The Monster Under the Bed

By the time we are old enough to understand

that there is no such thing as the “monster under the bed”,

a new one

comes to haunt us.

Except this monster isn’t like the one before.

It walks side by side with us in the hallways,

it looks like us,

dresses like us,

talks like us,

but it judges us,

blames us,

it makes us believe

that we are worthless.

Insignificant beings that do not deserve

to be standing on the same soil

that our ancestors who bestowed us

our family names once stood.

Yet we choose to hide under the covers of our blankets

because we believe that

in doing so,

we will be protected from this “monster”.

But in doing so,

we expose our hearts

and our vulnerability,

allowing it to shackle chains to our mind

so that it can pull us down into the bottomless depths

along with it.

We allow it to meld our thoughts

into one of its liking,

One deadened by the fear of

shame,

disgust,

humiliation,

for no one but ourselves.

But when will we come to understand

that this monster is just a fragment of our imagination?

When will the be moment we come down from the bed,

And realize that this is the only way we can shatter

those chains that bind us to it?

This monster plays with our fears,

But our fears do not define who we are.

Rather,

the broken chains that once tethered us

now signify our

strength,

fortitude,

determinance.

We can grow from our fears,

Just like we grew to understand

that there is no such thing as the monster under the bed.

Amir's Guilt

This image represents Amir’s guilt. Amir is like a lone flower in the field because he has kept his guilt to himself for the past 26 years, not revealing his secret to anyone. He has isolated and distanced himself from everyone because he fears of how others will think of him. He cannot forgive himself for what he had done when he was a mere boy. Similar to the flower that has not fully budded, because Amir has not confronted his fears, he is unable to live in a life free of his past. However, he shows hope that his guilt can be released. The bottom part of the flower, the black part, shows the conflict that Amir has been battling. However, as he grew older, he began to blossom like a flower. All the guilt he carried starts to be released, like when a flower is blooming, and he begins to understand his responsibility.

Too Much for Few, Too Little for Many

50 million orphans live in Africa. 3000 are killed each day because of malaria. 589 million Africans live without electricity, and 40% of people in the world who don’t have access to clean water live in Africa (Facts). Wealthy aristocrats of the country enjoy luxurious lives with proper education and healthcare, while at the same time, millions of citizens lack basic necessities like food or housing. Most people understand that this is a serious matter, but they don’t realize the gravity of the issue until they hear that two hundred of the richest people in the world hold more wealth than the entire African population (Miyandazi). The first step to solve this issue is finding the root of it.

A major cause of this unequal division is the deep rooted problems from colonial and apartheid times that have not disappeared from Africa’s society. These events have delayed the industrial development of the country, making it difficult for the government to sustain money. This causes lower class citizens to fall into debt. While trying to rebuild the country, division of social classes have only worsened. For example, although Angola is the second largest producer of oil in Africa, producing 30 billion dollars worth of oil in 2007, 25% of lower class children living in the country die within five years of birth (Wengraf). Furthermore, segregation between whites and blacks is still evident. Thalepo Nambo, an African citizen, shares some personal experience. In his hometown of Tshwane, Nambo notices, “The facilities that majority of the whites access are much higher quality than to that of their black counterparts” (Nambo). As described by Nambo, social class inequality between the two races correlates with colonial and apartheid history.

The extreme conditions of the poor are only worsened by the lack of interest the government holds. They have the ability to help, but the ruling class shows no compassion. Corrupted by their lavish lives, they are ignorant of the dire situation. According to Bloomberg, in the past ten years, 11 cities in Africa have increased their GDP by 51% (Miyandazi). However, it was shown that the conditions of lower class citizens stayed the same or worsened in those years. The government has not given lower class citizens enough opportunities, like helping them open small businesses or finding a job. The PEW Research Center found that less than 6% of Africans are considered middle class, meaning that the majority are either extremely poor or extremely rich (Few). The scant amount of industries can not generate enough employment, making it difficult for citizens to find proper jobs.

Although this may seem like a futile situation, there are people attempting to deal with it. For example, companies and individuals have donated to the cause. Google gave 2.4 million dollars, and Dustin Moskovitz donated 25 million dollars to African charity organizations (Brown). Another approach is raising awareness. Africa Industrialization Day is on November 20, and is meant to encourage everyone to help with the industrialization of Africa. Industrializing the country allows lower class citizens to gain opportunities (Industrialization). In addition, several organizations like ActionAid are continuously fighting for the equality of all citizens in Africa (Miyandazi).

However, despite aid that this issue is receiving, it is not enough to bring the poor out of poverty. As World Bank shows, the number of people in poverty increased from 4.11 million to 415.8 million in a single year (Miyandazi). In spite of this, if people around the world take action, no matter how small, it will eventually help close the gap between the poor and rich.

Works Cited:
Brown, Ryan Lenora. "To fight poverty in Africa, a new-old solution: cash handouts." Christian Science Monitor, 11 Dec. 2016. Global Issues in Context. Accessed 7 Mar. 2017.

“Facts & Statistics About Africa.” Children.org, Children International. Accessed 13 Mar. 2017.

“Few and Far Between.” The Economist, The Economist Newspaper, 22 Oct. 2015. Accessed 4 Mar. 2017.

"Industrialization key to poverty reduction in Africa: researcher." Xinhua News Agency, 25 Nov. 2016. Global Issues in Context. Accessed 7 Mar. 2017.

Miyandazi, Luckystar. “Inequality in Africa: Effects of the Ruling Class.” ActionAid International, Act!onAid, 4 May 2016. Accessed 4 Mar. 2017.

Nambo, Thapelo. “Race,Class,Gender in an Unequal South Africa.” news24.Com, News24, 18 Jan. 2016. Accessed 6 Mar. 2017.

Wengraf, Lee. “The Class Dimension of African Social Struggles.” Isreview.org, International Socialist Review. Accessed 6 Mar. 2017.

Balzac Symbolism Project

Arushi Lakhan-Pal

Priya Dixit

Drew Guggeis

Kelly Tan

Sophia Hwang

Balzac Symbolism Project

Loss: Ticks Away

Symbol: Rooster Alarm Clock

“We were surprised to see how the alarm clock seized the imagination of the peasants. It became an object of veneration, almost. Everyone came to consult the clock, as though our house on stilts was a temple”(14).

“In the end we had changed the position of the hands so many times that we had no idea what the time really was” (15).

The symbol of the alarm clock illustrates the theme of loss through its usage and perception throughout the novel. Luo and the narrator keep the the alarm clock and manipulate the time in order to keep any amount of power they can over their own lives despite the losses they have faced. The alarm clock is one of the few last links to their past, and is used as a coping mechanism for the difficulties they must face.

Symbol: Lice

“I had a vision of my body as a rallying ground for armies of lice, all thrilled at the change of diet, ravenous for the delights offered by my poor veins” (71).

“It was not hard to imagine the scene : the bug-infested bed upon which Four-Eyes lay, fighting to stay awake in case the old man happened to sign snatches of sincere, authentic folk songs in his sleep, while the lice swarmed out of their hiding places to attack in the dark, sucking his blood skating on the slippery lenses of his spectacles, which he hadn’t removed for the night” (65).

The recurring motif of the lice represents the gnawing and draining effect of loss on the main characters and their companions. After enduring the hardships of the mountain village, the parasitic lice represent the sapping effect of re-education and the attendant sense of loss. The omnipresent lice exacerbate their situation in life, injuring them and needling them. Just as the lice are reduced to draining the blood of Luo, Four Eyes, and the narrator, they are forced to make the most situation by any means necessary.

The Path to Success

Trees are born with shallow roots,

they can simply be swayed by the wind

or effortlessly pulled from the earth.

Only if their roots art firm

will they be able to grow powerful

and tower above the rest.

Thus whoever is weak minded

can easily be swayed by others opinions.

Those who are strong and firm in their beliefs

are the ones who blossom into success.

True accomplishments can be gained

through hard work and concrete beliefs.

It can't be gained

through laziness and halfhearted ideas.

Follow only yourself,

don't let others sway your beliefs.

Work hard for what you believe in,

don't sit around hoping it comes to you.

That is the path to success.