Common Theme

I think that the theme of all these stories has to do with family and parenting. I noticed that in all the stories the parents were faulty. They weren't bad people, they just had some common issues. The mother in the first story was somewhat selfish and pushed her daughter off on some stranger. The mother in the second story abused her daughter's talents and bragged about them. The third story consisted of the father not taking his daughter's future into consideration, and the fourth story had a mother who appeared to be doing the right thing by encouraging her son, when really she just needed to sit down with him and see how he felt. I think that all of these parents were neglecting their children's feelings. They didn't treat their children badly, and they definitely loved them. However, they didn't think about how their children were feeling. I realize that all kids, especially teenagers, just want to be left alone, but without medeling parents who keep track of everything that's going on, teens probably wouldn't feel as wanted. Feeling unwanted or uncared about by a parent is one of the hardest things a person can deal with. If one of their parents dies, yes, it is very sad. If their parents are still living, though, and they dish out that kind of rejection, it can really mess a person up. Lucynell ended up alone at a diner because her mother wasn't think about her best interests. Wave-ly will probably grow up to be a spoiled brat because her mother is letting her think that because she has talent she doesn't need to work and follow the rules like everyone else. Annie is a hard one to place, but her career could have went down the tubes because her father felt bad for himself, and Donny ended up who knows where because his mother thought she only needed to encourage him. I think that the moral of all these stories is that it doesn't matter what a child grows up to be or do or what he or she does while growing up. They just need to feel loved and wanted. It may seem like it isn't the right thing to do, but I think that if parents just talk to their children about what's going on in their lives and how they feel, everything will run a lot smoother.

Teenage Wasteland

Although this story almost seemed as though it had no actual point, I think it was my favorite. I liked Donny and I can relate to him. I don't let myself get in as much trouble, or fall behind as much as him, but I can still relate to being lazy with my school work and not caring as much as I should. I think Donny's parents were oblivious to what was really going on, and I don't think they wanted to see what was really wrong. His mother went to the conferences, but she never talked to Donny about how he felt or punished him for what he did wrong. She merely kept encouraging him instead of getting him the help he needed. She should have taken him to a professional psychiatrist and Silvan. This way, he could solve his emotional issues and get help with school without feeling dumb. I didn't really like Cal. At first I thought he was going to be a great character and the person that kind of saved Donny. However, he quickly turned into the bad guy. I think that a lot of younger people find a person that they can confide in and trust, that is if they have problems at home or something like that. I thought Cal would be that person for Donny, but then I started to think that maybe he was a pervert or something. I don't really understand his character. He went against Donny's parents, but he didn't do anything to Donny. The whole situation was just a scam. He kept the kids that actually came to him happy so that their parents would keep sending them and paying money. I didn't think of that until just now, but that is my final thought on Cal. Although I must admit that I thought he was going to turn out to be a child molester or something. I wasn't suprised by Donny running away either. I would have done the same thing. His parents should have taken the time to see how he really felt, but instead Donny probably felt as if no one was really listening to him. That is something hard to deal with. He was forced into a new school with no help or friends, and his parents weren't even asking him about how he was feeling. Most kids say that they don't want to talk about it, but really they do. They just want someone else to show them that he or she cares and wants to know what's going on. Donny didn't get that attention. His little sister was the perfect example of how his parents didn't care about how he feels. When his sister would try to talk to their mom or do something with her, her mother would just say "not now sweetie." I definitely think the parents are partially to blame in this story.

The Book of the Dead

I think I liked this story the least. I didn't hate it, but it wasn't my favorite. I don't understand how Annie lost her father. He was a grown man, and I eventually figured out that she was a grown woman. I thought for a while that he might be ill and have alsymers or something like that, but no, he was just fine. I don't agree with the way he handled his daughter's statue either. He felt that he didn't deserve it because of his past as a security guard. However, I think he should have just been honest with his daughter and tell her that he didn't want her to dedicate the sculpture to him or something like that. Throwing the art into the lake only put a strain on their relationship. That sculpture could have made Annie's career take off. She could've lost a lot from the incident. I can't believe they went to the buyer's house either. It seemed like they just went for the food and to be nosy. If I were Annie, I think I would have just called and explained the situation. From there, I would've either made a new statue or given them their money back. I did like the idea behind the Egyptians, the museum, and the statue's inspiration. Annie wanted her dad to know that she was interested in his life and brought up the little things like the Egyptians and the museum. I can relate to this because I am doing my final research paper on Vietnam because of my dad. I really do find it interesting, and I enjoy the time I get to spend with him in order to do the project. I think this is somewhat of the same story behind Annie's statue.

Rules of the Game

This story was okay. I didn't like the ending that much because I almost felt as though she gave up. I realize that she was young and she couldn't just move out or anything, but she just went to her room and it was like she went to pout. However, I did like how she worked hard and achieved her ultimate goal and didn't put up with anyone using her. It was kind of funny how her brother was the one who got the game, yet she was the one who practiced and learned to play well. The whole park thing was kind of weird too. I don't know if it's just because this is a short story and I'm used to novels, but they didn't even mention where her mom or brothers were. I can't imagine that she was there by herself, but again that might just be because I'm used to every last detail in novels. I really did enjoy how she stood up for herself against her mother though. At first I thought she was going to turn out to be a spoiled brat because it said that she didn't have to eat everything if she didn't want to, and she didn't have to do her chores if she didn't feel like it. I thought that was wrong on her parents part. Just because she learned how to play chess well doesn't mean that she should be treated any different. I think that if I had a child and he or she became a chess champion, I would still require him or her to do their chores, and I would still punish him or her as I would my other children. It was like her mother was playing favorites. I know that that didn't make Winston and Vincent feel much better about themselves. Wave-ly Jong is smart for only being six, though. She knew that her mother only made her go to the market with her so that she could show her off and flaunt her talent. It was kind of funny how she ran away and when she came back she didn't even get in trouble. I think I'm starting to see the theme with the parenting because this is the second story in a row that the mother seems loving and caring, but deep down she has an ulterior motive.

Buddhism #2

This lecture was really confusing. It seemed so contradicting at times. It said that you shouldn't desire. Then there was a story about a teacher who told his student not to desire but then the student said that he couldn't stop desiring to stop desiring. I think it would be so hard to not desire. There is always something that we as humans want. Whether it's new clothes, accessories for our cars, or even something to eat, we always want something. Alan Watts also brought up the white and black thing, whether or not its a white background on a black canvas, or a black background on a white canvas. It is a good question that I thought about for a while. I do not think that I could be a Buddhist because there are so many things that are double sided in their religion, but they can not question it. They do not question it. To them, it is just what they know. I think that I would constantly wonder which one it really was. I hate not knowing. It also reminds me of the story about the child wondering what was in the empty fist, which related to philosophers outsmarting each other. I thought this was a good example of out witting each other. I agree with Watts though because religions try to disprove every other religion by deceiving. Their thoughts on life after death were interesting too. It is wierd how Brahma forgets who he is and acts as someone else for all those years and then remembers for the same amount of time. I do not know if I believe in reincarnation like that. I believe that we do go to an after life, but I do not know about another life. I think it is possible and I have thought about it before, but I almost do not want to believe it because I can not remember anything from my previous life if it is true. All in all, though, I thought this lecture was interesting. I did not know that much about Buddhism and I think it is really interesting, but I could not follow the religion because there are too many rules and stipulations.

The Life You Save May Be Your Own

This story was really weird. I think because it's a short story it seemed kind of cramed, but I think it would have been drug out if it were a novel. The characters are strange. Mr. Shiftlet only has one arm, yet he is still very self centered. I thought that he would have been more of a helping and concerned person because he knows what it's like to struggle, at least that's what I thought. He did help the family by fixing the car and doing the tougher jobs around the house without asking for much. However Mrs. Crater wanted him to marry her daughter. I don't blame him for not wanting to, but he gave in and eventually did. The girl is deaf and can't talk, therefore she needs someone to be with her that understands her at all times. When he left her at the diner he basically proved that he didn't care for anyone else but himself. If he had a concious he would have felt bad for abandoning her without help when she can't speak or hear. He did pick up the young boy on the side of the road, though, and he probably thought he was doing such a great thing. I would have been a little freaked out if he started talking to me about my mother and his mother in a sort of angered apraising voice. It didn't really suprise me that he jumped out of the car. After thinking back about the story, I'm starting to think that Mr. Shiftlet just wanted their car. He did ask a lot about it and volunteer all his efforts to work on the car. He told Mrs. Crater that if he just had a belt he could get the car running. Then if he just had some paint he could keep it from rusting. He even agreed to marry her daughter if only he had enough money to pay for their "honeymoon" and a place to stay after. Mrs. Crater caves in and offers all of this to him eventually, and I think it was all part of his plan. Mrs. Crater was a fool for letting a stranger marry her daughter after only a short period of time.

Final Reflection

I thought this book was okay. I don't really like to read, but this one was an easy read. Practically the first three fourths of the book was all background type information and wasn't as interesting. It was neat to see how life was in Kabul, but that was just it. It was only their everyday lives. Compared to our lives theirs basically sucks, but for a book it wasn't as interesting as some others. I guess I overall did like it, but I think I would have made the first couple chapters a little more interesting or something. I don't really know how to go about that, but I think there should have been a little more action in the middle. It caught my attention with the prostitute's execution in the first chapter, but until Mohsen's death in like the thirteenth chapter, there wasn' as much of a hook. The ending was okay, kind of a downer. I guess I liked it though because it was realistic. What woman would run away with a crazed man who is obsessed with her beauty. Seriously, he didn't know anything about her except that she was going to be executed for killing her own husband, and he wanted to save her. I don't know where she went, but I don't think she will live a very happy or normal life. In the end though, I would probably recommend this book to people simply because it opens your eyes to another world.

Chapter 15

Musarrat's plan works. Zunaria is hidden in Atiq's office. When the militiawomen come to take the prisoner, Atiq tells them that Zunaria is his wife. They bring her along and make her sit in the specially reserved wives and children section. Zunaria doesn't want to go but Atiq tells her that she has to if she wants to be free. He also tells her to wait for him after the assembly. However, when it's over, Atiq cannot find her and he becomes instantly depressed. He goes home and collapses. He then has a dream that Zunaria was there, but when she took off her burqa, it was really his wife with half her face blown off. I think that this proves that Atiq really does feel guilty. I don't think he should have switched places with his wife and the prisoner. He didn't even know Zunaria and look where it got him, alone. He eventually goes completely mad and starts stripping women of their burqas in the town looking for Zunaria. The town turns into an angry mob and kills Atiq. I'm really not surprised by what happens to him because I think his wife being executed falsly, and the woman he was obsessed with not waiting for him was just the final straw for him. If the mob wouldn't have killed Atiq, I think he probably would have died of anxiety or something like that.

Chapter 14

Musarrat really steps up in this chapter when she goes to the jail. She tells Atiq that she will take Zunaria's place and be the one executed. She says that she doesn't want to suffer any more, and she wants her husband to have a shot at true happiness. No one will notice the difference because she would be wearing a burqa and no one really cares, as long as there is someone that will be executed. Atiq doesn't want to do it at first, but he doesn't try very hard to stop her. I don't know how he conciously did this because I could never knowingly switch my wife with a prisoner that is going to be killed. I would never be able to forget how it's my fault that my wife died.

Chapter 13

Atiq tries to get Zunaria released by talking to Quassim. He obviously says no, but Atiq is persistant. Everyone thinks he is crazy for wanting to help a prisoner he just met. It is kind of strange because he never even considered helping one of his prisoners before. His connection to Zunaria is strange and I think kind of shallow. He doesn't know anyting about her, he only thinks that she is pretty. It took Musarrat to make him even think about why she was in jail. He eventually just tries to let her go. In the middle of the night he opens her cell and tells her to run away and never come back. Confused, she says no because she has no one. Her family is gone and she killed her husband, leaving her with no one. If I were her, I would think that i was being tested by Atiq to see if I would try to excape or something. I would probably also say no because if it was a test, the punishment could be far worse than what it already is.

Chapter 12

Atiq finally looks at his prisoner in this chapter and is completely taken away by her beauty. Zunaria had taken off her burqa and she just sits in the middle of her cell. Atiq becomes practically obsessed with her and watches her sleep and everything. He goes home and realizes that he forgot to feed her. His wife notices his change in attitide and makes her a meal because she only wants her husband to be happy. I give Musarrat a lot of credit for this because she could be selfish and forbid her husband to see this woman even though Mussurat and the prisoner's days are numbered. I think it took a lot for Musarrat to let her husband find someone else like that, especially when she's still alive.

Chapter 11

Atiq is at the jail when a man comes by and tells him that he must wait there until Quassim comes to see him later. Atiq doesn't want to wait because he know it can take all day for him to show up. They get on the subject of Qaab who apparently died. Atiq doesn't even know that he died at first, and then he continues to question the man about what happened. The man gets upset because he thinks Atiq is making fun of him and that he should know what happened. I think Atiq really doesn't know what happened because I think that he is overwhelmed and just going through the motions of his everyday life. At some point in time I think that he knew what happened to him, but I think it just got pushed to the back of his mind and he can't remember what really went on. Quassim eventually shows up with two malitiawomen and a prisoner. The prisoner killed her husband and is to be executed in front of the whole town basically. This prisoner is Zunaria and I don't think Atiq knows who she is at the moment, but I kind of think that their families were friends way back when or something and they will eventually figure out who they are.

Chapter 10

Mohsen and Zunaria get into a really big fight in this chapter. Zunaria decides to never take off her burqa again, and she quits talking to her husband. Mohsen gets fed up with it and confronts her about it. She starts saying that she never wants to see him again and he says that he will give her time to cool off, but she just continues to say it. Nothing has been right between them since the day they took a walk through town. Things start to get violent, though, when Mohsen starts to grap and almost choke his wife. She tries to run away but he pulls at her and she fights back. Eventually she pushed him off of her and he falls and hits his head, killing him. I was surprised to see Mohsen be the one killed. I thought Zunaria would die and he would feel even worse about the situation. I was also shocked that Zunaria had the guts to say something to her husband. Even though she did practically hate him, I thought for sure she would just bite her tounge and do what he wanted her to without speaking to him because of their religion.

Chapter 9

Quassim and another man are riding around in a 4x4. The one guy's mother just died and he doens't even care. He was like the sixth child of a lot so he didn't have much of a connection with her. He started taking care of himself and working when he was about twelve. The other guy told him that they could have stayed in town another night, but he wasn't interested. They see Nazeesh in the mountains at some point in their trip and Mohsen at the graveyard. They continue their conversation about their wives and they seem even worse than Atiq and Mohsen. It sounds like they treat their wives like property because he talkes about how his first couple were disobedient and unenergetic. They eventually go to Khorsan's to eat and see Atiq there. Atiq tries to avoid them, but it doesn't work. Quassim asks him if he needs money or anything because he seems depressed. Atiq says that he is fine, but Quassim tells him the story of a man who didn't know himself. He said that one day someone wispered something in his ear and he got up and was never seen again. I don't think this quite applies to Atiq. In a sense it does because I don't think Atiq found what makes him happy yet, but I don't think it's because he doesn't know himself. If nothing else, I think he will find what makes him happy, and then maybe he'll leave. When Atiq goes home that night, he finds Mussurat lying in the middle of the floor and thinks she's dead. Instead of helping her though, he just stands there and stares at her. I don't think he knows what to do because he has practically prayed for this day, but I don't think he ever thought it would actually happen.

Chapter 8

Mohsen is at the assembly in the mosque throughout this chapter. Mullah Bashir is the speaker and he is talking about how they are going to take over the other countries and basically the world. His speech goes on forever and he just keeps babbling on and on. Mohsen keeps turning around to see if Zunaria is still at the building. I think he either feels guilty for not standing up for her at all in front of the taliban, or he doesn't trust his marriage enough to have faith that she would be waiting there for him. Zunaria doesn't have much of a choice, though, because if she would leave, the taliban would probably see her and punish her for walking the streets without her husband. I feel bad for her having to stand in the heat waiting for hours for a sermon to be over that she can't even watch. Mohsen even gets in trouble for not paying attention during the speech. I think it's crazy how the taliban forces these people to sit through the speech, and patrols them to make sure they're paying attention.

Chapter 7

Atiq is walking through town in this chapter and notices all the children running around. It talks about how he wanted children but is thankful that he's sterile and can't have any. I don't understand this because it seems to me that he holds it agaisnt his wife that he doesn't have children, yet in the streets seeing the children, he's thankful he doesn't have any. He also sees Nazeesh in the streets. He tries to avoid him at first but they end up speaking to each other and Mohsen apologizes for being mean in the jail the night before. Nazeesh simply asks him if he truly believes that he'll never leave. Atiq basically lies and says that he'll definitely leave and make it to better places. Nazeesh also talks about how he misses music. This part is kind of strange because listening to music is like an every day occurance in our culture. Not being allowed to listen to music would be weird. Music is something enjoyable and I would have never thought it to be a threat that would be banned from a city or town. I couldn't imagine life without music, it would be boring. Atiq then runs into Mohsen and Zunaria which switches the story back the them. The taliban stop them on their walk because they pass a green and white building where a religious leader is speaking. The taliban is making everyone go to this assembly which I don't think is fair. This again just shows the difference in cultures because we have more freedom and choices in our religion and actions. The taliban is really rude to Mohsen and Zunaria though because they whip him and club them both. Zunaria tries to defend her husband but the taliban slaps her and tells her that it is not her place to talk to a man. The taliban then makes Mohsen attend the assembly and Zunaria has to wait outside. I couldn't even imagine a man let alone anyone treating me like this.

Chapter 6

This chapter reveals more of Mohsen and Zunaria's marriage. It explains how they met and how beautiful Zunaria was. All the guys wanted her and wanted her to choose them, but she chose Mohsen. In present day, Mohsen wants to take a walk through town with Zunaria. She doesn't want to go though because the Taliban roams the streets, and in order for a woman to be seen in public she must wear a burqa which covers her entire face. Zunaria doesn't want to wear the burqa because she feels it is degrading and she feels inhuman. She also doesn't want to go out because she has so many strict rules to follow and she has to put herself in an inferior position to her husband. I don't blame Zunaria at all. I wouldn't want to degrade myself by silencing my voice and covering my face to only be in the presence of a man. I think it is unfair in so many ways and today is a new age where women and men are (almost) equal in (most) every aspect. In the end, however, Zunaria decides to go with Mohsen on the walk because he argues that so many things have changed and he just wants to do the simple everyday things that they did together before the war.

Chapter 5

This chapter sort of contradicts what previous chapters stated. Atiq decides to stay in the jail because he doesn't want to face his wife after their argument, but earlier in the book he said that he hated the jail and went for a walk just to get away. This made me think about how much he really didn't want to face his wife because he's willing to stay in a place that he hates just so he doesn't have to see her. While he's there, Nazeesh shows up and asks if he can stay there too. He lost his sons in the war and hurt his foot somehow. He tells Atiq a secret while he is there though. He gets really sneaky about it though and constantly looks around to see if anyone is around that could hear. Once he decides that it is safe he tell Atiq that he is going to leave Kabul when his foot heals. He said that he had his stuff ready to go and that he was just going to walk until he reached the water. Atiq doesn't believe him because he said the same thing before, but something is always physically wrong with him. In a sense I think Atiq is jealous that he can't even plan to leave because of his sick wife, but then again he might be upset that Nazeesh is going to abandon their hometown in its time of need. I think Nazeesh is smart though. If I were him I would want to leave because he lost his children and there is nothing left in the town. I would want to move away and start fresh somewhere else.

Chapter 4

Atiq starts out at the mosque praying, and as he leaves he over hears veterans telling war stories. They were arguing over the smell of their dead soldiers. One man said that they smelled badly, but a few of the others insisted that they smelled good because they were blessed for serving their god. This shows great commitment and faithfulness to me. If they can truly tell themselves that their friends' dead bodies smelled good because of their god, then they must really believe in Allah. After listening for a while, Atiq goes home to find his house is clean. His sister is usually the one that cleans, but he knew that she wasn't there that day. He finds his wife using all her strength, and the doorway to hold herself up. She admits that she cleaned and Atiq gets mad at her because she used her strength and he wants her to save it so that she can get better. I admire her will to continue her everyday activities and desire to please her husband. However, it seemed like she was somewhat whiney about the situation. Even though she did clean the house, it was like she couldn't do it without bragging about how she did it even though she was ill. It's not like she came right out and said something directly, but I could sense the tone in her words. I don't know if I really like her or not. It's respectable that she did clean, however some respect is lost with her complaint.

Chapter 3

Mohsen and his wife Zunaira are revealed in this chapter. What I think was the most important event was when Mohsen told Zunaira how he helped to stone the prostitute in the beginning of the novel. He describes how something just took over him and he couldn't help himself. This is a good example of peer pressure. It's not that Mohsen wanted to kill that woman or throw stones at her, he just got caught up in the moment with everyone else and all the excitement. I think it took a lot for him to tell his wife about it too. My understanding of their marriages is that the wife is lower than the husband and that she is more there for show in a sense. Basically I think she is there to clean, cook, and make babies. For Mohsen to tell his wife of the attrocity that he commited took more than the typical marriage. I think that he too has some feelings deeper than the standard "clean the house and make my dinner" relationship, like Atiq does for his wife. Zunaira didn't take the news well though. She was upset by his decision to take part in the crime against the woman. I was impressed though by her courageousness to defend women to her husband, who should be superior to her in their culture.

Chapter 2

In this chapter we learn about Atiq's wife and her illness. Atiq doesn't want to go home because she only moans about her pain and doesn't do anything around the house. This leaves him with a messy house and a complaining wife. Mirza is Atiq's friend from when they were children. He tells Atiq that he should leave his wife, but Atiq says that he can't because she has lost her family and she saved his life. I didn't think that was a good excuse at all. It's honorable, but I think that he just loves her. However, I don't think he'll admit it because that's not really how their marriages work. If Atiq loved his wife, it would be like putting her on the same level as him, and women are supposed to be inferior to men in their culture. He wishes for her death or a cure for her disease, but I think again that is just a way to hide his true love for her and find a quick solution for the situation.