Determining Ones Fate :: Autobiographies Writing Literature Papers

Determining One's Fate In his preface to Portrait of a Lady (New York Edition) James commends Turgenev's method of first inventing a character which subsequently offered that character's fate (4). It can be said that James applied this procedure to his own autobiography. Having completed every novel he would ever write, he was, theoretically at least, in full possession of his character as a great novelist and therefore able to impose the pattern of this fate on his personal history as a small boy. As he reviewed his past writing A Small Boy and Others, James consciously "read into it" certain recurring motifs, aided by the power of retrospect to see what was formerly not observable, if even extant at all. Although James's definite interest in writing does not emerge until much later, in the second volume of his autobiography The Middle Years, James as a small boy is presented as a writer, albeit yet unformed, a writer in the embryonic stage. It is only because the mature autobiographer is provided with hindsight that he is able to cast the small boy in this light, the small boy whose existence while limited to a meaningless present was not, apparently, directed. James contrives to demonstrate that his early life was not spent idly, however much it might have seemed so to the "others." He offers an apology for the fact that at the time of his boyhood his fate was not at all obvious and he had nothing "to show" but appeared like "some commercial traveler who has lost the key to his packed case of samples and can but pass for a fool while other exhibitions go forward." James's family and friends, it seems, observed him from perspective of readers of a novel whose point of view is limited first or third person and whose solution is kept till the end. The autobiographer's conceit is to indicate the clues which might have revealed his character even then if only one had been an imaginative enough "reader" to see these clues, clues such as his preference for observation and his interest in art. James supports the conceit that he was always a writer by sometimes referring to "Fate" which seems, at first, to be at odds with James's acknowledgement that during the process of writing it was his hindsight that imposed the pattern. In any autobiography there is tension involved in the desire to depict life in all it realistic messiness while giving that representation artistic shape.

Beliefs of Islam Essay

The central beliefs of Islam are summed up in the Five Pillars. These pillars express obligations imposed on Muslims in order to live in accordance with the will of Allah and set requirements for everyday Muslim life. They are the foundation of Islamic faith and reflect its basic tenets. The first Pillar is Shahada, or Iman, believing in God’s oneness. The essence of the first Pillar is reflected in the saying: â€Å"There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His prophet† (University of Calgary). All Muslims pronounce this simple formulation that embraces the basics of what they believe in. The saying also means that the only worthy purpose in life is to serve and obey Allah and to do so through learning and following the teachings of Muhammad who the Muslims treat as the Last Prophet. Another Pillar is the prayer, or Salah, which the Muslim is supposed to perform five times a day. The prayer establishes a direct connection between the praying person and God. As Islam does not have a hierarchy of priests typical of other religions, â€Å"prayers are led by a learned person who knows the Qur’an and is generally chosen by the congregation† (Islam 101).   The times for prayers are morning, noon, later afternoon, evening and sunset. In this way, prayers accompany Muslims the whole day and remind them of the need to worship God. The next pillar is Zakat, or the obligation to give charity. This demand, â€Å"originally a free-will donation†, has now turned into a compulsory demand to direct 2.5% of one’s annual income for charity or religious purposes (University of Calgary). Muslims in this way purify their wealth by setting aside a portion of it for the poor. Those willing to give more than required by Zakat can do so in secrecy, allocating a portion of their income as sadaqa-h, preferably in secrecy from other Muslims. Fasting (Sawm) relates to the obligation to abstain from food, drink and sexual intercourse in the daytime in the month of Ramadan. The requirement does not refer to those who because of health problems cannot give up eating in the daylight hours. Their fast is transferred to another time, or they have to compensate for it in other ways. Each evening of the Ramadan, Muslims meet to â€Å"break† the fast together when the sun sets. Hajj (Pilgrimage) refers to a trip to Mecca, the holy place to all Muslims. The trip has to be undertaken in an â€Å"egalitarian atmosphere, Ihram† including â€Å"donning of simple white garments, refraining from sex, haircuts, jewelry, arguing† (University of Calgary). During their trip, Muslims circle the Ka’ab, the holy stone. Walking counterclockwise around the stone, they underscore the centrality of the stone in their beliefs. In general, the pilgrimage is arranged in such a way as to commemorate the prophets Abraham, Hagar Ishmael and Muhammad. For example, Sa’y, â€Å"running seven times between hills and drinking from Zamam spring† symbolizes â€Å"Hagar’s running for water† (University of Calgary). The Hajj is not really binding on Muslims since they only have to do this trip if they are physically fit to do it and financially able to afford it. The Five Pillars effectively capture the basic beliefs of Islam: belief in the one-ness of God and the fact that Muhammad was the Last Prophet, centrality of Islamic faith in everyday life, moderate life, sharing of wealth between the rich and the poor. In my opinion, the first Pillar, Iman, is the easiest to realize since it only involves repeating the words over and over again. This is an effective way to remind a person of the nature of one’s beliefs; however, it does not take too much effort. Ramadan, on the other hand, is extremely challenging both to health and will power. At one point I had a good friend who was a devout Muslim and I could observe how staunchly he resists eating and even drinking during the Ramadan. Such abstention can only be withstood by someone who is really devoted to one’s principles and has strong faith in religion. References Islam101. The Five Pillars of Islam. Retrieved June 16, 2006, from http://www.islam101.com/dawah/pillars.html University of Calgary. (n.d.). The Five Pillars of Islam. Retrieved June 16, 2006, from http://www.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/I_Transp/IO5_FivePillars.html

The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini - 1141 Words

The Kite Runner, a novel by Khaled Hosseini, is a story about a Pushtun boy who experiences a life full of guilt after consciously betraying his best friend. Several minor characters serve dramatic roles that contribute to the development of the novel. These supporting characters include Rahim Khan, Soraya, Sohrab, Sanaubar and Assef. Rahim Khan serves as a mediator and liaison between Amir and Baba throughout their life in Kabul. Rahim Khan divulged the veracity regarding Hassan’s true father, through the readings and understanding of Hassan’s letters. Khan, in addition, becomes the motivation for Amir’s return to the Taliban controlled Afghanistan; he promised Amir that, â€Å"There is a way to be good again†. (Hosseini 202). Rahim Khan is precisely the virtuous voice of wisdom in The Kite Runner. Not only does he give advice to Amir, but also acts as a second parent to him. Whenever Baba ignored Amir, Rahim was consistently present to provide propitious advice. This is proven as Amir remarks, â€Å"As always it was Rahim Khan who rescued me.† (Hosseini 43). This shows that Rahim Khan is always there for Amir and is a loyal and supportive guiding character in Amir’s life. Soraya’s role, like the role of all Afghan women under the Taliban, is minor from a plot perspective, yet the significance that she has on Amir’s character growth proves to be instrumental. Soraya provides the good and bad in Amir’s life and she is what drives him to be a better person, however, she continuesShow MoreRelatedThe Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini883 Words   |  4 Pagesregret from past encounters and usually feel guilty and bitter about the situation. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, revolves around the theme of redemption. Redemption can be used as a cure for guilt. Throughout the novel, the author shows that redemption requires some sort of sacrifice and the only way that is possible is if you can forgive you rself from the mistakes you have made in the past. Khaled Hosseini effectively portrays redemption through motifs such as rape, irony and flashbacks, symbolismRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini1651 Words   |  7 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚   The novel â€Å"The Kite Runner† by Khaled Hosseini describes the life of a boy, Amir. Amir’s best friend and brother (although that part isn’t known until towards the end), Hassan, plays a major role in Amir’s life and how he grows up. Hosseini portrays many sacrifices that are made by Hassan and Amir. Additionally, Amir seeks redemption throughout much of the novel. By using first person point of view, readers are able to connect with Amir and understand his pain and yearning for a way to be redeemedRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini1655 Words   |  7 PagesSarah Singer Major Works Data Form Title: The Kite Runner Author: Khaled Hosseini Date of Publication: 2003 Genre: Historical Fiction Historical information about the period of publication: Since the September 11th attacks in 2001, the United States has been at war with Afghanistan. Their goals were to remove the Taliban, track down those in charge of the attacks, and destroy Al-Qaeda. Biographical information about the author: Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1965. HIs motherRead MoreThe Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini1098 Words   |  5 PagesIn The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, we learn a lot about Amir the main character, and Hassan his servant/brother. In the beginning Hassan and Amir’s relationship was one of brotherly love despite the fact that Hassan was a Hazara and Amir a Pashtun. Back in the 1970’s race and religion played a big part in Kabul and these two races were not suppose to have relationships unless it was owner (Pashtun) and servant (Hazara). Baba Amir’s father had an affair with Hassan’s mother, but it was kept aRead MoreThe Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini1313 Words   |  5 Pagesis not unique to just J.K. Rowling. Khaled Hosseini also incorporates life experiences into some of his novels. A prime example of this is The Kite Runner. The storyline of this novel reflects his past to create a journey of a young Afghanistan boy, whose name is Amir. This boy changes drastically throughout his lifetime from a close minded, considerably arrogant boy to an open hearted and minded man. This emotional and mental trip is partially based on Khaled Hosseini’s own life. Throughout Hosseini’sRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini1908 Words   |  8 Pages​In the novel, â€Å"The Kite Runner†, written by Khaled Hosseini, was taken place in Afghanistan during the 1970’s to the year of 2002. Many historical events happened during this time period and Hosseini portrayed it into his novel. Kabul, the capitol of Afghanistan, was a free, living area for many Afghanistan families to enjoy the life they were given. Until one day, Afghanistan was then taken over and attacked. In the novel, Amir, the protagonist, must redeem himself and the history behind his actionsRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini1050 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"There is a way to be good again.† (Hosseini 334). This quote given by Rahim Khan to Amir holds a great amount of force and symbolism. In theory, this quote symbolizes the beginning of Amir’s path to redemption. The eye-opening Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini tells about the struggles of Afghanistan before and during the Taliban, and one’s struggle for redemption and acceptance. With regards to the opening quote, some see Amir’s actions as selfish. However, others may believe that Amir truly changedRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini1583 Words   |  7 Pagesnovel the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Amir, the main character, shares his thoughts and actions due to his poor decisions. The problems he encountered were all because of the sin committed in his youth. His sins taunted the beginning of his life and gave him a troublesome memory full of guilt. As the novel continued, Amir attempted to disengage the memory of his sin and forget about it. Amir then faced the long bumpy road to redemption. Khaled Hosseini’s novel the Kite Runner is about sinRead MoreThe Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini871 Words   |  4 Pagesthat person is trying to fix that mistake. This also applies to the novel The Kite Runner. The story revolves around the main character Amir, and his childhood friend, Hassan. After Amir came to America with Baba, his father, he still regrets the things he had done to his childhood friend. He left Hassan getting raped by Assef in a small alley in 1975. Thereafter, Amir always feel regret and seeks for redemption. Hosseini -the author, argues that redemption can be achieved by helping others, teachRead MoreThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini3402 Words   |  14 Pagestitle â€Å"The Kite Runner† is symbolic as fighting kites and the kite runnings are impacting moments in the novel. Hassan was the best kite runner in Kabul, if not the whole country, after Amir won the kite fighting the running of that last blue kite triggered the monumental changes for Amir. For the beginning of the story the kite running was associated with Hassan’s rape and Amir’s grief. As kites appear throughout the story, they begin Amir’s story and also end it. Amir flying the kite with Sohrab