Pomegranate Tree In The Kite Runner

Pomegranate Tree In The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseinis The Kite Runner is a novel that explores many important themes. Three such themes are violence, friendship, and the quest for redemption. Although Hosseini uses many techniques to depict these themes, one technique that stands out is his use of symbolism and imagery. Some of the symbolism and imagery he uses are key factors in the story. The pomegranate tree and the sacrifice of the sheep are effective forms of symbolism and imagery that enrich the themes of violence, friendship, and the quest for redemption. Although Hosseini reminds people of a peaceful Afghanistan, he also reveals the agony the nation faces after the Taliban came to power. Violence spreads throughout the story, everything from a harmless activity of kite flying to the rape of Hassan. The pomegranate tree reveals the violence occurring in the novel. The entire story circles around on an action of violence, Hassans rape, and Amirs pretending that Hassans rape never happened. In the novel, Amir wants Hassan to hit him with pomegranates to inflict pain and lessen his guilt; instead, Hassan smashes the pomegranates over his own head. This indicates that violence is the key to lessen the guilt; Amir believes a physical punishment will make Hassan release his pain and get rid of Amirs guilt. In the Quran, the pomegranate tree is spoken of as a fruit in the garden of paradise. At first it appears that way in the novel, but later as more violence occurs, the tree is barren and dead, meaning that paradise has fallen when the Tal iban took over. Afghanistan started to get destroyed and the Taliban kill whoever they like. This violence reflects todays world where people witness violence but walk away knowing they could have stopped it. There are many aspects of this theme many people can relate to everyday. Friendship in the novel is a recurring theme. Both the pomegranate tree and the sheep reveal the changes in the friendship throughout the novel. The friendship between Amir and Hassan is a key factor in the novel. While Amir and Hassan are young they carve their names into the pomegranate tree. Hassan says, One summer day, I used one of Alis kitchen knives to carve our names on it: Amir and Hassan, the sultans of Kabul. Those words made it formal: the tree was ours ( ). The tree symbolizes their relationship. Before the Taliban came to power there was less violence and the relationship was strong, but after the Taliban came to power, Afghanistan became more violent, and the healthy, green tree became dead and ruined, just like Amir and Hassans relationship. The social inequality in Afghanistan plays a key role as Amir begins to think of Hassan as a servant rather than a friend after the rape. Another example of the changes in friendship is shown by the sheep. In Muslims culture, the sacrifice of a sheep is meant to celebrate the faith of the prophet Ibrahim. This is similar to when Hassan, a pure boy is raped by Assef. The sheep symbolized the rape of Hassan because just like the sheep he was slain for the kite that Amir won. This made Amir feel guilty, which made him lose his connection with Hassan. Their friendship desecrated and Amir started to treat Hassan as a Hazara. Redemption is an essential part of the novel, since many sins are endured. When Hassan gets raped, Amir pretends nothing happened and starts feeling guilty. As children, Amir commits many sins, but Hassan takes the blame. The pomegranate tree was healthy and growing, but years later when Amir returns to Afghanistan, the tree is barren and dead, like their relationship. Amir feels guilty because he cant apologize for the rape of Hassan. He feels to redeem himself; he has to take care of Hassans son, Sohrab. Amir goes to great lengths to redeem himself; he gets beaten by the same bully that raped Hassan. This lessens his guilt, and makes him more committed towards taking care of Sohrab. In the story, Rahim Khan writes a letter to Amir; in the letter it says, I know that in the end, God will forgive Forgive your father if you can. Forgive me if you wish. But most important, forgive yourself( ). This is what pushes Amir to risk his life and go back to Afghanistan. He wants to be like his father, so he sets out to help Hassans son. This is like todays world, people make mistakes they go and try redeeming themselves. Anyone in the world can be placed in Amirs situation. In conclusion, the imagery and symbolism used in the novel effectively. The pomegranate tree showes the readers the change in Amir and Hassan`s relationship, whereas the sacrifice of the sheep showes the sins of Amir and how he tries to redeem himself. It enriches the novel and gives the readers a better understanding of the novel. The themes of violence, friendship, and the quest for redemption stands out, due to these techniques; of imagery and symbolism.

Atmospheres Unlimited in Macbeth :: Macbeth essays

Atmospheres Unlimited in Macbeth      Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare becomes a master of diverse atmospheres in his tragedy Macbeth. We shall examine closely the changing, more forcefully developing atmospheres here.    In his book, On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy, H. S. Wilson explains why the atmosphere is so important in Macbeth:    Macbeth is a play in which the poetic atmosphere is very important; so important, indeed, that some recent commentators give the impression that this atmosphere, as created by the imagery of the play, is its determining quality. For those who pay most attention to these powerful atmospheric suggestions, this is doubtless true. Mr. Kenneth Muir, in his introduction to the play - which does not, by the way, interpret it simply from this point of view - aptly describes the cumulative effect of the imagery: "The contrast between light and darkness is part of a general antithesis between good and evil, devils and angels, evil and grace, hell and heaven . . . and the disease images of IV, iii and in the last act clearly reflect both the evil which is a disease, and Macbeth himself who is the disease from which his country suffers."(67-68)    L.C. Knights in the essay "Macbeth" mentions equivocation, unreality and unnaturalness in the play - contributors to an atmosphere that may not be very realistic:    The equivocal nature of temptation, the commerce with phantoms consequent upon false choice, the resulting sense of unreality ("nothing is, but what is not"), which has yet such power to "smother" vital function, the unnaturalness of evil ("against the use of nature"), and the relation between disintegration in the individual ("my single state of man") and disorder in the larger social organism - all these are major themes of the play which are mirrored in the speech under consideration. (94)    Charles Lamb in On the Tragedies of Shakespeare comments on the atmosphere surrounding the play:    The state of sublime emotion into which we are elevated by those images of night and horror which Macbeth is made to utter, that solemn prelude with which he entertains the time till the bell shall strike which is to call him to murder Duncan, - when we no longer read it in a book, when we have given up that vantage-ground of abstraction which reading possesses over seing, and come to see a man in his bodily shape before our eyes actually preparing to commit a muder, if the acting be true and impressive as I have witnessed it in Mr.

Should welfare recipients receive drug testing?

Since welfare programs started in the 60s, a reoccurring pattern has been seen in more cases than one. Fraudulent activity and taking advantage of the system has been happening for way too long in our society. A simple drug test should be administered to welfare recipients if they expect to receive the benefits that are offered to them. If other citizens such as the ones in the working class are held accountable to be administered a drug screening, those who would like to receive government assistance should be held to the same standard.The abolition of the entitlement culture found in American society will ultimately benefit the Countries economy and character. While the concept of this practice is not to stereotype against the lower class, it should be seen as a mandatory evaluation to those who would like to continue benefitting from the government’s aid. The goal of drug testing welfare recipients is not to revoke their privileges, it is simply to reform the system of welf are and make sure that those who truly need assistance are having their needs met.I.) The controversy of how many welfare recipients tested for substance abuse has been proven to be skewed.A.) The American Civil Liberties Union (ALCU) finds that only 2.6 percent of welfare recipients in Florida study tested negative for substance abuse. The state of Florida drug tested 4,086 applicants. Only 108 individuals tested positive, however, it is obvious that many recipients delay application due to the fact that they know they will have their benefits stripped because of the positive results. (Bragdon) 1.) As a result of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) act, recipients would be required to pay out of pocket to be administered a urinalysis, and would be reimbursed if passed, further backing up the idea of skewed evidence as recipients would be much more likely to not spend their own money on a test that they would be sure to fail.With almost $58,000 spent reimbursing drug test fees and total savings from drug-related denials at $1.8 million, the drug test requirement is saving Florida taxpayers $30.64 for every $1 spent. 2.) The U.S  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services appointed a national survey in 2009, concluding that 8.7 percent of the population over the age of 12 proves to use illicit drugs. With such a prominent amount of the population being related to the abuse of various substances, it can be very well concluded that the reason for such a miniscule amount of recipients failing the administered tests is due to the fact that many of the users did not in fact, take the test at all.3.) The results of the ACLU study fail to investigate how many of the tested welfare recipients that passed the drug testing would have tested positive on other controlled substances such as prescription pills that many defend to be a â€Å"false positive†. According to a study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 48.5% of Ameri cans take at least one form of prescription drug, and a similar study, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health concluded that at least an estimated 2.4 million Americans abuse prescription pills daily. Also, of public assistance recipients treated for substance abuse in 2008, the most common primary substance of abuse was alcohol (37 percent of those treated). (Bragdon) II.) Drug testing welfare recipients is classified as â€Å"Unconstitutional†A.) The Supreme Court’s â€Å"Special Needs Doctrine† can be used to classify the act of requiring welfare recipients to pass a scheduled or random drug testing as constitutional (NCSL) 1.) The doctrine of unconstitutional conditions requires a different analysis under which conditioning welfare on consent to testing may very well be a constitutional condition, the eleventh circuit panel has done much research to prove this theory. (Wurman) 2.) The â€Å"Germaneness† of a bill of legislature is simply the perti nence of the issue. This can be directly correlated to the issue of whether or not a recipient is compliant when asked to be administered a drug test.(NCSL)3.) In 1981, Lyng v. International Union, took place in court due to the Food Stamp Act that stated, â€Å"No household shall become eligible to participate in the food stamp program during the time that any member of the household is on strike or shall increase the allotment of food stamps that it was receiving already because the income of the striking member has decreased.† Despite the going on strike being a right in the first amendment, the Court  held that the law did not have a â€Å"substantial impact on any fundamental interest† and that citizens participating in striking were directly affecting their ability to make an income, much like drug abuse does.Therefore, leaving loop holes in the defense that drug testing welfare recipients would be infringing upon their fourth amendment. 4.) When this issue was appointed to a panel of judges, they summarized a quote from case of Dolan v. City of Tigard, basically stating that when the benefit does have a relationship to the right, the government may, perhaps, withhold the benefit. Meaning that assistance is not a humane right, rather a benefit that is offered by the government, allowing them to deny access to the benefit, if need be. If recipients cannot pass the administered drug test, their rights are not being infringed upon, due to the fact that welfare benefits are not a constitutional right themselves. B.) Most positions in the working class require a drug test to be administered.1.) Both working class jobs, private sector jobs and welfare recipients are receiving money from the government, the only difference is that two are working for that money, while the other is getting assistance provided to them from the tax payers. The most recognizable claim against requiring welfare recipients to pass a drug test is discrimination against the poor. However, in many (not all) jobs, in order to apply for certain positions, a drug test is administered, although that is hardly ever looked at as unconstitutional when corporate leaders are held accountable for their actions when accepting public funds. It is only fair that citizens relying on assistance from the government and society should be held to the same standard of others when receiving help that they couldn’t acquire on their own. (Wurman)C.) War on Drugs1.) While the war on drugs is to be seen as constitutional by many uneducated people, despite millions of tax payer dollars going to waste to fund wars, a simple drug test to prevent the never ending circle of taking advantage of tax paying citizens is seen as unconstitutional due to the fact that the profit of the war on drugs is much greater than the monitoring of welfare spending.2.) In 1980 50,000 people were in custody for drug related offences, many of them minor charges. While arresting masses of pe ople, at  the expense of yet again, tax payers, is constitutional, the monitoring of welfare is such a minor issue in comparison, when these citizens are being assisted, with only the request to comply to a simple test to prove that government money isn’t funding a drug addiction. (cdc gov)3.) While for obvious reasons, recreational drug use is illegal, and remains to be one of the biggest, money and time consuming issues in our society. It is an extreme contradiction to agree that drugs should be illegal, but to think that welfare recipients should not have to be tested to receive government benefits. This issue directly relates to the issue of Germaneness stated earlier. There is obviously a prominent reason to administer recipient’s drug tests when they are receiving aid from society, correlating drug users productivity toIII.) Tax payer money saved due to the abolition of improper use of government fundsA.) Welfare should be seen as a temporary aid used to help u sers get back on their feet in times of struggle, not a life style choice.1.) It is undoubtedly certain that not only with this issue, but anything, corruption and abuse occur. Often times welfare is looked at as more of a tool to purchase unnecessary items such as cigarettes, and recreational drugs. While that is not the case with all recipients, it is often abused. Compared to the benefits welfare provides, a simple drug test seems detrimental to make into a burden, especially when many states supply reimbursement to recipients who pass the drug test. It is often questioned why someone who is getting assistance would be so concerned with taking a drug test, if they weren’t in fact doing drugs.2.) In 35 states welfare recipients receive more than minimum wage, in 13 states recipients receive more than $15 an hour. Annually there is around 1.3 trillion federal tax dollars invested into welfare. In Mississippi a non-working recipient can receive as much as $16,984 in benefits, even more shockingly, in the District of Columbia one can receive as much as $43,099. One would be naà ¯ve to say that when faced with the choice of working hard for that kind of money, or receiving a handout, that the average citizen would choose to work. The only way to decrease the level of dependence often found in the welfare system is to  make work requirements stricter and to require random drug screenings to monitor fraudulent activity within the industry.3.) To prevent receiving benefits from becoming not only a mindset, but a lifestyle, welfare recipients should be required to do a number of community service hours if they are not currently working while being assisted. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families is a very self-explanatory foundation, they offer grants to families that need temporary help and advocate employment while receiving benefits. The Government must do all that they can to prevent welfare from becoming a mindset, but more of what its intention was to be, a tool used for citizens to get back on their feet when they have failed to reach their potential.B.) Money from denied drug tests will be reimbursed back into the state1.) Around 1.8 million dollars will be saved from unlawful uses of welfare benefits. This not only forces failed recipients to provide and work for themselves, which will eventually lead them to stop relying on welfare until they truly need it, but it allows truthful recipients to be granted all the benefits that welfare has to offer them, without the criticism from tax payers due to the reputation that welfare has received due to the fraudulent behavior that has been failed to be recognized by necessary drug screenings. (Bragdon)2.) On average, a welfare recipient costs the state $134 in monthly benefits, which the rejected applicants won't get, saving the state around $2,680-$3,350 per month, which will in turn be put into important factors in the economic cycle. (Bragdon) C.) Drug tests as an incentive to end drug abuse1.) Having to pass a random drug test could prove to be served as an incentive to welfare recipients to terminate masses of drug abuse issues.2.) Government assistance is something that should only be used when needed, if a recipient truly needs the benefits of welfare, they will recognize that a drug test should be administered in order for them to acquire the help that is being offered. Many may look at this prospect as being a guideline to keep them away from drugs, and use the money they are being given for necessities until they no longer need it, and become successful members of the working class, which will give new applicants the chance to receive benefits that they truly deserve.3.) Recipients who fail drug tests and have their benefits suspended for a certain amount of time will be more than  likely to endure and learn from their struggle, making them much more likely to stay away from drug abuse.4.) With the saved money from denied welfare benefits, tax payer’s earnings can be used to uphold much better state run rehabilitation facilities, which in turn can aid the relation between drug abuse and welfare benefits.IV.) The war on poverty and its effect on AmericaA.) The war on poverty was a legislature enacted by President Lyndon B. Johnson, in response to the poverty rate being around 19 percent. Johnson voiced the war on poverty in his first State of the Union Address. 1.) The goal of the war on poverty was to completely abolish poverty by funding programs that aided the poor during the 60s. This eventually created Medicaid and Medicare. What this program did was create the roots of today’s welfare system, and realistically stagger the work ethic of America.The reason that the War on Poverty faces such criticisms is because it was enacted during a time period when the poverty line had just risen, rather than fallen, leading critics to believe that it was only delivered to pass welfare programs. The start of these pr ograms triggered the growth of our government and the people’s dependency on it, allowing the government to be even more controlling. B.) What the war on poverty ultimately did1.) Due to the surplus of attention paid to black Americans during this time, it is said to have been the cause of the popular idea of the white Americans footing the bill for African Americans. Whites during this time thought of the Great society programs as handouts for minorities that didn’t deserve their hard earned money. This attitude is reflected into today’s society as well.2.) Since the war on poverty, welfare has grown a whopping 19% in the past decade which is more than it has in history. Since the start of the War on Poverty, the government has spent around $19.8 trillion dollars in welfare programs, which is more than all three wars combined. Since 1969 around 2 million people collected food stamps, whereas around 47 million people do today. Since the start of welfare programs , fraudulent activity has played a large role in the system.There always has been welfare recipients that take advantage of the benefits given to them, however, if  they were drug tested and what they were spending tax payers money on was monitored, the effects of the War on Poverty could eventually be reversed and the spirit and worth ethic that was established in America will be in place again one day. A simple drug test is a small request in turn for the generous benefits that are received by millions of recipients daily. In order for our economy to thrive like it once did, there needs to be a strict monitoring on welfare program spending to not only better our economy, but the citizens in it. With less people taking advantage of the welfare system due to positive drug tests, the only people that would be benefiting from the system are the ones that truly need it.V.) The Entitlement culture in America A.) Entitlement vs. Entrepreneurship1.) The most notable quality in the chara cter of America is the Countries ability to breed innovative minds that benefit the economy. For as long as America has been around, the core of society has been centered around entrepreneurship. With all of the advancements made from entrepreneurs, the misspending of government funds is only taking back a step in society that entrepreneurship took. There are many factors that could effect this, but the main component that strips America of its sense of work ethic is the welfare system. By saying this, it does not mean that there aren’t thousands of families truly in need of government assistance, it is stating that the society of many welfare recipients have made themselves comfortable with not trying to better their economic well being.

Violent Video Games And Violent Behavior - 1960 Words

Lisa Shah Ms. Violette Argumentative 4 December 2014 Violent Video Games and Violent Behavior – Is There A Connection? The arrival of violent video games and the media covering recent mass killings, an emotional debate has developed about the impact of video games on aggressive, violent, and criminal behavior. Findings from certain research are contradictory: some studies show an increase in aggressiveness, while others suggest a decrease in criminality. The increase in the diversity of game platforms makes playing violent video games easier to play, which is a source of concern. Video games are not solidly anchored in the popular culture, while in the past an eccentric pastime no longer exists (Fournis 1). In 1971, the First Amendment was adopted to primarily protect speech critical to the government; in contrast to the English seditious libel laws, which allowed punishment for true speech derogatory. The Supreme Court decided that violent video games cause aggression in children solely based on the First Amendment instead of s cientific evidence (Bushman 306). Both sides of violent video games have valid points, but they are missing the one key and most important point, which is the psychology within the household. Within scientific and public debate, the main subject has been whether or not violent video games cause aggression. Violent video games have become part of so many people s live, which is why so many debates have focused on them. In the United States, 91% ofShow MoreRelatedVideo Games And Violent Behavior1460 Words   |  6 Pages Video Games and Violent Behavior Jessi Moffett CRJ 385 September 15, 2015â€Æ' Intro Technology is an important aspect of change in our world. As time goes on, we are introduced to more and more technology every year, which includes media such as video games. 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Video games started off just as entertainment that had meager violence but as time progressed the graphics have improved andRead MoreVideo Games Cause Violent Behavior Essay1600 Words   |  7 PagesFrom Math Games for kids to blood and gore video games have a lot of different sides to them. Video games are decided on by the player. Saying that games cause violent behavior in kids is inaccurate. We as people decide who we are and what we will do with our lives. A digital screen and a controller can’t make us any more violent than we already are. Blaming violence on a simple sixty dollar piece of plastic is unfair. Games are rated early childhood to Adult only. This means that what we play isRead MoreViole nt Video Games and Bad Behavior1531 Words   |  7 PagesFrom the World Wide Web, to cell phones, music, movies and video games the human race has thought of any and everything to keep us entertained. Over the years studies have shown reasonable concerns regarding the long-term effects of video games. These games can desensitize gamers to real life violence, which is usually seen in the younger crowd. The studies especially hit on the games containing player-on-player violence. Though these games are extremely entertaining and can get kids to settle downRead MoreViolent Video Games And Its Influence On Behavior1187 Words   |  5 Pages The Timing of Violent Video Games and Its Influence on Aggressive Behaviors What images pop up in your head when you hear the word aggression? Have you ever thought whether violence portrayed in different forms of media make people more aggressive? The immediate reaction to such a word is fighting or violence. Many issues are determinants of aggression but media violence has played a huge role in influencing aggressive behavior. 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