The Complexity of Relationships Essay Example for Free

The Complexity of Relationships Essay What happens when a servant and a master form a secret relationship? Not in the way one would think of but a person who forms a close relationship with their master than necessary are usually looked down upon. Girl with a Pearl Earring talks about the experiences and the relationship Griet forms working for Johannes Vermeer a Dutch painter. From the outside, their relationship looks just like any other servant and master relationship. Looking closer one can see the friendship formed between them. Though it is good that a master and servant have mutual respect for each other, but the problems arise when feelings for the person comes into play. Griet crosses some boundaries when she starts to feel a romantic attraction for Johannes her master. The result can only be heartbreak for a servant who is foolish enough to seek equality with her master. The novel takes place in 1664 Holland where society like any other is based on ones status. Johannes Vermeer is a painter whose income is based on the number of paintings he is commissioned to paint and others that he is able to sell. He does not usually paint more than 3 paintings a year, so Johannes is not wealthy. He also has to support a mother, wife, five children and pay for a maid. Even with his economic situation, he goes out to find and additional servant to clean his studio. This is where Griet comes into the picture. Griet is hired to clean Johannes’s studio but his wife Catharina is not fond of Griet. Griet is aware of her precarious position and states, â€Å"It had been clear from the moment she’d seen me chopping vegetables in my mother’s kitchen that she disliked me. † (Chevalier, p. 49) Catharina cannot express her opinion or dislike of Griet because she is not making money for the family and is not in charge of making decisions for the family. She can only obey Johannes’s command. Catharina can not afford to make her husband angry as he is the only thing she has. The funny thing is, even Catharina is not allowed into Johannes’s paint studio which tells the reader that Griet is someone Johannes really trusts. Catharina is very jealous of Griet because Griet is the first and only one to help Johannes. As time goes by, Johannes starts to open up more to Griet through his paintings. Griet also shows a great interest in his paintings. Their similar interests draw them closer and they are able to feel more comfortable around each other. Problems arise when they have to keep their friendship away from their families and Catharina. If anyone were to ever find out about their friendship, all the blame would go to Griet for breaking up a family. Due to their society back then, having a relationship between a master and a servant was looked down upon because they would always assume it involved them having an affair. They would only prefer and appreciate a more formal attitude towards each other so they would not cross any boundaries in status and moral values. Through the complexity and intricacies of human social groups, people of society just would not accept having a close relationship with others whom they believe to be lower than they are. Even more problems arise when a wealthy man named van Ruijven asks Johannes to commission a painting of Griet. Van Ruijven is known for molesting servant girls, and so when Johannes is asked to paint Griet, he becomes very worried of this man’s interest in Griet. This shows Johannes’s care for Griet which she will later on misinterpret for something more. Johannes actually just sees her as a maid and a person who is a part of his family. He feels obligation to protect her because of this. Van Ruijven’s smile made me shiver. There was a long silence. I glanced at my master. He was struggling to maintain a calm expression, but I knew he was angry. (Chevalier, p. 168) Difficulties arise when Griet and Johannes have to lie and hide the fact from others that Johannes has been commissioned to paint Griet. If Catharina were to find out, as much as the painting was asked to be commissioned to van Ruijven, she would not accept it because since Johannes has never painted her, Griet should not have the right to be painted by Johannes. To protect Griet from the consequences, Johannes makes her live in the attic above his painting studio to lessen the suspicion when he has to paint her so she would not have to sneak into the room to be painted. This allows them to be able to spent time alone together when Johannes is painting Griet. Her emotions for him become more evident. Others are able to see Johannes’s protectiveness of Griet as well. You see, competition makes men possessive. He is interested in you part because van Ruijven is. (Chevalier, p. 86) He is trying to protect her from being raped by van Ruijven. When one of Johannes’s friend says this, it makes Griet misinterpret Johannes’s protectiveness for something more than was intended increases her romantic attraction to Johannes. Griet also starts to believe that he starting to like her more than Catharina. When Johannes finishes the painting, he was hoping to quietly show it van Ruijven without anyone knowing or seeing. Things do not go as well as planned when Catharina becomes curious of his paintings and takes a peek at the painting. Catharina realizes the probable relationship between Griet and Johannes. She tries to accuse Griet of stealing her earrings so the others would not know the real problem. Catharina is clearly jealous because he has never painted Catharina or even the children. Griet knew that since their relationship was found out she had to leave. Griet leaves with heartbreak as she wishes that Johannes would come to her defense. I looked up and met his eyes=, holding his grey gaze for a long moment. I knew it was for the last time. I did not look at anyone else. (Chevalier, p. 15) He instead remained silent throughout the entire confrontation and he did not even watch her leave to say goodbye. One can see that Griet should have seen the result of her actions. Heartbreak is the only outcome for a servant who is foolish enough to seek equality with her master. She started off trying to avoid everyone and just do her job to earn money for her family. She ended up having feelings for her master who just thought of her as a member of the family and a maid. Griet misinterpreted Johannes’s intentions which lead to her heartbreak and shame to society.

The Wizard of Oz Essay Example for Free

The Wizard of Oz Essay The Wizard of Oz uses film form by using similarity and repetition. With Dorothy being the main character, she is always reappearing in the film. As well as all of the characters, The Tin Man, The Lion, and The Scarecrow, have similarities to Dorothy. Each of them need something, Dorothy needs to go back home, The Tin Man needs a brain, The Scarecrow needs a heart, and The Lion needs courage. The film also progresses from the beginning to the end, as well as the characters. Dorothy starts at one spot, follows the yellow brick road and eventually makes it to her destination to see The Wizard of Oz, gets what she wants and ends up back home. The characters grow as they go. You can really evaluate this film because it is very interesting and catchy. The director carries the story very well in his Narrative form. Film Style (Mise-en-Scene) The viewers can pick up a lot from the film The Wizard of Oz. The setting is always pretty much the same, there is a lot of different colors, different shapes, and patterns. The filmmaker is always grabbing our attention with the variety of things that show up throughout the film. Something else that the viewers notice a lot is the characters, especially Dorothy. Each of their costumes represents the character, leaving the viewers to remember them by what they are wearing. The main thing that is remembered about Dorothy is her ruby red heels that end up getting her back home. Dorothy receives the ruby red heels at the beginning of her adventure and she wears them all throughout the film down the yellow brick road, and at the end of the film the ruby red heels have a big significance. Dorothy ends up getting let in to see the Wiz of Oz only because of the ruby red heels. Eventually, Dorothy clicks her ruby red heels together and they magically get her back home. (Cinematography) The Cinematography that the Wizard of Oz used is a benchmark for Technicolor’s three-strip process. The individual colors stand out everywhere, and there is never a trace of chroma noise. The image is brighter and sharper in the film. The contrast of the film really affects the mood. Since the contrast is so bright the viewer is bound to stay focused and aware because everything is so catchy and noticeable. Also, the exposure changes throughout the film. At the very beginning the film starts in black and white and changed to color as the story progressed. The filmmaker uses a lot of Long Takes, each shot of Dorothy meeting someone new is pretty lengthy. (Editing) The Wizard of Oz is an early film but editing is used quite a bit. First off, the absence of color in the beginning and the ending of the film. This sets an overall feeling of Dorothy being home. Next the film turns to color once Dorothy dreams of being in a different world, the color, yet again, set an overall mood for Dorothy in this new world â€Å"Over the rainbow.† The first steps of Dorothy being in the world of The Wizard of Oz gives off an example of inside and outside editing. The shot begins with a close up of Dorothy’s face and the camera slowly moves out to show everything else around Dorothy, which was the start of the yellow brick road and Munchkin land. After the viewer see all of that, the camera moves back in to Dorothys face when she says that they are not in Kansas anymore. One editing transition used a lot in The Wizard of Oz is the fade-in and dissolve. Another is cross-cut, two events occurring at the same time but in two different locations. This is used in the scene at the poppy field, after Dorothy and her friends meet the Lion. The shot zooms out to the Witches crystal ball, and fades away. Then the Witch looks into her crystal ball and can see the poppy field, zooming back in to see Dorothy and her friends on their adventure to see The Wizard of Oz. (Sound) The perceptual properties of film sound used in The Wizard of Oz are the loudness (volume) and pitch. The scenes where the group sing â€Å"We’re off Were off to see the Wizard, The wonderful Wizard of Oz, Youll find that the man is a whiz of a Wiz, If ever a Wiz there was, If ever, if ever a Wizmthere was, The Wizard of Oz is one because, Because, because, because, because, because, Of the wonderful things he does, Were off to see the Wizard, The wonderful Wizard of Oz,† the volume as well as the pitch always go up. The rhythm flows really well. An example from the Wizard of Oz that shows non-diegetic sound is when Dorothy is talking to the Wicked Witch and the Good Witch. The characters conversation is mirrored with the music playing in the background. The non-diegetic sound supports the narrative. As well as helping the viewer’s get an emotional attachment to the shots. (Narrative)

Legal Requirements for Child Well-Being

Legal Requirements for Child Well-Being Binnet Mastoor Q1) Current legal requirements are needed for those in order to ensure the childs wellbeing this has to be ensured in the childs from reception and other classrooms the law has been passed to ensure that the child had an providing the information so that the parents are aware. Also the law ensures training and advice for the parents in the child care settings so that they are fully aware and ready to be prepared for time off emergency that faces their way. The outcome also ensure that the child is not any risk from poverty so this means that thy are fed properly and this law is also linked with every child matters so that there are no inequalities between children and the child care provider. There legal requirements re also required by the Ofsted publications so this suggest that they must be followed. In summary the statutory framework for the early years foundation stage enables that the adult to child ratios are equalised and this enables the child to be safe and that their well-being addressed. The learning and development skills were put forward as expectations which were required by the child care provider so that the child is comfortable in this child care setting and that everything is set out for their demand. These learning developments ensure that the child has great enthusiasm to learn and build a basic relationship and this will ensure that the child care setting s mutual and that everyone is happy. There are 3 elements which need to be considered so this means the early learning goals such as basic information and misunderstand. There are basic expectations which are required such as communication and language development so that the relationship that can b e based on talking and sharing. This also enables the child speaks and listen and be able to express themselves otherwise without communication makes the relationship awkward in the childcare setting and means there is no contact. The child must also develop personal and social skills meaning that they have a nurturing confidence and form this kind off mural respect and learn to socialise with their children so that they make a friendship and that the child care setting is comfortable with one another. Furthermore they develop physical development they should be able to move and be free be able to nurture with the environment so that they are active therefore the adult must be aware off this so that they can make their relationship suitable for everyone. The child must understand the world and be aware off all the knowledges in order that they are guided in the right way. Also maths is important for a child and this can be developed such as when shopping letting children count how m uch s brought will really help develop maths skills and also describing household shapes in the childcare setting means that they can learn all the time. Also they develop literacy skills such as visiting the library is very important as it helps children gain this sense off vocabulary and can learn to talk and expand on their words. Likewise arts and design is very important so that the childs mind is creative and that they arent depressed and can be fun and imagine role play with other children in this child care environment. The statutory framework for the early years foundation stage means that the child is safe and properly guarded and as a result is not in trouble and doesnt make the child care setting difficult to be in. Q2) Respecting the child individuality means that every child is different and that you in the child care setting admit and treat others as they would like to be treated to keep this relationship between them going and make sure that things are running smoothly. Children usually imitate things from role models therefore off TV or books and therefore means that they need good role models in order to build a good preceptive and if they have good role models then it has a positive effect on them. If you experience others cultures and are educated off this then it builds bridges between the other children meaning that they will get along because everyone understand and respects one another views it has also been proven to reduce prejudice thoughts at a young age so that in future discrimination can be prevented. This will also make them accepting off other religion and cultures this includes also sharing their foods with them. Thus opportunity means that they are more educated meaning th at it is highly beneficial for them to know what is going on in order to succeed with them in the child care setting. Achievement says such as sport days at designed as they encourage children to participate with other children and be sociable and they must help one another so they are striving and helping one another to achieve or win this same goal. Furthermore having assess to games means that children build team work skills such as communication and helping each other meaning that their organised. Also it is important that you provide children with good routines and chance to interact in formal settings and this means that they will be more organised as they will learn what cutlery to use as a results giving them manners and doing this daily will make it part off their routine so that it will help them in the long run. Finally a very good thing is reward settings which help encourage children to respect one another some people use reward charts so that children will keep collect ing and usually they respond to tasks quicker this will ensure that they are obedient and that they follow things with almost like a routine. Q3) Consistency is very important as it s the key thing to reward the positive behaviour and to punish the unpleasant or negative behaviour. Children need to be brought up strictly from right to wrong so that they know the difference and so that they dont become confused and just act out. Children in your child care setting need to understand that everyone you do has a consequence and therefore they must control and think before they complete any action to ensure that it is right not wrong. They need to understand that a right action will make adults and other very happy and therefore the child must establish that this is the right thing to do and the unpleasant behaviour can put others at risk and therefore as a result needs to be prevented completely as it can be harmful towards others feeling. They need to ensure that positive behaviour is constant so that their relationship with the child is not at risk and that things run smoothly. Positive behaviour needs to be reinforced such as rewards so this can be carried out by giving them a treat when they do something good or praising them will flatter them and children do like this kind off attention means this good behaviour is then repeated. If you keep encouraging the child as result this negative behaviour will slowly disappear because they will see that bad behaviour causes distress in the house and that good bring rewards and therefore will being them the sense that this is the right thing they are doing. On the other hand negative behaviour is both stressing for the adults and child and can only be stopped with an unpleasant consequence such as being punished otherwise if it goes unnoticed them it can escalate to something more troubling. So for example when they are doing good behaviour may sure you pay attention because then they may feel that they ate being neglected and could therefore start being a harm to the other children as well as themselves. Make sure that you are not afraid to say no once in a while but make sure its strict but firm because if you go over the top it could cause them to be permanently scared which is something you dont want to jeopardise the relationship with the child over. Finally this can suggest that even when there being naughty it is not good to ignore but address the issue but not over the top because this aggressive tone may violate in something biggest and you dont want to break the kids confidence always remember that communication is key and the res nothing talking cant solve. Q4) Managing conflict is very important as it mean that it needs to be stable before it escalates to violence which is another level off conflict. Some say that conflict is natural way off life and that it must be experienced by everyone in their lifetime others day it can be stopped by controlling the trigger. Conflict is not often associated as a positive thing as it can mean screaming as in mentally torturing someone such as name calling however it can be physical such as hitting one another this could be by slapping or nudging which in a child care setting could cause serious conflict and justnesses within the other childrens nature and you need to make sure that the child causing this damage is controlled. To avoid anything escalating to this you need to ensure that your relationship with the child is mutual and that there is a kind off love going on for instance they trust you. To manage this conflict you need to ensure that you are fair with all the children and that you dont pick favourites because if you do it can cause this kn off unsettledness in the house and some may get jealous and act out in more off an argumentative conformity way so fairness definitely plays a huge role in ensuring that everyone is taught the same way as children may act out in time off injustice and make sure that when handling kids you dont have a favourite so that your more likely unbiased in your opinion. When it comes to people important to carry out this research which was conducted to suggest that in texas university is that gender differences between children when identifying areas off conflict. For examples girls will show their conflict side by mate ignoring one another because this sends out a strong message that something is wrong a they may bicker or argue so mostly girls verbally abuse one another to show that they are unhappy whereas with boys it is a different story they will results to violence almost immediately. There are various reasons why children act out this can be because they crave attention or sometimes because theyre selfish and dont want to share toys which can cause a divide. Finally its because sometimes they lack social skills or simply because theyve had bad role model and imitate them.

Love for an Underacheiving Team :: Personal Narrative Writing

Love for an Underacheiving Team Sitting in a green wooden seat marked number â€Å"3† in the second row of section 27, I saw Sammy Sosa practice swinging near the dugout. His forearms and shoulders bulged giving a muscular shape to the blue and red Cubs jersey. His thighs were as thick as baby cedar trees. Sammy stepped up to the plate calmly. As he tightened his blue batting gloves snug around his wrists, he also dug two spots for placing his feet. I heard chants from the rising crowd behind the Cubs dugout â€Å"M-V-P, M-V-P!†. In Wrigley Ville, a small residential region of northern Chicago, he’s often referred to as â€Å"Slammin† Sammy Sosa. The Cubs captain lead the National League with 63 home runs surpassing Babe Ruth’s 1927 and Roger Maris’ 1961 records for the second time in his career. Any baseball card will tell you that he stands six feet tall and weighs 220 pounds. However, a baseball card won’t admit that Sammy hit a ball nearly le ngth of two football fields. At 1:30 p.m. that Sunday, Waveland avenue residents knew that their homes were in danger of Sosa’s homeruns flying into their yards or worse – their windows. * * * * Trips to Chicago were not something I could do regularly. Six courses at MIT kept me busy enough that a weekend out of town would disrupt my study schedule. An inexpensive ticket and really good reason would allow me to travel home. During early October, flights were selling for half the normal prices since the devastating terrorist attacks of September 11th. I had no fears of flying unlike some of my paranoid colleagues so I bought a United Airlines ticket to go home. I wanted to see two things: my family and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. * * * * The cheers for Sammy renewed an energy that I lacked for the three years of college. The boisterous voice of the crazed fan sunk deep into my eardrum, â€Å"Let’s go Sammy, hit one out for me, baby.† The Internet radio version of the Cubs games over the last three years never produced this type of quality.

Watchful Government in George Orwells 1984 Essay -- Supervision 1984

Watchful Government in George Orwell's 1984 No one likes being overly supervised and watched. Whether it is a teenager with protective parents or an adult in the workplace with an ever-watching boss the feeling of continuously being watched is unnerving. Throughout history the levels of government supervision have fluctuated from lows to extremes but sometimes the future seems to hold even more watchful governments. These were the feelings when George Orwell wrote the novel 1984. George Orwell showed a world without the freedoms that citizens in the United States live with every day. From looking at the text of 1984 it is obvious how scary a world it is, however this would never be possible in the United States, where inhabitants are free to live a life without repression. From freedom of the press, to freedom of expression and speech, citizens of the United States live with freedoms that those portrayed in 1984 could only dream of. Throughout his book there were many instances that showed Orwell's concern for the world to come. "The hallway smelt of boiled cabbage and old rag mats. At one end of it a colored poster, too large for indoor display, had been tacked to the wall. It depicted simply an enormous face, more than a meter wide; the face of a man of about forty-five with a heavy black mustache and ruggedly handsome features. Winston made for the stairs. It was no use trying the lift. Even at the best of times it was seldom working, and at present the electric current was cut off during daylight hours. It was part of the economy drive in preparation for Hate Week. The flat was seven flights up, and Winston, who was thirty-nine and had a varicose ulcer above his right ankle, went slowly, resting several times on n... ...Big Brother was always watching. Nothing was right unless he said so, and therefore if anyone said anything other then what they were supposed to they would be tried and convicted of a crime. The individual would probably not even know the crime existed. We are lucky as citizens of the United States to have such a freedom. George Orwell predicted a future where an authoritative figure watched every move of every inhabitant. There was no freedom of expression, freedom of speech, and no freedom of the press. For breaking the simplest rule, whatever it may be, the punishment would be severe. Fortunately, George Orwell's predictions of the future came to be untrue. In the United States we live in a society that has freedoms that inhabitants of the world in 1984 did not have. Most importantly, we have the freedom to be free, something George Orwell did not envision.

Buck of Jack Londons The Call of the Wild :: Call of the Wild Essays

Buck of The Call of the Wild The main character of the novel, The Call of the Wild, is a St. Bernard and Scotch Shepherd mix, named Buck. As I read the book, I found out that Buck can be very loyal and trustworthy to his master, if his master is loyal to him. Also, at times I found that Buck could turn into an enraged beast very easily.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At home, which was a large house called Judge Miller’s Place, in the sun kissed Santa Clara Valley in California, Buck ruled over all of the dogs that were there. Buck was Judge Miller’s inseparable companion, until a man named Manuel, who was one the gardener’s helpers, committed a treacherous act. In order to cover his Chinese lottery gambling debts, he stole Buck from his sound sleep and brought him to a flag station called College Park. There, the exchanging of money took place. Buck was loaded onto an express car to Seattle. On his way to Seattle, he found that a man in a red sweater repeatedly beat him. From then on, I knew that Buck would never forget that experience. In that part of the book, I found out that Buck was now an enraged animal and could only be tamed by repeatedly being hit with a club or a whip.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At this point of the book, I was thinking about Judge Miller. He would’ve sent out a message or an investigation in order to find Buck. Because Judge Miller had a big house to live in, the book implied that he was wealthy. The trip to Seattle must of taken days and by then, Judge Miller would’ve been worried sick about his inseparable companion. As the story goes on, Buck’s first experience of snow left him feeling pretty stupid. When the train got to the station in Seattle, two men named Perrault and Francois bought him. Then, they put him on a ship called the Narwhal. At this point of the book, I was thinking about the cruelty of animals and how the humans treated them. It was cruel, but I guess they didn’t care.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Narwhal took Buck to the Yukon where he was trained to be a   sled dog. There were other dogs that Buck had grown to know well during his training.

In the Country of Men Course Notes Essay

Thorough and insightful understanding of the ideas, characters and themes constructed and presented in the text. Complex discussion and critical analysis of the structures, features and conventions used to conduct meaning. Complex analysis of the ways in which social, historical and/or cultural values are embodied in the text. Construction of a sophisticated interpretation, which demonstrates an understand of ways in which the text is open to different interpretation by different readers. Considered selection of significant textual evidence and highly appropriate use of relevant metalanguage. Highly expressive, fluent and coherent writing. Hisham Matar Born NY 1970 Returned to Libya as a 3yo Father a diplomat Accused of opposition of Gadhafi’s revolution In 1979 family escaped to Egypt Father kidnapped by Egyptian security in Cairo and handed over in Libya Never heard of again – 2 letters in 1996. Matar biographical details Personal experiences provide a real link to the events of the novel Father of young Libyan captured by security forces and detained for his opposition to a regime which he claims oppresses freedom This novel is NOT a biography, rather a reflection of his own experiences, particularly his relationship with his mother. Matar’s messages uses his own experiences, or memory of these, to illustrate ideas about family and, to a lesser extent oppression. Where is Libya, North of Africa, surrounded by Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Algeria. Near Turkey and Iran. The Problems with Libya Libya was often occupied during its history – Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans all colonised Libya in ancient times – archaeological sites still there 7th century Arabs introduced Islam religion and culture early 20th century Italy colonised Libya after an agreement with British and French to carve up north Africa Italian influence still strong in Libya – evidence in text – Signor II Calzoni, Faraj reads and swears in Italian Post WWII Libya divided up between French and British Given independence by them in 1951 King Idris 1 ruled 1951 onwards Oil discoveries in 1959 made Libya a very strategically important and potentially wealthy country GADDAFI 1969 Muammar el Gaddafi (Qaddafi), a military officer, headed a military coup against the autocratic King Idris – popular uprising Gaddafi known as The Leader Of The Revolution or The Guide Erratic Ruler, became more and more autocratic himself Strange man Formed in the 1980s – Amazonian guards – personal bodyguards – all women Gaddafi claimed that they would be the perfect guards because Arab gunmen would not fire at women Many claimed that the guards were an example of his eccentric showmanship and that he enjoyed being surrounded by beautiful young women He always travelled surrounded by the Guard Women were very well trained in martial arts and were apparently hand picked by Gadhafi himself They had to take a vow of chastity After he was deposed, many claimed they had been raped by him Shades of 1984 Living in Libya, under Gadhafi Most industries and media were controlled by state Most aspects of peoples lives controlled Telephones tapped, sometimes tapper intrudes on conversations ITCOM Easily identified secret police roam the streets watching people ITCOM Extensive surveillance systems – 20-30% of people worked in surveillance for the Revolutionary committees which oversaw and infiltrated every part of Libyan Society. They are able to walk into people’s homes and look for evidence of ‘disloyalty’ ITCOM Press was silenced University students silenced Public excecutions of ‘enemies’ of state, often televised ITCOM People lived in fear of being accused of crimes against the revolution Gadhafi had dissidents living overseas assassinated. His power is evident not just in Libya but also in Egypt where the Matar family escape to, but Gadhafi’s supporters in Egypt capture the father and hand him over to Gadhafi’s regime. Libya was known as a pariah state for many years – one which acts in a brutal way against its own citizens Libya often shunned by other countries because of active promotion of, and sanctuary given to, terrorist groups. Big Brother Cult of personality built around Gadhafi (Recall 1984) Referred to himself as The Guide of Libya, rather than the leader. Called himself a socialist, an Arabist, an African and a Muslim at various times in his rule. He changed according to which way the political wind was blowing and his actions were always about maintaining power. Libya Mainly a Muslim nation. People called to daily prayers from loudspeakers in mosques. Drinking and eating of prok prohibited. Often women are required to cover up in public. Like all religions, followers range from strictly observant to those who are Muslim in name only. Suleiman’s mother drinks when father is away but doesn’t go out when she drinks because alcohol is prohibited (ITCOM) Alcohol is prohibited by both the Koran and the legal system. Arranged marriages (ITCOM) blood feuds, arguments common, particularly in underdeveloped areas What ideas are these covers trying to convey? Cover 3 bleak, dark, tree represents shelter mulberry tree, tree of knowledge. Storm clouds suggest bad luck is coming etc. again the contrast  looks very western Cover 4. Plain white and blue almost white and blue collar shirts, the smart and the dumb, the rich and the poor. and the boy being in the middle almost a shadow, not 100% there. Red the colour of anti revolutionary. How are the colour font and other visual aspects used to convey meaning here? The white colour reflects the hotness of Libya and the shadow of the boy reflect that he’s not entirely there, the colour use of red is anti revolutionary, symbolic of blood. Why do you think that the author chose the title IN THE COUNTRY OF MEN for this book? Muslim way of life, women are almost lesser important, symbolizes no freedom or mention of women at all, almost symbolizes the WWI as WWI was for men only and women didn’t fight at all. What questions are raised about concepts of country, manhood and humanity? The country of men means its really a man dominant country, there is no such thing as a woman almost. Very sexist society How does the title tie in with the themes of the novel and the position of the characters as they struggle in their environment? How does the author use contrasting imagery in the opening passage to set the tone of the book? How does the image of people seeking mercy from the heat reflect the broader condition of the characters? HOLIDAY HOMEWORK How is betrayal shown to be a strong force in the lives of the characters in the country of men? In the country of men suggests that people cannot avoid brutality in a country under a dictatorship. Discuss. What forms of imprisonment are depicted in the novel? How do the characters experience and react to a lack of freedom? Through the mothers alcohol, women are imprisoned by men, in the country of men, means no voice for women. What can we infer about the lives of women in Libya during the time period represented in the story? They are in a mans world with no control. Throughout the novel, Suleiman refers to his mothers alcoholism as her ‘illness’. How accurate is this observation? Do you feel it is a reflection of Suleiman’s naivety in youth or a kind of wisdom about her actual condition? In the Country of Men Themes Narrative voice The novel is written in first person narration, largely through the eyes of 9 year old Suleiman, but with comments at times from him as an adult. Much of it is internal monologue, one of the reasons that matar created Suleiman as an only child. As he had no one to talk to he internalises his experiences, hence making for a more reflective novel. The child-like commentary allows for readers to understand things that Suleiman does not: for example, Mama’s ‘medicine’ and her ‘illness’. Names Names and naming are important in the text. Interestingly, Suleiman’s name can be traced back to Suleiman the Magnificent, the emperor of the Ottoman Empire in the sixteenth century who expanded the empire significantly and instigated enormous social and cultural developments. He is also known as â€Å"Slooma† a family name which is appropriated by Sharief and ‘habibi’ by his mother which means â€Å"my darling† â€Å"beloved† or â€Å"baby† (Innocence) SETTING The setting of Lepcis Magma is used symbolically as a fallen civilization, an example of how every society will one day decay and die. The concerns of its people have long disappeared into time. MOTIFS The heath/summer is a motif running through the novel. At times it represents hell, as Suleiman tries to avoid hell by practising running over the bridge to paradise. Other times, its glare stupefies the people and pushes them indoors, leaving only the children to jostle each other outside. The long days of summer without school also allows for Suleiman to have the freedom where he observes the adults more than usual. The sea is also another motif, the beautiful blue ocean just at the end of the road. At times Suleiman swims in it looking to be cooled and cleansed from the dirty activities he faces day-to-day. He tries to take Kareem into it to seek some solace from his grief but Kareem resists. Interestingly, it is here where he almost drowns Bahoul the beggar, exerting his power and giving into the base urges that he sees in his society SYMBOLISM The symbolism of replacing the picture of Baba with an enormous picture of the Guide in the reception room, shows loyalty to the regime and the strains on family relationships. Also showing that they have nothing to hide to show loyalty. Shows their not related to what Baba did, and the guide is now their father and father of Libya. The games played by the boys, games such as ‘My land, Your Land’ where they try to take power by gaining more land, represents the political ‘games’ of the older men around them. The squabbles and fights are also a microcosm for  the violence in the country in which they are growing up. Much is made of the power of words in this novel. In an act of resistance to the dictatorship. Nasser is seen running through Martyrs’ square after Faraj, clutching a typewriter used for producing subversive pamphlets. In another scene, Najwa and Moosa burn all Faraj’s books to save him from incrimination; however, the image of books burning is redolent of violent regimes trying to rid themselves of intellectuals who might question them. Moosa is a poet and lover of language; he is also closely tied with dissident acts. Linked to this idea, is the power of storytelling. Ironically, Najwa condemns Scheherazade for being ‘a coward who accepted slavery over death’ pg15. She berates her for not standing up to her husband, for staying to look after her children, for being thankful for her life. The irony is that Najwa appears to be restricted as Scheherazade was and she also seems to fall in love with her husband over time. To Suleiman though she is a hero; that she managed to keep telling tales without giving in to fear amazes him. Also, he is a storyteller too, as is Mama. Loyalty and Betrayal: the novel addresses the issue of loyalty. How do the characters experience loyalty and betrayal? Discuss some examples. What do you think is the main cause of some of the betrayals that occur? In chapter 5, Moosa says â€Å"its our obligation to call injustice by its name pg53† Suleiman’s mother replies â€Å"go call it by its name in your country. Here it is either silence or exile, walk by the wall or leave. Go be a hero elsewhere.† What does she mean? Who is right? How do the different characters in the novel face injustice and what are the consequences? Point of view? How does the point of view of the story affect the way that we see the injustices represented in the story? How might this be different if the narrator were an adult? Hisham Matar has much in common with Suleiman. Both left Libya where they were children, although unlike Suleiman, Matar was  accompanied by his parents. In 1990, Matar’s father was kidnapped while living in exile in Cairo and was returned to Libya, where he was tortured and imprisoned. He has not heard from him since. How does knowing the similarities between the author and protagonist affect the way you think about the novel? Role of women Do the women in Suleiman’s life have any true power, and if so, from where is it derived? How has Suleiman’s opinion of his mother changed by the time he reaches the novels closing scenes? Insight into the text What is the effect of reading about this episode in history through a child’s point of view? What clarity does it bring? In what ways do a child’s impulses muddy the truth? When the students visit Lepcis Magna, Kareem states, â€Å"Children are useless in a war.† Do you think this is true? What might the authors point of view be? What profession does Suleiman ultimately choose? Why do you think the author decided to have Suleiman choose this profession? Pg 232 He chose the profession of medicine, being a pharmacist. It reflected the influence his mother had on him with her illness and helped him to understand what it really was. Gadhafi is the most important character in the novel, despite his absence. Do you agree? The novel examines the futility of resisting oppressive power. Discuss. How does Matar use both tension and narrative point of view to engage the reader? How is tradition shown to be a powerful force in the lives of the characters in In the Country of Men? How does Matar develop a sense of time and of place in his novel? Along with confusion, pain and despair, there is a strong message of hope in Matar’s novel. To what extent do you agree? Corruption is not only isolated to the Libyan dictatorship. To what extent do you agree? In the Country of Men suggests that life demands a choice between resistance and surrender.’ Discuss In the Country of Men demonstrates that it is a man’s actions that deï ¬ ne him.’ Discuss In In the Country of Men, Matar shows more sympathy for women than for men. ’Discuss. â€Å"Why does our country long for us so savagely?† Matar’s love of his country and his fears for it permeate his novel In the Country of Men. Discuss. How does Suleiman’s view of the world change during the course of the novel? ‘Despite the horror of the political regime, this is still a novel about the power of love.’ To what extent do you agree?