Guilt is not only a negative feeling but it can also be positive when the guilt helps develop a positive action. In the story Shooting Kabul by N.H. Senzai, the main character, Fadi, feels great guilt for leaving his sister Miriam behind in Afghanistan. The guilt motivates him to search for his sister and makes him more independent.
This guilt that Fadi has for losing his sister makes him feel that it is his responsibility to find her. Fadi tries desperately to find Miriam; even going has far as to hide in the trunk of his fathers’ taxicab. He also enters a photography contest hoping to win a trip to India because it is close to where Miriam is living. Both attempts return as failures, which devastate the main character Fadi.
Trying to find Miriam shows how independent he is because Fadi is taking risks all by himself. To find Miriam he has to go on a plane all the way back to Afghanistan by himself without telling his parents and family. Fadi also knows that he is not allowed to do these things alone, but Fadi goes alone anyway. He doesn’t ask anyone to come along with him or ask for any help. His guilt makes him feel responsible for Miriam’s situation so he does it by himself.
People usually see guilt as being something bad, but sometimes, it isn’t. Fadi shows how hard he tries to get his sister back because of the guilt he is feeling. He has much guilt about leaving his sister behind but, because he feels for being responsible, he is determined to get her back. Fadi is not only determined but he is now more independent.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
On March 16, 1968, members of Company C, also known as Charlie Company, of the 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 11th Brigade of the 23rd (Americal) Infantry Division working under the command of Captain Medina and Lieutenant Calley entered the South Vietnamese village of My Lai and systematically murdered between 347 and 504 innocent non-combatant civilians. A series of investigations in the year following the incident led to the arrest of one officer who was released after only serving three and one half years under house arrest. How did it happen that a massacre of such a great scale ended with little to no repercussions for those involved? Who was really to blame for the massacre: the men on the ground or the higher ups? I believe…
- 1409 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
“Agent-regret is simply tone deaf to how subjective guilt feels.”p155 The main character, the seventh man, has a logical reason to feel survivor guilt. The seventh man could not access and possible act quick enough in the situation to save his very dear friend from the oncoming wave. His best friend K not paying attention and along with the wave, had gave him little time to react which triggered a flight or fight response in which his instincts chose flight. It was not the seventh man's intention to lead K down to the beach or for those action to happen.…
- 583 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
The fact that he can’t avoid his fate is a strong topic throughout the novel. He can’t leave the house and go with matt because he will not have enough money to take her anywhere. The narrator states “There was no way out - none. He was a prisoner for life, and now his one ray of light was to be extinguished”, and this makes him realize life can never be fixed and get better. And he also cannot stay at home, because he loves Mattie and not Zeena so he is stuck in a dilemma, and can’t avoid what was meant to be. Also his mother died in winter, which made him feel as if he would go crazy if he was stuck in the house alone all winter, which made him ask Zeena to stay with him even though he did not love her. This is just a reason of chance, and ended up being his fate. Also he tries to escape his fate, and die with Mattie but he is meant to drag on his life with Zeena for as long as…
- 709 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
As a child, much of the minds of people reflect on bright, bittersweet moments filled with positivity and innocence. However, young children may also have a sense of knowing right from wrong, while feelings of guilt emerge from little to big mistakes. In the passage from “1996”, Gary Soto’s continuous thoughts of guilt convey themselves through a shameful tone, vibrant imagery, and conventional biblical allusion showing that the guilt associated with wrong-doing ends in self-destruction.…
- 821 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Feelings of guilt can disrupt a person's life to the point where death,an end to suffering is longed for. An example of this in the book is when Macarthur stayed on the balcony looking out to the ocean. He knew what he did in the past so he decided to go with the fate of dying. Instead of fighting for his life like everyone else, he wanted to die peacefully. He did not falsely accuse anyone or betray anyone.…
- 172 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
Through the use of parallel events along with themes, such as the journey towards adulthood and the search for redemption, Khaled Hosseini portrays a guilty Amir in search of redeeming himself and paints a story of "friendship, fathers, sons, betrayal, tribute and redemption" ("Novels which explore the struggle for modern identity"). Throughout the novel there are many parallel events that show Amir's quest to redeem himself, from his desire for acceptance in Baba's eyes to his guilt about Hassan's rape. These events put the novel in motion as it sets up Amir's want for redemption early in the book.…
- 740 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Guilt is considered as ‘’a painful emotion experienced when one believes one’s actions or thoughts have violated a moral or personal standard,’’ whereas, ‘’Forgiveness is to give up resentment against someone for an offense or fault’’ (TheFreeDictionary.com, 2017). In Scott Anderson’s novel, Triage (1998), explores many themes throughout the three main characters including guilt and forgiveness. Mark Walsh, a war photojournalist, recalls the emotional and physical trauma that he experienced during the Kurdistan War and develops a pathway to recovery; Elena Morales, Mark’s Spanish girlfriend, has cut all lines of communication with her grandfather, Joaquin Morales, after finding out about his career during the Spanish War and Joaquin looks for forgiveness from his granddaughter Elena and himself as he…
- 810 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
At some point in each person’s life, they will feel guilt. Guilt is a valuable emotion, as it helps to maintain ties to the people around you. In the novel, “The Things They Carried,” by Tim O’Brien, every soldier felt guilt when a unit member got killed or something tragic happened. This guilt felt by the soldiers was exemplified by Dave Jensen and Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. Decisions that both individuals made created the feeling of guilt, which resulted in a change of emotion in them. Jensen’s guilt was temporary, while Cross’s guilt was more long-lasting.…
- 679 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
“Guilt is the hilt of the knife that we use on ourselves, and love is often the blade; but it's worry that keeps the knife sharp, and worry that gets most of us, in the end” (G. Roberts).Guilt is the strongest and most corrosive of feelings. Like acid, it can eat away at your insides and render you numb, just like it did to Kate. In the novel Crow Lake by Mary Lawson, the theme of guilt has a persistent presence and impact on Kate, Luke and Matt.…
- 1120 Words
- 5 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
The story begins with and is enveloped by Walton's letters to his sister. His sister is very close to him; as can be seen by the affection terms used for her and the comfort level that Walton has with her; terms such as "dear sister" and "my sister". This relationship that Walton has with his sister is placed on the reader through his expressions and use of language.…
- 501 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Guilt is not a simple feeling but is a past event attached with a lesson in a person’s life. In the short story “Turkle” by David Carpenter, Elmer the farmer felt tremendous guilt after he told his wife, Elsie that he would be taking the children to school no matter the weather. This foolish action not only put his three children in danger but himself as well, resulting in the four almost all losing their lives.…
- 439 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
From a Christian perspective, guilt is the feeling that we get when we know we have failed in obeying the commandments of God, or that we have acted in ways contrary to what we believe is right. The Baker's Theological Dictionary of the Bible (2000) emphasizes a positive aspect of guilt, according to the author, guilt can be beneficial in the following manners: “A deep feeling of guilt, even if caused by oppressive parenting, can yet have positive effect in deepening our appreciation of our failures before God and the debt of obedience that we owe.” (Elwell, 2000 p.319)…
- 1668 Words
- 7 Pages
Good Essays -
“As you can appreciate, our Army is faced with a tremendous challenge here in Vietnam. Initially our soldiers were committed strictly in an advisory role, and as such the number required was relatively small. But now it has become necessary to commit more and more US troops to actual combat. It is necessary therefore that our training programs in the United States be oriented toward the type of fighting we are involved in today in this country” (Westmoreland).…
- 1475 Words
- 6 Pages
Powerful Essays -
“There is no act more wretched than stealing” (Hosseini 106). The Taliban did exactly that when they stole the freedom of the Afghan people. The Taliban turned out to be terrible abusers of the Afghan people and they destroyed many traditions of the Afghan culture as it was illustrated in The Kite Runner. Although they treated everyone so poorly, the Hazara people got the worst end of the Taliban reign. They turned the country against each other. They took over Kabul, they mistreated children and women and Afghanistan is even still considered a really dangerous country to live in because of the Taliban.…
- 768 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
When making choices that causes one to feel guilt, one tries to purge their guilt through the act of redemption. Hosseini exhibits this through the characters of Sanaubar, Baba and Amir.…
- 1522 Words
- 7 Pages
Good Essays