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WRITING ASSIGNMENT BASED ON SALMAN RUSHDIE'S EAST, WEST STORIES:

The GOAL of the paper is for you to creatively and critically explore some of the themes in the stories by Salman Rushdie. Push your self with your analysis and creativity.

HOW LONG, BOLT? A minimum of four pages. Most importantly I want a genuine and probing effort, not a superficial treatment.

TITLE: Create an original title for the essays as well as stories. Titles can help shape the meaning of a piece.

STAPLE? TYPE?: Heck yea
DUE WHEN? Next class.

SHORT STORY OPTIONS:
1) Using "Columbus and Queen Isabella" as a model, develop a story that fictionalizes an interaction between two historical figures. Through this process reveal an idea about history --- the untold history, or change history through a surprising, revolutionary, subversive, or catastrophic act.

2) As in "Good Advice" show an interaction between two people of different generations and cultures. How do these two misread each other? How does one subvert the preconceptions of the other?

3) Create a magic-realist story like "The Auction of the Ruby Slippers" that, through symbolism, reveals something about the "character" of a culture or human nature.

4) Write a contemporary story that experiments, depicts, and draws attention to cultural hybridity in its many surprising forms. You can use any characters, plot or settings, as long as you consciously and clearly explore hybridity. (Maybe throw a bit of magic realism in the mix!)

ESSAY OPTIONS:
1) In "East, West," Rusdie explores the ways in which East and West interact. Discuss specific ways the cultures clash in the stories, instances of imperialism, and resistance of imperialism.

2) A major theme in the story is the fetishizing of objects. Compare the dangers of greed, wealth, and religion as power in both the East and West as described in specific Rushdie stories. (Especially relevant: “The Prophet’s Hair,” “The Auction of the Ruby Slippers,” and “Free Radio.”

3) How does Rushdie play with Edward Said’s theory of Orientalism, and how does he subvert it?

4) Two of the characters in the “East” stories are working young people, Rehena from “Good Advice is Rarer Than Rubies” and Ramani from “The Free Radio.” Although of similar ages and roughly similar backgrounds, both have very different reactions to their circumstances. Although both can be seen (arguably) as sabotaging an element of their future, one leaves and one stays. How are their desires and choices similar and different?

5) Research the assassinations of Indira and Rajiv Ghandi in India. With this background in mind, what can you learn about religious and political tensions in Indian through “Chekov and Zula”? By focusing on two friends of different backgrounds, who make different choices, what questions is he raising? What is the larger parallel made to Star Trek?

6) The final section focuses on hybridity – two cultures historically blending, often creating something new. Analyze either “Chekov and Zulu” or “The Courter” focusing on the themes of hybridity and post-colonialism.

7) Many of the stories subtlety explore the following themes: religious fundamentalism, the caste/class system, poverty, oppressive gender roles, domestic violence, the erosion of traditional culture, and the possibilities of hybridity. Choose one of these more subtle themes and find ways Rushdie weaves it in to several of the stories.

8) Rushdie utilizes "magic realism," a form of fiction that combines realism with elements of the supernatural, dreams, or myths. Discuss either "The Prophet's Hair" or "The Auction of the Ruby Slippers" as a work of magic realism. What are its elements of realism and of magic? How do the magic elements affect our understanding of the realistic ones, and about the characters' everyday lives?

(from where they came I do not pretend to know)

lived for hundreds of years on Lynnea’s sandy beaches and at the base if its towering mountain. They played in the shade of the leaning boonpie trees and fished from the plentiful waters off it’s coastlines. With each passing generation, the island’s population grew, and grew, and grew. Over time, boulders became sand, seedlings found their tree potential, and small shifts in the earth’s crust divided Lynnea into two separate islands, driven apart by not so many feet of gently lapping shallow ocean.

One half of Lynnea became known as Lynos, the other, Neana. On Lynos’ side sat The mountain, on Neana, The Coral Reef. Lynos had a lovely cove, where those who decided to stay there made their new home. On Neana, a new city was gradually built next to The Meandering Stream. And so the people of these islands came to exist separately, but peacefully, for they were all part of The Original Family, of this they were sure. Children from Lynos and Children from Neana splashed and splished in the shallow waters between the islands. Often, Lynosian fishermen agreed to catch the Pooki fish if the Neanaen fisherman ageed to clean and prepare them. The women of Lynos made beautiful rugs woven from the hair of the Ubee goats

(who lived on The Mountain)

, which they traded for the dried leaves of the Fenko kelp plant

(which Neana’s women harvested from The Coral Reef floor).

The more time that passed, the less the people from Neana ventured to Lynos, and vice versa. Eventually both peoples stuck only to their own island, only meeting in the shallow waters between to discuss Huhi ( business).These people do not remember Lynnea anymore. It has been many years

( even I do not know how many )

since the islands were the island.

Maio, a woman from Neana, often dreams of being Lynosian. In her dream she see’s herself lying beneath The Boonpie Tree, which only grows on Lynosian soil. She pictures her children learning to climb The Mountain, which she herself never got to climb, because Neana had no Mountain, only The Sloping Valleys and The Meandering Stream. She also can hear the roar of the waterfall in her sleep, although she has never actually heard The Waterfall before. The Waterfall is somewhere on Lynos though, of this she is sure.
Peeka, a young mother from Lynos, sometimes lies in her bed at night imaging what it must be like to live on Neana. She would gladly trade her lazy husband for one chance to swim amongst The Coral Reef on Neana. She would easily give a thousand buta’s
(although I think this is too much money)

to spend one day on the banks of The Meandering Stream. She especially wishes, however, that she could move to Neana, because then she would not have to traverse The Mountain every time she wanted to get someplace. And curiously, she sometimes falls off to sleep by the sounds of The Waterfall, which she’s never seen nor heard, but she knows it’s located somewhere in the heart of the other island. Of this she is sure.

And so the Lynosians and the Neanaens have become quite positive of many things, including the location of The Waterfall. With each passing generation, the more sure they become. And the surer they are, the more the Lynosians hair begins to turn pale, and the Neanean men begin to grow taller.
( They are so tall now that they no longer fish, for their arms out span their spears).

The more the women of Lynos speculate as to the Location of The Waterfall, they larger their teeth become and the smaller their waists shrink. On Lynos, the children spend so many hours lying in the hot afternoon sun discussing life on Neana that their skin becomes dark like oompake seeds. Meanwhile the Lynosian children sit in the shade of the boonpie eating oompake seeds and contemplating their freckles.

Before you know it, everyone desires desperately to know exactly where The Waterfall is, and it becomes almost all anyone can talk about. People have asked me, who remembers these things best, if I remember where The Waterfall is. I always tell them that I am quite certain that The Waterfall lies at the exact center of the other island, although of course I do not know where The Waterfall is. I sometimes close my eyes and picture brilliant rainbows of water cascading down from The Waterfalls mouth. I envision myself splashing and splishing in the cool basin at the bottom of The Waterfall, even doing a little Waterfall dance underneath its spray. Often, in that dreamy state between sleep and waking I think I can remember the location of The Waterfall, but this moment flees, and I lie awake, and forgetful.

I have come to suspect that The Waterfall does not exist, and that the islands were never really the island. But then I sit myself down under this boonpie tree and remember the times that I climbed The Mountain and adventured into The Coral Reef on the very same afternoon. I think about meeting my friends in the shallow waters between here and there and discussing Huhi. Then I drift off to sleep, listening to the pitter and patter of stray drops from The Waterfall hitting the rocks beside my head.

Last Edited Andie on 13-May-2003 5:33 PM

Elias wakes up everyday of the week at 7:30am but today is Friday and he only has one lawn to do today so he wakes up at 12pm. Elias lives on his own in a small bedroom apartment, the only other rooms are his kitchen, and of course, the bathroom. He gets up out of his bed and goes toward his alarm clock to turn it off. After turning the alarm off he heads to the kitchen to make himself breakfast. Elias can’t really cook, the only thing he can cook is ham, and bacon, and his favorite is rice and beans, most of the time when he cooks bacon he ends up burning it. So usually what he has for breakfast is a bowl of cereal because its fast and easy. He has three different types of cereal, cinnamon toast crunch, cocoa puffs, and frosted flakes. He asks himself, “Let’s see, what do I want to eat?” As he passes his hand by the cereals, “Bam let’s eat some cinnamon toast crunch,” he grabs the box and serves himself. Some people might think Elias eats his cereal in a weird manner just because he doesn’t add milk to it. He finishes his breakfast and grabs some blue jeans and a shirt and now he is off to work.
Elias doesn’t consider his job a great one but it pays the bills. He jumps in his dark blue 1986 Mitsubishi Mighty Max pick up truck, which carries all of his equipment in the bed of the truck. Elias is the lawnmower man he gets his business from all types of neighborhood and cut the lawns. Though today is not like the other days of the week, today is Friday, its Elias favorite day of work. He has to do one lawn today, and its Ms. Katie Smith lawn. She is the most beautiful female that was placed on earth, that’s how Elias refers to Ms. Smith. She is 5’10, long blonde hair, with these outstanding hazel eyes, and the most desirable body a woman can have. She and he are always flirting with each other every Friday. She is always compliments him how in shape he is, how handsome is and how rugged he looks while he is cutting her grass. What Elias has troubled with is the fact that Ms. Smith is a very successful lawyer. She could have anyone she wants, but instead she found interest in her lawnmower man. He arrives at her amazing two story white house, with two columns on each side of the front door, at 3:30pm. She has a very spacious lawn that takes Elias a while to complete it. He is about to unload all his equipment, the beautiful Ms. Smith arrives in her black Mercedes S600, a beautiful car to go with a beautiful woman. She gets out of the car, waives and says with a smile, “Hi Elias, how great you look today, but don’t you always.”
“Thank you. You look amazing yourself.” Elias replied.
“Come on inside I want to show you something.”
“Okay,” he said to her, but then he started to wonder what is it she wants to show me. He finishes unloading all of his equipment and now he heads inside. He knocks on the front door gently and opens it as well. Once inside he sees this great chandelier above him, and stares at it with his mouth opened. Then he looks down and sees Ms. Smith wearing a red teddy that hardly covers anything, and once again Elias mouth is left wide open.
She says, “Enough with the flirting, it’s time one of us takes action. I’ve been so attracted to since I first hired you, I know what I like and what I want, and I always go for it, but this time I was waiting for you to make the first move.”
“But wait, Ms. Smith.”
“Don’t call me that, from now on its Katie.” She walks over to him, leans forward, grabs his head and gives him a tremendous wet juicy kiss. That’s all the action she needed to take because Elias then picks her up, her legs wrapped around his waist, they walk up the stairs to the master bedroom, and have sex all day and all night.
“Wow that was amazing. I never had it so good.” She said breathing deeply. “I want to make a proposal to you.”
“Oh yeah, and what would that be?” Elias replied.
“I want you to be my sex slave, live with me and I’ll give you anything you want.”
“Of course.” Elias answered back without any hesitation. He literally jumped on this chance. He was living alone in a small apartment, making a living as a lawnmower man. Now he is living with a very successful lawyer, who is the most beautiful thing this world has to offer. Every night when Katie would arrive from work she would want to be pleased and Elias being a man could not disappoint her.
“Good job.” She told Elias.
“De nada.” He answered in Spanish.
“Wow that’s sound so sexy.”
Elias was so happy that this woman couldn’t resist him. This sexual proposal had gotten Elias his own Lincoln Navigator, all the clothes he wanted. Katie even gave him a cellular phone so she can contact him at any time she needed him. Elias decides to take his car for a drive and as he is driving the cell rings its Ms Smith, “Come by my office, I’m anxious for you touch. I’m in the mood to be pleased.”
“I just got in my car and I wanted to take it out for a little spin.”
“Well now you can come take it on a spin to my office.” She answers.
“I’ll be right there.” Elias tells her. He walks into her office and he sees no one.
“Surprise, I just wanted to see you and have lunch with you.” Katie says as she pops out of another door. Hope you like what we are going to eat, its rice and beans. Just like old times.”
“I love rice and beans.” Elias says with a big smile on his face.
“I love you. These couple of exciting months, I’ve realized that you are what I’ve always wanted in a man. You are handsome, a hard worker, and you please me in every way and now it’s my turn to please you.”
“Good, because I’ve always loved you, but now we are going to do this the right way, you are going to marry me and we will live happily ever after.”
Being with each all this time made both of them realized how special they make each other feel. Now what began as a sexual proposal, is now a married couple, who only eat rice and beans on Fridays. Being rich can give all this amazing things but at the end of the day it’s great to take in what is different from you.

A PROMISE BROKEN.

It has been a long day,
And no one wants war,
A man stands next to his gun,
Reminiscing on holding his daughter¡¦s hand,

His wife calls out, he remembers,
She calls forth his name,
He cannot answer back,
In her eyes, flames of passion,
Love and desire,
From this war he breaks her heart,

All the promises in the world,
But one he cannot break,
He is a soldier,
And yet he is a Daddy,

So for this man,
A long day of fighting,
Stands so far away,
from him holding his baby¡¦s hand.

FAMILY AFFAIR

Any day is a day that the city,
Might be left in flames,
Any minute, is a minute
That cannot wait,

For my family,
I must protect,
My village is the key,
To the destruction of the city,

But my family is all I have,
I have no money,
I have no greed,
All I have are my hard-working hands,
And for my family I must stand,

This story begins where the war had left off, Two men sharing the same fate, but one will come out the victor and one will come out the loser. But remember really who wins.

The Captain had been sent on his official business trip to go to the city of Baghdad. Where he negotiates with his M16A1, along with his buddies. He parties and drinks, because he feels like he deserves a good night¡¦s rest that only a shot of Jack Daniels brings. Besides it helps him not think of his other life.

The Townsman had been living all his life here in the town of Karbala, Karbala he knows is a peaceful place. This town is a great place other than the other places he had been to. But he knows it is hell, living under the rule of a tyrant. The only thing that keeps him happy is his little loved ones, he has three of them. The oldest one is old enough to hold a gun. He lost his life when his wife had been murdered by the foreigners in a crossfire.

Thursday_2002. The Captain had just recently reached the town of Al Kut, Quickly he had eradicated the opposing force of the terrorists. His higher commanders had told him that all these men who fire at you with anger and hate are the terrorists. They are those responsible for the millions of lives lost back when the two towers of Babylon fell. ¡§Captain we have several of the terrorists captive, Do we commence the next phase?¡¨
The Captain responds with a nod and says ¡§Commence the next phase of the operation, but make sure the terrorist will talk. Have the Sgt butcher him for the info we need.¡¨ Quickly his men follow his order, bullets are still flying and whizzing by him. But the Captain stands tall. He has this presence to him where all those around knows he is in control of every situation possible. Forty minutes into the operation, his unit has almost the entire town under control. Almost all the terrorists are flushed out of their little holes, the innocent civilians are taken hostage for precautionary reasons. He thinks that maybe some of these are the actual soldiers turned-terrorists who are in disguise. It will only be a matter of time until the war will be over. He will find out the guilty ones, he will sift through the innocent civilians through thorough examination by his right hand man the Sergeant.

Wednesday_2002. A week from today the Townsman and his children will celebrate the birth of their dead mother and wife. He will not be alone since there are others who had emigrated here in Karbala, who had suffered the same fate as the Townsman. There were others, believe it or not, who had been caught up in that cross-fire. Many of them were children and many of them were innocent. They had lost their lives to a single bullet that brings forth all the anger, blame, and greed that their governments had brought upon their own people. A single bullet that has changed so many lives. Today the Townsman had visited the site where the villagers had buried their dead. He kneels next to his wife¡¦s grave, while his other children sat there crying. He remembers that fateful day where he found his wife¡¦s lifeless body. Limp and soul-less, she laid there with a bullet wound in the neck. A neck he remembers that he had onced kissed in their love-making. As he snaps out of his painful daze, he glances at his oldest son. His son had this somber look of a man quietly crying to himself. He knew the fires that burned deep within his oldest son. The Townsman calls for his son to come next to him. But instead his son stands there and all of a sudden his son sheds a single drop of tear.

Thusday_2002. Night has fallen and the Captain had already estabilished a camp near the river of the once natural lands of Al Kut. Now all that was left was death and destruction, you can see where the once fallen bodies of those who died all across the ground plane. The places where the bombs had hit left the place looking like the Grand Canyon. The Captain knows and understands that this war is not yet over and the fact is that he does not want to kill innocent lives, he understands that fact, he knows though that those responsible for the killings of that fateful day in September will not be erased from his memory. He questions his service to his government, he wonders for his own life whether he is doing something that will benefit him or his government. ¡§I miss my family¡K¡¨ The Captain spoke out loud, but alone in his little tent. Suddenly little flashes of memories fly by his head. The face of his wife holding their daughter made the little hairs on his arms tingle. He felt very happy, he was so happy he even smiled. As you see no one in that uniform has ever seen him smile once, not even when his friend was killed a week back in Basra.

Thursday_2002. As the new day set, everyone had just woken up in the little shanty house of the Townsman. His children had already made their morning daily routines. The youngest one was even helping out. Usually if this was in another country the youngest one would be watching television, eating a bowl of cereal, but not this place the Townsman thought. The Townsman scours the room for the oldest one and hears a mob rioting outside. He grabs his coat and gets ready with his modified ak47. He tells the middle son to watch the young one. ¡§I will be back okay, you go watch your brother.¡¨ The middle son stood there and then nodded his head. The Townsman made his way into the mob. There he found his oldest son next to the man who was inciting the mob to take back what they had lost. This man was really good in inciting the mob to take up arms and attack the foreigners. ¡§We must defend the land that we have left. We were born here, and so help me Allah for if I must die, I will die a man who had served only to protect his family. For brothers, we have nothing left and these foreigners want everything else. Our lands will be raped if we do nothing and surrender.¡¨ The Townsman thought that if anything were to happen he will only watch out for his son. The mob then take up arms in the nearby shed where the soldiers of the past had kept their weapons in. One by one each man had been equipped. Finally, The Townsman had reached his oldest son. He turns his son around by the shoulder and says ¡§Son, do you know what is about to happen?¡¨ His son looks at him and says ¡§ Father, I do not wish to stand here while you or my family will have no future. Father, I want a future. This country needs a future in which we will look out for our own people and not exploit it. I believe that that man over there will lead us to that dream.¡¨ He points to the Leader and at once his father was captivated by his Son¡¦s words. He paused for a moment, but that little moment was long enough to separate the two. The mob stronger than it ever was had separated them both like that of the Miraculous Red Sea. The Townsman cried out for his Son, who was long gone, swallowed up by the masses of civilian-turned soldiers.

Sunday_2002. The Captain was for sure now that the Town of Al-Kut is safe and he is very much safe, safe from his government¡¦s bombs and what he had felt like was their wrong-doings. He felt many things towards them. But he always manages to cover them up with his emotions of his wife and kid. The Seargent comes into his tent in a very disruptive manner. ¡§Captain, there is a small set of army by the hills. A scout has spotted them. Should I get my men to crush them?¡¨ The Captain quickly responds ¡§No I shall handle this matter myself.¡¨ He grabs his Desert Eagle and walks out of the tent. On his left hand a pair of binoculars. He walks slowly over the hill where their camp sits on and spots the army across them. BOOM, BANG!!! He quickly turns around and he finds that there is a closer band of men behind his camp. It was too late he thought. His right hand man had fallen from the bullets that whizzed pass by. Those whizzes to him were very familiar. He raises his gun to shoot the oncoming traffic. He takes out one and then another. They just keep coming¡K He cannot do anything but fire his gun. He shoots at the next one who was trying to reload his weapon. The man he shot had fallen¡K All of a sudden he hears a soldier shriek ¡§NO!!!!!¡¨ and then all of a sudden the man rushed him and stabs him with his bayonet in his spine. The Captain had felt all of the pain that a man can feel that day. His spine was bleeding and he fell to the ground and lay next to the man he shot eye to eye. He dreams one last time of his daughter held by his wife, he remembers all the good things in his life. The great memories and his lovely wife Lonnie and his daughter Kimberly, he sees their face for one last time until he closes his eyes. When he was about to close his eyes he notices that the man was only a boy about the age of 15.

LIFE OF A SOLDIER

Living is worth fighting for,
But living for someone else,
Is worth dying for,

Remember my mark,
Upon this world,
Where words seem to twist,
I give my life to my loved ones,
Where life is full of taxes,
I give my life to my child,

In hopes that he or she,
Will outgrow this immaturity.

The Good the Bad and the Ignorant

We begin our story in the valley of Northridge. Sam is a resident in the valley of Northridge and is off to city hall to take the test for United States citizenship. Sam is of Assyrian nationality and culture and had moved to the United States 6 years ago at the age of 18. He is very quiet but very intelligent. Sam arrives at city hall and takes a seat next to a Hispanic lady and an elder American male around his 40’s, who is there waiting for his maid, Rosa, while she takes the test. Sam is sitting with a great smile on his face for he feel fairly confident that he will surely pass the test. The American male next to him stares at him with a sinister face. He looks away and smiles in a sarcastic way. The American then asks Sam, “ So you want to be an American ay? Well one thing is for sure you better act like one.” Sam turns to the American and looks at him. The American looks at Sam and points to him, “Yes you, you people come here and expect to have live easy well let me tell you something its not, especially not for people like you who can understand or speak English. You know I’m here with a lady who is as dumb as an ox and they are probably going to let her pass thanks to me, I had to teach the little alien about our country. So how’s Sadamm?” At this point Sam is very disturbed but does not want to show it so he decides to play with the American. “ Excuz me,” said Sam. The American looked at him and laughed. He turned and murmured, “ He probably works at 7-Eleven or something.”
Now let me tell you a bit about the American male, he was brought up in a rich household in which he never worked at all, his parents owe the IRS a countless amount of money for unpaid taxes and could lose their fortune quickly. The lazy male luckily met and married a wealthy real estate agent. And now he does nothing but manage a sporting goods store. Now Sam on the other hand, went to college in the states. Sam had left his country and attended school in Europe for 3 years in which he learned to speak English well then his parents and him decided to move to the states in which he qualified to attend college. He now is a successful businessman with a partner in which they own three furniture companies.

“Do you seriously think you will become something? I mean you have a nice suit on today I wonder wear you rented it or better yet where you stole it from. You cant be anything in life your illiterate and dumb.” said the American. Now at this point Sam is just laughing inside and saying “what a dumb old fool he must be an idiot to think since I’m a foreigner that I cant speak English or do anything with my life.” Sam turns to the American again and says, “Excuz me? Again the American looks at him and laughs “these dumb foreigners.” He looks at his watch and says, “I wonder what is keeping my Mexican alien so long.”
“Sam!” calls out a city hall worker “ you are next,” then Sam gets up and the American sarcastically says “ Good luck buddy.” Sam walks toward the door and goes in. Sam is greeted by Gary “ Hello Sam I’m Gary, I will be here to give you your test today. So how are you doing?”
“Im doing very well thank you,” said Sam.
“Ok well here is your test you have 10 questions and 15 minutes to finish.” Gary explained to Sam.
Sam began his test and finished in 5 minutes, and then he handed it to Gary and said “ well here you go I am all finished.” “ Wow! That was fast lets see here, hmmm, well I got great news your questions are all right and you are now a U.S. citizen, congratulations!” Sam was thankful and very proud “ Thank you” he said.
Sam walked out to the waiting room after he had sworn in as an American and was finished. In the waiting room the American male was still waiting, The American called out to him “ Hey so how did it go? Did not pass huh, well that’s a shame. Better luck next time.” Then he proceeded to laugh. Sam responded “ well everything went great and I am now an American citizen. The test was a breeze and was not a worry.” The American was shocked to hear Sam speak fluent English and felt stupid. Sam then continued “ Well I got to get going, say if you ever need great furniture give me a call at one of my three companies, here is my card, so long.” The American was at loss of words and felt stupid especially when the Hispanic lady sitting two seats down from him laughed.
As it turns out Rosa, the American’s maid, did not pass the test even after the help he had given her and had missed 8 out of 10 questions, shows what help he was. As for Sam he left City Hall feeling proud and glad that he proved the American wrong, he still owns his companies and is doing better than ever. As for the American his wife filed for a divorce and he is now living off food stamps. I guess the moral of the story is you should never judge a book by its cover, never insist that just because a person is of different race or culture that he or she may not live up to be someone, hey you just might be proven wrong.

“Wisdom is the key to the future, ignorance is nothing but a barrier to success.”
-Mellow Drifter

Through out the history of man/woman, magic and myths have been implemented in fictional stories to convey their reasons for the unexplained. It’s was a way to educate (back then) people on the reasons that the seasons changed, how the lands were formed, why there was night and day, so on and so on. It was also used to spread the messages of all religions. Without a certain level of power to be displayed in the writings of any religion there would be no peace between man/woman. It was a form of law that kept the order in the human race, without it there would be chaos. Magic and myth was also used in fictional stories to add this fantasy that so many people are drawn into, the reader or the audience that the story that is being told to is compelled to step out of their reality and into a their world were they can escape. Escape all the issues that man/woman have with reality. Salman Rushdie uses magic and myth in his story “The Prophets Hair” to convey his messages through the use of children’s story tales and religion to show the greediness of man/woman in the sense what is worth altering ones life for something that is deemed valuable but is truly worthless. The combinations of realism and the elements of the super natural almost meld into one as if there was things that we the readers considered to be fantasy turned into reality.

The character “Hashim” is dramatically transformed in the story when he came in position of the silver vial that contained a strand of the prophet Muhammad hair. A man who was not a faithful follower of his religion but expressed love for his family every morning at the breakfast table, having their conversations of solicitude on which the family prided itself. After a single night in his seller with the vial, Hashim had quickly turned swollen, his eyes bulged even more than they always had, they were red-rimmed, and his knuckles where white. He no longer displayed the affection he did when at the table. His conversations of solicitude turned into a fury of harsh comments that displayed nothing but negativity towards the whole family, it is as if he was ashamed to be part of his family. A man who did not care much for religion had begun to wake his family every morning at five o’clock to wash and say their prayers, five times daily. A collector of rare artifacts has found his most precious piece in his collection, but at what cost? The vial of hair has turned a loving husband and father into a tyrant, with each word released from his mouth, although true, it strikes as poison through the ears of his family. Is this the magic that the vial of hair contains? Did the truth about the life of Hashim out side his family bring them closer together or did it pull them away from one another? Did his new found faith in his religion turn him into a just man; he still continued his money lending business which was a way of sugar coating the term “loan shark”.

The vial of hair almost is its own entity in the story. It seems to want to stay connected to Hashim so that it can work its unusual magic. Atta, the son of Hashim, tries to take the artifact back to the mosque so that his family might live in the harmony he and his family embraced, but the hair is lost in transition to the mosque and finds its self back into the hand of Hashim. Atta then conspires with his sister Huma to hire a thief to take that miserable strand of hair away from there tormented lives. In Atta’s attempt to hire a thief he is beaten within an inch of his life and his body disposed of in the river which some how makes it back to his place of residence where the only he will play a part in the tragic ending of their family.

In Atta’s failed attempt to acquire the services of a thief, Huma then makes her way to seek the skills of a thief. Here is were Rushdie then uses the super natural to describe the thief of thieves “Sheikh Sin”. Rushdie writes “Huma saw facing her a grey-haired giant down whose left cheek ran the most sinister of scars, a cicatrice in the shape of the letter sin in the Nastaliq script. She was gripped by the insupportably nostalgic notion that the bogeyman of her childhood nursery had risen up to confront her.” This description tells the readers of the pure evil that this man portrays like that of the bogeyman which stuck fear into the hearts of so many children. If the bogeyman were in fact to be reality and not myth this is who he would have been. Huma relinquishes all of her worldly positions to Sheikh Sin in return for the blissfulness she endured at home before the vial of hair brought such misery. Rushdie uses magic elements in “the Prophets Hair” when Sheikh Sin enters the house of Huma to steal the vial of hair and there valuables. “At last a bulbul sang softly from the garden below her window and, creeping downstairs, she opened a door to the bird, on whose face there was a scar in the shape of the Nastaliq letter sin.”, using a bird to describe the way Sheikh Sin appeared to Huma, I thought was to symbolize the message of all the tragedies about to unfold on the house that evening, being that in past history, birds were often used to send messages. Although this story is told in modern times, it is written with a sense of a time when thieves or any other type of figure that contained special magic abilities like Sheikh Sin, were he is able to swoop in the middle of the night undetected by changing forms. As Sheikh Sin draws closer to the vial of hair, the last piece of the puzzle is set for this religious artifact to cast its last spell on the house. Atta wakes for a brief moment to ramble his last words, “thief, thief!” as Atta passes on. Hashim quickly rises to investigates the matter but not before arming himself with a blade. He makes his way down the hall were he strikes at a stranger running towards the him, finding out that he has slain his daughter he then turns the blade on himself. After Sheikh Sin has seen this horrific event take place he promptly leaves the house with only the vial of hair.

Sheikh Sin himself is only able to spend one night with the artifact himself because the very next day he too meets his demise at the hands of the authorities. During the time that Sheikh Sin spent with the vial of hair it had cured his four sons but in turn it took away their earnings from begging which left them disabled in another sense. The prophet’s hair worked its subtle magic through out the story, but what was the moral that was to be conveyed here? We have always been conditioned to believe that religious artifacts brought such good fortune but here Rushdie has shown us that if we are truly made in the image of god then why can’t religious artifacts believed to be pure and whole bring tragedy just as man/woman create.

Last Edited Aztech on 18-May-2003 3:43 PM

Letters to the President

Dear Mr. President,

I am going to kill you. Not now, but very soon. Most people see you as an excellent role model with a good heart. Not me, I can see through you Johnny. I know what you’re trying to do to our country. It’s sick and I don’t want the youth of America to have to bare witness to it. I’ve been watching you for a long time now and I know your weak spots. I must kill you, for the sake of America.

Signed,
LHO

I sealed the envelope and wrote the address to the White House on the front. I paused for a second to think about the impact this letter is going to have.
“No turning back now,” I huffed as I threw the letter into the mailbox. I slammed the mailbox door to seal the deal. I stepped back and took a look at what I just finished doing, then walked down the street.
The sun was setting by the time I got home. I hung up my jacket in the closet and plopped down on my work bench. I took out my old hunting rifle and started taking it apart, cleaning piece by piece. Eight minutes, twenty-four seconds.
“Hmm,” I said. “That’s three seconds faster than yesterday.”
It is very easy to get certain kinds of information. All you have to do is ask the right questions, pay attention, and maybe do a little bit of research. That is exactly what I did. I found out what our dearly beloved president was planning to do to our great nation. It makes me furious to know these things, so I wrote another letter.

Dear John,

You sick bastard. Do you really think that I believe your façade? You can’t fool me. I know what you did at the White House back in the 50’s, and I know your secret plans with Castro and his regime. Thinking about you makes me sick to my stomach. The thought of spraying your brains all over a wall is the only remedy to my pain. Your days are numbered Johnny.
Signed,
LHO

I knew I would not allow JFK to follow through with his evil plans, but I didn’t know HOW I was going to stop him. I needed to know where his next move was going to be.
I turned on the news, and like always, John F. Kennedy’s face was plastered across the entire television set. My veins immediately rose to the surface of my skin, and I gripped the recliner so tight my fingers turned white.
The news went on to say that Kennedy will make a trip to Dallas, Texas, amongst other various cities along the way.
“That’s it!” I said. “I’m going to Dallas to kill the president!”
I packed my car with a suitcase of clothes, and most importantly, my trusty rifle.

Dear Johnny,

You will die in Dallas.
Signed,
LHO

It took me about half a day to get to Dallas. I haven’t had a blink of sleep in three days now, and it was taking its toll on my vision. I began having double vision, seeing trails, and my reaction time was extremely late. I drank a cup of coffee to keep me on my toes.
I got to where Kennedy’s path was going to be. I looked around for a place to set up. I came up to a grassy knoll where to young gentlemen were standing. They seemed kind of out of place and tense. When I walked up to where they were standing I noticed that they had a package to their sides.
“Excuse me; do you know where I can get a good view of the president? You know, kind of high up?” I said with a forced smile.
“Uuuh, well, maybe that old book suppository is what your looking for?” One man said as he pointed at an old brick building.
I took one look and knew that it was a perfect spot. I thanked them and went on my way. I passed by a person in an umbrella who was wearing dark shades. He also had a small package down by his waist. I cringed as I passed by him. I looked around and noticed that just about everyone had dark shades and had a little package.
“Maybe everyone knows what the president is up to and has the same agenda as I do!” I thought out loud. “I just need some sleep, after I assassinate the president.”
I shook my head and trudged on. The building had a million stairs in the building. My body was already exhausted from my lack of sleep. I wasn’t sure if I could make it on time. I started climbing up the stairs, with my rifle case in hand.
I took a break just about half way up the building. I leaned against the wall to catch my breath and wipe the sweat off my brow. Just outside I could hear the presidential music and a roar of applause and cheer.
“Oh shit! I’m going to miss my only chance!” I shouted.
I ran up the rest of the stairs, opened the rifle case and quickly assembled it. I stepped over to the window and looked through the scope. I saw the two gentlemen on the grassy knoll get up from where they were. I saw the man sitting under the umbrella get up and reach for his package. Then I saw my target. Mr. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was sitting in his car right next to his wife. I followed him through the cross-hairs for a few seconds; my eyes were playing tricks on me. I was exhausted and out of breath when I pulled the trigger.
I looked through the scope again and saw JFK grab his throat. Immediately his secret service agents covered him. I looked around in the sea of people. Through all the hysteria I could still spot out the two guys on the knoll. They were running in the opposite direction. The man with the umbrella was running towards the book suppository I was in.
Me, I had a smile on my face that went from ear to ear . My eyes closed and I hugged my rifle. The barrel was still warm. I sat down on the ground and leaned against the wall.
“I saved America,” I said. “I saved America.”

Its Early Sunday morning in Beverly Hills, Bob wakes up at his fathers house to a loud noise of the gardeners leave blower, he shouts while leaning in bed "God dam that gardener for waking me up this early".

Bob stumbles to his feet’s and heads down stairs bumbling discriminative words. Bob slides open the door and in front of him he sees Jose the gardener blowing the courtyard leaves. Bobs confronts Jose with a raging attitude, "Hey you god damn ox, why are you blowing leaves this early in the morning" Jose replies "Its 1 in the afternoon Sir". Bob replies back “So what is that suppose to mean I can’t sleep in my god damn house. Go do something else”. Bob plans to follow his father’s foot steps to take over the company but he spends most of the days sleeping, eating, and spending his daddy’s money. While Jose in the other hand works hard as a gardener by day and goes to school a night to become someone in the future.

A few hours later Bob is watching his favorite football game with his buddies drinking beer on TV then suddenly he hears the piercing noise on Jose's weedwacker's engine. Again Bob rushes out the door waving his arms frequently at Jose and tells him “ why are you doing this right now cant see I am watching the game, are you dumb or something”. Jose replies in a calm state “ I have to do this right sir because I have to go to work somewhere else then I have to go to school”. “You go to school? (laughs out loud) don’t make me laugh, you will never be anything else than a gardener, and you will never be smarter than me”. Bob tells him to leave but Jose tells him he has to finish or his dad wont pay him for the day. Bob turns around and hits him till he knocks him down and says “you will never be anyone in life and you will never be better than me". Jose quits his job at that house and 4 years go by. Bob "daddy’s angel" is still up to no good, drinking, partying, and wasting his dad’s money. While Jose Graduates College and receives a degree in business. He starts working for a giant corporate business and works up his way up the ranks in the business company. After working long days and dedicative service, He becomes the vice president of the major corporative company.

On a bright Monday morning Bob's father knock on his door and walks into his room while Bob is half a sleep laying in bed and says “Bob I just came to tell you that I am retiring for good from the company and do you remember the promise I made about leaving the company to you. I decide it to leave it to someone who has the experience of running a company, and the other reason is because you have done nothing with your life. All you done is waste you time and my money. You have made me lost respect for you. I don’t think you have the ability to become someone in life son. I decided to leave the company in Jose’s hands”. After hearing Jose’s name Bobs face became unmovable, he was in a state of shock and he responded “Are you talking about that god damn gardener we just to have here, please say it in so”. His father replies “I know it’s a big sock to you that our gardener Jose has become the head personnel in the company but he knows how to run the company better than you do. I know that for a fact because he has been working for me for quiet a while and he has proven to me that he has what it takes to run the company”.

The Seventeen-Thousand and One Faces of Prince Frances

The kingdom of the great King Albert was filled with miles of green pastures and rivers that flowed endlessly. Acres of wheat grew by the sweat of field workers that did not mind such extensive labor, as long as King Albert ruled the throne. The wheat swayed harmoniously with the wind and acted as a golden blanket that protected the kingdom from malnourishment. Fish was plentiful in the roaring rapids. Herds of cattle roamed the green pastures, enough to feed five kingdoms. The land supplied a surplus amount of wealth and happiness to all those loyal to King Albert and his kingdom.
Not so for Prince Frances. The prince could care less about the rich land and the beauty that surrounded it. Second-born child of King Albert and Queen Alexis, Prince Frances could not allow follow the footsteps of his older and more courageous brother, Prince Richard. Brave and cunning, Richard was born a hunter. To make matters worse, Frances was no match wits with his younger brother, Prince Theodore. It was believed that Theodore outwitted and revealed the secrets of the wizard, at the age of nine. Despite the royal blood, Frances had nothing in common with his brothers, however, Frances was blessed with the beauty of the heavens. Fields of golden wheat was a pale bronze compared to the long, golden locks of Frances. The blue waters of the roaring rivers became timid waves compared to the fierce-blue eyes of the young prince. Throughout the day, the Frances was followed by hordes of beautiful women, enough to make Narcissus jealous. The only time he could achieve peace and solace was in his bedroom, where he would spend hours combing his beautiful hair. His bedroom was surrounded with gold and the walls with hundreds of mirrors. No matter where Prince Frances sat, he insisted that he’d be able to take notice of his beauty. The ceiling too, was plated with mirrors. Frances slept with himself many nights.
It was a new day. Frances woke up to his reflection as he did every morning. “Good morning, Prince Frances,” the young prince said to himself. Combing his hair was the start of his days. The mirrors praised Frances and followed his every move.
It was later that day that Prince Richard was expected to arrive from a mission given to him by King Albert. His mission was not only to settle an old rivalry over disputed land, but also test his strength and tenacity. Richard had been gone for several months and was expected to come home victoriously.
Frances was not worried by the arrival of his older, more courageous brother. Richard had been gone for so long, every beautiful nearly forgot about him. Besides, Frances thought, “bravery could win medals but looks could win women.” Nobody comforted Frances as well as he could himself.
Dust broke and the anticipation of Richard’s arrival rose. Miles away, Richard and his men could be heard making their way to the castle. The thunderous sound of the horses, no doubt, expressed triumph. Village people cheered as they made their way through the kingdom. The king and queen waited eagerly at the castle’s entrance. Finally, the great prince reached his destination, although, it was obvious things had certainly changed for Richard. He looked as if he not only conquered the land but also took the world with him. His beard reflected maturity. His hair was long, shoulders much more broad, and demeanor reflected that of a king. Shocked, Frances stood at the entrance, unable to recognize his brother. Frances took notice of Richard’s transformation and somehow changed Frances as well. “Richard, is that really you?” asked the Frances.
“Hello little brother! I see you haven’t changed much. Still well with the ladies, are you?” Richard approached Frances and exhibits his newfound strength with a hug.
“Hello son,” said the king to Richard. “I hear you bring good news to my kingdom.”
Richard released Frances from the grip and kneeled to King Albert. “Yes, your majesty. I have seen the outside world and took back what was yours. Father, I am happy to say that the land is ours. Now and forever.” With the confirmation of Richard’s victory, the celebration began.
Frances recoiled to his bedroom as the kingdom lionized Prince Richard throughout the evening. In his quarters, Frances had finally found those who understood him as he passed by his hundreds of mirrors. Several-hundred Frances’ endured his pain. Sadness covered his room. “What would I do without you? Always there and always deserving of something more than the gods can ever give you. It’s a good thing we have each other,” said the young prince to him. “Forgive them. They mean no harm.”
As the evening grew, Frances became darker and filled his group with despair. “What should I do? I cannot let this continue…” Suddenly, the doors to the corridor creaked. “Who’s there? I demand you reveal yourself. Show yourself, you coward!” Not a sound followed and Frances was, once again, accompanied with only his mirrors. “You’re losing it. Ha! You really know how to give a good scare. What are you doing with yourself, young prince? What was that?” The prince continued to carry the conversation in privacy. “I could never harm Richard. You’re taking this too far.” His throat began to tighten. The sweat of his brow dripped along his stiff lips. “You’re crazy! What are you saying? Are you proposing…I can’t.”
With a sudden change of perspective, Frances toyed with the idea. “Later tonight, after those imbeciles end their petty celebration, sneak down to Richard’s quarters.
“But I will I do? What would I say? What if I get caught?”
“Oh please! There you go worrying again. You are Frances, Prince Frances! No one would dare accuse you. You expect the king to take the word of a servant?”
“What should I do?”
“Wait until golden slumbers fill his room. He is exhausted. Nothing could wake Richard up from sleep. Grab you dagger, Frances and give it to Richard. Give the new-found king his scepter and place it in his heart,” said the prince.
It was late and the owls guarded the kingdom in its slumber. Prince Frances crept his way to Prince Richard’s bedroom. Frances held the dagger in his right hand and held on to his breath with the other. He shook vigorously. He opened the bedroom door and a new world was before him. Frances had not entered Richard’s room for such a long time. It was foreign to him. The walls were not covered with several hundreds of mirrors, but only a few. It did not exhibit posh taste and was certainly not surrounded with gold.
He stood before Richard and took notice of the gentle look on Richard’s face. Suddenly, Frances was overwhelmed with his convictions. He raised the dagger high, all the way to the heavens. He tightened his grip and then plunge the dagger into Richard’s heart. Richard woke from his sleep, took notice of Frances and accepted his scepter.

Frances paused for a moment and took notice of his reflection. “What have you done, Frances?”
“But you told me to.”
“I didn’t tell you to do anything. It must’ve been him,” exclaimed the image of the frightened Prince Frances, as it pointed to another mirror.”
Frances began to sweat heavily. He looked over to his right.
“Don’t look at me Frances. I would’ve never agreed to this. Shame on you, Frances! He was your own brother. Murderer!”
“What do you mean? This can’t be happening,” grasped the young prince.
“Murderer, murderer, murderer!”
“Aaaahhh!” A loud scream entered the room but this time it was not from Frances, but from the queen who stood in the doorway. The king and a servant accompanied her.
The servant pointed at Frances and explained, “see, your majesty. I would not lie to you. I overheard Prince Frances earlier tonight as I made my way pass his bedroom. I heard everything.”
“What is the meaning of this?” exclaimed the king. “Explain yourself, Frances. Or god help me, I shall lose two sons this evening!” The king stood hard and the queen wept.
“I didn’t mean to,” said the young prince, as he stood by Richard’s bedside. He said nothing more as he continued to stand in shock.
The servant told everything, verbatim. He explained how he overheard Prince Frances as he planned out Richard’s death. He revealed the truth about Frances’ jealousy and described his conversation. “He spoke to himself as if there were hundreds of him in his room. He is possessed, your majesty. He is not well.”
It was painful for the king and queen to accept the revelation. Prince Frances was taken away to a private tower at the west side of the castle. As far as he was concerned, he bore the lost of two sons that night. He ordered the servant to swear to never reveal the truth. In fact, news spread that a maniac had entered the castle that night, which took the lives of Prince Richard and Prince Frances.
The tower was cold and dingy, although, Frances was not alone. There he sat in the dark. Only a little amount of sunlight was able to enter, enough to make the tower accessible to the servants that fed Frances on occasion. Most importantly, however, the sunlight was used to reveal the 17,000 mirrors that surrounded the tower, ordered by King Albert. Tucked legs, bent knees with his arms embracing both. All 17,001 of them in shackles, permanently banished from the outside world. All but one mocked and ridiculed him, “murderer.”

David San

Who? Einstein? A Racist?

It was Albert Einstein who said, just hours before his death "Bestiality is best, boys - Bestiality is best". He is irrefutably one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century, but what we don’t know is that he was also one of history's most detestable racists.
Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 into a family of German-Jewish Gypsies. There is very little detail known about Albert's early life, but from the little information that is historians have speculated that like certain species of mole, Albert was born underground, relying only on a diet of worms provided by his mother and an underground stream of fresh water. His mother was forced to live in these underground caves after actually trying to be buried alive while pregnant with Albert at the time. His father, Oliver, and his family were at the top of the aristocrats and Einstein’s mother was a low peasant, almost a slave, but still his parents fell in love. When Oliver’s parents found out about this affair they immediately disapproved and encouraged him to put an end to the relationship. Einstein’s mother, Lanya, thought it was best for Oliver to terminate the relationship also, she loved him very much and didn’t want to ruin his life, but he refused, his love for her was too great. When his family learned that he wasn’t going to put a stop to seeing Lanya they hired a hit man to kill and told Oliver they received a letter that she committed suicide.
Albert finally managed to navigate himself to the surface at the age of 10; coincidentally around the same time that Adolph Hitler was born. After adjusting to his new surroundings he was determined to find his father and began his journey to Munich were his mother said he lived. After several months of rigorous travel and becoming a scavenger in order to survive, he finally reached Munich and started asking around about his father. He was finally able to find out that his father lived in a mansion right outside the city. He went to see his father and told him the whole story. Oliver was furious with his family, but was grateful to learn he had a son and he was standing right there. Oliver then asked about Lanya and cried when he relived being told she had passed for the second time. He then immediately told his family that if anything should happen to Albert he would know that is was them and God help them.
Oliver put Albert into school where he prospered instantly. It was during this period in his life that the young Albert began to become scientifically impelled and so his passion started to grow. He attended the University there and was able to attain a P.H.D. This was at the same time Adolph Hitler moved to Munich. He had decided to leave Austria in 1913 at the age of twenty-four. Adolph was a good student and received excellent marks, but he still dropped out of school at the age of sixteen and applied to the Academy for Art in Vienna. After being rejected twice Hitler was crushed because he was so sure he would be accepted. He became a regular reader and shared the views of the writings that stated that Communist and Jews were the cause of all problems. After a while Hitler decided to move.
Hitler began to attend seminars at the University Einstein taught at. After time Einstein noticed that he was one of the few students who were on top of all their work and he, especially, was excelling very rapidly. Hitler asked Einstein why he had only written one book so far and Einstein explained to him that he had written one other book, but it was years ago. Hitler then asked why he’s never heard of it, because he asked for a list of books that Professor Einstein had wrote and only the one book showed up. Einstein told him it was because he never wanted to publish his first book, he received much ridicule and disrespect from this book, he feared if he published it the problems would only get worse. Hitler didn’t want to make the Professor feel strange so he quickly changed the subject and they began to talk about many different things. They began to talk more and more often, in class and out of class, which led to their, very brief, friendship. At the starting of their comradeship Einstein and Hitler were having a great conversation when Einstein asked Hitler if he would like to finish the conversation with some food, good wine and a warm fireplace, it was a very cold night. Hitler gratefully accepted his offer and said that he would be honored to visit such a unique and historic mansion.
After dinner they went into the study with their wine and the fireplace just beginning to crackle. After a while Hitler had to use the restroom and asked for directions. Einstein told him it was all the way down the hall to the right and across from his bedroom. After using the bathroom Hitler walked across to Einstein’s room and walked inside. Oddly enough he started snooping around and looking through his things. He looked inside Einstein’s closet and found the book that he was talking about, it was called Mein Kampf, it was about his Anti-Semitic views and racist opinions. He took off his jacket and covered the book with it. He walked back out and when Einstein asked if he was all right he answered no. He told him that something had come over him and he felt very sick. Hitler apologized to Einstein, told him he really needed to go home and lay down and insisted that he didn’t need any help.
Hitler took Mein Kampf' and made a copy of it, after he was done he apologetically gave it back to Einstein. Einstein was furious and he didn’t even know about him making a copy. He couldn’t believe that he had broken not only their friendship and their trust, but also his wishes for the book to remain private. Following the confrontation Einstein discarded any contact with Hitler and moved to America with his family. The economy was down and the family thought it would be safer to invest in the uprising American economy.
A couple of years later Hitler joined the “German Workers Party” which later turned into the Nazis. With his natural ability to speak he advanced quickly and was able to impress the leader of the group. After years of membership in the party Hitler was given the highest position and decided to follow the readings of Mein Kampf` in his leadership. He took the writings to heart, and made the philosophy live on.
When Einstein heard about what was going on in Germany he knew that Hitler must have made a copy of his book. That was the only way he could explain why his actions were almost exact to his book. He couldn’t help feel responsible for what was going on, but he didn’t want to say anything. His Life in America was going great and he had just met someone. If he let this secret out it could not only destroy his life, but also ruin his family’s reputation, which had already been severely hurt when the news of Oliver’s bastered son got out. Einstein decided to never tell a soul and burn the original copy he possessed, so that he could have no connection with Hitler and no other people would be able to read the book ever.
After many years of the war Hitler was tricked into sleeping with a very attractive women with syphilis. He knew he was going to eventually go crazy and die so he too burned the book. He didn’t want anybody else to have it and he didn’t want to hide it somewhere and in his insanity give away the location. He never told anyone about his relationship with Einstein nor did Einstein tell anybody.

Last Edited SaNzDaMaN on 19-May-2003 1:10 AM

It all started with this man name Paul and her wife Careen that had a very wealthy business empire. Paul was a famous architect with good creativity and knowledge. This wealthy guy contracted Paul to make a tunnel of his dreams.
Paul agrees.
One of the dreams he created, to provide an underground tunnel to connect Hong Kong and Mainland. They call it
The Victoria Harbor Tunnel. As there coming from the opening of the tunnel. The driver asks Frank, Paul’s body guards, is that your car following us? He response “no”.
A second later Frank realizes that they are being followed.
The driver continues to his destination, Home.
When they pull up into the driveway,
Paul and Careen sees a dozen men waiting for them. Careen worries because she has their newborn baby’s Richard and Ivan, which they happen to be twins.
Frank is trying to drive to Paul’s home. When he radios the driver. Franks say,
“Stay in the car and don’t get out.”
After Frank said that.
This big man comes from the shadows of the dozen men and fires a shotgun.
BOOM!
The shotgun bullet explode the front window of the car and kills Paul’s driver.
Paul reaches to the glove compartment fires a 22-pistol gun, but does hardly any damage to the dozen men.
They fired another shotgun round and hits Paul in the chest instantly dies.
His wife crying comes out of the car, asking the mobster to leaf them alone.
But they show no mercy and kill Careen too.
Franks arrives shooting gun shoots to try to scared them away.
By the time he gets to the car he sees Paul and Careen lying dead.
Franks sees the nana hiding in the car with two babies.
Frank asks the nana to take the babies and run, but she only takes one.
The men approach the car but by the time they get to the car, Frank runs with the other twin.
The nana heads east and Frank’s heads west.

25 years later

Richard grows up living a good life in a city that has it all, were the city seems tropical
The sky is always blue and the sun is always shining.
Like the Hollywood life.
Richard grows up knowing nothing about his pass life. He thinks that
Franks is his uncle, and that his parents were killed but not knowing how.
Richard grows up in a nice school which he learns many art skills and fighting techniques.
One day Frank asks Richard to take a vacation to Hong Kong.
Richard seems surprise because his never gone no where in his life.

Frank surprises Richard by telling him that he’s been lying about him being his uncle.
Richard seems more and more confused but Frank tells him to take a vacation and he would explain it all.

When they arrive to Hong Kong, Frank takes Richard to a bar and tells him to relax.
As soon as Richard walks in, everyone looks at him weird because he was wearing pink shorts and a blue shirt.
The bartender looks at Richard and calls him “Boss” here is your favorite drink.
This other guy walks towards Richard and looks like he is going to kill him because he is walking with his hand inside his pocket but he just hands
Richard some money.
Richard is totally confused but doesn’t pay attention,
“Richard says I love Hong Kong!”
A woman comes out of the shadows and calls Richard over.
The woman starts flirting and gives him a kiss.
But as soon as she is done giving him a kiss, Richard looks back very surprise because he sees his reflection but Ivan punches him out.
Frank starts telling Richard and Ivan that they were separated from birth

Ivan tells his side of the story.
That he grew up having nothing in Hong Kong. He grew up in a bad neighborhood
And poverty surrounded him with street smart. He told Frank that he had a gang that was trying to reach the people because they were suffering with bad government and no kind of political justice.
Ivan grew up being a rebel with out a cause.
Ivan refuses to comprehend with Frank’s idea, to find the murder of there
Parents.
Frank tells Ivan and Richard that when the tunnel was completed they didn’t need their father’s expertise so they kill him.
But what the Klan didn’t know is that they fucked up by not killing their sons, because they didn’t realize that they had two twins.

The two twins’ knew exactly what to do and journey together…

Dreams we create for ourselves can make us feel liberated or sometimes overwhelmed by complexity. Our dreams are our great escape. Sometimes they come with a high price. We sacrifice our freedom and independence for our desires. We aspire to be someone other than ourselves, fearing how others see us. Our dreams should lead us to happiness, they should not strip us of our pride and dignity. In Salmon Rushdie’s short stories, “Good Advice is Rarer Than Rubies”, and “The Free Radio”, we read about two young people who struggle with their dreams and desires, with hopes of finding happiness amidst the influences of Western culture.
Ramani and Miss Rehana struggled to choose their own path in life. They both try to build themselves as independents making their own decisions no matter what the cost. Miss Rehana sabotaged her chance of living in England for the simple life she has in Pakistan. Ramani sacrificed his manhood and pride for a transistor radio, which he has poured all his dreams and hope into.
Miss Rehana is a very independent woman. It is seen from the moment she steps off the bus. The barefaced Miss Rehana walked with confidence. She was not frightened like the other women who leaned against a male figure trying to look confident. Miss Rehana is not concerned with how society sees her. She is concerned with how she feels and sees herself. She has created her own individuality in a society where women are dependent of men and seen as secondary citizens. Pakistan is a safe haven for her. It is the place where she feels comfortable and secure. She escapes a possibly devastating life in an arranged marriage where she would not be able to make her own decisions. She would be completely dependent on a strange man. She did not want to feel subordinate in a world she did not know. Miss Rehana feels liberated in Pakistan. She is an independent woman winning her own wages. She is also a woman with great honor and respect for her culture. Even though she sabotaged her future marriage, she still fulfilled her obligation to her parents by attempting to reach her future husband.
Miss Rehana is different from the other Tuesday women. The other women are dependent upon the males in society and have Western aspirations. She does not care for the western culture, but her own. This story shows how western culture can have an impact on a country even after resistance to Britain control over all Indian lands. The people become perplexed when watching these western people who seem free and full of hope. They have left imprints on the people. Many of these people from Pakistan think that they will be free when escaping to western civilization. Many of the changes and desires they will encounter may only imprison them. Their lives will only become more complex.
Ramani lives to dream. He is a young man filled with dreams of glitz and glamour. He struggles to invent himself as others see him. Ramani’s desires fill up the empty space he has within. He becomes obsessed with a radio he believes he will obtain after the crime he commits against his own body. All of his dreams are placed in the radio. The radio is symbolic of freedom that stems from western culture. When he does not receive the radio, he pretends that he has it. His future happiness is then poured into
the fictional space between his ear and his hand. His faith in the imaginary radio was so strong that it almost convinced people that the radio existed.
Without the radio, Ramani’s dreams would die. If his dream were to die then he would be forced to face the terrible crime committed against his own body. Ramani was a strong believer in his success. He was not going to give up and he was willing to make sure everyone knew he was on his way to the top. After he realized he was not going to receive the radio, Ramani left town with the widow and her children. He left to Bombay and wrote to Sahib. Ramani poured all his dreams into these letters. His letters glowed with confidence. Once again his strong faith in his dreams was so strong that Sahib was almost convinced that Ramani’s success existed. These letters might not have been true. But they were true to Ramani. His illusions existed deep in his heart.
This story symbolizes the foolishness that can come with Western aspirations. The sterilization program and the radio are western constructs. Salman Rushdie shows us how western influence can impact people’s lives greatly. Many times it can impact us in foolish ways. The benefits from western culture can be illusions of great happiness.
Ramani thought that he could be free when obtaining the free radio. He became imprisoned in his own desires. He was not free. His dreams made his life really complex. He sacrificed his ability to have children one day for an object that will not last. Even if he had obtained the radio he still would not have been happy. He would have desired something else that would make him happy only for a short while.
Ramani and Miss Rehana both searched for happiness and took different paths to their dreams. Miss Rehana succeeded in being content with herself and her lifestyle. She did not desire to live a life of riches and dependency upon her future husband. She did not care for what people thought of her. She only cared for her happiness form within. Ramani decided to take a different path. He allowed his desires and obsessions to take hold of him. He was not content with what he already had. He cared for the material things and what people thought of him.

Transformation of a lifetime

The Brown family live in an enormous house up in the Hollywood hills, this is where the people of wealth go to feel safe. Ted Brown, an extremely powerful executive at the power company, spends his time obsessing over the DOW Jones and Nasdaq (you know that Vegas slot machine that runs our economy.) His wife Edna doesn’t need to work, she spends her time being a wealthy socialite and getting liquored up. Neither of them had the time nor desire to interact with their son Michael, he was raised primarily by the hired help.

Anita the maid, Miguel the cook, and their daughter Lupe live in the guest quarters. They have worked for the Brown family for 19 years. They live at the beck and call of the Browns. If Ted wants a greasy ham steak at 3 in the morning then he will wake Miguel up through the intercom and Miguel will have to cook it and serve it to him. Anita and Miguel don’t complain. They are thankful to have the opportunity to work and have a place to live.

I went to school with Lupe. We always hung out. She was always talking about Mike. They grew up together, kind of like brother and sister but the lines were definitely drawn. Mike was lavished with material possessions and taken to the country club, while Lupe helped her Mom clean and go to the market. They were really close as children, but as Mike grew older he himself became a socialite on the rock and roll tip.
He hung out with rock stars, went to bars, bought expensive designer clothes and got around in his convertible Mercedes. He was definitely immersed in the superficial realm. He didn’t seem to notice Lupe or care. Her feelings for him had grown romantic to say the least. She was always thinking about ways to get his attention and what she could say to start a conversation with him. And I was always her shoulder to cry on when he brought home one of his pretty, white, supermodel girlfriends. I would always tell her that her fixation of him was unhealthy for her, that there were plenty of others that would treat her better at least acknowledge her presence. But it’s not easy to tell your heart to stop feeling for someone. She was such a dreamer, and would fantasize about what their life would be like together, always writing it down in her journal and drawing pictures of what their children would look like.

We went to Venice beach one day, her on her roller skates and me on my skateboard. It was one of those grey ominous days that I love, but everyone hates, so there weren’t too many people at the beach, actually it was desolate. We decided to sit down and eat our picnic lunch on the sand. I was gazing at the water and the horizon line. Not too far off in the distance on the water I could see this structure. It looked like a small gypsy tent. I blinked in disbelief and wonder. “Look Lupe, what is that?” I said excitedly. She was amazed as well. We walked towards the water, just as a bottle washed to shore. Inside was a note, it said
“A magical world exists, and I can show you how to get there. A rowboat is waiting for you a half mile up the shoreline.” Whoa. What? We were both really scared and excited. “Do you want to go out there?” Lupe asked me bewildered. “Um, I don’t know. This is freaky. But we can’t just walk away from this. We will wonder about it for the rest of our lives. I’m down for an adventure.” So we began walking towards the rowboat.

As we rowed towards the tent we were really nervous. We had no sort of weaponry to defend ourselves if this was to turn out that way. What were we getting ourselves into? We arrived to the little island within a few minutes. My heart had never pounded so hard in my entire life. We were holding hands as we approached the tent. We walked through the slit in the fabric into this beautiful circular room filled with crystals that shone like the moon. It smelled of a tropical rainforest and all of the sweet herbs that grow there. Sitting at a large table was an exotically beautiful woman. She looked as if she was from some remote part of Asia, and her hair was all the way past her knees. “I’m really happy for you that you decided to come, I know you must have been frightened. I had seen you sitting on the beach and I knew that the both of you had the wisdom of the ages, I could see it penetrating from you even from this distance. I can teach you how to tap into this power that you have.” At this point she had our undivided attention. She told us that she was a sorceress and that she would begin our teaching immediately.

We would go to her everyday for weeks and weeks without even missing one day. She was showing us that our minds have their own physical strength and that wishes and dreams can be actualized. We were honing our craft and learning unimaginable things. Reading people minds, mending wounded animals, and stuff of that sort. Almost everyone has the power to do these things, but it’s just a matter of understanding how.

Then Lupe started to take it too the next level. She could change her appearance to look like whomever she wanted. She would transform herself to look like those girls that Mike liked and then courted him. She had like three or four different appearances. One of the disguises Mike began to like, a lot. It became very elaborate, because she was always dodging giving him her number or where she lived. The ironic part about it was that all these girls were Lupe and Mike wanted her. This game of cat and mouse went on for six months. The fake Lupe and Mike actually became serious. I became disconcerted about this façade and confronted her about it. She couldn’t go on like this, She either had to tell him, or give it up. She opted to tell him. When she did he exploded in disbelief and refused to talk to her. She wrote him a long letter explaining why she did it and how she felt about him. She pointed out that it was her that he loved, and not her fake face. The moment he read those lines, a total transformation occurred it dawned on him just how superficial he was.

They now live in their own tent on a small island right off the coast.

Last Edited indymedia_girl on 21-May-2003 5:49 PM

5-17-03

World Literature

In do time

A jacked up white Chevrolet pulls up in what seems to be an empty parking lot. Out in the distance there was a Honda Civic. It seemed to be really fixed up. The white car drove beside it, and the driver got out. “Why the fuck did you called so late. It’s been along time since I've seen you . how are you. How are you doing?“ said Josh. “Fine.” said Bob. “Any way why in hell did you wanted me to meet you here, you made it sound so urgent.” “Yes ‘it is important, your brother got out of jail three days ago.” why didn’t he call me. He could have told me to go , and pick him up?” said Josh. “Because he still remembers how you were like seven years ago, never shows up in time, never cared about nobody but yourself.” “Well I've changed,” said josh.

Bob takes out a pack of cigarettes put one in his mouth and offers one to Josh. Josh shakes his head, and tells him no thanks. “you have change you used to smoke all the fucken time,” said Bob. “Yeah my girl-friend never liked me smoking, so I quit.”“Dame you get a little pussy, and you stopped being yourself,” said Bob. Don’t disrespect my girlfriend like that. She has help me through allot of tough times.” “Naw, don’t take it the wrong way it’s just that you gave me my first cigarette, and it’s cold as hell here. Bob put his hands in his pockets to try and keep warm.

“So what have you been up to Bob?”, said Josh. “Not much just been trying to survive the crazy life in section eight. I still have the same fucked up job, and I still live in the same fucked up place, and still have the sane fucked up life.” said Bob. “Why don’t you move to a different place. A place that is better, you don’t have to live all your life in the same place. You can do better than this?” “You mean be just like you, and have ago nowhere job, get no respect, and take orders from everyone else like a bitch. Fuck no I won't degrade myself like that.” said Bob. “Yeah, right like selling drugs to people is a good job.” “It beets taking orders from a cracker who’s jest waiting for you to fuckup so he can fire you, and not be call a dame raciest,” said Bob.

“Why in hell are we talking about our job . In fact why the fuck did you want me to meet you here?” Because your brother used to meat me here, he should be arriving any time know.” Why the hell does he want to meet us here? said josh. Before Bob could answer Josh’s question a bum came up to both of them for some change. He reek of cheap alcohol. “How could you live like this, you should stop drinking as much, and find a damn job you bastard? The bum was shocked at what Bob told him, but then answered. “I just need some money to eat, and nobody would hire me looking like this. Josh gives the bum money as he look at him straight into his eyes.

“Have you ever thought of selling drugs to other people. You will be supplying people with products that they really need, and you will be helping yourself by not asking anybody for money, and if do get caught what is the worst the pigs can do to you. They will just put you in a nice warm room they will feed you everyday, you wont have to worry about anything. It’s better than your doing now.” said Bob. The bum then answers back, “I wouldn’t disrespect myself by selling shit like that to other people.”

Bob got so mad at the bum that he knocks down the money that josh just gave him. The bum bents down and started picking up the money, while doing that he turns to look at Bob like as he pitied him. Josh then starts to help the bum pick up his money. As they were almost bone something fell out of the bums pocket, and before josh could tell what it was he grabbed it , and put it back into his pocket. Then he just Grabbed whatever money Josh had in his hand and started walking away fast.

“That was weird he just walked away very fast,” said josh. “The guy must of been fucked up. Probably is gonna use your money for drugs”. Something fell out of his pocket, but he caught it before I could see what it was. It was kind of shiny,” said Josh. “Probably his glass pipe.” “Who cares what it was, all I know is that you scared the living hell of him,” said josh. “Ah, come on, you used to do that all the time. Used to steal their money.” “Yeah, I know, but that does not change that, that was all fucked up.”
“So at what time is my brother getting here? Its cold, and I want to go home. It feels like we have been waiting outside forever,” said Josh. “Come on, you’re talking like the cold weather is gonna kill you!” “No, it’s not that. This fucked up weather, is bringing a lot of bad memories. It just feels like everything wrong that happens in life always happens in days like this. I will never forget those days.” said Josh. “Calm the fuck down. It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know that his leg broke after the crash.” “But I never told him that the car I was driving was stolen. He didn’t know anything, he just rode in the car,” said Josh “Just be happy he didn’t give the cops our names. He could have just said who we were, gotten out of jail faster, but he didn’t. No harm was done.” “What the hell, he was my younger brother. I sent him to prison!” “He was my best friend and I never wanted him to go to jail but he did, and we did not, so be happy for that.” “You will never feel the same way I do. Instead of checking if everybody was alright I just ran. Ran away like always,” said Josh.
“Come on, we were poor and those rich mother fuckers didn’t care if their car got stolen. We just gave them the excuse to go and buy another car. They probably paid the judge to keep him in jail longer. He knew that the car was not yours, but he still got in. He knew about the car, but he didn’t care. You shouldn’t blame yourself. Your brother does not blame you for what happened so you shouldn’t blame yourself either,” said Bob. “I wonder if he is going to recognize me. I have not talked to him for a long time. I’ve changed a lot since the accident. I hope you are right. I hope he can forgive me, because I can’t forgive myself. I used to start fights for no reason, and stole because I thought the world owed me something. For being poor. But it didn’t.”
“Damn, what’s taking that bastard so long, he said he should be here by now,” says Josh. “Your brother is like you. Says he’s gonna be here at 1 a.m. but I expect him by 3 a.m. “Don’t get mad, at least we showed up. I showed up,” said Bob. “Right, I’m actually amazed you’re here. Most of the time you never show up.”
Just then Josh’s brother appears in a beat up old car. A lot of smoke was coming out of the hood. Sam jumped out the car’s window, and started giving orders to his friend and brother to get in the car. Before anyone could get in, the bum that Bob had hit earlier took out a gun and a badge.