Journal #2 11/29/10

In this section of the book, the author does not make it very clear about why Mansur wants to go to Ali’s grave so bad.  We know that Mansur wants to get away from the bookstore his family owns, but she does not explain why he wants to travel so far away.  The author tries to make the tone of this piece sound desperate because as we read, we can feel the anxiety that Mansur has at the bookstore all day.  We can feel the loneliness he goes through while waiting for the young female student to return to the shop and we feel the pain Mansur goes through when she does not return.  She does, however, make it very clear about the tension between Mansur and his father, Sultan, because the way she describes their relationship can make the reader’s blood boil and we aren’t even in the story!

            This section directly relates to what we talked about in class with the hero and healing myths because Mansur is looking for a quest to break free from his family’s store and go out to explore on his own.  He feels lost and desperate for a new fresh start so he begs his dad to let him travel with the Iranian journalist to Ali’s grave in Mazar.  There, Mansur feels free and renewed, which is exactly what he needed.  Along the journey, his heart also heals from the pain he went through of losing the young student.  The author does a great job of using the hero/ healing quest to set up this section because it is a plot that almost anyone can relate to because in today’s society, many movies and books are based off one of these two plots.  This makes it easy for the reader to follow what is happening throughout the story.

            From reading these chapters, we can see that the author assumes that everyone in Afghanistan does not like working for their families whether it be in the home or in a business because she only writes about the wives not wanting to cook and clean anymore or Mansur not wanting to work for his father anymore.  She does not yet talk about how much the family may enjoy each other’s company or how much a couple really loves each other.  She assumes that every family is the same way, but in reality, many families may truly enjoy being together.  She talks about young girls being abused and raped by older men and how it is perfectly ok in their society.  She also talks a lot about how women are violently punished (never the man's fault) for simply meeting up with a boy in a local park or on the street, or even making eye contact with certain people.  The author does not make any point of the joys the families in Afghanistan might have except for the fact that they can sing and dance at weddings again because the Taliban is no longer in power. 

            The ideal audience for the entire book is for anyone wanting to learn about the Muslim culture or anyone who wants to perhaps compare it to a different culture.  However, if you break the book down into certain sections, it becomes a book for many different audiences.  In this week’s reading, the ideal audience is for anyone feeling lonely or anyone looking for a fresh start because just like in the healing quest, the main character needed to leave home in order to find himself again.  He needed to travel afar with people he is not very close to, which forced him to be independent and do what he wanted without anyone telling him otherwise. 

            This section was a great reference to the discussion we had in class today and we are looking forward to reading the rest of the book because so far, the author does a great job of entertaining us with a new culture and helping us understand our own culture in new ways.  She helps us open our eyes to how diverse our world truly is and we hope to learn more new things throughout the book.

Melissa Stalowski: Graphic Designer 11/29/2010

The graphic design discusses the section about Mansur's pilgrimage during the Afghan New Year. Mansur believes that he is called by Ali (God) to travel and ask forgiveness for his sins so he can be cleansed and purified. The journey is long and the three men travel through warn-torn Afghanistan, where the remains of the war with the Soviet Union and other civil wars have left the land very unsafe. At the end of the religious pilgrimage, Mansur prays to be freed from his father's control and to one day be proud to be an Afghan when Afghanistan finally becomes a respectable country.

Abby Husfeldt: Discussion Leader 11/29/10

1) Is the history of Afghanistan that is mentioned throughout the book overwhelming/ inconvenient or is it insightful and helpful information?

 *This question is solely based on the reader.  However, so far in the book it has been useful for learning about the Muslim/Afghanistan history.  Sometimes in the book it flows farely well and I hardly notice it.  Other times it seems to drag on for a while.  Overall, the history that is put in is a very helpful tool to use to understand why they live the way they do and I believe that is the main reason as well that the author put it into her book.

2) How come in the Afghani/Muslim culture, and other cultures as well, is the blame for sexual interactions heavily weighted on the woman?

 *I believe that this goes back, at least for Christians, to the Adam and Eve story.  In that story, Eve is seen as a temptress.  Also, many see the woman using seduction to lure the men.  However, in this book, it is mentioned that Afghan woman would be the only one to blame and not the man.  This seems to be a cultural idea that has stuck through the years.

3) What were some reasons why Afghanistan disliked the Muslim terrorists? Did you know that Afghani’s view terrorists with false/negative outlooks?

 *In the book it is mentioned that there is a passage in the holy book stating: "You must not pray in a mosque built by terrorists."  The author also goes on to add that Real Muslims are not terrorists, because Islam is the most tolerant of religions.  "Terrorists are false Muslims."  I did not know that Afghanistan had this view upon terrorists or at least the Afghani's who were mentioned in this book believe this.  It is an interesting viewpoint to bring up in the book.

4) When Mansur prays at Mecca, why does he focus on the country’s prosperity's instead of individual prayers?

*It turns out that Muslim's love their country of origin.  They take great pride in their country and their country's prosperity's as well as their own.  It seems that when Mansur prayed he wanted to show his love and dedication to his country, religion, and family because they are all one.  It may be something that us, as Americans, seem to simply overlook if and when we ever pray.

Luke Anderson Vocab Builder 11/29/2010

Luke Anderson

Vocab Builder

Somber - dark or dull in color or tone; gloomy pg.123

Mantu – Afghan noodles filled with meat and pilau pg. 124

Exorbitantly - (of a price or amount charged) unreasonably high pg. 125

Bollywood - the Indian movie industry, based in Bombay pg. 128

Hammam - Turkish bath pg. 129

Nauroz – Afghan New Year pg. 132

Heathen - a person who does not belong to a widely held religion (esp. one who is not a Christian, Jew, or Muslim) as regarded by those who do pg. 132

Zoroastrian – worship of fire pg. 132

Caliph - the chief Muslim civil and religious ruler, regarded as the successor of Muhammad. The caliph ruled in Baghdad until 1258 and then in Egypt until the Ottoman conquest of 1517; the title was then held by the Ottoman sultans until it was abolished in 1924 by Atatürk pg. 133

Polemic - a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something pg. 133

Summerizer 11/29/10: Heather Sandberg

In this section of the book, Mansur, Sultan's eldest son, is working at the family's bookstore day after day and is getting very sick of it.  He meets a young student who comes into the store and takes her on a date, but then she never returns.  Later, Mansur asks Sultan if he can travel to the prophet Ali's grave with the Iranian journalist in town and Sultan allows it.  They take a twelve hour dangerous drive to get to the city of Mazar where Mansur finally feels free and independent.  He buys gifts for all his family and has them blessed at Ali's grave and then tours around the city. 
Throughout these chapters, the author reallyt does a great job of helping the reader visualize what the city and sights look like.  She talks about the Taliban camps and the bodies that remain on the side of the road. She also describes the ill people at Ali's grave waiting to be healed and how sickly and mentally retarded they were.  Another way she helps the reader understand how the characters feel is in her use of descriptive words because as Mansur, Said, and Akbar are traveling in the car, she explains the nerves, tension, and headaches they have in such great detail that we as readers can almost feel the same thing while reading.  This book is a great account of Afghanistan because it explains their struggles, their pride, and their challenges during every day life and how they deal with each aspect of their lives.

Heather Sandberg: Graphic Organizer 11/24/10

This graphic organizer is all about Afghan weddings and the traditions that go along with it.  The top circle means that when the couple gets married they must look into a mirror at the same time to represent the first time they will look into each other’s eyes.  The right circle is a tradition that includes the bride and groom walking around two chairs and the bride must sit before the groom otherwise it means the woman will be in charge of the whole relationship, which is bad luck.  The bottom circle means that the couple must not show emotion at their wedding because it is a serious occasion, so they must only watch everyone else dance while they sit and stay quiet. Lastly the left circle is a tradition where the bride must hammer a nail into her and her groom’s new room to symbolize that she has nailed her destiny to the new house.

Melissa Stalowski: Summarizer 11/24/2010

At the beginning of this section of The Bookseller of Kabul, Shakila and her sisters are shopping in the markets of Kabul out of preparation for her upcoming wedding. The author describes the traditional burkas that are worn by Afghan women and encourages the readers to examine the strict rules placed on women. Shakila and her sisters continue the preparation for her wedding. Shakila's wedding takes place in the section titled "A third-rate wedding", implying right away that the marriage and wedding might be a negative experience as opposed to a positive and romantic life event. The wedding between Shakila and Wakil takes place and is a long process that seems more depressing than joyful. The author describes the bride as a doll and as property of the groom stating that Shakila's destiny is "nailed" to the house of her in-laws. In the section titled "The Matriarch", Bibi Gul reflects upon her life as a mother and wife. Again, the author makes the lack of opportunity for women a focal point of the chapter through the description of Bibi Gul's life. She portrays Bibi Gul as a pathetic woman who has only lived her life raising children and serving her husband. For her life to be considered successful, she will have raised her children and married them all off.

Luke Anderson Discussion Leader 11/24/2010

Discussion Leader

When the Taliban prohibits women without the proper dress from getting into cars what does it mean?  It means that men who are driving cabs are not supposed to let in women without the proper dress.  In addition the woman’s family will be affected and she may be hurt or imprisoned.  This message is geared towards cab drivers because they are probably some of the only people who have radios. 

Why does the author refer to the women as burkas rather than by name or sex?  She does this in order to make a point.  By people on the street the women are just seen as a bunch of clothes.  This is because they have everything else covered up, so the only way they can be identified is by clothes.

           

Why do the vendors at the market place not seem worried about selling their products?  They are into talking with friends or gossiping.  I believe that this is because they think that people are not at the market simply looking around.  They have come for something specific.  Because of this, they do not need to be salesmen because the people who will stop by their shop will come either way. 

Why have the women’s rights associations failed in Afghanistan?  They have tried to form since the fail of the Taliban, but all have failed.  This is because the men do not allow them to succeed.  When the protest the men stop it or when they stand up for themselves the men make fun of them.  The main reason is simply the tradition that men decide all.

Abby Husfeldt: Vocabulary Builder 11/24/10

Vocab

1) Pakora: Indian dish consisting of pieces of vegetable, chicken, itc. Dipped in spice batter and deep-fried. (p. 85)

2) Coquettish: A woman who makes teasing sexually; flirt (p. 86)

3) Coriander: An aromatic annual Eurasian herb in the parsley family (p. 87)

4) Kohl: A cosmetic preparation that’s powdered antimony sulfide, used to darken the rims of eyelids (p. 95)

5) Replete: Abundantly supplied (p. 96)

6) Mullah: A male religious teacher or leader (p. 102)

7) Cortege: A ceremonial procession (p. 103)

8) EID: The three-day Muslim holiday marking the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting (p. 103)

9) Peckish: Ill-tempered; irritable (p. 107)

10) Enmity: Mutual hatred (p. 117)

Journal Entry One: 11/22/2010

Before reading The Bookseller of Kabul, we assumed that the culture we would read about was going to be very different from our own.  We also thought that the book would mainly focus upon Sultan and his bookstore. However, the story accounts in detail the experiences of Sultan’s individual family members in Pakistan and Afghanistan.  We also thought that the story would have the author as one of the main characters, narrating the story from her point of view. Instead, the author decided to narrate the story as if each family member was telling it from their own point of view. This writing technique was a suitable choice for the book because the author was required to report more information than she would if she was narrating the story about her personal experience. It forced the reader to step into the shoes of each character and be submerged in their everyday lives.

So far in the book, we can assume that the ideal audience is for anyone who does not have basic knowledge about the Islamic culture.  The book can be used as pleasure reading for the people of that culture, but it can be used as a learning tool into the culture also.  The audience is geared toward a more mature and adult age group. 

One of the things that have surprised us thus far in the book would be the treatment of women in their culture.  We had some common knowledge about the limited opportunities offered to women, but we were surprised to learn that the rules are much stricter. A woman is at full mercy to a man, whether it be her father, husband, or other male relative. One example of the strict rules for women is when Saliqa sent and received notes from a young boy and went to a park to meet with him. A family member saw the two at the park and as a result, Saliqa was brutally beaten by her uncle. As stated in the discussion, a similar “crime” committed in the United States would simply be considered typical teenage behavior.

Women’s role in Afghanistan is a focal point in The Bookseller of Kabul and the information provided about it is the most important thing that we have learned thus far. In the first section, the author discusses a typical Afghan proposal and marriage. By showing the emotions of the woman who needs to accept the proposal, the author teaches that a woman has little freedom in her marriage and life. For example, the husband’s family chooses who he will marry, while the bride cannot pick who she marries. The bride’s parents are the ones who accept the proposal based on the bride price, and she cannot show emotion or her opinion in the proposal. The lack of freedom that the Afghan women have in their marriages and lives make us appreciate the freedom that we do have. For the most part, we are able to choose who we date and marry. Typically in the United States, if a man asks a woman to marry him, she has the ability to accept or decline. While family approval is valued, the family’s input is not as extreme as in typical Afghan marriages.

The section titled “Suicide and Song” was particularly sad to read and forced us as readers to sympathize with women of Afghanistan. When we think of love, we think of passion, intimacy, and romance between two people. To be loved is something that everyone desires. However, the author refers to a woman’s desire for true love as a taboo in Afghan culture. The section states that for a woman to love is a serious crime and that love has little to do with romance. As a result, Afghan women will kill themselves or set themselves on fire as a way to escape their lonely and abusive lives.     

Summarizer by Heather Sandberg 11/22/10

In this section of the book, Sultan travels to Pakistan to visit his first wife Sharifa and to print schoolbooks for the boy students because they are supposed to have better books than girls.  While in Pakistan, Sultan visits each of Sharifa's relative's houses and finds a girl to marry his brother who is seeking a wife.  When Sultan returns to Afghanistan, he fnds out that his sister is marrying a man named Wakil.  At the end of the section, the Taliban invade Kabul and make sixteen strict rules for everyone to follow.
The author wrote this section to show us some of the scenery in Afghanistan because she explains the landscape as Sultan travels from Afghanistan to Pakistan.  The tone of this section is very serious because the culture is so strict that consequences can be made for the littlest action such as meeting someone in the park to talk.  This book explains a lot about the priviledges of men and the few rights that women have.  It helps readers understand the Muslim culture better because many people do not know the specific rules that are entitled to being apart of this culture.  The author does an excellent job of explaining to the reader the different points of view from an Afghan man and an Afghan woman.

Abby Husfeldt: Discussion Leader 11/22/10

11/22/10

1) Why is there not a universal copyright/regulations to follow? Why do you think some countries stricter?

**Some countries simply have more money to put into regulations.  Another reason, following the same aspect of money, would be that they have more money to put into the authorities to help enforce those rules.  It would seem to be better to have a universal copyright law.  Other countries probably have similar regulations to follow but again do not enforce the laws like other countries including America, who seem to have strict regulations.

2) Why do you think Sultan only does his pray practices once a day?  How long do you think he has had this thinking?

**I think it started at a younger age when he started to get into his business.  He is just not strict with his religion.  Many others do not attend church services every Sunday, etc.  Sultan believes he must work hard for his money instead of praying to his God for all that he has accomplished.  He had mentioned once that going to Mecca should not be for prayer, but should be attended to thank Allah.  I believe that this deals with his thinking towards regular prayers as well.

3) Do you think any of the arranged marriage regulations/ideas go too far?

**There are many different aspects that you could choose from including: the women not being present in the room while discussing the marriage proposal, rarely choice of marriage partner, women appearing cold and distant until they are married, and if a bride is unwilling is a good sign and indicates a pure heart.  The two aspects regarding the women’s feelings toward the marriage and husband seem odd.  To have a bride that is unwilling does not seem to have a good sign, at least not in America. Otherwise, arranged marriages usually do not take in consideration of the females interests so the aspect of the girls not being present seems “reasonable”. 

4) Which of the Taliban’s 16 rules do you think go too far? Which ones are silly/bizarre? Why?

**Prohibition against kite flying, playing drums,and British and American hairstyles seem silly.  These three rules seem to just be about what you can and can’t do for enjoyment or freewill.  One rule that seems to go too far would be for shaving one’s beard.  It seems harsh to have a rule that regulates how one should maintain their presence with one’s facial hair.  If it were simply just a rule to not shave it could have been a little more reasonable, however, it specifies that it should be the length of a clenched fist.  Another one that goes too far is the prohibition against female exposure and what it entitles.  It states that females who are not decently covered and accompanied with a close male relative is also implied and seems a bit over the edge.

Luke Anderson Graphic Organizer 11/22/10

Luke Anderson

Day 2

Graphic Organizer

Sultan must cross the border to visit his first wife.  This series of events is signifigant because it is a very dangerous road.  The Khyber Pass has guns on both sides and Sultan could have easily been killed.  Sultan visits his wife who is very lonely and the old couple has some much needed intimacy, and they talk about everything.  He fails to mention the fact that he had a lot of trouble crossing the border because he is a very humble and optimistic person.   

Melissa Stalowski: Vocabulary Builder 11/22/2010

1) Infidel (n): one who does not believe in a particular religion or has no religion (page 41)
2) Pariah (n): a member of the lowest social castes, an outcast (page 43)
3) Zenith (n): the highest point in the sky directly overhead (page 46)
4) Panzer (n): a German military tank (page 47)
5) Precipice (n): a vertical or overhanging rock face (page 48)
6) Chortle (v): to make a gleeful chuckling sound (page 52)
7) Egalitarian (adj): advocating full political, social, and economic equality for all people (page 58)
8) Superfluous (adj): excessive or unnecessary (page 63)
9) Lassitude (n): weariness (page 69)
10) Mutton (n): the flesh of a grown sheep (page 79)

Luke Anderson: Summarizer 11/19/10

            Normally I don’t read the foreword or prologue of most books, but for this one I did, and I’m glad I did because the background information in the foreword was both interesting and useful.  I found it interesting that the author stayed with a family in Kabul based solely on the fact that she met the owner of this bookstore named Sultan and liked him.  It was also very interesting that the author presented herself as just an observer of the families day to day activities and not necessarily someone who’s soul purpose is to write a book.  I found it odd that she chose to stay with an “upper middle class” family versus a normal family in Kabul.  To me this says that she clearly is interested in the ventures of this family alone and probably not the city or nation as a whole.  I think that it is disgusting that they think that it is normal and even honorable to marry your cousin.  At the beginning of the first chapter Sultan is looking for a new wife because his first wife is getting old.  He finds one, but he goes about asking for her hand in a weird way.  Normally a woman in the man’s family must ask, but Sultan goes to the house and makes a few proposals ‘for his friend’ allegedly.  Eventually he sends his aunt over and the girl’s family agrees that she will get married to Sultan.  The next chapter is about the entire life of Sultan: how he came to love books, how he met his first wife, the struggles he went through, like jail, and having his books burned.  The 3^rd chapter is about Sultan’s first wife Sharifa.  Most of the chapter is devoted to the gossip that Sharifa hears and all the so call scandalous experiences she has because apparently taking to a boy in a park is the same as adultery to these people. 

Melissa Stalowski: Discussion Leader 11/19/2010

1) What is involved in a typical Afghani proposal/How do Afghani proposals differ from typical American proposals?
A: In an Afghani propsal, a woman in the male's family is responsible for conveying the proposal and making sure that the bride is a suitable wife. It is typical for an Afghani man to propose to a cousin or extended family member. A bride price is paid as an exchange for marriage and the price is calculated by age, beauty, skill, and the status of the bride's family. A girl does not choose to accept or decline, but rather her parents decide. In America, we see proposals that are usually romantic and not a long, drawn-out process like the Afghani proposals are. In the present day, American men do not usually ask a woman's family's permission first. The couple usually tells the family the news after the engagement. An American bride commonly has the freedom to accept or decline the proposal.

2) Why was the Taliban so strict on the censorship of books, what types of books were banned, and why?
A: In Afghanistan, the Taliban required a religious police force to burn all books that portrayed living things. As Islamic extremists, they thought that any book besides the Koran was unnecessary and viewed them as heresy. Although we are not completely sure why the Taliban was so strict on the censorship of books, it is assumed that the Taliban did so out of fear that people would develop their own ideas and rebel against the force. The Taliban wanted to force their extreme Islamic beliefs upon others and not give people the opportunity to develop other beliefs.

3) What are the punishments for females in Afghanistan who commit crimes and how do they differ from punishments for similar offenses committed in the United States?
A: Women in Afghanistan face severe punishment for crimes that might seem petty to us. Some of the "crimes" that Afghani women are punished brutally for are considered normal teenage behavior in the United States. For example, Saliqa is brutally beaten, almost to the point of death, for sending and receiving notes to a boy her age and then meeting up with him at a park to talk. The Afghani women recognize that Saliqa made a mistake but they do not think she committed a serious crime. In the United States, sending notes to a boy and meeting him to talk would be considered typical teenage behavior. Another example is when Jamila has an affair with another man and it is implied that she is killed afterwards. If a married woman in the United States had an affair with a man who was not her husband or boyfriend, the relationship would most likely end but fatal punishment would not be issued.

4) What is a woman's worth in Afghanistan?
A:  In Afghanistan, women are viewed as a man's property. A woman is owned by either her father, brother, husband, or other male relative. She is measured of her worth by how capable she is in domestic life including cooking, cleaning, and being obedient. If an Afghani woman comes from a wealthy family, her worth is of higher value. Also, Afghani women are at a man's disposal. For example, when Sharifa ages, Sultan decides he wants a new and younger wife. Sharifa is then cast aside and lives alone with her daughter in Pakistan. She is expected to have a positive and accepting attitude towards the new marriage.

Vocabulary Builder by Heather Sandberg 11/19/2010

1. chit- a receipt, voucher, or similar document of an informal nature (p.4)
2. factions- a group or clique within a larger group, party, government, or organization (p. xvi)
3. alluding- to refer casually or indirectly (p.5)
4. sweetmeats- sweet delicacy prepared with sugar and honey as candies and cakes (p.7)
5. rankled- to continue to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment within the mind (p.7)
6. coiffures- a head covering; headdress (p.8)
7. bereft- deprived (p.10)
8. mullahs- a title of respect for a person who is learned in, teaches, or expounds the sacred law (p.11)
9. pyre- a pile or heap of wood or other combustible material (p.16)
10. bourgeois- a member of the middle class who is a shopkeeper or merchant (p. 16)

Abby Husfeldt: Graphic Organizer 11/19/10

In the first forty pages, a lot of what is being talked about or illustrated evolved around the family’s culture.  That is why the culture aspect is in the center circle with the other objects circling around it.  In order for the reader to understand the culture, the author goes into to describing different situations, which include the history of the country as a whole, women, government involvement with the country and specifically the family, and traditional roles of family members.  All four of these aspects ties into the culture of the family so you are able to understand their situation/story more clearly.