Haroun And The Sea Of Stories Essay

In his novel, The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini depicts his homeland Afghanistan as a host to many different cultures and classes, such as Pashtun and Hazara, Sunni and Shiite, with this dichotomy of beliefs and attributes being powerful enough to shape diverse, sometimes negative relationships amongst the characters of the novel and their behavior to each other, as well as establish that individual’s identity. Each person interprets the impact of the role of belief and social status differently, while all living in the same setting, adding to their complexity and depth as a character in the novel with many different figures tied together by the same geographical and cultural conditions.

He finds a lifelong friend at school, Harun, and together they roam the streets of the city, looking for adventure. Hasan accompanies his uncle on his first tactful mission, and as their caravan roam the huge Sahara, his uncle fills in the historic gaps for young Hasan, teaching him the art of storytelling.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Some time ago, I decided to read Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, by Jules Verne. I figured that because it was so well known it must be an extremely interesting book. In addition, it was science fiction, the one area that I was always interested. My assumption was only partially correct, for I only was to a degree interested in the piece of writing. When Jules Verne was writing this book, he must have been reading some incredibly dull science book the day before, for that was what the book was written as. The style of writing was utterly against my tastes, and though the plot was moderately interesting, the style of writing really ruined it. Often, the author will trail off describing some

The Rugmaker of Mazar-E-Sharif Conflict by Najaf Mazari and Robert Tillman is a novel about Najaf's memoir of having to live with conflict and of enduring its in-depth consequences. Melbourne-based fiction writer and biographer Robert Hillman helps Najaf tell his story and also the representation of the author in the novel. Hillman's collaboration with Najaf on The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif continues Zar-e-Sharif his literary preoccupation with the hardships and triumphs of ordinary people caught up in war and political unrest. The background of the book depicts Najaf's homeland that has a long history of violent and bitter armed conflict that spans centuries. This is partly due to the region's geography. As Najaf says, 'just look at the location of Afghanistan on a map of Asia and the Middle East, with neighbors' and near-neighbors' like Russia, Pakistan and Iran' (p.34). The area has enormous geographical and strategic significance. Foreign powers, from the ancient Macedonians through to the colonial British and communist Russians, have striven to secure territory or allies there, with little regard for the desires of the local people. This essay will give us an analysis of The Rugmaker of Mazar-E-Sharif's characters Najaf Mazari, and Gorg Aliant plus the plot of the book. The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif traces an Afghani refugee's extraordinary journey from his early life as a shepherd boy in the mountains of Northern

The autobiographical tale, The Rugmaker of Mazar-E-Sharif, depicts the harrowing true story of protagonist and co-author Najaf Mazari. Najaf recounts his journey from his home in war-ridden Afghanistan all the way through to the immigration and detainment systems of Australia and finally to freedom. The conflict that Najaf has witnessed has been one of the key subject matters in this book. Conflict has seemed to follow Najaf wherever he goes, all through his life, this has changed how he thinks, feels and ultimately who Najaf is as a person.

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

Throughout The Kite Runner, Amir is faced with many challenges; some he runs from, some he must face head on. The book is all about life lessons and how lessons will repeat themselves until they are learned. Khaled Hosseini, the author, portrays Amir, the main character, as a privileged young lad who grows up to be a man who doesn’t fight his own battles. One of the novels reoccurring life lessons is sacrifice for others, how putting someone else’s wants and needs before your own can turn out for the best. Amir must learn how to surrender himself his messy past, “because the past claws its way out.” (1)

What seems like an innocent childhood friendship, it is taken by a tragic turn becoming a complex relationship when one betrays the other. Amir and Hassan share a strong bond of friendship inspite of being members of conflicting social classes in Afghanistan. The story banks upon the themes of extreme loyalty and intense guilt, played out by an unfortunate circumstance, followed by a series of reflective incidents. Hosseini's engaging novel brings out of the depths of self-condemnation in a phenomenal manner.

In Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, the author uses the deep-rooted ethnic prejudice present in Afghanistan to show its ability to break down relationships, as it influences people to stray from instincts that abide to moral and ethical codes. Afghani society, a product of accepted prejudice, makes it okay for the Pashtuns to self-proclaim dominance over and discriminate against minorities, such as Hazaras. Because of this ethnic hierarchy, the friendship between Amir, a Pashtun, and Hassan, a Hazara, is tenuous. In their childhood, Amir and Hassan are very close. They often play together and sit by a pomegranate tree reading stories from the Shahnameh, a Persian epic filled with tales of adventure. However, on one occasion, as they walk towards the hill on which the pomegranate tree sits, Amir and Hassan come across Assef who questions Amir about his friendship with Hassan on the basis of his ethnicity.

During his visit to Kahani,Haroun crossed the twilight strip which led them to an evil and forbidding region, “It was a suicidal mission, Haroun became convinced they would be defeated”(121),but after he saw Mudra a shadow warrior his opinions changed. Mudra was performing a martial dance,”The dance of the shadow warrior showed him that silence had its own grace and beauty...and that action could be as noble as words;and that creatures of darkness could be as lovely as the children of light”(125). This emphasizes the change Haroun went from seeing the evil in the Chups to seeing the beauty. Not only did stories change Haroun they changed the people in the Valley of K as well. Rashid told them “Haroun and the Sea of Stories”. The crowd became so impacted by the story they sang along and interacted with Rashid. Eventually the citizens were able to connect and sympathize with people from the land of chup. They realized how their ruler resembled Khattam-Shud and were able to choose leaders they actually liked. Storytelling takes us on a journey that lets us experience moments in a way reality doesn't let us;it changes us in a way no one else

In the novel, Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, the protagonist, Amir, is torn between two truths as he lived associated with different kinds of religious groups in Afghan society: Pashtuns and Hazaras. Each identity played a unique part in Amir’s life. Whether they had a positive or negative effect, both changed his values and beliefs. Individuals also shaped Amir’s character. Baba, Assef, and Hassan were major influences upon Amir’s growth throughout the book; their differences shaped Amir into the man he later became as all three represented a different side of Afghan society.

Nobel Prize winner Nadine Gordimer once stated, “Censorship is never over for those who have experienced it. It is a brand on the imagination that affects the individual who has suffered it, forever.” This was a problem faced by Salman Rushdie. After years of suffering from writers block, he overcame his obstacles and published "Haroun and the Sea of Stories". It is not only a story for his son, but a proclamation of the triumph of the writer over the oppressive forces that sought to silence him. When read literally, the resolution of "Haroun and the Sea of Stories" is the defeat of Khattam-Shud as dictator. However, Rushdie’s true resolution is the conquest of freedom of speech over oppression. This is seen in how the characters’

Social conditions are what shape a country. Over the years, people, not only in Afghanistan, but around the world create norms that define people’s roles in life, their future, and how they should be treated based on their gender and beliefs. Khaled Hosseini’s first novel, The Kite Runner, comments on the social conditions of Afghanistan through telling a story about the lives of two Muslim boys; a privileged Sunni Pashtun, Amir, and his long-time friend and servant, Hassan, a loyal but disadvantaged Shia Hazara. Hosseini expresses Amir’s uncertain feelings toward Hassan which form the decisions he makes throughout the book. These choices result in Amir destroying his relationship with Hassan. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini is a commentary on the social conditions in Afghanistan as shown through the roles of women and men in society and the ideals of Afghan culture. Unfortunately, these problems are still active in most of Afghanistan.

Because he is likeable and the people enjoy listening to him, they will vote for the person who hired him when Rashid asks them to. Without the endorsement and backing of a good storyteller, a politician’s career is ended. Additionally, when Rashid tells his final story about the corrupt politician Snooty Buttoo, Mr. Buttoo is forced to flee and “was never seen again in the valley of K, which left the people of the valley free to chose leaders they actually liked” (Rushdie 207). Rashid’s tale convinced the people of the valley of K to stand up for what they believed in and, as with the people of chup they turned against Khattam-Shud. The tale of the defeat of Khattam-Shud inspired them to, likewise turn from their poor leader. The influence of storytelling is so great that it has the power to positively or negatively affect the career of a politician.

     In the timeless novel The Old Man and the Sea, the hero is undoubtedly the old man, Santiago, whom us as readers become very acquainted with. Santiago is a hard-worker and perseveres through every problem nature brings to him. He is in the midst of a horrendous fishing drought, during which the townspeople laugh and ridicule him. Santiago just lets the criticism pass him by because he is confident that the fish of his lifetime is coming soon. In a sense, Santiago represents the ideas of honor and pride. He is also a hero to a young boy named Manolin who conveys the image that the old man is whom he would rather live