Although the topics of terrorism and self-discovery through adventure are seemingly unrelated, the novels 102 Minutes and Into the Wild are proof that these ideas can be connected. These novels may be distinguishable by their overall topics, but they are actually very similar when considering style, diction, and overarching ideas. Both Into the Wild and 102 Minutes were written with a tone that is unemotional and informational. The level of vocabulary was typically not at a heightened level, although there are instances in which more difficult words are used. This relatively simple language use can probably be attributed to the authors’ desire for the audience to be made up of a variety of people.…
The process of discovery enlightens and educates individuals with fresh, meaningful ideals about the physical and spiritual world, whilst also reshaping an individual’s perspectives of the world, themselves and others. Two texts which explore this dynamic of discovery is Simon Nasht’s documentary Frank Hurley: The Man Who Made History (2004) and Khaled Hosseini’s novel The Kite Runner (2003). Nasht’s documentary uses Frank Hurley’s expedition into the Antarctic as a vehicle to convey one’s pursuit for awe-inspiring discoveries of new and wondrous lands. Nasht also influences us in a positive light, as the unexpected meta-discovery of Hurley’s photographs elevates us to reassess their artistic and historical value.…
Sherman Alexie Sherman Alexie was born to write. Being brought into this world with a heart wrenching disease, having alcoholic parents, and a surgery that could have possibly made it impossible for him to transfer his deep and poetic thoughts into words. However, Sherman was able to overcome all the medical cases, and climb the mountain of success. He is now able to put all of his dreams and experiences into the process of writing incredible stories. Sherman Alexie uses his rough upbringing, and internal battles to help influence all of his most famous creations, appealing to academic audiences.…
Milkman, leaving his family and community behind, goes on a mission to discover more about not only his ancestry, but also who he truly is. To start his trip he takes a plane ride, during which he discovers that “In the air, away from real life, he felt free, but on the ground, [...] the wings of all those other people’s nightmares flapped in his face and constrained him” (220). By saying other people’s “wings” constrained him, it shows that there is hope for flight back home, but it will likely be overcome by despair. After this plane ride, his desire for flight grows even larger as he continually talks about how desperate he is for flight, “unwilling to give up the…
Often at times, movies intend to mirror themes presented in a novel of similar context. Sherman Alexie, award-winning author and filmmaker, implements this technique and displays commonalities between his auto-fictional novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and his co-production of Smoke Signals. Both selections incorporate the stereotypical Indian lifestyle and culture such as chronic alcoholism and devastating poverty. However, there are also slight differences between the two pieces which in turn enables the viewer or reader to interpret an opposing storyline yet with a similar theme.…
There he learned the importance of truly exposing what Native American culture should be represented as. Flight is written in a first-person narrative by the main character. The shifts from different perspectives allows the reader to sympathize and analyze Zits’ impulsive violent acts. Sherman Alexie shifts his focus to allow his writings to talk about Native American youths in the United States, highlighting the consequences that from the sociological and mental part of it. This is shown when Zits has trouble balancing his past cultural problems with current conflicts.…
Much of the story consists of description of his appearance as he flies. The pilot’s style and technique relate to a dancer’s costume, a designer’s clothing line on the runway, a child in the hallway at school, and anything else that represents motives and expression through one’s style. With no definite structure to art, style is unlimited. Fashion shows continue controversy, young people look to the past for inspiration, and performers consider appearance when creating their own art…
In The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini chronicles the story of how Amir, a boy in Afghanistan, grows up to become a writer in America. Throughout his life, he endures hardships, attempts to gain his father’s respect, and struggles with a colossal degree of remorse over his past. In order to clear his guilty conscience, Amir must travel back to Afghanistan and rescue his nephew, Sohrab, from the Taliban. During the story, Hosseini is able to construct his plot effectively using the novel’s two major themes of suffering and guilt.…
“It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime, Amir.” This quote, from the book, The Kite Runner, speaks of the theme of cautiousness and consequences. Although it is purely fictional, the story is strikingly realistic in that the critical decisions that the characters make are instances that could happen to anyone. The story itself is propelled by the aftermath of the winter of 1975. But Amir is not the only character who lives with regret.…
The Effects of Impulse and Recklessness Decisions and actions are the pathways that lead to a change in the way of someone's life. The authors of "The Most Dangerous Game," "A Worn Path," and "The Truth About Being a Hero," Richard Connell, Eudora Welty, and Karl Marlantes, demonstrate how certain decisions and actions change one's life through their works. In addition, the following question is answered throughout each of their works: what is at the end of each pathway that those decisions and actions lead to? Considering their passages, specific pathways often lead someone towards a certain state of mind or situation in life - especially due to impluse and recklessness. Giving in to impulse and recklessness causes a change in character,…
Slaughterhouse-Five’s phrase repetition analysis Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five is a semi autobiography of the journey of Billy Pilgrim through WWII merged together with time travel and aliens. He sees his own birth and death and everything in between. According to Vonnegut, this book is “short and jumbled and jangled because there is nothing intelligence to say about a massacre” (19).…
Looking at Sherman Alexie’s short story “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona” and its film adaptation “Smoke Signals” directed by Chris Eyre we will concentrate on the dynamics of the film and story by differentiating and analysing the two. For both the story and film adaptation we know the plot remains the same and the motive of the characters also remain identical. Studying both pieces of work, we understand that Victor’s character is in a position of dire need. He is on a journey to recover, both mentally and physically so he can carry on with his life. In these works, we witness the overcoming of personal and cultural struggles.…
The Kite Runner’s seventh chapter unarguably serves as the plot’s turning point, it depicts the creation of the novel’s core conflict, that of Amir’s subsequent guilt following his betrayal which is later established as the driving force behind the majority of the story. In this chapter Hosseini not only explores the ideas of betrayal, guilt and cruelty, but also continues to construct the novel’s purpose as an ode to Hosseini 's home country of Afghanistan through the utilisation of a variety of literary techniques such as symbolism, characterisation and narrative perspective. Hosseini has constructed a tale rife with symbolism, examples of which can be observed through the light of dawn to the darkness of dusk, and even via the colour blue…
Although told in an oftentimes quirky and odd manner, Slaughterhouse-Five gives an intriguing perspective on World War II and the lasting effects that it had on the men who fought through it and went on to live out their lives in “normalcy”. The author, Kurt Vonnegut, uses irony, dark humor, and spontaneity to create an unorthodox depiction of the life of one of these said soldiers, Billy Pilgrim, the main character in the novel. In this light, he uses Pilgrim’s experiences in World War II to demonstrate the true nature of war to those who were fortunate enough to never experience it for themselves. The novel’s main theme, the destructiveness of war both internally and externally, is portrayed through Vonnegut’s illustration of the destruction…
Sometimes, a kite is much more than a simple toy. In Khaled Hosseini’s novel The Kite Runner, a young boy discovers that a kite can mean many things as your perspective changes. As time goes on and people change, a kite acts as a blank canvas, for which one can project their views and sentiments. Even at a young age, Amir, The Kite Runner’s protagonist, knows that kite is not just kite.…