"I shall die, and what I now feel be no longer felt. Soon these burning miseries will be extinct. I shall ascend my funeral pile triumphantly, and exult in the agony of the torturing flames". (page 166)
In the end, the monster acts remorseful and greiving about the death of Frankenstein. I mean I was caught a little off gaurd because he had been so mean to him for a really long time! He was the cause of the deaths of every single person close to Frankenstein. He followed him, haunted him, and was just a jerk. I felt bad for the monster up until he started doing this, so by the end I really did not believe what the monster said. He should feel responsible for the death of Frankenstein. He had caused him so much emotional trauma and had just ruined his life. Why would he even feel bad? Because he didn't get to kill him himself? Even though he never said that is what he wanted to do, I felt like the monster wanted to because of all the messages and stuff about coming north. I also think that the monster was bipolar. One minute he is happy, the next he is not. How do we know he wouldn't be happy the next night that Frankenstein is dead? Lastly, he said he would commit suicide, but I was thinking that the ending would be the monster killing Walton or Walton killing the monster, something action-y! I was kinda disappointed by the ending, but it was still a good fit for the book. This would be because it fit the theme of guilt. Even though I don't believe the monster, there is not really any proof, just my feelings. So, the monster feels guilt and it causes him to regret what he had done.
Showing posts with label guilt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guilt. Show all posts
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The Kite Runner:8
"My body was broke-just how badly I wouldn't find out until later-but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed." (page 289) There are multiple literary devices used in this single instance. The first is irony. It is completely ironic that when he is being beaten Amir laughs. Most people would not be laughing. Also, the instance is ironic because Assef just talked about how he laughed at the guy he hurt, and now Amir was doing it to him. Even though he is being hurt, Amir does not care because he is feeling relief. This brings me to my next literary device, which is paradox. This statement is paradoxal because Amir is broken yet healed. Once thought about, the reader can infer that Amir is referring to being healed from the guilt that had long been harping on his life. He had stood and watched Hassan get hurt by Assef. He had begged Hassan to hurt him after. Finally, Amir is feeling the redemption he has long desired. With Assef beating him up, he feels that he is finally getting what he deserves. The redemption is freeing him of the guilt he could not rid of. He is healed.
The Kite Runner:6
"like father like son. But it was true, wasn't it? As it turned out, Baba and I were more alike than I'd ever known." (page 226) The literary device used here is the cliche "like father like son". This phrase is used many times regarding the similarities between sons and fathers. Sometimes it is like they are a minature version of the father. This cliche is used to provide contrast to the past Amir. He used to find himself as as complete opposite as his father. On page 22-23, even Baba doubts that they are even related. They are so different, that this phrase would have been seen as irony if used earlier. As the story plays out, this phrase becomes the truth. Both Baba and Amir have guilt, have lied, and both wanted redemption. It was a burden on them their entire life. This cliche also affects the theme of the lies that bind the father and son together. Amir finds them to be related once he learns of the fact that his father also lied and had guilt. The guilt that each faced in the end was a way to see that the father had an unconcious influence on the son. The realization of the similarity brought to light by the lies reveal that the two are related and have a weird, but present connection.
Monday, March 21, 2011
The Kite Runner:5
"America was a river, roaring along, unmindful of the past. I could wade into this river, let my sins drown to the bottom, let the waters carry me someplace far. Someplace with no ghosts, no memories, and no sins." (page 136)
This entire excerpt is very important to the entire story. It is a metphor used by Amir to share with the reader his feelings towards America. I think that this contributes to the theme of possibility of redemption. Amir was burdened by his memory of betraying Hassan and the guilt that followed him. He was constantly reminded of this guilt where he lived before because he saw Hassan, or saw the places they used to play and have constant memories. America is the possiblity of starting over, of having a new beginning. Unlike his father, Amir rejoiced in the fact that he had the chance of a new beginning. His father (seen as 'crazy' by the Americans on page 128) did not like America and resented a new way of living. Amir wanted to make himself new and become a better person in America, which is seen when he graduates and tries so hard to be an American. Amir merely wants to clan the slate of his guilt. He longs to rid himself of the feelings that have kept him for so long, and America is where he finds this chance for the first time.
This entire excerpt is very important to the entire story. It is a metphor used by Amir to share with the reader his feelings towards America. I think that this contributes to the theme of possibility of redemption. Amir was burdened by his memory of betraying Hassan and the guilt that followed him. He was constantly reminded of this guilt where he lived before because he saw Hassan, or saw the places they used to play and have constant memories. America is the possiblity of starting over, of having a new beginning. Unlike his father, Amir rejoiced in the fact that he had the chance of a new beginning. His father (seen as 'crazy' by the Americans on page 128) did not like America and resented a new way of living. Amir wanted to make himself new and become a better person in America, which is seen when he graduates and tries so hard to be an American. Amir merely wants to clan the slate of his guilt. He longs to rid himself of the feelings that have kept him for so long, and America is where he finds this chance for the first time.
The Kite Runner:3
"I saw something I'll never forget: Hassan serving drinks to Assef and Wali from a silver platter" (page 100).
Literary term: Situational Irony
The scene occuring at the end of Chapter 8 displays situational irony. This is due to the fact that Amir was in awe that Hassan is serving these boys who have scarred him for life. Instead of not serving them or standing up for himself, Hassan is gentleman and goes and does his job. He does not let his emotions show, and it surprises Amir that he can treat those people like royalty when they treated him like dirt. The situational irony here does two things. The first is that it reveals what kind of a person Hassan is. He is not someone who stands up for himself. He bottles up his emotions, and this just intensifies the emotional damage he is holding in since he is facing those who raped him. The fact that he does not retaliate even there shows that he is a person of character. In addition, I think that this scene emphasizes the theme of guilt since Amir sees it. It shows that he lets the injustice affect him more than Hassan does, and he is the one who actually experienced the horror. I think that this shows that the betrayal has an effect on people that cannot be explained.
Literary term: Situational Irony
The scene occuring at the end of Chapter 8 displays situational irony. This is due to the fact that Amir was in awe that Hassan is serving these boys who have scarred him for life. Instead of not serving them or standing up for himself, Hassan is gentleman and goes and does his job. He does not let his emotions show, and it surprises Amir that he can treat those people like royalty when they treated him like dirt. The situational irony here does two things. The first is that it reveals what kind of a person Hassan is. He is not someone who stands up for himself. He bottles up his emotions, and this just intensifies the emotional damage he is holding in since he is facing those who raped him. The fact that he does not retaliate even there shows that he is a person of character. In addition, I think that this scene emphasizes the theme of guilt since Amir sees it. It shows that he lets the injustice affect him more than Hassan does, and he is the one who actually experienced the horror. I think that this shows that the betrayal has an effect on people that cannot be explained.
The Kite Runner:1
"To Hassan's brown corduroy pants lying on the bricks" (page 91).
Literary term: motif
This phrase can be considered a motif because it is mentioned more then once in the story. It is seen on page 84 as well. The phrase is used as a motif for multiple reasons. The first is that it emphasizes the internal thoughts and point of view of the story. It is the thoughts of Amir, and he shares us with the constant thought on his mind. Everyone has had something on their mind and just can't shake it off. In this case, Amir cannot get the picture of what happened to Hassan out of his mind. I think that it makes the story more personal because we see how much it effects the internal being of Amir. In addition, the motif serves as a way to strengthen the theme of the effect of betrayal on a person. Amir betrayed Hassan's friendship by not standing up for him. When Amir realizes how cowardly he is, he cannot rid himself of the constant flashback. The betrayal scarred his thoughts and causes him to continually guilt himself for what he did. In the story, guilt is the most powerful effect on them after betrayal, which is seen through his constant memory of the event. It is obvious that Amir is plagued by the memory and constantly feels guilt from it.
Literary term: motif
This phrase can be considered a motif because it is mentioned more then once in the story. It is seen on page 84 as well. The phrase is used as a motif for multiple reasons. The first is that it emphasizes the internal thoughts and point of view of the story. It is the thoughts of Amir, and he shares us with the constant thought on his mind. Everyone has had something on their mind and just can't shake it off. In this case, Amir cannot get the picture of what happened to Hassan out of his mind. I think that it makes the story more personal because we see how much it effects the internal being of Amir. In addition, the motif serves as a way to strengthen the theme of the effect of betrayal on a person. Amir betrayed Hassan's friendship by not standing up for him. When Amir realizes how cowardly he is, he cannot rid himself of the constant flashback. The betrayal scarred his thoughts and causes him to continually guilt himself for what he did. In the story, guilt is the most powerful effect on them after betrayal, which is seen through his constant memory of the event. It is obvious that Amir is plagued by the memory and constantly feels guilt from it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)