A Thousand Splendid Sunsâ€Discussion Questions

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini is superbly written, has a page-turning story, and will help your book club learn more about Afghanistan. Use these book club discussion questions to probe deeper into the story. Spoiler Warning: These book club discussion questions reveal important details from the novel. Finish the book before reading on! Discussion Questions What did A Thousand Splendid Suns teach you about the history of Afghanistan? Did anything surprise you?Mariam’s mother says: Women like us. We endure. It’s all we have. In what ways is this true? How do Mariam and Laila endure? How is their endurance different from the ways their mothers faced their trials?Several times Mariam passes herself off as Lailas mother. In what way is their relationship like mother-daughter? How did their own relationships with their mothers shape how they treated each other and their family?What is the significance of Lailas childhood trip to see the giant stone Buddhas above the Bamiyan Valley? Why did her father take her on this trip? How did his influence shape the way Laila would cope with her future?Afghanistan changes rulers several times in the story. During the Soviet occupation, the people felt life would be better once the foreigners were defeated. Why do you think the quality of life deteriorated after the occupation rather than r eturning to the way it was in the pre-communist era?When the Taliban first enter the city, Laila does not believe women will tolerate being forced out of jobs and treated with such indignity. Why do the educated women of Kabul endure such treatment? Why are the Taliban accepted?The Taliban forbid writing books, watching films, and painting pictures; yet the film Titanic becomes a sensation on the black market. Why would people risk the Taliban’s violence to watch the film? Why do you think this particular film became so popular? How does Hosseini use films throughout the novel to symbolize relationships between people and the state of the country (i.e. Jalils theater, Tariq Lailas outings to the movies)?Were you surprised when Tariq returned? Had you suspected the depth of Rasheeds deceit?Why does Mariam refuse to call witnesses at her trial? Why didnt she try to escape with Laila and Tariq? Do you think Mariam made the right decision? Even though her life was hard, Mariam w ishes for more of it in the end. Why do you think that is?Do you think Laila and Tariq can be happy?Afghanistan is still in the news a lot. Do you think the situation will truly improve there?Rate A Thousand Splendid Suns on a scale of 1 to 5.

Essay about Similarities in the Mythologies of Creation

Throughout history many civilizations and cultures have had their own ways of explaining the world and its creation. Each of these civilizations has created unique descriptions and accounts of such events. However, when comparing them to each other, are they really different? Look at the ancient Greco - Roman creation myths as told by Hesiod in his Theogony and Works and Days and Ovid’s Metamorphoses, when compared to the creation myths as seen in the Old Testament’s book of Genesis they may not be as different as one would think. Taking a more in-depth look at both Genesis and Hesiod’s and Ovid’s work more closely, the reader can see that on multiple occasions the myths have almost identical similarities which reflect their views in†¦show more content†¦Ovid’s Metamorphoses, tells of â€Å"The creator of the universe, originator of a better world, fashioned him from divine seed, or earth, . . . mixed with rain water by Prometheus, son of Iapetus, and fashioned by him into the likeness of the gods† (Ovid Metamorphoses I. 76-88). Prometheus is the creator in this account, and his method of creation resembles that of the Book of Genesis. God creates man in his Garden of Eden in the same fashion. God forms man out of the earth, just as Prometheus does. The two myths become even more alike when the reader finds that Athena breathes life into Prometheus’ man, just as God breathes life into Adam. When comparing these myths, it is quite apparent that the civilizations have similar views; both show strong ties to the idea that man thought it was created from the earth and made in the image of the gods. After the creation of man, life went on, but all was not well. Both Hesiod and Genesis reveal that an evil was introduced into the world. This evil was woman. Hesiod saw women as the root of evil. This is clearly seen in his Theogony when he reveals â€Å"He had fashioned the beautiful evil in recompense for the blessing of fire . . . For from her came the race of the female sex, the ruinous tribe of women†(Hesiod Theogony 585-595). This excerpt shows that even before woman was created; they were intended toShow MoreRelatedThe Myth Of The Universe1565 Words   |  7 Pagestold of how the world began, these stories are known as creation stories or creation myths. Creation myths can give those reading them a better understanding of the values within the culture that they were created. The myth of creation explains the origin of the universe, describing how the world and its animate and inanimate entities were created (El-Asward, Garry, El-Shamy, 2005, p.24-31). A major similar ity in each of the different creation stories is the idea of water as the elemental source ofRead MoreGreek Mythology and Its Effects on Civilization803 Words   |  4 PagesMediterranean. Greek religion was tempered by Etruscan cult and belief to form much of the later Ancient Roman religion. Greek religion had an extensive mythology. It consisted largely of stories of the gods and how they affected humans on eart. Myths often revolved around heroes and their actions. Many different species existed in Greek mythology. Chief among these were the gods and humans, though the Titans also frequently appeared in Greek myths. They predated the Olympian gods, and were hatedRead MoreAnalysis of World Mythology and the Different Cultures992 Words   |  4 PagesEven a cursory analysis of world mythology reveals that there are a number of different cultures who have divinities in strikingly similar roles. One of the reasons why this occurs is that many despite the fact that these cultures may be autonomous of one another, they all live in the same world. The fact that they live in the same world is important because it largely means that they are exposed to the same natural phenomena, as well as to a number of simple human phenomena, and they are all attemptingRead MoreBible v s. Mythology994 Words   |  4 Pages Bible vs. Myth There are many similarities and differences between Greek Mythology and The Bible. Whether it’s the creation of man and women, or the universe, stories have been told throughout time and some can be alike and others completely different. 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Both have similarities and differences in their religious beliefs that have been compared often and I have chosen to discuss the similarities and differences of Christianity and ancient Greek mythology. Christianity is a monotheistic religion, or belief in only one God, and spiritual practices are based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as written in the New Testament of the Bible, with the role of Jesus as savior and the Son of God. Greek mythology is a polytheisticRead MoreComparing The Greek Mythology And The Cherokee1053 Words   |  5 Pages Take the Greek Mythology, the most popular and well known type of mythos, has connections to other cultures like Nordic and Native American. But of course, each story has their own twist or other idea to it, as well. There are quite a few similarities between the Greeks stories of creation and the Cherokee. In both stories, before anything could be created, water had been everywhere, and surrounded in darkness. It was void-like and wild, primitive almost. Another similarity is both GrecianRead MoreDifferent Beliefs, Customs And Languages845 Words   |  4 Pageslanguages. But we all share one thing. We believe that the world started somewhere. In Northern European and African mythology we see that the world and humans were created by men. This is a bold statement. To me, this says that in the beginning of times, men were chosen to have the role of creation and that men were the superior gender due to the credit of creation. In Northern Europe mythology four worlds are portrayed: Niflheim, Muspelheim, the Heavens and the mortal world. Niflheim is a world createdRead MoreMythology And Christianity : Mythology948 Words   |  4 PagesMythology and Christianity Mythology is known for its artistic values of cultures well before the world we live in today. The stories that derive from these great folk tales set a scene in lives of people who worshipped their God’s and the items that they praised them for. Depending on the geographic location and the time of the myth, or at least what it could be traced to, the people would praise and worship different God’s for different reasons. Just like in our modern system of religion in thisRead MoreDoes Science Explain All?1599 Words   |  7 Pageshuman experience. Nor does it explain some of the striking similarities present in the various religions of Earth. These similarities occur in civilizations not only far from each other but also in cultures separated by seemingly impossible to traverse oceans of water. Many of these similarities occur in the cosmological or creation myths of the various religions. In the Bible and other in other comparable ancient literatures, creation is a theme expressed in parables or stories to account for

Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark Expedition free essay sample

During Jefferson first term as President, he encountered problems with his Vice President, Aaron Burr, but continued to address problems arising in order to make sure the United States was recognized as an emerging power in the world. In 1762, France gave up Louisiana to Spain, but the secret Treaty of San Oldness, allowed the French to reclaim the area for themselves. By 1800, after a confusing Revolutionary period, France once again emerged as a great world power under the leadership of Napoleon Bonaparte.He envisioned a great French empire in the New World, and he hoped to use the Mississippi Valley as a food and trade center to supply the sugar-rich island of Santa Domingo, which was to be the heart of this empire. First, however, he had to restore French control of the island, where slaves under Toasting Liverwurst had seized power in a rebellion. Napoleons attempts to colonize were failed when his troops were ravaged by tropical diseases like as yellow fever, carried by mosquit o. We will write a custom essay sample on Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clark Expedition or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Also, France was in conflict with Britain and Napoleon believed withholding this land from the US would drive the US into Britains arms. Because of these two problems, Napoleon decided to sell the Louisiana land to United States, cutting his loses, and abandoning his hopes of a New World empire for France. Napoleon also believed if the United States had control over the new land, they would be able to create a military and naval force that could challenge that of Britain. In 1803 Thomas Jefferson decided to send two envoys, James Monroe and Robert R.Livingston, to Paris to negotiate the purchase of the land. The Louisiana Purchase was accomplished by a treaty on April 30, 1803, After a week of negotiating with the French Government the men were surprised to find that the French were willing to sell Louisiana for $1 5 million, an opportunity they realized was too good to ignore (828,000 square miles at about 3 cents an acre. When the news reached Jefferson he was startled, he did not want the men to spend more than $10 million, but this turned out to be a great deal for the United States. Jefferson was unsure if the United States could even legally purchase the area because of the Constitution, which doesnt mention buying land. Senators, on the other hand, were less concerned about the legal woes of the purchase, and registered prompt approval of the deal. By removing the single remaining European power from North America the United States was able to completely separate itself from the Old World. With this massive amount of and becoming part of the United States, someone had to explore the uncharted territory.At this time the west was unknown; neither France nor Spain had mapped its mountains or rivers. In 1804, Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis, his secretary, and an army officer, William Clark, to explore the territory. With help from a Shoshone woman, Jackasses, they traveled west to the Pacific Coast. After their two and half year expedition, they had acquired a collection of maps, scientific notations, and stories of native cultures. The Lewis and Clark Expedition provided a better perception of the geography of he Northwest and the production of the first accurate maps of the area.How did Aaron Burr and The Supreme Court interfere with Jefferson otherwise successful first term? Thomas Jefferson Vice President during his first term was Aaron Burr, a man who came to conspire against him. Burr betrayed him by joining a group of Federalist extremists to plot the secession of New England and New York. Another American politician, Alexander Hamilton, defeated his plans by using his political influence to convince the Representatives to vote for Jefferson in the Presidential election of 1800. Furious, Burr challenges Hamilton to a duel in an attempt to defend his honor.Hamilton accepted, but refused to shoot the gun and was killed in one shot by Burr. This duel cost Burr his political career, and he then journeyed to the west and met General James Wilkinson, the Military Governor of the Louisiana Territory. The two apparently schemed to separate the western part of US from the East, and then continue to expand by invading Spanish controlled Florida and Mexico. In the Fall of 1806, Burr planned to meet Wilkinson and his army at Natchez, but when Wilkinson learned that Jefferson ad learned of the plot, he betrayed Burr and fled to New Orleans.

United States Imigration Law Essays - , Term Papers

United States Imigration Law US immigration law is arguably the most complex in the World with fifty-three different types of non-immigrant visas and a number of ways of gaining permanent residence (the "Green Card"). For many people it is a difficult and lengthy process gaining a "Green Card" on an initial basis. It is frequently far better to apply for one of the non-immigrant visas and then apply for an adjustment of status to "lawful permanent residence". I do not propose to cover every conceivable type of visa available but to try and cover the more common types. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ WORK RELATED NON-IMMIGRANT VISAS The H Non-Immigrant Visas There is the H-1B visa for a "specialty occupation" as a "specialist knowledge worker". This is normally for someone who is a graduate or graduate equivalent and allows entry into the US for up to six years to work for a company in the US. The question of "graduate equivalent" is much misunderstood as there are many non-graduates with a properly documented case who may be able enter the US on this basis. It is an indication of the demand for professionally trained nurses in the US that there is even a particular visa, the H-1A to cover this. The general requirements are that you should have a "license" or equivalent to practise and are fully qualified to engage in your intended employment. The H-2B visa allows entry for both skilled or unskilled works. The main requirement is that one needs to adhere to what is called "labor certification" to show that there are no unemployed but qualified American citizens or permanent residents who can fill the vacancy. It is not normally permitted to apply for permanent residence after entry on this particular visa. The H-3 visa is for training that should be of use outside the US. If possible the training should be of a type that will utilise your present experience and qualifications and/or future proposed employment. It would also be useful to show that there is some form of benefit to the US employer. There is also the H-2A for agricultural workers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The E Non-Immigrant Visas The E-1 Treaty Trader visa is for someone who will be an employee of a business where there is "substantial trade" between the UK and the US. The E-2 Treaty Investor visa is for someone who is an employee of a business where there has been substantial investment from a UK business or businessman. These are the only non-immigrant visas that allow for extensions indefinitely (obviously not the same as a "Green Card"). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The L-1 Non-Immigrant Visa If your employer or a company in the US have an "affiliate" or "subsidiary" in either country there is the L-1 Intra-Company Transferee visa. The main requirement is that you should be a manager or executive or an employee with specialised knowledge. This allows entry for between five and seven years depending on the type of employment. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The J-1 Non-Immigrant Visa The aim of this programme is to foster international relations by bringing exchange visitors into the US to acquire skills that can be utilised in their home country. These programmes need to be designated by the United States Information Agency. If you wish to work for a short period of time, the easiest method may be on a J-1 exchange visitor visa. However if you wish to apply for a "more permanent" non-immigrant visa at a later date or permanent residence, depending on the scheme, there may be problems. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Other Non-Immigrant Visas I: Representative of foreign information media M-1: Vocational or other recognised non-academic student O-1: Aliens with extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business or athletics P-1 to P-3: Athletes or entertainers Q-1: International Cultural Exchange Programme R-1: Religious Occupation ------------------------------------------------------------------------ BUSINESS NON-IMMIGRANT VISAS The L-1 Non-Immigrant Visa This is normally used for an employee as an "Intra Company Transferee", however under certain circumstances owners, stockholders, or partners in an organisation will be able to take advantage of this. At the same time such an application is somewhat more complex. The E Non-Immigrant Visas The E-1 visa can be utilised by UK nationals and certain other nationals for a business where you will be engaging in substantial trade with the UK; this normally means at least fifty percent of the trade should be between the US and the UK (or a country that has