Early on, Amir strives to redeem himself in Baba’s eyes, primarily because his mother died giving birth to him, and he feels responsible. To redeem himself to Baba, Amir thinks he must win the kite-tournament and bring Baba the losing kite, both of which are inciting incidents that set the rest of the novel in motion. The more substantial part of Amir’s search for redemption, however, stems from his guilt regarding Hassan. That guilt drives the climactic events of the story, including Amir’s journey to Kabul to find Sohrab and his confrontation with Assef. The moral standard Amir must meet to earn his redemption is set early in the book, when Baba says that a boy who doesn’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything.
The poems ‘Flag’ and ‘Half Caste’ were both written by John Agard. Flag explores how national symbols bind nations together- and in doing so also force people apart. Agard conveys in his writing how a person’s mind can become possessed and blinded into patriotism, willing to sacrifice for the love of their country despite the unmerciful decisions made by it, for example, the decision to go to war. Furthermore he explores ones naivety to come under such beliefs, planted into the minds of young men, poisoned by the lies of the country that they ‘love’ but don’t love back. Half Caste explores the position of being a mixed race citizen, described in this poem as ‘Half Caste’.
Captain Sparrow's place as one of the last great pirates of the time compares to Emily Grierson's role in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner as the last member of a fallen Southern autocracy. Both characters refuse to accept the decline of the society that favors the minority that the protagonist identifies with most closely. Also, the newer generation in Emily's town honors the culture that Emily stands for yet sees Emily as something of a pest, a burden on society. Jack Sparrow's fellow pirates hold the same opinion for the eccentric Captain. Sparrow's skills remind the diminishing pirate forces of the time that piracy ruled the seven seas which constitutes a major reason that the marauders put up with Jack's eccentric personality.
By trying to escape a horrible hardship in his life, which was slavery, he only managed to get himself into more trouble, causing even more hardships. Rebellious experiences are also something Olney says slave narratives must include and Brent does. Brent speaks about a personal rebellious experience against her master, Dr. Flint. “Revenge, and calculations of interest, were added to flattered vanity and sincere gratitude for kindness. I knew nothing would enrage Dr. Flint so much as to know that I favored another; and it was something to triumph over my tyrant even in
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a compelling novel about the repercussions of guilt and “sin”. While this story takes place in a strict Puritan community, one can see the relation of Sigmund Freud theories of libido that can be compared to this novel because it discusses the passion that exists as a natural part of human nature which criticizes that community’s strict ways. Pearl, Hester’s child comes into the story at the very beginning; “a great law had been broken; and the result was a being, whose elements were perhaps beautiful and brilliant, but all in disorder.” (62). Pearl represents the innocence of the natural human desires. Hester named Pearl Pearl because she gave all she had for her and so she is of great value such as a pearl.
It is clear that at the beginning of this excellent comedy Oliver and Orlando are not the best of friends, in spite of their sibling relationship. Note the way that in Act I scene 1 they fight, and Orlando, having his brother trapped in some kind of wrestling hold, tells us that his brother has committed the following crimes against him: My father charged you in his will to give me good education. You have trained me like a peasant, obscuring and hiding from me all gentleman-like qualities. The spirit of my father grows strong in me, and I will no longer endure it! Clearly the hatred that they feel for one another is expressed through their behaviour and the words they use for each other, such as when Oliver insultingly calls his brother a "boy" and he tells the Duke that he hates Orlando just as much as he does, knowing that this will be bad for his brother.
The next time he goes to Afganistan is when he goes to visit Rahim. Rahim tells him another big turning point, Hassan was his half brother. This makes him feel even worst about the things that he did to Hassan and makes him feel worst about running him and Ali off. He tries to redeem himself and do something good by saving Hassan's son because Hassan has died. I think that Amir would have to do a lot more to take back what he did as a child but I also feel like he saved his son more for Rahim than for Hassan.
We have a proverb that says you can stand in the house of a coward and point to where a brave man once stood. The strong man has been destroyed by his bravery. The story of Okonkwo is in a way the story of our culture; he pays a price because he places too much emphasis on strength and manliness. Not enough attention is given to those who are oppressed. Okonkwo stands as a symbol of that price that must be paid.” ------------------------- 1) After reading Achebe’s explanation of Okonkwo, do you agree with it?
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter, the character of Roger Chillingworth was transformed from a well educated scholar into a fallen, unrighteous man. Roger Chillingworth was once kind, then becomes the symbol of vengeance, and finally becomes the personification of vengeance to the extent of losing his humanity. Roger Chillingworth (Prynne), a “kind, but never warm hearted man,” was not always a vengeful and diabolical creature, but once he lusted after the idea of love and kindness. During “The Interview” with Hester, he admits his fault of trying for love: “It was my folly! I have said it.
To him, the baby is tainted which makes his family and marriage impure. His conclusion is based on a “race that is cursed with the brand of slavery” (66). He falls out of his passionate love just as fast as he had fallen into it, “as if struck by a pistol shot” (63), because the race he believes his wife and now baby belong to is beneath him. He sees the slaves as unequal, believes he is superior and he can do whatever he pleases because they belong to him. If Armand is superior over the slaves and he can treat them however he pleases, therefore, in his mind, the same is true for Désirée and the baby.