Connection: The Kite Runner and The Lion King

Disney movies are often criticized for their stereotypical depiction of women and unrealistic relationships. Yet some, including the Lion King, are true classics with nice kid friendly lessons and addicting songs. These lessons may seem simple on the surface, but when they are evaluated, we can see that they pertain to the issues of stories aimed for the older generation.

Amir viewed Baba as a superior human being. Baba was an extraordinary man who accomplished much in his life, and Amir wanted more than anything to become like him and constantly yearned for his love and affection. Simba also views his father, Mufasa, in the same way that Amir does. Mufasa is the king of the Pride Lands, a position of high respect. And Simba wants nothing more than to follow in his father's footsteps, steps of success. Yet both of these relationships are dysfunctional for reasons that may not be so obvious.

Both Amir and Simba see their fathers as highly regarded people/animals. When one views a family member in this way, they put themselves on a different level, one of a lower class with less value. This causes the person to feel intimidated and almost frightened by their so called superiors. Amir constantly compares himself to Baba and therefore always is disappointed that he is not more like his father. Simba also struggles with the same problem, for Simba yearns to be king like his father one day. But Simba worries that he is not worthy to be king, for he could never be as powerful as his father, never live up to his greatness and legacies. For example, after Mufasa's death, Simba views him as a powerful god like creature in the sky rather than a lion like himself.

This is an important element to evaluate because it helps us to better understand the actions of both Amir and Simba. Simba hesitates to return the the Pride Lands when his homeland is in need because he fears that he won't be able to save his father's land and control it with the grace and success that Mufasa had. Similarly, Amir frames Hassan for stealing his money and watch partly to force Hassan and Ali to leave, and partly to become closer to his father. Having Baba to himself is just what Amir wants. And with that comes more attention, more love, more affection from his powerful father.

In short, both Simba and Amir's feelings towards their fathers are feelings of intimidation, fear, and a yearn for their affection. With a better knowledge of these relationships comes more understanding of the motives for the actions of both characters, which ultimately helps us better understand the message that the author or screenwriter is trying to get across.

Best of Week: Nature vs. Nurture

During class this week, we discussed the nature vs. nurture principle and applied it to Assef in the Kite Runner. Most all of the readers of Kite Runner are thoroughly disgusted with the character of Assef the first time the book mentions him. His cruel thoughts and unbelievable actions make him the most hated character in the novel. In order to get to the roots of Assef, we discussed a very difficult issue. What made Assef this way? Was there something truly abnormal with him and his health? Or was it the unique way in which he was brought up, the way society has shaped him? This questions brings up the nature vs. nurture argument.

Assef has never known discipline. He has managed to obtain the ability to control everyone around him, from his obedient followers as friends, to even his parents. He acts with no consideration towards others, not understanding the feelings of guilt or sympathy. And the sick part is, he enjoys every minute of it.

There is another side to Assef's personality. The cause of his actions could simply be nature, the way he was born. Amir labels Assef as a sociopath, someone who was born differently than everyone else, someone who has a mental disability. It's not Assef's fault that he acts the way he does. He's just different.

After listening to this discussion and hearing both sides of the argument, I have come to the conclusion that Assef is not a sociopath, but instead a fully functional human being. His upbringings and overall weird lifestyle have contorted Assef into a disturbing human, one who laughs at other's pain and scoffs at hurt feelings. This is because Assef is not stupid, but rather quite intelligent. He knows every action that he takes and understands it, for the adult Assef becomes a very powerful member of the Taliban, a position with high respects.

We'd all like to say that we don't care what other people think about us. We'd like to think that our lives are not determined by what other people say, that they don't have an affect on us. But we do. It's a fact in every one's lives, and we must understand both the nature and the nurtured side have affected who we are today.

Change of Mind: The Blue Sweater

In this week's issue of Time Magazine, there was an intriguing article titled 25 Responsibility Pioneers. The article listed twenty five companies, nonprofits, and activists that are really making a difference in the world. Included are powerful individuals, large corporations and innovative thinkers. As I continued to read the article, I discovered a photo of Jacqueline Novogratz. Next to her picture was a brief summary of her work and accomplishments with the Acumen fund. After seeing this article and reading Novogratz's book, I really changed my opinion of her life and the achievements that followed.

While reading The Blue Sweater, I often questioned how unique her story really was. I mean, there must be other do-gooder global citizens out there, right? People who are constantly working to better their global community and dedicate their whole lives to the cause? These questions ultimately made me belittle Novogratz's work, for I assumed that there were more Jacqueline Novogratzs in the world who we weren't hearing about. I also wondered why it was this particular book we were assigned. Why her work? Why her story?

Yet after seeing Novogratz's work in a popular magazine, many of these questions were answered, forcing me to reevaluate the judgement that I had made about The Blue Sweater. The Time article allowed me to see the Acumen Fund's originality along with Novogratz's individuality. We read The Blue Sweater because of the author's new and unique perspective on charity work. We discussed her story because of the difference it was making in the world, and how the future would be affected by her work.

Seeing Jacqueline Novogratz's face outside of The Blue Sweater allowed me to view her work in new way. I was able to appreciate her unprecedented thoughts and her bold approach to improving the current methods of charity. I gave more credit to the discussions and class time we spent discussing the book. The Blue Sweater illustrates a powerful example of what a strong individual is and how they live their life, something we should all strive to be. After reading the book and have realized the connection with it and the public world, I have realized that Jacqueline Novogratz is truly a global citizen and that her work is touching the lives of millions around the world.