to return to AUB, his friend helped him mend his focus. He overcame his depression as well as his obstacles and put his focus into school. In 1998, he finally reached his goals and he received his diploma in agricultural
The author’s intention in the beginning of Mahtab’s story is to give the reader a descriptive introduction regarding the feelings and cricumstances of Mahtab’s journey. She uses descriptive language to inform the reader of Mahtab’s feelings of uncertainty as the “fog of darkness” (p.2) closes in on the family as they travel by truck through the Afghani mountains in a search for a better life.
Ponijao through trial and error he was able to figure out how overcome any obstacle,
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
Zeitoun could courageously confront all the frustration and live under any conditions because he had experienced a lot. He was born in Jableh, fishing town on the coast of Syria. He began fishing when he was only thirteen years old. His father had passed away when he was twelve years old. He and his brother Ahmad grew up in a poor family. After Zeitoun moved to New Orleans and built his own business, he had finally improved his standard of living. Moreover, Kathy helped managing the company regularly. One day, Zeitoun and his worke...
Jamal had to look after Bibi and take on the role of their parents when the family was separated. The siblings were described in great detail, which helped us to understand their experiences and emotions. The cross country trek involves the horrors of war, isolation from family and the constant fear of persecution which can force a family to leave their home country. The action is evident right from the start of the book and builds intensity as the story progresses.
His college years took place during the height of the Vietnam War, which he personally supported. Subsequently, he joined the United States Army Reserve Officer Training Corps, but unfortunately his military career was short-lived due to his poor eyesight. After graduating in 1969 with a b...
When I was in Syria, I graduated from high school, and got to apply for college. Luckily, I was accepted into the school of engineering, and was able to finish freshmen year with good GPA. By the time I was done with my freshmen year, my uncle who lived in United States for
despised by even those who's careers he began, and lives he had changed. In one meeting
Sula and Nel’s friendship in their childhood was beneficial for both of them. Sula’s meeting of Nel was fortunate, because they find a soul mate within each other. They are both the daughters of “distant mothers and incomprehensible fathers” (Morrison, 50). Both girls lack affection in their relationships with their mothers. They can’t find this affection in their relationships with their fathers either, because Sula’s father is dead while Nel’s father is away at sea. They find the affection they need with each other. Their friendship was a way to mother each other. Since they can’ find the support they need from their families with their families they began to support each other and figure out what each other need in their life. The significance
This story was written for the author to reflect upon her childhood, and to share how her family tormented her; also, how that helped her become who she is today. She talks about her aunt Baba who always encouraged her to do her best in school. The author speaks about how they would sit on her bed and look at her report cards when she was upset. Her aunt Baba would always say something like, “look at this one all A’s and top of your class again.” (Yen Mah 61-62). She spoke about how her aunt and grandfather would sneak her money to ride the bus to school, or little pieces of candy when she would get good grades in school (Yen Mah 47-50). They encouraged her and helped her become the wonderful accomplished person she is today. Even the bad things that happened to her when she was a child helped her. If she had not been sent to that boarding school by Naing she would not have entered the writing competition that lead her father to realize how talented she was, and send her to college. If she hadn’t been sent to college in London by her parents she would have never become a
There is something to be said about learning a concept through reading compared to learning from experience because through one’s experiences, the concept is fully grasped and understood. This novel is multi-dimensional as we view the initial endogenous culture of Nazneen who was raised in rural Bangladesh, and can just barely read and write. Nazneen was always taught to accept her fate and not going against it and it is resembled by the quote, “What could not be changed must be borne. And since nothing could be changed, everything had to be borne. This principle ruled her life,” (Ali 4). Nazneen is accepting of her fate because this is what she was raised to believe, and when she is sent to London for an arranged marriage to Chanu, she must accept this as reality as well. Her husband Chanu, an educated man in his forties is constantly boasting his higher education, and the fact that he will receive a promotion from his job with the city council. Although Chanu is an educated man, he never receives the promotion, and this is because he constantly feels that he deserves better, and is never content with what he has. Chanu’s privileged mindset is a sort of character flaw because even though he is educated and should move up in society, he never really acts upon this to make the necessary
Ever the shrewd leader, Hussein realized that the primary way to ensure stability was to increase the standard of living. The fi...
...om Joyce’s childhood. The young boy may have felt anguish, but the adult that looks back at himself sees someone who desires romance and happiness. Joyce explains “Araby” as the life of a young boy who has dreams and high expectations of the world, but instead the young boy gets a bitter taste of reality.
...s the ordinary Syrian who tries hard to surmount he difficulties of everyday life and who is tired of political slogans” (qtd. in Lawson 416).
In the story, Gustad is shown as a loving and caring father who is passionate about the future of his eldest son, Sohrab. He bears many grievances from past which have limited his possibilities of becoming successful in his life and wishes to fulfill his unaccomplished desires through his son. Sohrab’s intelligence and brilliance at home and school assure his parents that their son is very special and is capable of doing anything in his life. His father starts making predictions that someday his son is going to become an aeronautical engineer, architect or research scientist. In addition, Gustad is glad that his son also shows interest in family tradition of furniture building when he says “it must be in the blood, this love of Carpentry” (Mistry 65). He endures all the hardships and encourages his son to comprehend the idea to study at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). “And the Indian Institute of Technology became the Promised Land” (Mistry 66) indicates the extent of Gustad’s predetermination and resolution about the future of his son. The attempt made by Gustad to protect and save his s...