The Kite Runner Essay Example for Free

The Kite Runner Essay The kite runner is a novel about change. Change is defined as passing from one phase to another. In this novel, it is shown that change is inevitable and no matter how hard you try to suppress the past it will always re-surface. Khaled Hossieni portrays change through settings, relationships and the character of Amir. The techniques used to depict these changes are the three-part structure, emotive language and descriptive language. Change in the setting is powerful as it shows the significant impact on the life of the narrator. The change of settings in the kite runner gives historical perspective and introduces the culture of Afghanistan, where ethnicity, religion and class play a major role in the conflicts of the story. The novel begins with the time and place of ‘December 2001’ in San Francisco. Evidence is shown in the quote â€Å"I went for a walk along Spreckels Lake on the northern edge of gold gate park. It then immediately dates back to an â€Å"overcast day in the winter of 1975† to an event that occurred in an alley when he was twelve years old. This event is important in the novel as it foreshadows a major aspect that has been affecting Amir for the last 26 years. This is shown in the quote â€Å"I became the man I am today at the age of twelve† and the quote â€Å" I knew it wasn’t just Rahim khan on the line. It was my past of un-atoned sins†. The use of unatoned sins provides us that the book will reveal what amir had done in his past life that was so sinful. The three-part structure shows change as a circle of life and how life has many rises and falls. This is shown through the use of dates and jumping of years. Change in relationships in the novel is powerful as it establishes the themes of the novel. Amir and Baba’s relationship introduces an aspect in the novel of how delicate their connection to each other is and how easily it can transition to a negative relation. Amir grows up used to getting what he wants except for the only thing he is deprived and he wants so desperately is baba’s affection. Amir takes the burden of blaming himself as to why Baba doesn’t give him affection because he killed his mother during childbirth. While Baba doesn’t give him affection because he wishes amir was more like him. The quote â€Å"I’ve never laid a hand on you, amir but if you ever say that again†¦.. You bring me shame† is very powerful as it displays how sensitive amir and baba’s relationship is that just by amir asking a question it has ruined their connection to each other. The use of emotive language shows the change of amir and baba’s relationship when you compare it to the end of the book when Baba realizes that Amir is finally happy. Evidence is shown in the quote â€Å"I could see his internal smile, as wide as the skies of Kabul on nights when the poplars shivered and the sound of crickets swelled in the gardens†. The Change in character in the novel is powerful as it displays how issues in the novel conflict to how a person’s life can be changed for better or for worse. In the beginning of the novel, amir is reminiscing back on how he had become such a troubled adult and how he had been scared to stand up for others. Throughout the book we see that amir is basically a good boy, doesn’t get into trouble and is also a good man when he grows up to become an adult, he takes care of his father, has a job and also takes care of his loving wife. But he does make a lot of mistakes in his quest to receive his father’s love and affection. This is discovered in a quote from chapter 7 â€Å"maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba†. The relationship between Baba and Amir effect Amir’s life to the extent that he is willing to sacrifice his relationship with Hassan and Ali by placing his birthday money and a watch that was given to him by his father under Hassan’s mattress to frame Hassan of stealing it just so he could be with Baba. But to his surprise, Baba doesn’t get rid of Ali and Hassan but forgives Hassan for stealing. The birthday money and the watch is significant in the novel as it reappears later in the story when Amir goes back to Afghanistan and stays at poor families house and gives the children of the poor family his watch and leaves some money under his mattress the next morning. The reoccurrence of the watch and money is important in Amir’s change of character, as it has showed us that he has become selfless by putting the money under the mattress but for the right reasons. The use of descriptive language shows the change of Amir’s character when compared to how evolves from being selfish to selfless. This can be identified in the quote â€Å"I remember Wahid’s boys†¦ I realized something: I would not leave Afghanistan without finding Sohrab†. In conclusion the change in setting is shown through the significant impact of the life of the narrator as he tries to run away from his past by moving to America but was ineffective as it resurfaced and he had to redeem himself by going back to Afghanistan to suppress his unwanted memory of Amir being ‘asseffed’. The change in relationship of Amir and Baba is shown through the significant use of emotive language throughout the novel. It introduces an aspect in the novel of how their relationship is poor, as they couldn’t get along with each other. The change in character of Amir in the novel is displayed through the use of descriptive language. It gives the audience a characteristic view of how Amir changes from being a coward to being courageous and saving Sohrab from Assef at the end of the book.

Paris During the Terror Essay -- Papers Paris France Terror Essays Pap

Paris During the Terror This document in its original form as a speech is an unpublished document. However, because it has been translated and printed as a part of a book, it is now a published document. As a source for study, it has several strengths. Firstly, it is now a part of a recognized historical document. Secondly, it fulfills the criteria of being a relevant document because of the author’s proximity to the Paris Terror. It also provides good clues about the view points (however biased) of Jacques Roux and others like him living in Paris at that time. On the other hand, while this speech’s translation into English will ensure it reaches a wider audience, important nuances of the French language may have been lost in the crossover. As a result, significant connotations gained from a choice of French words may no longer be obvious and this may even affect the amount of unwitting testimony one might have been able to extract from it. Another weakness this speech will have is its bias. It is very obvious that Jacques Roux is passionate about the role of the government in the persecution of his people. The reader is presented with one side of the struggle without being aware of whether the government was in fact guilty of what it is charged with. The foot notes are also open to interpretation. How sure can the reader be of the accuracy of the information? While reading Jacques Roux’s speech, it may be difficult to decipher certain terms, one of which is the sans culottes. If one investigates, one will be faced with the task of interpreting which version was meant and used by Roux. In order to truly underst... ... by law’, merchants and traders should bear some moral responsibility towards the poverty stricken citizens of Paris. Although much of what Roux says can be checked against other documents of the era, his speech would be of significant use to a historian as except for the translation to English, it has not been manipulated in terms of personal interpretations or open to discussion. It is mainly for this reason that for a historian, Jacques Roux’s speech is a minefield of information about the personal struggles of a Parisian living during the Terror. Bibliography An Introduction to the Humanities. History, Classicism and Revolution. Block 3. Open University Press.1997 An Introduction to the Humanities. Resource Book 2. Open University Press. 1997 www.library.ttu.edu/ul/subjects/humanities/history/

Business Law, the Laws Applied in This Case Study Essay

Introduction Funster had suffered three forms of losses in this factual matrix, namely the broken ribs, the damaged iPhone and the torn T-shirt. Prima facie, Magic Studios is liable for the negligent damage caused to Funster. Therefore, whether Magic Studios should bear liability for the damage hinges upon whether they can successfully rely upon the exclusion clause set out in the ticket. The approach taken by the courts on determining the applicability of the exclusion clause is neatly set out in Press Automation Technology v Trans-Link Exhibition Forwarding [2003] 1 SLR 712. A court will first determine whether the clause is successfully incorporated, before applying the common law principles of construction to determine if it can be enforced. Following that, it will then apply the Unfair Contract Terms Act [UCTA] to determine if the clause can indeed be struck out by statute. Each point of law will be discussed in turn. Incorporation Two issues regarding the incorporation of a term arise in this case. The first is whether the term has been incorporated before the formation of the contract, and the second is whether there has been reasonable notice on Monster Studio’s part. Both issues will be discussed consecutively. On the first issue of incorporation before formation of the contract, the law is clear that terms should be incorporated into the contract before formation (Thornton v Shoe Lane Parking, [1971] 2 QB 163) [Thornton]. The terms and conditions of a contract should be well known to both parties before they are made to bear legal responsibilities under the contract. Therefore, the notice of a ticket must come before its formation. Elsewise, it will not be enforceable. In this case, it is likely that a court will decide that the term has been incorporated before offer and acceptance. This is because Magic Studios has clearly placed a sign above the ticket booth that certain terms and conditions will apply. Funster thus entered into the contract knowing that certain terms will apply to the transaction. In conclusion, the term would thus be properly incorporated into the contract. On the second issue of reasonable notice, the applicable law is clearly set out in the landmark English case of Parker v South Eastern Railway Co (1877) 2 CPD 416 [Parker] that the recipient of a ticket is bound if â€Å"he had reasonable notice that the document contains terms†, even if he remains ignorant of the terms. This means that the term can be incorporated into the contract only if it is reasonable that an ordinary person would have noticed the existence of such a term. The law in Parker was further clarified in Thornton that where the court held that if the party seeks to enforce an onerous term, it must take additional steps to bring its presence to the other party’s notice. In this case, it is clear that Magic Studios should be deemed as having successfully incorporated the exclusion clause. By using an obvious red font, it had clearly brought to any customer’s attention that there are underlying terms and conditions on the ticket. In any case, Funster had consulted an attendant about the exclusion clause and cannot claim that he does not know of such an underlying term. In conclusion, by applying the clear rules set out in Parker and Thornton, the exclusion clause should be successfully incorporated. Common law principles of construction Following the successful incorporation of the exclusion clause, the next issue is whether the clause can be enforceable by applying the common law principles of construction. As held clearly in Emjay Enterprises Pte Ltd v Skylift Consolidator, [2006] 2 SLR(R) 268, the rule of construction approach will be taken in Singapore where exclusion clauses are concerned. Following the landmark decision in The Suisse Atlantique, [1967] 1 AC 361, the court will determine, through a fair construction of the contract, if the parties have intended for such an exclusion clause to be enforced. Courts have traditionally taken a strict approach towards enforcing exclusion clauses purporting to exempt total negligence (Canada Steamship Lines v The King, [1952] AC 192, but following the enactment of UCTA, such a requirement has been visibly relaxed or non-existent [Jiang Ou v EFG Bank AG, [2011] SGHC 149) [Jiang Ou]. Applying the law to the relevant facts, it should be clear that the common law requirement of construction should be fulfilled. Both Funster and Monster Studios can be said to have reached an agreement as to the enforcement of this clause since Funster had only bought the ticket after seeing the large sign containing â€Å"terms and conditions apply† above the counter. Funster must thus have entered into the contract knowing that certain terms and conditions may apply. Moreever, as seen in Emjay, the court is reluctant to reject any claims at this stage of the inquiry, preferring to use UCTA to weed out unmeritorious exclusion clauses. In conclusion, the clause can thus be successfully enforced, pending passing the requirements in UCTA. Unfair Contract Terms Act As mentioned earlier, Funster had suffered three types of damages – personal injury, damage to iPhone and damage to T-shirt. Each of the damage will be discussed in turn using the appropriate provision in UCTA. Broken Ribs Section 2(1) of the UCTA clearly states that a person cannot â€Å"exclude or restrict his liability for death or personal injury resulting from negligence†. This clearly shows that parties are not allowed, under the law, to exclude liability for personal injury or death. Such a provision was written into law in order to protect parties, especially vulnerable ones such as customers to theme parks who might not have equal bargaining power, in cases whereby one party’s negligence have caused serious injuries or even death. Applying the s.2(1) to the facts, it is clear that Funster can claim for negligence with regards to the broken ribs he has suffered. Broken ribs belong to the category of â€Å"personal injury† in s.2(1), and a party clearly cannot exclude liability for such personal injury. As Monster Studios is already prima facie negligent, whether Funster can claim damages for his broken ribs hinges solely upon the application of s.2(1) of the UCTA. Applying the strict requirement in s.2(1), it is clear that Monster Studio cannot exempt liability for the personal injury that Funster has suffered. In conclusion, Monster Studios cannot rely on the exemption clause to exempt liability for Funster’s broken ribs. Damaged iPhone and Torn T-shirt Both the damaged iPhone and torn T-shirts may be classified under other forms of damage, applicable under â€Å"other losses and damage† under s.2(2) of UCTA. It is thus important to look at the relevant provision, which states that Monster Studio’s liability cannot be excluded except where it is reasonable to do so. While s.2(2) does not state what the term â€Å"reasonable† means, this is clarified in s.11 that a reasonable term is one which is â€Å"known or in the contemplation of the parties when the contract was made†. Typically, courts will consider several factors in determining whether a particular exclusion clause is reasonable. They include whether the relative bargaining powers of respective parties (Jiang Ou), whether there are any protests by the claimant (Kenwell & Co Pte Ltd v Southern Ocean Shipbuilding, [1998] 2 SLR(R) 583) and if there are any reasonable alternatives (Tjoa Elis v United Overseas Bank Ltd, [2003] 1 SLR(R) 747). As mentioned in Jiang Ou, the ultimate consideration by the court is whether it is against public policy to allow the enforcement of the particular exclusion clause, and such an inquiry is based on the particular facts of the case. In this case, there are two claims which arise with regards to s.2(2) of UCTA, namely the damaged iPhone and torn T-shirt. For both items, Funster should be allowed to claim for the relevant damages. Applying the several factors set out above, it is clear that Funster had little bargaining power over the inclusion of the exclusion clause and cannot be said to have any other alternatives but to accept the clause if he wishes to take the roller coaster. As discussed in Jiang Ou, it is against public policy if amusement parks such as Monster Studios are allowed to escape with their own negligence by drafting an exclusion clause. The UCTA was specifically drafted to protect consumers such as Funster from being denied legal recourse when faced with a negligent organisation such as Monster Studios. In conclusion, a court is unlikely to deny Funster the claims for his iPhone and the T-shirt. Conclusion In conclusion, Funster should be allowed to claim for his personal injuries, the broken iPhone and the torn T-shirt. While the exclusion clause drafted by Magic Studios can pass the requirements of incorporation and common law construction, it is unlikely to pass the stringent standards set by UCTA. REFERENCES Cases 1.Canada Steamship Lines v The King, [1952] AC 192 2.Emjay Enterprises Pte Ltd v Skylift Consolidator, [2006] 2 SLR(R) 268 3.Jiang Ou v EFG Bank AG, [2011] SGHC 149 4.Kenwell & Co Pte Ltd v Southern Ocean Shipbuilding, [1998] 2 SLR(R) 583 5.Parker v South Eastern Railway Co (1877) 2 CPD 416 6.Press Automation Technology v Trans-Link Exhibition Forwarding [2003] 1 SLR 712 7.The Suisse Atlantique, [1967] 1 AC 361 8.Thornton v Shoe Lane Parking, [1971] 2 QB 163 9.Tjoa Elis v United Overseas Bank Ltd, [2003] 1 SLR(R) 747 Books Ewan Mckendrick, Contract Law (8th Edition), Palgrave Macmillan Law Masters (2009) Websites Singapore Academy of Law. Singapore Contract Law (accessed on 3rd May 2012). URL: http://www.singaporelaw.sg/content/ContractLaw.html Stamford Law Legal Updates, Jiang Ou v EFG Bank AG (accessed on 3rd May 2012) URL: http://www.stamfordlaw.com.sg/legal.php?id=241

Apocalypse Essay - 1207 Words

Apocalypse There have been many stories written about the apocalypse or the end of human civilization. They often focus on man’s struggle to avoid annihilation. War of the Worlds, by H.G. Wells and Independence Day, directed by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, are examples of the unique qualities of films concerning the end of human civilization. Such Apocalyptic films offer a unique perspective on human character in an extreme setting. Apocalyptic stories are unique because there is no historical event to use as a reference. There have been events where a small group has faced annihilation but humanity as a species has never faced assured destruction. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1963, there was some belief that any use†¦show more content†¦In many stories dealing with ‘The End’, people are faced with an external threat and therefore are united in a common interest. The idea of a unified human civilization is also appealing to audiences. Unifying the world ideally would end many of the conflicts between nations. The threat of total annihilation is one of the few events that could potentially unify the world in such a way. In H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds humanity is invaded by Martians who threaten to wipe out mankind. In the movie, many characters begin to work on a way to stop the Martians with no success. Many men (women did not play an important role in the film), who would otherwise not cooperate, begin to work together without any conflict or dispute. In addition, some people who stayed behind in Los Angeles begin to help each other during the attack. This degree of charity would never be seen in normal times in Los Angeles. The level of cooperation and goodwill in the film is a positive portrayal of humanity and its resilience. Other films combine different aspects that appeal to audiences. Some films use individual characters to represent the positive attributes of man. The film Independence Day, for example, has a brave pilot who is willing to sacrifice himself to destroy the alien threat and another character that rescues survivors of the initial attack. Another character, the U.S.Show MoreRelatedThe Apocalypse Of The Zombie Apocalypse2255 Words   |  10 PagesDuring a zombie apocalypse, one cannot assume they can survive on their own. Without knowing how the zombies could act, one could be at a loss when trying to fight alone. In modern life, one will learn certain attributes that could be beneficial during a zombie outbreak. However, most people will not hold all the abilities needed to survive. Therefore, banning together with diversely astute people would benefit the whole group and aid everyone’s survival. 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