Power And Rights In Les Mis�rables And The Kite Runner

During this period in French history, the nobility was starting to gain power and prestige, and this power presented the king with a problem: he needed to have strong nobles to strengthen his realm by extension. However, he still had to maintain power and his position of supremacy. Richelieu posits that the king must maintain a firm system of punishments and rewards:”Punishments and rewards are two quite necessary elements in the conduct of states. It is an ordinary allegation, but more true, and often repeated by all men, that rewards and punishments are the two most important tools of government available in a realm.” This system played on the honor obsession the nobility had, and strengthened the kingship at the same time. If one helped the king, they were rewarded with more honor and a higher position; if they resisted, they lost everything. This strengthened the kingship as well. Those he rewarded would be assets to the kingdom, while those he punished would serve as warnings to those who considered resisting.

As a boy Amir fails to stand for himself, as an adult he can only atone himself by proving he has the courage to stand up for what is right. When Amir decides to fight Assef who was a part of Taliban to save his nephew, Sohrab ,is the time when he achieved atonement because he feels that finally he was punished for never stepping in and trying to protect Hassan because of his cowardice. “What was so funny that for the first time since in winter of 1975 I felt peace. I laughed because I saw in some hidden, nook in a corner of my mind, I ‘d even been looking forward to this... But I did now know my body was broken badly, I wouldn’t find out until later- but I felt healed at last, I laughed.” (Hosseni Khaled

Moreover, Amir tries to redeem himself to Sohrab. Sohrab had one request, and that request was to never go back to an orphanage. When a lawyer tells Amir that sending Sohrab back to an orphanage is their best bet, Soharb tries to kill himself by slitting his wrists. Amir was always “... met by silence” (352) whenever he tried to talk to Soharb. Soharb went silent when they moved to America, and Amir did everything in his power to give Sohrab a good life. He wanted to make up for the pain he had caused Sohrab, Amir couldn’t live knowing that Sohrab tried to kill himself because of what he had done. Sohrab had also saved Amir’s life. When Amir unexpectedly confronted Assef, the man who raped Hassan, he almost beat him to death. but Sohrab stepped in and shot Assef’s eye with a slingshot, saving Amir’s life. Amir owed his whole life to Sohrab. Amir tried everyday to redeem himself to Sohrab subconsciously speaking, Amir was trying to give him a better life than Hassan, to be the man he should have been all those years

When Amir goes and rescues Sohrab from Assef in The Kite Runner it creates a trust

The Thenardiers also played a huge role in abusing power. They feel that since they are “taking care” of Cosette for

Once confronting the Taliban official about taking Sohrab back with him to America, the official who turns out to be Asseff an old enemy of Amir and Hassan says “‘When it’s all done, only one of us will walk out of this room alive,’ Assef said. ‘If it’s him, then he’s earned his freedom and you let him pass, do you understand?’”. This is a rare instance where Amir sacrifices his life for others. This is not only a display of love for Sohrab whose life he is trying to better, but also out of love for Hassan. Amir could have gone back to America after hearing the news about Hassan and not put his life in jeopardy in search of Sohrab, a child he does not even know, but he does not. Amir loves Hassan and wants to make things right. This display of courage by putting his life on the line shows love for Hassan’s entire

Imagine you’re dressed in your finest clothes, wearing a top hat or a satin dress and giant flowery hat, stopped in your carriage waiting for other carriages just as beautiful as yours to pass by. Suddenly, a street kid jumps into your carriage bringing his stench and rags with him. Well, this is how Gavroche is presented during the very first scene that he is in in the movie musical Les Misérables. Gavroche was a character vital to Hugo’s story because he helped expose many problems in French society, and show how they affected everyone, even a beggar child. Gavroche helps the brothers of the barricade with many different tasks, and they “only go to show what little people can do” (“Little People”). He was used to show how divided and merciless

Oppression of individual power leads to its irresponsible use when granted, as individual identity is lost and must be regained.

Amir faces several struggles during his life, defining his character. The one struggle that truly defines him is coming into contact with Assef for a second time. This fight was no ordinary fight, this fight symbolized something for Amir. Amir was seen as always the cowardly type throughout the novel. Amir spent most of his life feeling guilty and isolated because of a terrible decision he made in his youth, all doing with Hassan.

Amir is finally able to make up for some of his regrets in the past, he could not help Hassan, but he knew he could help Sohrab and he did. Although Amir is injured, he finally feels at

However, rescuing Sohrab was not enough, he wanted to make sure Sohrab was taken care off. On his search to rescuing Sohrab, he encounter Assef again. The encounter between Amir and Assef leads to a fight where Amir get beaten up really bad. During the fight, Amir recall the incident with Hassan and Assef. He finally got a chance to feel what Hassan felt that day and that cause him to laugh.

Nevertheless, this “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” strategy created tension between the characters because every move one makes could be used against them. When Foulon, another aristocrat, was frustrated with what the were the citizens were doing, “he told the famished people that they might eat grass” (171). As a result, Foulon was murdered and had grass brutally shoved into his mouth so that his corpse might “eat grass.” This is strange because Foulon, although having said foul things about the poor citizen’s, never did any physical harm to the less fortunate people of France. This creates a flipped society where the poor people now hold all control and the aristocrats are left helpless at the mercy of the people. From the perspective of the aristocrats, the people are being unfair and they don’t deserve this sort of treatment because. On the other hand, the citizens believe they are finally serving justice for years of being less fortunate and getting walked all over by the aristocrats. Justice is purely about

In Les Miserables, Cosette, the daughter of Jean Valjean, has had a rough life. Her mother, Fantine, gave her to the Thenardiers because she couldn’t afford to take care of her. After Fantine dies, Jean Valjean comes to get Cosette and treat her like his own daughter because he was very fond of Fantine. Jean Valjean buys Cosette from the Thenardiers, and starts to show her the love and respect she deserves. Cosette easily bonds with Jean Valjean because he treats her unlike she has ever been treated. Cosette reminds Valjean of himself after jail, he wants to give her a new beginning and give her the best he can. Jean Valjean also told Cosette’s mother that

People are judged; they are condemned by two words-civilized or barbaric. Yet, there are various components that coincide to make this perception. Society is not composed of a singular idea it is more so a coupling of ideas; society is interconnected. Gender decides the level of power and power decides who is rich. Abused power influences civilized or barbaric tendencies. The masses decide when power is abused and what is considered barbaric. A small faction of society believes differently from others creating this discord; that is why there is always opposition prevalent in society. In Les Miserables and The Kite Runner, there is strife happening in many relationships that display the aspects of society.

Before Marie Antoinette married Dauphin Louis XVI in 1770, the situation in France was already beginning to become disordered. The peasants, which made up about 90% of the population at the time, were treated unfairly and began to feel frustrated and upset with the Monarchy. At the time, Marie Antoinette was distrusted because of her foreign birth and many of the peasants saw her as the source of their problems and disliked her. She was often seen in the past as a bad Queen due to her careless spending and seemingly frivolous lifestyle, now with more evidence and sources, opinions have shifted. Many see Marie Antoinette as a victim of her own circumstances, as it can be seen by the state of affairs in France before her arrival, her upbringing and public opinion before her death during the French Revolution. This essay will illustrate that Marie Antoinette was indeed a victim of her circumstances.