Preview

The Rugmaker - in Times of Conflict Ordinary People Do Extraordinary Things

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
609 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Rugmaker - in Times of Conflict Ordinary People Do Extraordinary Things
In times of conflict, ordinary people do extraordinary things.

During times of conflict, we see how ordinary people can do extraordinary things. It is when we are placed in such situations, similar to Najaf in ‘The Rugmaker of Mazar-Sharif’ that we see these things reveal themselves. Najaf experiences, life threatening situations during the war and experiences the effects of the tragedies. Extraordinary acts of humanity are also seen when people of opposing views of the conflict come together to help each other. In recent real world examples it is seen that such acts can also be displayed through battling racial abuse.
During periods of chaos and war, extraordinary occurrences happen where least expected. In a land where many religions are accustomed, Afghanistan’s citizens are divided by these religions. However in the case of safety, two religious groups come together, believing in the same idea. The Hazara and Pashtuns are religious groups with conflicting opinions and different leaders. But Qadem, a known Pashtun to Najafs Hazara family knows Najaf would ‘surely be killed’ if he was to remain in his homeland. It is there that the two groups, although nervous, put aside their differences and conflicting beliefs and ‘entrust’ their lives with one another for the safety of their own futures. Qadem helps Najaf seek asylum from Afghanistan and in turn this leads to him becoming a refugee.
In the conflict at Mazar-Sharif, Afghanistan, a war that seems never ending shows hope. People can survive conflict and in doing so achieve extraordinary feats in the process. Najaf witness many horrors in his homeland and decides it is best to leave behind his family and flee as an asylum seeker in order to find a new home to bring his wife and child to afterwards. He settles in Australia after he gains a visa from his long detention time, and not only does he rebuild his life, he flourishes and remains a man of peace. Najaf claims that peace is ‘part of me, something that

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    1. Najaf’s description of the hospital is that it is normal to see it crowded because war in Afghanistan has become something to be expected. The impact of war on Afghanistan has become something that cannot be avoided ‘’Afghans, warfare had become a disaster so common that it was useless to think of it as something that could be avoided; it was more like earthquakes and floods and plague- catastrophes that you had to live with because they could not be controlled.’’…

    • 2154 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Essay Question: Analyse how an idea is developed in a text (or texts) you have studied In the text, The Rugmaker of Mazar-E-Shariff, written by Robert Hillman and Najaf Mazari, an idea which is developed is identity. We can see this idea developing through the character ,Najaf Mazari. He begins living in the worn torn country of Afghanistan, then he becomes a refugee at the Woomera Detention centre and finally his visa is accepted and he begins a new life in Melbourne. His identity is developed due to these circumstances and environments he finds himself in. We first see Najaf’s identity develop while he is living in Shar Shar and Mazar-E-Shariff, in Afghanistan. His identity is developed because of his surroundings and the circumstances he faces in this environment. The first development of Najaf’s identity is shaped by him living in Afghanistan, (a worn torn country and dominated by the conflict between the Taliban and the Communists). Both of these fighting forces are searching for men of Najaf’s age to join them in battle. We see quite clearly that Najaf does not want anything to do with these groups and the war, through him hiding away for days with the constant fear of being forced to fight. We learn that Najaf does not want to be apart of these groups because he does not believe that wars and fighting is the way to solve his countries’ problems. He states that "A gun has one purpose and that purpose will not build anything, but will only tear down what others have built." The circumstance of living in a worn torn country, develops Najaf’s identity, because this instals in him a peaceful and thoughtful attitude towards conflict. Another way Najaf’s identity is developed is due to the many unfortunate family deaths Najaf and his family have to face. In the text, Najaf loses his father and two of his elder brothers, Rosal and Gorg Ali. It is Afghanistan and Hazara culture that the eldest male is to have the…

    • 1598 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    To conclude, there is no doubt that the conflict of war is a useless encounter that affects many innocent people’s lives, the economic stability and physiological wellbeing of soldiers. It is evident that in some circumstances society makes war to ensure peace, and on the surface this seems rational, even plausible. However, in reality throughout the journey there is a great human and economic cost…

    • 66 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    A Long Way Gone

    • 715 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Throughout media, war is portrayed as a number. Graphs, statistics, and kill counts are often directly related to war; but, war is much more than a number. War is and emotional event. Rarely, individuals see accurate representations of the emotional brutality of war. However, Ismael Beah`s experiences, explained in chapters 1-7 of his book, “A Long Way Gone”, display the emotional hardships that caused Ishmael to grow up quickly.…

    • 715 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    In the text, The Rugmaker of Mazar-e-Sharif an autobiography by Najaf Mazari and Robert Hillman, the main character, Najaf Mazari, through the tests and trails he faces in his life, develops the idea of identity. The idea of identity is a major issue for Najaf and is most apparent at times in Afghanistan, his time in the refugee camp of Woomera and even to the time when he is accepted into Australia where he struggles to adapt to the new culture.…

    • 2449 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    My Forbidden Face

    • 1132 Words
    • 5 Pages

    ‘Terror and Chaos are now our rulers.’ These words haunt and rule over the people of Kabul. The main characters endure through physical and emotional torment, living in a world where fear is lived in ordinary daily routine. The book ‘My Forbidden Face’ by Latifa illuminates the world of Afghanistan before and after the Taliban invasion. Latifa’s mother faced detrimental physical and emotional trauma throughout the novel. Latifa changes from a cheerful teenager to a fearful and cautious woman, simply overnight. Her experiences, sights and stories shape her psychological health, enabling her to become an independent and rebellious voice. The people of Kabul are degraded and dehumanised by the Taliban. Latifa’s anonymous character and emotional outcries inspire and teach the readers to understand the pain and turmoil of the women of Kabul.…

    • 1132 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The disturbing reality, revealed through Changez’s words, of a young Pakistani who was completely and utterly betrayed by the country (America) which encompassed his new life is made difficult to accept on many levels. The dramatic monologue form adopted by The Reluctant Fundamentalist raises doubts to the reader as Changez, the narrator, poses biased and unchallenged views on his ‘inflective journey’. The manner, in which Changez carries about his ‘history’, with such confidence and thorough knowledge, is one of confronting nature, bringing about a sense of uneasiness highlighted through the descriptions of his ‘silent’ companion, the American. However despite these reasons, Changez’s story itself arouses a sense of sympathy within the reader as it is of a young man whose world and soaring American dream were inevitably crushed, allowing his ‘truth’ to be understandable.…

    • 1100 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Kite Runner Racism

    • 313 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Ali and Hassan represent the marginalized group in this story. They are considered by the ruling class to be of lesser value due to their ethnic origin, religious beliefs, appearance and social standing. The author gives us a glance of this when Amir reads about the harassment of, and attempted uprising of the Hazara, and how Amir’s people, the Pashtuns had: “…quelled them with unspeakable violence”. The disregard that people have for the Hazara is reinforced when Amir asks his teacher about what he has read and he responds by saying, “That’s one thing Shi’a people do well, passing themselves as martyrs”. Assef shows how internalized this hostility is when he says to Amir and Hassan, “Afghanistan is the land of the Pashtuns. It always has been, always will be. We are the true Afghans, the pure Afghans, not this Flat-Nose…

    • 313 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Najaf Mazari takes the reader on rollercoaster ride with his experiences and that of his countrymen exploring the tragedies that have plagued his country Afghanistan. The novel starts off by explaining the negative consequences of his illegal arrival in Australia. The trials and frightening experiences also have a very happy ending. The depression and loss of hope when he is stuck in the Woomera camp is more than balance and he and his daughter and wife are granted citizenship. This is the nature of conflict. Sometimes it is a two edged sword wrecking havoc with one side and bringing unlimited joy and happiness and a new way of life on the other side.…

    • 619 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sharbat Gula

    • 506 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Bad things are inevitable, whether it happens as a natural disaster in a local area or a flat tire in the middle of nowhere. Conflict is a part of the world humans live in. Sharbat Gula, the Afghan girl from the cover of National Geographic, has not only experienced a series of most unfortunate events, but she has learned to see the silver lining. Her cultural environment forced her to conform, but the human spirit is not broken that easily. Humans have the ability to survive and adapt, clinging to hope or bracing for more.…

    • 506 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Hazara History

    • 434 Words
    • 2 Pages

    HAZARAWAL: The people living In HAZARA District, in KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA province of Pakistan. HINDKU is their mother tongue.…

    • 434 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    During the wars many people are to sacred to stand up for what is right because they know if they were to say something wrong or just in a way that the officials or Taliban didn’t like they would be either seriously injured or killed right on the spot. “A rumor spread that a Hazara family was living…

    • 1060 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Imagine growing up in a world devoid of innocence, spending your young life navigating the complex repressive forces that have trapped you in poverty, fear and confusion. Now ratchet that sensation of despairing entrapment up 10 notches and you have taken your first step into the world of A Thousand Splendid Suns. The moral message from this book shows “We should be grateful for what we have, by never taking the people that bring happiness and fulfilment in our lives for granted. A thousand splendid suns is a satisfying story written by Khaled Hosseni, it gives a little more insight and more personal sense of what has happened in Afghanistan in the last thirty years and this is exactly the effect his novel has had on me.…

    • 606 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Fundamental

    • 5554 Words
    • 20 Pages

    The form of the novel, with the narrator and his audience both acting as characters, allowed me to mirror the mutual suspicion with which America and Pakistan (or the Muslim world) looks at one another. The Pakistani narrator wonders: is this just a normal guy or is her a killer out to get me? The American man who is his audience wonders the same. And this allows the novel to inhibit the interior emotional world much like the exterior political world it which it will be read. The form of the novel is an invitation to the reader. If the accepts, then, he or she will be called up to judge the novel’s outcome and shape its ending.…

    • 5554 Words
    • 20 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    The author who brought you The Kite Runner brings us a second action-packed novel called A Thousand Splendid Suns. Khaled Hosseini, the author of A Thousand Splendid Suns, wrote this story to let us readers experience the discourteous and rancorous effects that happened in Afghanistan during the mid-20th century to the early 21st century. This story reveals how the Afghanistan population survived and suffered because of their rambunctious laws and men. In the following review of Khaled Hosseini’s work, A Thousand Splendid Suns, I will summarize the books contents and survey its major strengths and weaknesses.…

    • 957 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays