Forrester is introduced into the story as a character Jamal and his high school friends call “the window” because he never appears outside, but only at his window with binoculars to watch the happenings of his ghetto neighborhood below. He is a grumpy old man who lives alone and seems to be agoraphobic.
He wrote the great American novel Avalon Landing in the mid 1950’s and never wrote another novel, and has since resided in solitude an apartment. He spends his days reading his vast collection of books, drinking and watching the neighborhood boys play basketball on the court across the street from his apartment.
Forrester’s quiet, ordinary life is unexpectedly interrupted when Jamal, a brilliant 16 year old basketball player, plays a prank on “the window” and accidentally leaves his backpack in the man’s apartment. When he gets it back, he discovers that “the window” has made notes in all of his journals where he writes his stories in secret.Forrester agrees to help Jamal in his writing provided he asks no questions of Forrester’s private life. Jamal agrees, and the two begin to form a bond.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
The Enemy Within
Definition of enemy: A hostile force, a person in opposition.
In George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant”, the enemy is not just what one would consider up front when reading the story. The author battles with several enemies including his own conscience that pricks him when he unwillingly has to shoot the elephant.
In George Orwell’s case, his enemies are the Burmese people who are hostile and ill-treat him. He also finds his job as a police officer to be his enemy to a certain extent because he is opposed to it and he considers the British Empire to be “brutal”.
Similarly, the Burmese people are oppressed under the British colonial Raj and therefore they despise the Europeans and consider them to be their enemies. Their hatred and resentment towards the British officers is obvious in the story as well.
In conclusion it can be said that the enemies in the story match the definition of enemy quite aptly.
In George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant”, the enemy is not just what one would consider up front when reading the story. The author battles with several enemies including his own conscience that pricks him when he unwillingly has to shoot the elephant.
In George Orwell’s case, his enemies are the Burmese people who are hostile and ill-treat him. He also finds his job as a police officer to be his enemy to a certain extent because he is opposed to it and he considers the British Empire to be “brutal”.
Similarly, the Burmese people are oppressed under the British colonial Raj and therefore they despise the Europeans and consider them to be their enemies. Their hatred and resentment towards the British officers is obvious in the story as well.
In conclusion it can be said that the enemies in the story match the definition of enemy quite aptly.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Joys of Summer!
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that my father had planned a river rafting trip for the family. It was surely going to be the best day of my summer holidays. My siblings and I were thrilled to pits because we had heard countless interesting stories of my dad’s river rafting trips when he was a teenager. We were all looking up to him to help us with our first ever rafting trip as he was quite experienced and knew a lot about rafting.
The river was vast and seemed to go on forever, while the rapids came crashing on the huge rocks by riverside. The sight surely scared me but the encouraging look from my father gave me the courage to take part in the rafting and to my immense amazement it turned out to be a lot of fun!
After a long and tiring rafting experience we were all hungry and so we decided to take a break. We devoured the tasty sandwiches as a well earned treat and drank pop before running back to the river with our lifejackets set and splashed each other with water. It was like reliving my childhood and I enjoyed every bit of it.
It was surely the best thing I did all summer.
The river was vast and seemed to go on forever, while the rapids came crashing on the huge rocks by riverside. The sight surely scared me but the encouraging look from my father gave me the courage to take part in the rafting and to my immense amazement it turned out to be a lot of fun!
After a long and tiring rafting experience we were all hungry and so we decided to take a break. We devoured the tasty sandwiches as a well earned treat and drank pop before running back to the river with our lifejackets set and splashed each other with water. It was like reliving my childhood and I enjoyed every bit of it.
It was surely the best thing I did all summer.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Mommy dearest for a day!
“Mama… mama?”
“What’s wrong?” I mumble drowsily to Azmeena.
“30 minutes are left! Saleem hasn’t come as yet!” She exclaims.
“Oh God! These servants! Whenever you need them the most, they are nowhere to be seen!” I mutter to myself as I scramble out of bed.
My Sundays are also ruined, how I wish there was someone to do all the work so that I could sit back and relax for a change! But then again being a mother doesn’t permit me to wish for something as farfetched as that! It seems as though I had just gone to bed a while ago. *Sigh*
I glance at the clock on my way down to the kitchen, 20 minutes left! I dash into the kitchen, switch on the lights and start preparing Sehri for everyone. So here I am busy cooking in the heat of the kitchen while the rest of the family is comfortably asleep in their cool air-conditioned bedrooms. Who said being a mother was easy?!
“What’s wrong?” I mumble drowsily to Azmeena.
“30 minutes are left! Saleem hasn’t come as yet!” She exclaims.
“Oh God! These servants! Whenever you need them the most, they are nowhere to be seen!” I mutter to myself as I scramble out of bed.
My Sundays are also ruined, how I wish there was someone to do all the work so that I could sit back and relax for a change! But then again being a mother doesn’t permit me to wish for something as farfetched as that! It seems as though I had just gone to bed a while ago. *Sigh*
I glance at the clock on my way down to the kitchen, 20 minutes left! I dash into the kitchen, switch on the lights and start preparing Sehri for everyone. So here I am busy cooking in the heat of the kitchen while the rest of the family is comfortably asleep in their cool air-conditioned bedrooms. Who said being a mother was easy?!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
It's all about me! ;)
In an attempt to write a unique self introduction I wasted around three days. Every time I opened my blog to write something, all that came to my mind was “Hi, this is Azmeena Rahmatullah, I’m in Szabist etc… ”and so here I am a day before its submission thinking of what to write, yet again!
I think I should start by perhaps introducing myself. So for those who don’t know me, I’m Azmeena Rahmatullah. I’m currently in Szabist doing my BS in Media Science. Why? Probably because writing and drawing are my passions. In short, I am a creative person and I feel that Media Science is a field that requires creativity and so that’s why I chose to pursue a career in Media. As for my educational background, I did my ‘O’ levels from Bay View Academy and my ‘A’ levels from Southshore.
Having said that I’ll say I’m a down to earth person, family always comes first. Contrary to popular belief, being the only child has not spoilt me. In fact it has taught me to appreciate what I have that others may not have and to appreciate and value what I have. I am an optimistic person and I’d say that’s one of my good qualities.
Other than that I’m a true Piscean at heart. I would describe myself as a compassionate, understanding, mystical, shy, helpful, hospitable, temperamental, gullible, self pitying and emotional person. That’s all for now everybody. I guess writing a self introduction was not such a big deal after all! ;)
*Azmeena*
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