Comparing The Story Of Oedipus Rex And The Kite Runner

The story of Oedipus Rex and The Kite Runner are set in two very different periods of time. Oedipus Rex takes place in ancient Greece where the king, Oedipus, kills his father and marries his mother. The Kite Runner takes place in Afghanistan and America, where a young boy named Amir reflects on his past about the time he spent in Afghanistan and the events that took place involving the country. However, even though the two books are separated in difference between space and time, they share many common themes. One of the most common ones between them is the fact that both fathers in each novel died tragically; resulting in suffering for the main protagonists. Both Oedipus and Amir need to figure out how to deal with the truth about their†¦show more content†¦His children, who were produced from the same mother, are now cursed under his own rule that he placed upon himself and his family by accident, and his act of self-inflicted blindness. Oedipus claims he did this so that his eyes, â€Å"...would not see the evils he had suffered or the evils he had done†¦Ã¢â‚¬  ;therefore, he punished himself due to the actions he had committed (Sophocles 56). Oedipus never knew the true origin of his birth, since he believed that Polybus was his father since he raised him his whole life. When news reached that Polybus died from old age, Oedipus rejoiced, for he had proved that he was not to kill his father after all. He was surprised to hear that the messenger who had brought the information of Polybus’ death also had information on his true origin; something he had been searching for since the blind prophet, Tiresias, told him about the prophecy. The answer was, of course, that Oedipus really did kill his father. Even though this was a tragedy in itself, yet another tragedy was created because of it. When Oedipus blinded himself and left in exile, this would certainly mean death for him. Unlike today, if someone found a blind man alone, they would surely help him. Not in ancient Greece. No one would want to be near him due to the curse he placed on himself and the sins he had committed. Without help, Oedipus would surely starve or dehydrateShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Kite Runner And Oedipus Rex 1309 Words   |  6 Pagesmultiple genres, themes can still parallel each other regardless that they will appear in two altogether varying works conceived and written by very different authors and in distinctly separate timeframes. Even as The Kite Runner is written as a work of historical fiction and Oedipus Rex develops a well known and praised Greek tragedy, a theme of betrayal places itself throughout both. Literature demonstrates that morals can genuinely be learned through any method. In both pieces of literature, betrayalRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesConflict 375 SKILL LEARNING 376 Interpersonal Conflict Management 376 Mixed Feelings About Conflict 376 Diagnosing the Type of Interpersonal Conflict 378 Conflict Focus 378 Conflict Source 380 Selecting the Appropriate Conflict Management Approach 383 Comparing Conflict Management and Negotiation Strategies 386 Selecti on Factors 386 Resolving Interpersonal Confrontations Using the Collaborative Approach A General Framework for Collaborative Problem Solving 391 The Four Phases of Collaborative Problem Solving

Qualities of a Strong Teenage Girl free essay sample

Qualities of a Strong Teenage Girl Being a teenage girl, I know what it is like to be let down, put down, and feel completely alone. But I also know what it takes to get back up, be courageous, and fight. One quality a teenage girl must have is courage. Courage to stand up for yourself and others. To succeed, a teenage girl must have smarts. Street smarts as well as book smarts are important. However, one quality that most teenage girls have is a carelessly open heart; letting anyone in that tries. These qualities of a teenage girl may lead her to heartbreak and emotional struggles, but overall can contribute to a successful life. The first quality an adolescent girl must have to succeed, is courage. One reason for this quality is because girls in our society can be mean and nasty. They can say rude things behind the backs of others and they dismiss accountability. The teenage girls who have courage to confront these behaviors show integrity and leadership. Another reason why teenage girls need courage is to survive the sad and unexpected events life brings. When my grandma died recently, I was sad and felt all alone. I had the courage to help myself and my family. I made it through the difficult time and learned from that. One last reason teenage girls need courage is to step out of their comfort zone. They are able to take the risk to experience new things and explore more places and events. Having the courage to â€Å"stretch yourself can be the path to great achievements. Teen girls are sometimes encouraged to be passive, to stick to themselves and to be quiet. But to do something that you believe in, to go beyond your comfort zone, and to attempt something challenging, takes courage. As you can see, a teenage girl needs courage to succeed socially as well as mentally and emotionally. The second quality a teenage girl must have to succeed is intelligence. One reason they need this is to get farther in life. According to the United States Department of Labor, it is proven that women with higher than a high school diploma earn more income than women with a high school degree or lower. In order for teenagers to earn more money in the real world, they have to have to be educated. Another reason intelligence is important for teenagers is to develop common sense and problem solving skills. They need this in order to stay alert and tuned into their surroundings wherever they areat school or the mall, on the street, waiting for a bus or subway, or driving. With this quality, they send the message of calmness, confidence, and purpose. One more reason teenage girls must have intelligence is to sense and respond to the feelings others. When I know someone is mad or having a bad day, I may not mention it to them. I may try and make them feel happier with a kind comment or gesture. Teenage girls need to have the intelligence to realize when to address an issue and when to allow the moment to pass unaddressed. These personal approaches take sensitivity and intelligence, which is another key factor to being a successful teenager as well as adult. Another quality a teenage girl has that may lead to emotional difficulties is when she exposes her vulnerabilities through her carelessly open heart. This may happen when a girl finds herself attached and makes a one-sidedly commitment to someone else. I have a friend who falls in love and commits herself whole heartedly with any boy willing to show her attention. Doing this, she sets herself up for heartbreak. Many teenage girls feel they need to give more of themselves than they receive from their partner. This imbalance can cause a girl to overcommit herself and may make her partner feel less invested and less commited to the relationship. She may do this because she wants to feel loved and needed. This leads to my second reason which is the motivation of her partner. He may be looking to take advantage of her and wishes to leave her heartbroken. When the partner realizes the girls despiration, he feels a position of power and can further take advantage of her; body and soul. Through my experience, I hear how girls can be taken advantage of, and move from partner to partner as a reaction. Avoiding a broken heart can be accomplished by having a strong heart that is selective and strives for mutual and balanced commitment. A final reason for a teenage girl to be cautious with her heart is in connection to her self worth. When a girl gets her heart broken, she may feel intense loneliness, or she may look quickly for someone else to love and care for in order to avoid or fill the void of emotional pain. She may start feeling negatively about herself and her body and believe she will never be good nough. This poor self image can lead to severe depression and self harm. Many times, this heartache happens because a girl lets someone into her life without boundaries, or standards and once she realize this, she can feel defeated. For these reasons, having an open heart without using intelligence is a dangerous combination for a teenage girl. As you can see by the reasons above, teenage girls must have intelligence and courage to be successful. And one thing that could prevent this success is by having a carelessly open heart; letting anyone in that comes their way. Being a teenage girl can be the worst time of your life, but it can also be the best. Teenage girls go through many meaningful learning experiences which can help them in their later years. These years are impressionable and can impact how their future is defined. I was like any other teenage girl who wanted to be someone Im not, and that was defined by what boys liked and what images of beauty the media perpetrated. The minute you stay enthralled with a diet or get caught up in how you think you should look, you lose, because youre not enjoying life.