The Kite Runner
Assef
I may not be a religious man but you are a disgrace to Allah and to the Afghan people. What you have done is shameful. You, Assef are disgusting and filthy. What you have done not only to Hassan but also to every child and woman that you have killed, raped and tortured is appalling. I could just say that you are as pitiless and malicious as Hitler but to you that would be a compliment. But to most sane people that would be an insult! But you Assef, are not sane! You are nothing but a humiliation to the Muslim religion.
Sobrah was an innocent boy and so was Hassan. They were nothing but harmless little boys when you raped them! They were just Hazarians. Sobrah and Hassan are good people; they have a moral compass, something you fail to posses.
You are not a god, Assef! You have no right to do what you do, those women and children that you have stoned to death, murdered, raped, tortured. You are not a Muslim; you are not an Afghani; you are not a man; you are revolting.
Amir
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
A Drink That Francie Nolan Would Enjoy- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Coffee Jamaica (Serves 6)
Ingredients
1. 5 cups hot black coffee
2. 20ml Tia Maria
3. 30ml white rum
4. 150ml thickened cream, lightly whipped
Preparation
Put all the ingredients (this doesn’t include the cream) into a saucepan and warm slowly (make sure not to boil the liquid). Next, go warm six glasses of brandy. Afterwards pour the already made liquid into each brandy glass. Lastly add the cream into each glass.
The obvious reason why Francie Nolan would enjoy Jamaican Coffee is because of her already found love for Black Coffee. In “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” Francie enjoys the fact that Coffee was one of the only links between the ground-down poor and the “wasteful rich”. By having a cup of coffee every now and then, Francie felt that somehow she had more and she was “richer” because she had something to waste.
Coffee Jamaica (Serves 6)
Ingredients
1. 5 cups hot black coffee
2. 20ml Tia Maria
3. 30ml white rum
4. 150ml thickened cream, lightly whipped
Preparation
Put all the ingredients (this doesn’t include the cream) into a saucepan and warm slowly (make sure not to boil the liquid). Next, go warm six glasses of brandy. Afterwards pour the already made liquid into each brandy glass. Lastly add the cream into each glass.
The obvious reason why Francie Nolan would enjoy Jamaican Coffee is because of her already found love for Black Coffee. In “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” Francie enjoys the fact that Coffee was one of the only links between the ground-down poor and the “wasteful rich”. By having a cup of coffee every now and then, Francie felt that somehow she had more and she was “richer” because she had something to waste.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Johnny Nolan's Obituary- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Johnny Nolan dead at 34
By MATHILDE
Published: 26th January 1914
John Nolan, or Johnny as his friends knew him, was a loving father, a loyal husband, and a great singer. Johnny died last night on Christmas day, 1914 of acute pneumonia; he was just 34.
Johnny was born in Brooklyn, New York. His mother, Ruthie, and his father Mickey Nolan immigrated to America from Ireland. His father precedes Johnny in death having died at the early age of 30. Ruthie Nolan, who survives her son, had four sons - Andy, Georgie, Frankie and Johnny, all one year apart. All the Nolan boys shared the American Dream of becoming professional entertainers and all were very talented singers. Tragically all four brothers passed away before the age of 35.
Johnny was married and is survived by his wife Katie Rommely, a Brooklyn girl with Austrian roots, who he met when he was 19. By the time Johnny was 22, the couple had two children, a daughter, Frankie, and a son, Neeley who both survive their father. Johnny and Katie Noland resided in Williamsburg, Brooklyn throughout their married life. Tragically Johnny's death came ten days before Francie's 14th birthday, two days before Neeley's 13th, and 3 months before the birth of his third child. Johnny had been looking forward very much to the birth of his third child. Johnny's professional career was mark by ups and downs. He spent years serving and entertaining customers as a singing waiter in some of Brooklyn's best restaurants. Unfortunately just a week prior to his death he had been dismissed from the Waiter's Union.
Johnny is remembered as a good Irish, Catholic father who enjoyed a drink and a good laugh. A simple man with big dreams, Johnny was a good, amiable and hard working fellow who was well liked by all who knew him. A loving father, a loyal husband and a great singer, Johnny Nolan will be dearly missed.
For those who wish to pay their respects to the Nolan family, a wake will be held at the Nolan residence prior to a funeral mass which will be held at Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York at 4 o'clock on December 30th. Burial will follow at the Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery.
By MATHILDE
Published: 26th January 1914
John Nolan, or Johnny as his friends knew him, was a loving father, a loyal husband, and a great singer. Johnny died last night on Christmas day, 1914 of acute pneumonia; he was just 34.
Johnny was born in Brooklyn, New York. His mother, Ruthie, and his father Mickey Nolan immigrated to America from Ireland. His father precedes Johnny in death having died at the early age of 30. Ruthie Nolan, who survives her son, had four sons - Andy, Georgie, Frankie and Johnny, all one year apart. All the Nolan boys shared the American Dream of becoming professional entertainers and all were very talented singers. Tragically all four brothers passed away before the age of 35.
Johnny was married and is survived by his wife Katie Rommely, a Brooklyn girl with Austrian roots, who he met when he was 19. By the time Johnny was 22, the couple had two children, a daughter, Frankie, and a son, Neeley who both survive their father. Johnny and Katie Noland resided in Williamsburg, Brooklyn throughout their married life. Tragically Johnny's death came ten days before Francie's 14th birthday, two days before Neeley's 13th, and 3 months before the birth of his third child. Johnny had been looking forward very much to the birth of his third child. Johnny's professional career was mark by ups and downs. He spent years serving and entertaining customers as a singing waiter in some of Brooklyn's best restaurants. Unfortunately just a week prior to his death he had been dismissed from the Waiter's Union.
Johnny is remembered as a good Irish, Catholic father who enjoyed a drink and a good laugh. A simple man with big dreams, Johnny was a good, amiable and hard working fellow who was well liked by all who knew him. A loving father, a loyal husband and a great singer, Johnny Nolan will be dearly missed.
For those who wish to pay their respects to the Nolan family, a wake will be held at the Nolan residence prior to a funeral mass which will be held at Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York at 4 o'clock on December 30th. Burial will follow at the Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Why The Setting Is Important in "A Thousand Splendid Suns"
Why the Setting is Important in "A Thousand Splendid Suns"
Author, Khaled Hosseini
Review by, Mathilde
The time and setting of "A Thousand Splendid Suns", a novel written by Khaled Hosseini, create unique and unforgettable images for the reader and are an essential part of the story that Hosseini is telling.
The story is set in Kabul, Afghanistan during the last thirty years. Afghanistan is an area of the world that is not really well-known or understood. The novel starts off with the Soviet invasion and ends after the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. The time period is significant to the story because the characters in the story are affected by both the Soviet invasion and the Taliban's rule. The main characters, Mariam's and Laila's, lives are especially changed when the Taliban takes over. Under the Taliban, women had no rights; and food was harder to come by. The Taliban changed their lives dramatically and these changes become an important aspect of the story.
It is clear that Khaled Hosseini wrote this book so that readers would have a better understanding of women's lives in Afghanistan as well as to show how major political changes in Afghanistan impacted people's lives, which makes the time and setting of "A Thousand Splendid Suns" vital to the story itself.
Author, Khaled Hosseini
Review by, Mathilde
The time and setting of "A Thousand Splendid Suns", a novel written by Khaled Hosseini, create unique and unforgettable images for the reader and are an essential part of the story that Hosseini is telling.
The story is set in Kabul, Afghanistan during the last thirty years. Afghanistan is an area of the world that is not really well-known or understood. The novel starts off with the Soviet invasion and ends after the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. The time period is significant to the story because the characters in the story are affected by both the Soviet invasion and the Taliban's rule. The main characters, Mariam's and Laila's, lives are especially changed when the Taliban takes over. Under the Taliban, women had no rights; and food was harder to come by. The Taliban changed their lives dramatically and these changes become an important aspect of the story.
It is clear that Khaled Hosseini wrote this book so that readers would have a better understanding of women's lives in Afghanistan as well as to show how major political changes in Afghanistan impacted people's lives, which makes the time and setting of "A Thousand Splendid Suns" vital to the story itself.
Monday, January 12, 2009
A Thousand Splendid Suns
A Thousand Splendid Suns
By, Khaled Hosseini
Character: Mariam
Review by Mathilde
A Thousand Splendid Suns, written by Khaled Hosseini, is the story of Laila and Mariam, two Afghani women who become the wives of one man and who also become best friends. The novel is set against the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan and how Laila and Mariam try to find freedom.
As a character, I enjoy Laila’s personality a lot, but I admire and respect Mariam more. I think by her actions Mariam is a hero. Mariam is born a Harami, a bastard child. Her mother was a maid in her father’s house. When her father realizes Mariam is his child, he quickly sends them to live outside the city and comes to visit Mariam only once each week. As Mariam grows older, she begins to think that her father as a “god”, and slowly she grows apart from her mother, who has become mentally disturbed but who nevertheless has taken care of her all her life. One day Mariam runs away from her mother to live with her father, but when she comes to his house, he refuses to allow her in and tells her to go back home. When she returns home she finds her mother hanging from a tree. She is sent back to her father’s home, where his three wives and nine other children live. He doesn’t know what to do with Mariam, so has marries her off to a man called Rasheed, who is twenty-fives years older than Mariam. Rasheed beats her, mistreats her and makes her wear a burqa in public. Many years past and Mariam adapts to Rasheed’s ways. One day Rasheed brings home Laila and declares her as his wife. He becomes more disrespectful to Mariam as Laila is prettier, smarter, and younger and most importantly, she can bXXXX a child. But as time goes on, Mariam and Laila both receive horrible beatings and their lives become more difficult with the Taliban nearby. Laila and Mariam become friends. Life grows harder and simple things like getting enough to eat become an issue. Then one day as Rasheed’s is beating Laila, his beating starts to become more severe. Mariam, afraid for Laila’s life, takes a shovel and knocks out Rasheed, leaving him dead. Laila and Mariam finally have their freedom, but Mariam gives up her freedom so that Laila can escape. She knows that the police will certainly chase them once they discover Rasheed dead. So, Mariam sacrifices herself by admitting to the crime saying Laila had nothing to do with it so that Laila can escape and have a better future. Mariam eventually is sentenced to death. She dies never really having experienced true happiness in her life.
Mariam’s story is heartbreaking; she sacrifices her life in order to give Laila a future. Her courage and selflessness touched me the most. Her story is tragic because she never is truly loved and when she eventually finds friendship with Laila, she has to let it go. How she deals with all the pain in her life is what I find so admirable about her character and why she is truly a hero and is worth respecting.
By, Khaled Hosseini
Character: Mariam
Review by Mathilde
A Thousand Splendid Suns, written by Khaled Hosseini, is the story of Laila and Mariam, two Afghani women who become the wives of one man and who also become best friends. The novel is set against the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan and how Laila and Mariam try to find freedom.
As a character, I enjoy Laila’s personality a lot, but I admire and respect Mariam more. I think by her actions Mariam is a hero. Mariam is born a Harami, a bastard child. Her mother was a maid in her father’s house. When her father realizes Mariam is his child, he quickly sends them to live outside the city and comes to visit Mariam only once each week. As Mariam grows older, she begins to think that her father as a “god”, and slowly she grows apart from her mother, who has become mentally disturbed but who nevertheless has taken care of her all her life. One day Mariam runs away from her mother to live with her father, but when she comes to his house, he refuses to allow her in and tells her to go back home. When she returns home she finds her mother hanging from a tree. She is sent back to her father’s home, where his three wives and nine other children live. He doesn’t know what to do with Mariam, so has marries her off to a man called Rasheed, who is twenty-fives years older than Mariam. Rasheed beats her, mistreats her and makes her wear a burqa in public. Many years past and Mariam adapts to Rasheed’s ways. One day Rasheed brings home Laila and declares her as his wife. He becomes more disrespectful to Mariam as Laila is prettier, smarter, and younger and most importantly, she can bXXXX a child. But as time goes on, Mariam and Laila both receive horrible beatings and their lives become more difficult with the Taliban nearby. Laila and Mariam become friends. Life grows harder and simple things like getting enough to eat become an issue. Then one day as Rasheed’s is beating Laila, his beating starts to become more severe. Mariam, afraid for Laila’s life, takes a shovel and knocks out Rasheed, leaving him dead. Laila and Mariam finally have their freedom, but Mariam gives up her freedom so that Laila can escape. She knows that the police will certainly chase them once they discover Rasheed dead. So, Mariam sacrifices herself by admitting to the crime saying Laila had nothing to do with it so that Laila can escape and have a better future. Mariam eventually is sentenced to death. She dies never really having experienced true happiness in her life.
Mariam’s story is heartbreaking; she sacrifices her life in order to give Laila a future. Her courage and selflessness touched me the most. Her story is tragic because she never is truly loved and when she eventually finds friendship with Laila, she has to let it go. How she deals with all the pain in her life is what I find so admirable about her character and why she is truly a hero and is worth respecting.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)