Heart of Darkness

Heart of Darkness is about our narrator, Charlie Marlow, who takes a journey up the Congo River for the Belgian Trading company to discover the corruption and despair in the Congo. During this time period of imperialism, Belgians inhabited the Congo saying it was the "white man's burden" to educate the Africans whom they considered inferior. What ended up resulting instead is the exploitation of rubber in the area, also many atrocities occurred as a result of Imperialism but the atrocities in the Congo were amongst the worste. This book was one of the first to provide a critical perspective of European imperialism. It was considered controversial becuase Heart of Darkness suggests that imperialism falls apart when men are allowed to operate outside a social system of checks and balances: power, especially power over other human beings, inevitably corrupts. So far in the book, I've learned that Marlow is not one who sees things superficially but derives meaning from everything and takes nothing for granted. At the moment, he and his crew are sailing up the Congo River. This book so far is kind of boring but I hope it'll get better!

Kite Runner: back to Afghanistan.

This book has just shifted into high-gear (not that it wasn't moving fast before, it's now faster). Fifteen years after the death of his father, Amir gets a call from Rahim Khan. Updating each other on their lives, Rahim Khan tells Amir "there is a way to be good again" and asks him to come visit him in Pakistan to see him one last time before dying. Amir soon hops on a plane to Rahim Khan and finds out his old friend didn't only want to see him before dying, but offer him a path to salvation. Of course, we first find out about what has happened ever since Amir has gone to America. Rahim Khan had moved into Baba's house to save it for him to move back into, had Hassan move back in to help him tend the grounds, and time after, Hassan is shot--as well as his wife. This sad situation left his son an orphan, and this is where Amir comes in.... Rahim Khan believes Amir can atone for his sins by rescuing the orphaned boy from Afghanistan. AT FIRST, Amir is reluctant, having just found out so much information in such a short period of time, but then decides to do it, seeing that he owes it to Hassan. This book is quite depressing. The fact that my favorite character, Hassan, is dead makes me so sad. I really like the character of Hassan because his loyalty never falters, and his pure personality is one of someone you'd most definitely want as a friend. I can't believe Amir had been so mean to him as a kid because Hassan had been such a great friend to him... almost like a brother(spoiler alert). No wonder they really are brothers! Love that part, but I wish we'd known earlier about this... when Hassan was living in the story.

Kite Runner continued...

As war breaks out in Afghanistan, Amir and his father flee to the U.S. Fleeing was the difficult part: not only that they were leaving their home country--a hard thing to do for someone like Amir's father--but also, the trip was risky. Luckily, they reach America safely but they pretty much have to start from scratch upon arriving there. Amir finishes high school then goes to college to begin studying to become a writer. While his father begins to work in a gas station to support them. I feel bad for them at this time because back in Afghanistan they had everything they could ever possibly want: they were rich, respected, and all knew them because of their famous family members who made a name for them. Amir is the only one who feels happy to escape Afghanistan because of the memories he'd leave behind, only they seem to follow him nonetheless. Regardless, he falls in love with a girl he meets in America and soon sets out to marry her. Too bad though, his father soon dies after. This book is so bitter-sweet but great at the same time.