Theme Notebook

September 7, 2010

Showing compassion builds character

 

 I think, ‘Showing compassion builds character’ is a dominant theme in Langstone Hughes’s story ‘Thank you Ma’am’. This is because, the whole story shows us about compassion, which is showing the warmth of human beings. Especially in introduction, after Roger pickpocket her large purse, he caught by Mrs. Luella. However, instead of hit of cane him, Mrs. Luella forgave him, to teach him by warmth, therefore she said ‘I would teach you right from wrong. Least I can do right now is to wash your face’. Such as this sentence, with happy and pleasure face, she finally decided to change her mind to teach him. Also she knew that, he was in wrong track, which can be very important period to him. Finally when they arrived at home, they had some conversation about their family and individual stories. From that process, they shared their own minds or thoughts, which become a great chance to believe each other. Such like that, Mrs. Luella taught him by kindness, and he learnt that the better way to communicate with other person is using kindness, not using the violence and bad behaviors. Such like this, the word kindness and warmth made and built a good character. Also the best example is showing up in story ‘Thank you Ma’am, who’s name is Roger.

The another story about ‘Showing compassion builds character’ is, a book called ‘Don’t eat Marshmallow… Yet!’. This story is start by two protagonist, firstly, successful president from IT industry, secondly the driver from that successful president. The main theme and story about this book is very similar to ‘Thank you Ma’am’. This is because; the main story is about the president, that he make corrections to his driver. This is because, driver told him about his present years, which was very unclear and cannot stop things that he wanted to do. Therefore, he spent his teenage as just he wanted. For example; once time, he’d like to buy his favorite car, therefore instead of studying, everyday he spent his time as part time jobs, to earn money. Such like this; he didn’t use his time wisely. From this part, I could annotate that, when we are teen age and just spent our time not wisely; we can mess up our whole life.  Next day, the president told him about what he did when he was 4 years old, he told him that, he went some where with his father, after they arrived that strange place, his father left him just alone. Few minutes later, someone came into his room and he explained that ‘I will give you 10minutes, and if you do not eat this marshmallow, I will give you one more marshmallow’, than he just left that room. That period, which was 10minute, that period was very hard time to him, because he was only 4years old. Also, when he is only 4 years old, it will be harder to control his mind correctly. However, he endured that 10 minutes and he got a one more marshmallow. He told driver that, who ate marshmallow wasn’t that successful compare to child who didn’t eat marshmallow. At the last he told him that, sometimes they need to control their thinking and mind. This is because, if we cannot control ourselves, our whole life can be effect by that small mistake. Finally, driver caught the main idea, and then he started to study himself. Which is a new start point to him. Also he bought one pack of marshmallow, and he started to save each days. One day, he counted the whole pack of marshmallows, which he saved; in that pack he could find more than 300 marshmallows.

Such like this, the short story about ‘successful’ helped very much to a person, who was panicked because of his future and present. However, it doesn’t mean that, we are fail, if we eat marshmallow, even though we eat marshmallows, we can become successful, by their effort and make another chance. It means, if we start with new and clear mind, we cannot regret about our small mistakes. Also that mistake, which is failed result, will become a ladder in a future. Therefore, they can look far and think widely. As Roger, he learnt by his small mistake, and that mistake make him better person, same as driver.

August 2010

 
Betrayal can Lead to Vengeance.

Betrayal can lead to vengeance is a dominant theme in Roald Dahl's short story, "Lamb to the Slaughter". In 'Lamb to the Slaughter’ 2 main characters appear, in that story, those two people look like very normal. Also they are acting very normal. For example, the wife acts very kind to her husband, they spent times together and husband work very hard for his family. However, only one sentence made that family fall in to confusion. Compare to the end of the story, the story start  very calm and lovely. One ordinary afternoon, the detective Mr. Patrick came back to home. His wife, Mrs. Maloney is ready to serve him very kindly and happily. She even remembered the small habits, such as, ready whiskey or cigarette. However, suddenly her husband started to do unusual things, and that caused to become Mary Maloney feel angry and furious. And the foreshadowing sentence 'I will divorce with you' lead Mary to kill her husband.

Another story about vengeance occurred in Afghanistan. A woman called Bibi Aisha had a horrible experience with the Afghanistan government (which is same to Taliban) and her husband's family. According to the news article, she was sold to another family when she was 8years old, to be the wife of one of the sons of that family.  She didn't even meet her husband, when she reached to her husband’s house. 8 years later, she went to her husband’s family and that’s the beginning of the tragedy. When she went to her husband's family’s house at age of 16. They tortured and abused her for 2years. During that period, her husband’s family treated her worse than a prisoner.  She never got to go out from the house, she had to serve the whole family and the family consisted of eleven people. Finally, she thinks she could not endure this terrible life any more. Therefore she planned to escape from her husband’s family. Fortunately, two female neighbors helped her to escape from her 'prison'. Together with her two neighbors, she went to Pakistan. After they arrived at Pakistan, Aisha’s two companions planned to sell her to another man. However, few days later the police caught the 3 women and imprisoned them. The Pakistani court sentenced them for 3 years. The president of Pakistan sympathized with her and lowered her sentence to 5months,  Unfortunately, her father-in-law took her back home again after the sentence was served. Finally she was accused by her husband for bringing shame to the family and that was the first time that Aisha saw her husband. In the Taliban court decided that, her ears and nose should be cat off. To execute her crime she went to mountain, finally her husband cut her nose and ears off and he just abandoned her in mountain.

As Mary Maloney killed her husband, and Aisha’s husband cut his wife’s ears and nose, most time betrayal happens simultaneous with vengeance. This is because, the shock of betrayal effect a lot to human beings. However, this situation, which is second paragraph was little bit special and surprise, because Aisah escaped her husband house, because her husband’s family keep tortured and abused her. This is opposite story about first paragraph. This is because, when Mr. Patrick asked to her to divorce with him, he felt very sorry to his wife, but in second paragraph, Aisha’s husband accused and cut her ears and nose off, and it was the first face to face with Aisha and her husband. Even in this opposite situation, its true that, betrayal always causes the shock or vengeance to another person.