Paper 2 Thesis Statement Practice

Explain, with reference to works you have studied, why writers are frequently drawn to tell stories about characters who are rebellious towards or in some way alienated from society 

Authors are frequently drawn to tell stories about rebellious and alienated characters, as they are drawn to construct a unique literary work. In their respective novels, Achebe and Mahfouz portray rebellious and alienated characters such as Okonkwo and Said Mehran to be symbolic of their society and thus convey the authors' unique intentions in writing their novels; to signify the social flaw that lead to the ultimate downfall of social groups, such as that of the Igbo culture in the African colonialism era and the Egyptian society during the 1952 Revolution. 

‘We admire defiance and disobedience – especially in the face of the inevitable.’ 

In light of this view, consider ways in which writers explore defiance and disobedience.

Through the use of characterization, stylistic features and setting of social context, Achebe and Mahfouz are able to depict realistic stories of that of their main characters Said Mehran and Okonkow. In doing so, the writers are able to signify social flaw 

Sheik al Junaydi

In the opening scene of the thief and the dogs, Said Mehran walks out of jail after four years of imprisonment. From there, Naguib Mahfouz portrays Said as a man desperate to find meaning in a world that he believes is corrupt. Throughout the book, he constantly carries the belief that the innocent fail and the guilty prosper. He also seeks guidance and help from his father's spiritual advisor, Sheik al Junaydi. As the story progresses Sheik al Junaydi can be characterized as the moral voice in the novel. He also transformes the mood of anger and hatred through his Sufi ideology. His first words to Said in the book is "peace and God's compassion be upon you" even though he recognizes that Said's main concern is an immediate need for food and shelter.

Sheik al Junaydi contributes to the theme of fat vs. free will as he integrates the free will component in the plot. By displaying a contrast between environments, the reader beings to become aware of Said's actions and questions his motives. Said was so focused on inflicting revenge and seeking retaliation. In doing so- by king Nabawiyya and Illish- he though that he would gain internal peace and vengence. This makes us question Said's meaning of morality as people typically gain that internal peace through things such as forgiving. Sheik al Junaydi introduces the reader with a different idea of morality as he provides to lead a clear and cleansed path.The spiritual advisor's soothing influence is smoothly repeated throughout the novel, but Said is unable to accept his guidance. 

After accidentally killing a man in Illish's old apartment,Said visits al Junaydi again. This time Said skips the morning prayer with his fellow Muslims and Sheik followers. When he wakes, the Shieik observes, "you've had a long sleep but you know  no rest ... your burning heart yearns for shade, yet continues forward under the fire of the son." From this we can see how the Sheik is aware of Said's actions but he  refuses to take his simple wisdoms. After the pointless shootings and Said's public awareness, we can see how his fate can be a consequence of his free will. By choosing to ignore his religion and 

TATD Passage Analysis

“Then he looked up, saying nothing. “It’s no use. You’ll always be worthless and you’ll die a worthless death. The best thing I can do now is hand you over to the police.”

Said blinked, gulped, and lowered his eyes again.

“What have you come for?” Rauf demanded angrily. “You treat me as an enemy. You’ve forgotten my kindness, my charity. You feel nothing but malice and envy. I know your thoughts, as clearly as I know your actions.”

His eyes still wandering over the floor, Said muttered, “I feel dizzy. Peculiar. It’s been like that ever since I came out of jail.”

“Liar! Don’t try to deceive me. You thought I’d become one of the rich I used to attack.”

And with that in mind you wished to treat me—”

“It’s not true.”

“Then why did you break into my house? Why do you want to rob me?”

“I don’t know,” Said said, after a moment’s hesitation. “I’m not in my proper state of mind. But you don’t believe me.”

“Of course I don’t. You know you’re lying.

My good advice didn’t persuade you. Your envy and arrogance were aroused, so you rushed in headlong as always, like a madman. Suit yourself, do what you like, but you’ll find yourself in jail again.”

This excerpt expresses Rauf’s anger towards Said. Chapter 5 introduces Rauf and Nur; two of Said’s past friends that used to steal from the rich with him and us to two new characters. At this point in the book, Said has attempted to break into Rauf’s house and steal from him. After his confrontation with Nabawwiya and Illish, Said assumes that all of his friends have turned on him and that. In this excerpt, we see that Said’s character starts to deteriorate and his internal motives start to turn into an intangible that guide his behavior. After the assumption that all his friends are now similar to Illish and Nabawiya, he decided the only way to gain an update on Rauf’s status is by robbing his hose. This is quite ironic as Rauf and Said used to rob the houses of the rich before Said’s imprisonment.

Firstly, this passage starts off as Rauf contemplates whether or not to hand Said over to the police. By his repetition of the word worthless, he expresses his current feelings towards Said as he catches him attempt to rob the house. His disappointment towards Said’s action has evoked this tone and it can be seen as if his conscious is starting to speak for him or convince him about Said. This repetition can evoke a sense of anger and disappointment. This tone of anger also starts to reveal even more as the third person omniscient narration describes Rauf’s demand in line 5. “What have you come for?” He starts to analyze Said’s actions and bring back the past. This shows how Said’s character is in a certain trans of mistrust that has allowed him to cut off any relationships of his past. Unlike his previous nostalgic phase, he believes that the only way to gain from hi s

It has been realized that Said’s character does not really speak or communicate with Rauf. The narrator describes his dialogue with words such as “muttered.” Said is even offered a way out of his terrible predicament and evil plans through a possible emotional attachment with the character.. And yet again, we see his insanity get the better of him and keep him from what would truly make him happy. This lack of communication can show his guilt in attempting to steal Rauf's house. However, readers ee that he still seeks to pursue his plan throughout the book. Providing evidence to show that his internal struggles in the desire to seek revenge and retaliation is still

Narrative Structure Analytical Response

It is important to discuss narration as it serves a great purpose in context and interpretation. Authors use many tools to communicate to the readers what characters feel and think. Stream of consciousness narration is one way to communicate these internal thoughts. Another important term for this device is "interior monologue " where the individual thought process of a character associated to their actions. The stream of consciousness narration is marked by a sudden rise of thoughts. There are several advantages of using this writing style in literature. It can regarded as a revolutionary technique as it creates a new concept of reality in literature. This style displays a certain sense of freedom from the constraints of time. According to Daiches, it is a "means of escape from the tyranny of time and place." "traditionalists" as he says, "keep their eyes upon the calendar and clock"Because human consciousness is not a respecter of time, time uses all chronological barriers. That being said,

Naguib Mahfouz further elaborated on his role of a revolutionary arab writer with this use of narration. In the Thief and the Dogs, Mahfouz uses this narration to express Said's thoughts. By alternating between different narrative styles, such as indirect, direct and soliquoy, these shifts in narration allow the reader to dive deeper into Said's thoughts and abruptly bring them back to the reality of his situation. This develops Said as a character; as several traits and emotions are clearly expressed in an efficient manner. It also allows the readers to sympathize with his position and story. For instance, Mahfouz uses this narration during Saids first confrontation with his daughter as a free man. His daughter's rejection evokes feelings of humiliation and anger. This foreshadows Saids motives for revenge and retaliation, and serves as an exposition for these motives. furthermore, it creates a larger impact on the reader as they are exposed to Said's personal hardships. This technique is successfully incorporated throughout the whole book. Through the use of internal monologues and and sudden shifts to different types of third person narration, Said's story is revealed in a circular plot. There is a fine line between past and present, which allows the reader to sense that Said can perhaps be in a certain state of nostalgia; especially during the beginning of the novel. Saids choices and motives are highly influenced from past events, so it was critical for Mahfouz to include the shift to the past by

With the many advantages of a stream of conciseness narration also come several drawbacks. firstly, the story can be exposed to a disregard to material/outer reality. The author is trying so hard to actively reveal the thoughts and emotions of the complex character, that the plot can be.The stream-of-consciousness novelist concentrates only on the reality of the consciousness of his character, shows no interest in events. Thus he fails to render life in its wholeness. Liberating themselves from the tyranny of time, the stream- of-consciousness novelists expose themselves to the danger of chaos and formlessness. Adherence to chronology is a restraint but it also ensures clarity. While focused on the psychological aspects and thoughts of the character, the writer often disregards the character's external situation. This is detrimental as other features such as themes and meaning can completely shift.

Value of Literature in Translation

"Literature offers a crucial window into the lives of others, promoting empathy and understanding in a way that travelling somewhere rarely does. By not translating more widely, publishers are denying us greater exposure to on of the reading's most vital functions." Translation is not merely a conversion process. It is more complex than replacing a piece of text into another with a target language. We should consider translators as mediators between two cultures. Rather than substituting one form of a word to another, the translator has the capacity to enhance our understanding on different cultures and by mediating ideas across situational boundaries. Presently, literary works from around the world have made their way into foreign reading lists and has been integrated in education systems, the IB for instance. This is a cause for rejoicing, as literature in translation can hold great value. Translation is a means of cultural interactions, and exposes readers to  different customs and experiences. Furthermore, translation can play a role in politics and act as an tool for reconciliation and social integration. It can thus have a distinct effect on how global and human rights issues can be communicated. Translated literature can be regarded as "a new type of literature" and also an independent type of foreign and native literature, because the translator's ideas of meaning and context of interoperation can be added into the original work. For that reason, it is important to make note that readers should be aware of the context in which the literature was written in order to familiarize the author's true intentions in integrating stylistic features and linguistic devices. In one of the readings in class, the author argues that there are implications posed on both the reader and translator when dealing with translated texts. Many translators translate work without having the full awareness of the work's background. Many readers also follow the same habit, and read translated literature as if they are english books. When translating or reading a translated text, one should recognize the significance of translation in shaping meaning. If an individual

Propoganda Poster

Rationale 

This propaganda poster aims to portray the main characteristics of the learner profile “reflective.”  It builds on the ideology of reflection and considering the past, in order to support their learning and personal development. We mainly employed devices such as, common folks and glittering generalities. Firstly, the propaganda displays an ordinary girl reflecting on ordinary past experiences in order to strive for a better future, and thus promote the reflective ideology. The young woman in the middle is looking into the mirror and her desired future, but simultaneously reflecting on her past experiences with schoolwork. Struggles regarding academics and future planning are an ordinary thing that everyone faces in a certain point of their life, so it is easier for the viewer to relate to the propaganda and understand the ideology. It also suggests that everyone has an equal opportunity to build their futures and develop.  A statement or slogan has also been asserted saying, “Reflect on the past, build on the future” This statement includes a glittering generality as it briefly states the ideology in the slogan but it is open for interpretation according to the viewer's personal experience. 

Propoganda 4 Corner Reflection

"It is acceptable for a government to try to shape public opinion through information campaigns. "

During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, it was evident to see specific political ideologies being expressed throughout the media. This sparked worldwide controversy as news companies were being criticized for their biased approaches when communicating with the public. Fox news was seen to hold views of a American conservative bias. On the other hand, Al Jazeera news was criticized for depicting an anti-american Bias. Though both these channels have denied these allegation, and made it clear that they aim to provide neutral reporting, I personally believe that possessing a certain bias is inevitable. It is part of human nature to seek approval, either it being explicitly or implicitly expressed. On the other hand, I believe the government does have the responsibility to present the public with a fair representations of the realities of a situation. I thus disagree with this prompt, I believe it is not acceptable for a government to try to shape public opinion through information campaigns. Although moral and ethical issues are raised, I believe it is wrong for a country to change the publics opinion via information campaigns. Unfortunately, it is often something that is practiced today, especially in instances such as the Iraq War. However, as previously mentioned I do believe it is a part of human nature to strive for social acceptance and support. Usually, the government aims to shape the publics opinion in order to gain the publics support by antagonizing the other side of the conflict. This leads to the government being able to easily justify their actions. In the case of the Iraq war, a large majority of Americans believed that Iraq's regime was evil and that Americans were helping the Iraqis achieve freedom. Moreover in the case of Jessica Lynch, the public believed that she was kidnapped and that she was mistreated and heroically saved by the American soldiers. Several sources later on revealed that that story might not be the case, some nurses from Iraq even went on to say that they took care of her as their daughter. This sparked controversy because it signifies how 
the government tried to twist the truth. The Jessica Lynch story gives the American public two impressions: firstly that the Iraqis seem like rebels who are fighting against Americans. Secondly, the American soldiers seem like heroes. This obviously advances the countrys agenda enables locals support, although they do possess a distorted image of the war- something that America would want but could  be detrimental in the long run.