Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Empathy

It was like someone had ripped part of my soul out and put rotten eggs as a replacement. I wouldn’t be surprised if I stank right now
This is what Hashik’s reaction is to his best friend Babur getting kidnapped. It makes you feel as if you yourself had had your heart ripped out. This is called empathy. Authors try to create it as much possible. Those who don’t are not very successful writers. Here are some key points to creating empathy. You need to give lots of details so that the reader can clearly imagine the thing you’re trying to describe. Create lots of emotions so that the reader can connect to the character.
In the book The Breadwinner, the author creates empathy by using adjectives to describe how Parvana is coping with her life. People can understand that she is annoyed by the way the Taliban are treating people and women in particular. I felt particular empathy for Parvana when she had to leave Shauzia and rescue her family. Because I have had the same experience myself, it was easier for me to feel empathy, but I also felt that everyone else felt empathy too, even though they hadn’t had the same experience.
Empathy is something that anyone can attain with practice and hard work. Overall I think that you can get empathy by giving lots of detail, and entering lots emotions.
That is what I have to say to the world.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

LIfe Under Cover

Life under cover can mean two things:

One. You live in a life of lies and the constant worry that someone will discover you.

Two. You are covered from head to toe in a burqa.

Either way, it’s pretty hard to move around. Not very many people are under cover spies. Maybe a hundred or so. About fifteen million people have to wear burqas every time they go outside.

Burqas are long garment of clothing that covers your whole body. They also have some cloth that covers your whole face except for your eyes. Some burqas have a mesh-like thing covering your eyes. Because of this many women fall allot in the streets. It’s also incredibly stuffy in there. When it’s 40 degrees Celsius outside I don't think many women would choose to go outside all the time.

There is no way I would be able to stand such agony.

Why don't they just take them off? I hear you say. Some people don't know any better. Imagine someone comes at the door and says

"Take off all your clothes. It is now the law that you are not to wear your clothes while going outside."

Would you do it right away? Go to school the next day stark naked and hope that its all going to be alright? Would you stay home and hope that the law will change and you can go outside without having to be ice cold.

After about 20 years or so you've gotten used to the idea that if you go outside with any clothes on you will be shot. Now, someone comes at the door and says that you can wear your clothes again. Would you put them back on right away? Or would you wait until it’s been a week or two and you've gotten used to the idea.

Can you see the problem that Afghan women are facing right now?