In the passage from the novel The Book of Saladin by Tariq Ali, the author talks about a particular moment in the life of the former Islamic leader Saladin. The piece is written in a first person narrative view and is told through the view of Saladin. The passage talks about Saladin’s youth and how he was at first considered rather insignificant, as he was not the eldest born son in his family hence not much was expected from him. The passage then goes on to talk about how only his paternal grandmother saw greatness in him and goes on to give a recollection of a moment in which he and his friends killed a snake where upon Saladin’s grandmother calls him and tells him about her dream. The passage contains several significant themes …show more content…
The confident tone Saladin uses when he says this shows how he is in control over the situation and hence implying the fact that he is rather powerful. The word choice of the author is also significant in the sense that “normal” implies that this is not the first time Saladin has seen such fear in his subjects and suggests his intimidating figure. This if further emphasized by the caesura in between normal and it. The full stop puts emphasis on the first part of the second sentence hence again further emphasizing the fact that Saladin’s presence in the scene gives out a sign of awe over his subjects. This fear of him can also be interpreted as others respecting him. The theme of power is largely significant in this passage mainly due to the fact that it sets the tone at which the passage is to be read in. The use of this theme is mainly to introduce the protagonist to the reader and to establish the fact that he is a powerful and well respected leader. Lastly, the theme of conflict is also largely evident in this passage. The images of Saladin and his friends attempting to kill a snake is a foreshadowing of his brutal life. “Compete with each other in these foolish things. We would try and grab a snake by its tail and then swing it, before crushing its head on a stone or, as the braver ones among us did, stamping on its head with our feet”. The verb choices of this quotation are largely significant in emphasizing to the reader the
In the past two months i fell like i have accomplished a great deal. As i focus on it more i realize i have become a better reader. I did this by concentrating on my readings and take my time to read them. With the help of my professor and classmates i began to analyze what i read.
As before, the story contains such a vivid description of life that the reader’ s sensibilities are shocked to read about Saeed’s parents’ intimate life, very much as we were shocked when the same was done for the parents of ‘you’ in How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia. Why does Hamid do that, I wonder? Perhaps because in the typical Eastern context we cannot imagine such things happening, perhaps he is trying to make us realize that people who are parents are also very human. Indeed he is trying to break us out of our protective little shells. Another classic ingredient is the voice of the narrator, so present in Hamid’s stories and present with such life in Exit West that it, as the narrator of its predecessor, leaves the reader aching to know who this entity is speaking with such clarity, such wisdom and such poignancy. Yet another ingredient which made its debut, if I am not wrong, in Discontent and its Civilizations, was Mohsin Hamid’s regard towards other writers, some alive, some gone to their eternal rest, whom he called his friends. In Exit West, he pays tribute to a number of old friends and quite sweetly, his own works. And so we meet Conrad, Woolf and Hemingway and find a light reference to Moth Smoke and Rising Asia albeit in the characterisation of the ‘brave man, the old man’ which reminds one of ‘the pretty girls’. Writers love their babies, their works. It
The concept of digression is explored and mastered by Shahrazad throughout the sets of stories that comprise The Arabian Nights. Unlike the stories of Jaques and his Master, in Jaques the Fatalist, where digression plays well in a journey without a specific purpose, the stories of Shahrazad and her use of digression has a clear objective. The main character of The Arabian Nights, Shahrazad, makes use of her abilities as an effective storyteller to keep her audience engaged with a perfect sense of Kairos that achieves several purposes: arousing the King´s curiosity and keep it lingering, keeping herself alive, establishing her own
The first night's story in Arabian Nights is that of the Merchant and the Demon. Told by Shahrazad, the story offers a remarkable parallel to her own situation as she faces immanent death. Thus, the story of the Merchant and the Demon is told as a parable within the frame story, presenting a poignant analogy for Shahrazad's own situation. The Merchant and the Demon is a short tale but one filled with themes such as power, guilt, justice, and moral responsibility. Through the clever analogy with her own situation, Shahrazad also explores the theme of creative problem solving in tricky situations. Moreover, the story illustrates the core differences between pre-Islamic and Islamic values in Arabian society. Because the theme of gender roles and norms are not present within the Merchant and the Demon, the story shows how sexism is simply a form of general political and social oppression.
In English 1102 students will learn many different techniques throughout the course to understand and compose an analysis on an array of topics. After the course is over it is up to the students to apply what they have learned to everyday life. Many students throughout this course have questioned why they have to learn this material and that it will not even help them in the real world, but they are wrong. Each and everyday people should look at the deeper meaning and analyze situations very carefully or else one may find themselves being deceived. Being able to analyze is a very important skill no matter what career choice you choose. In this course the material assigned also had many life lessons in them. A great example of a reading assignment
Readers must examine Amir’s redemption to Baba. Amir feels guilty of his mother’s death, his first sin to Baba. Longing for Baba’s love, Amir knows that Baba “hated me a little… After all, I had killed his beloved wife, his beautiful princess, hadn’t I?” (Hosseini 19). Amir’s day of birth starts his betrayal to Baba since his birth causes Baba’s wife to die. Furthermore, Amir continues
and the audience, and secondly, by speaking in an active voice to let the sophisticated audience know of the importance that his argument brings.
Iran’s conflict between modernism and fundamentalism can be seen in the novel’s focus on the political prisoners. Marji encounters various men that were incarcerated for holding extreme leftist views, including her uncle, and the consequences they faced. In the chapter “The Heroes” Marji is exposed to the various torture methods induced to make the prisoners betray others who shared their discontent. This can be seen when Marji’s father asks about Ahmadi and Siamk, the newly freed prisoner, tells them, “… Ahmadi was assassinated. As a member of the guerrillas, he suffered hell” (54). In making this comment, Ahmadi shows the intensity with which fierce opponents were persecuted. Additionally, the never ending arrests and deaths of these political opponents show the
Meet Melinda, She's is attending her first day of 9th grade at Merryweather High, And it did not go so well. All her old friends don't talk to her. Other students laugh at her. Rachel says she hates her. Melinda really wants to tell everything to Rachel, but she can’t speak. Melinda calls her English teacher Hairwoman, because she hides behind all her hair. Melinda's doesn’t like her Social Studies teacher, she calls him Mr. Neck. Lunch went pretty bad. She didn't have anybody to sit with because all her old friends are mad at her for what she did, then a guy hits Melinda with food and then she ran out of the lunchroom. Mr. Neck makes Melinda stop, and expects an answer but since she can't speak,she gets in trouble. After that, she had Art
It’s been a great three years of being mentored by you in speech, debate, and finally, AP English Language and Composition. Through those three years of rigorous public speaking and academically challenging work, I can say with sincerity that I am a different person. Now, I know tenfold of what I knew before of high fructose corn syrup, trigger locks, and IRCA. It’s been an unequivocal honor to have met someone with such an intellectual arsenal as you and I have to wonder if I’ll ever meet anyone as knowledgeable even in college. You fended off every single argument that either the Debate Team or the 14 member fifth period AP English coalition threw at you with such ease and class. Wherever you decide to go next, I have no doubt in my mind that you will have the same scintillating impact you had on Suffern High School. Be sure to hoist that Tampa Bay Rays banner proudly for all those poseur Yankee fans to see!
As they reach America at last, Amir’s wife introduces herself to Sohrab sweetly, but he just, “shift[s] on his feet and look[s] away” (358). Sohrab does not say much, do much, or move much at all. Imagery presented in this stage of the journey is quite gloomy, what with Sohrab’s blandly colored clothes, sallow face, and plain room. Amir and his wife seem gloomy as well, as they are always whispering, crying, or wondering what went wrong. The saving grace and the real transformation happens at the celebration of the Afghan’s New Year’s Day. After a day of muteness that has become regular, Amir and Sohrab finally connect through the kite flying contest. This is something to which Amir and Hassan dedicated their lives when they were children. Amir is overwhelmed with joy to see that, “one corner of his mouth had curled up just so. A smile” (370). It seems like nothing, but this truly is a breakthrough with this child. If it were not for Hosseini’s descriptive words that lend to pure joy and elation, the reader would not even realize what a momentous occasion this is. Hope may seem lost when traveling a guilt filled path, but if one’s intentions are honest and efforts are useful, forgiveness will find its way
The article “English Only” Laws divide and Demean by Warren Blumenfeld states the author’s view against enacting a law making English the official language of the federal government. Mr. Blumenfeld’s premise in "English Only" is that the law is unnecessary and divisive in the United States. He is seeking a call to action in his home state of Iowa against the “English -only” law because he believes that it will negatively impact the beliefs that our nation is founded upon, rather than celebrate and promote our uniqueness as a nation of people from different cultures seeking the freedom to be individuals. He is an opponent of this law since he believes it has the potential to create prejudice and discrimination toward our citizens because
After reading the email you sent us tonight, I’ve decided to write you this email. With what’s happening in our country right now, I just feel the need to let you know that I really appreciate you reaching out to us as well as sharing your thoughts and feelings. I have to say that it is very hard not to feel hopeless at the outcome of this election. However, I realized that no matter what, the strength and unity of those who are likeminded in loving, caring and open-minded will allow us to go through this together as a country. No matter what we can find our way back to humanity, and fight to protect the immigrants, LGBT, people of color, and the female communities. Personally, I’m still trying to make sense of it. I can’t wait for the in-class
I think this activity helped us a lot because we all had to give a closer look to our figures. For our intermediate draft we were asked to describe two rhetorical appeals only. However, for this activity we had to describe all of them. Therefore, I learned that all of them interact in order to convey the stakeholder’s goals. They all overlap so that the stakeholder conveys its message. Activities like this one furthers our analysis and helps us look beyond the image; for example, it makes us ask ourselves questions like: Why? How? Where? instead of just describing WHAT happened. Regarding my issue, I learned that it’s not as simple as just changing the laws in order to benefit migrants. It would require a change on people’s ideas as well.
The description Mahfouz gives of Hamida makes her out to be the most beautiful girl in the alley. Immediately, her beauty captures the reader’s attention, and causes her to stand out in the novel. In fact, her beauty created chaos among the men in the alley, and is conveyed in the line “she was constantly beset by a desire to fight and conquer…this she showed in her pleasure in attracting men” [Mahfouz, 39]. In the third chapter of the novel, Hamida was described as a beautiful, shapely, dark-eyed girl in her twenties, who longs for fine clothes and a rich husband. Hamida is described as having long, black hair that is near her knees. Her beauty not