An Overdue Ode

You came in a box.

Vibrant colors of white and gray,

I would soon call you

My knight in shining armor

Because you saved me from my ugly handwriting.

Your face would gleam

Beaming with the knowledge you provided for me

Sacrificing everything you had

For my success and happiness.

You were mine and my own

And I wanted you to stay and be perfect.

But after a while, you sounded heated

Empty inside, you shut down on me.

We were both

Frustrated, fatigued, fazed

But I could tell

Your radiant visage was replaced

with a wearisome look.

And soon you left me.

Left me wondering

How I could get you back

What I could have done to make you stay by my side

How I could fill this empty spot next to me

I remember...

You came in a box.

I know I’m late

But

This is my ode to you.

Rahim Khan's Offer

This locker represents the situation of Rahim Khan offering Amir a chance to go back to Afghanistan to get Sohrab. In this situation, the interior of the locker represents Afghanistan and the unatoned sins of Amir. In order to avoid his feelings and the guilt that he felt, Amir shut the locker and closed the door on Hassan and Afghanistan. By Rahim giving him a chance to go back to help Sohrab, he is offering him a sliver of a chance to go back to be good again. The partially opened locker represents the opportunity that Rahim Khan has given to Amir. However, until this point, that locker has been closed for Amir. He locked it when he left to America and abandoned all of his problems that existed back in Afghanistan. The lock represents the trip to America that Amir took, and how it gave him an opportunity to avoid his problems rather than confront him. However, Amir’s accepting of the opportunity has unlocked the lock, allowing him to travel back to Afghanistan and try to make amends for his past actions. 

A Country Filled With Violence

After the apartheid ended in South Africa, Nelson Mandela unified the people of his country, leading to a more peaceful and affluent society. White dominance was over and racial tensions were alleviated - South Africa was overall a happier country. However, the unity of this country broke apart, with violence and crime becoming more widespread. Now, South Africa is a country filled with violence. While local residents suspect one another, hoping their houses will not be broken into, the hostility of men towards women attribute to the increasing events of rape and abuse (Mattison). Violence is prevalent in South Africa because the majority of residents are in poverty and many believe there is nothing morally wrong with gender-based violence.

With the unemployment rate over 30% in South Africa, the 2.2 million immigrants clash with the local residents when searching for jobs and earning money to support their families (Sieff). Mario Khumalo, a former account manager, claims, “People come here because they think South Africa is the land of milk and honey, but it’s still a country where people are living without flushing toilets” (Sieff). Immigrants who move to this country believe they will prosper, but they must face the same, severe living conditions that South African citizens are going through. However, the people of South Africa are livid at the fact that they need to compete with these foreigners, most who lack official documentation (Sieff). In Pretoria, 30 shops which were run by immigrants were looted and trashed because the native people believed that the immigrants were stealing their jobs and only bringing destruction to the country (Sieff). The battle to survive within the indigent country ultimately causes more crime.

In addition to the elevating tensions between people in destitute regions, many South Africans firmly believe that violence directed towards women is acceptable. At a young age, girls are excessively abused in school and boys are brought up thinking that they can do whatever they want with women (Human Rights Watch). The dropout rate from school for girls is extremely high, and parents have seen their children become depressed and anxious after their experience with sexual assault (Human Rights Watch). School authorities rarely take action when these incidents occur because there are no rules set in stone for how to respond to these events (Human Rights Watch). This abusive behavior becomes recurrent and hinders the access to education for many girls. The role of women has not changed since the apartheid; their weak and conceding semblance causes domestic violence and gang-rapes (UN). The essential human rights of women in South Africa are being violated and this discrimination leads to men’s aggressive and brutal stance towards women.  

South Africa suffers heavily from the ubiquitous violence and crime within the country. Rates of murders, attempted murders, house robberies, and carjacking all increased by at least 5% back in 2013 and there is no sign that these numbers will go down anytime soon (Dixon).  The residents battle with the immigrants to survive, and women are abused everyday because of the cruel behavior of men. In order for South Africa to truly prosper, its people need to be safe and healthy. Increasing crime rates and the frequent incidents of violence should not define South Africa’s current situation.

Works Cited:

Dixon, Robyn. "Violent Crime on the Rise Again in South Africa." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 19 Sept. 2013. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.

Human Rights Watch. "II. SUMMARY." Human Rights Watch. N.p., Mar. 2001. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.

Matisonn, John. "In South Africa, Crime And Violence Are Permanent Headlines." NPR. NPR, 22 Feb. 2013. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.

Sieff, Kevin. "In South Africa, Violence Follows a Surge in Xenophobia." The Washington Post. WP Company, 24 Feb. 2017. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.

UN. "UN Expert: Gender-based Violence 'pervasive' in South Africa." United Nations. United Nations, 15 Dec. 2015. Web. 07 Mar. 2017.

Secret Symbols

Secret Symbols

Sijie uses the symbols of the alarm clock and the sheepskin coat to represent Luo and the narrator’s expression of intellectual liberty. The alarm clock symbolizes the two boys’ intellectual superiority that allowed them to have more control over their situation. The sheepskin coat represents their hunger for knowledge and the curiosity they have once they have been exposed to Western literature. They both represent a form of rebellion against the barriers that had been put up around them. Manipulating the clock allows them to get more rest and take advantage of the headman. Writing on the sheepskin coat would definitely be considered reactionary, but their determination to learn outweighs their fear of the possible consequences for their actions.

Quotes

“After that historic morning we got into the habit of re-adjusting the time on the alarm clock” (15).

“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).

Quotes

“It was the first time in my life that I had felt any desire to copy sentences from a book” (58).

“This fellow Balzac is a wizard … He touched the head of this mountain girl .. and she was transformed … She ended up putting on your wretched coat … She said having Balzac’s words next to her skin made her feel good, and also more intelligent.” (62)

Believe

Your goals should be unique

Your hard work should be valued

Stay true to who you are.

Know how to observe others

But also know how to observe yourself.

Don’t try to be him,

Don’t try to be her,

Lead your own resolute path.

Do not force your way out of an exit

Rather, force your way into an opening.

Stay, achieve, and conquer.

Let yourself surmount obstacles in the way.

Free yourself from surroundings

Free yourself from expectations

Once you are free, you will achieve.

Believe.