Inductive Leap Too Far

       In Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, the main character,Amir, makes the biggest mistake of his life. After watching his best friend Hassan get raped, he couldn't stand being around him anymore. Amir was an immature coward and couldn't face his best friend since he didn't stand up for him, and watched him get humiliated. "I could step into that alley, stand up for Hassan - they way he'd stood up for me all those times in the past - and accept whatever would happen to me. Or I could run. In the end, I ran"(82). After this, Amir avoids Hassan and decides to get rid of him forever. He comes up with what seems like a good plan at the time. "I took a couple of envelopes of cash from the pile of gifts and my watch, and tiptoed out...I went downstairs. crossed the yard, and entered Ali(Hassan's father) and Hassan's living quarters by the loquant tree. I lifted Hassan's mattress and plated my new watch and a handful of Afghani bills under it"(110). When he lies to his father and tells that he can't find his money anywhere, they search Ali and Hassan's house. When they find the money under the mattress, Baba makes a big inductive leap and accuses Hassan of stealing. However, when he forgives them both, Ali already has his mind made up in leaving.
       Baba becomes miserable and Amir's relationship with his father are once again destroyed. Amir has to pay multiple times for his mistake and he has to face what he had done everyday. When the war brakes out, Amir and his father have to leave Afghanistan and escape to America. Baba, who has been wealthy and recognized in Kabul , has to now work at a gas station. His reputation means nothing anymore. I believe that if Ali and Hassan were still with them, all of this, would not seem so bad. They would leave with them and never spend dark nights wondering about how and where they were. Instead, they are in a foreign country, all alone and desperate to get their life back.
     Without this leap,the story would not be as effective as the plot would not change and Baba and Amir wouldn't have to face the loss of close friends. After Ali and his son leave, we, the readers, are constantly wondering about what happened to them. Also, knowing that there is a war in Afghanistan, we suspect that they might not be alive anymore. This adds pathos to the story and makes it much more interesting!
       In conclusion, the inductive leap made by Baba  turns the plot around which makes it possible for the story to take place.

Style

Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. Anchor Canada, 2004. Print.

       In Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, pathos plays an important role in developing of plot and characters. Pathos is an element of literature that arouses the feeling of pity, sympathy or sorrow, etc. At the beginning of this book, the readers feel sorry for Amir, the main character, as he takes us through his relationship with his father and as he explains what he felt like growing up without the love of a mother.
       "Baba and his friends reclined on black leather chairs after Ali has served dinner. They stuffed their pipes - except Baba always called it "fattening the pipe" - and discussed their favorite three topics: politics, business, soccer. Sometimes I asked Baba if I could sit with them, but Baba would stand in the doorway. 'Go on, now,' he'd say. 'This is grown-ups' time. Why don't you go read one of those books of yours?' He'd close the door, leave me to wonder why it was always grown-ups' time with him. I'd sit by the door, knees drawn to my chest. Sometimes I sat there for an hour, sometimes two, listening to their laughter, their chatter."(Hosseini, 5)
       Amir needs his dad more than anyone at this stage of his life, as he is growing up, like any little boy needs a dad.  However, Baba does not want to spend any time with his son and doesn't feel like he is worth it. The readers can't help but feel sympathy for the kid who has no one else but his cold-hearted father.

Social Issue

Collins, Suzanne, Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press. 2008. Print.

Collins, Suzanne. Catching Fire. New York: Scholastic Press. 2009. Print.    

 Collins, Suzanne. Mockingjay. New York: Scholastic, 2010. Print.

       In the Hunger Games  series, many social issues are present such as poverty, the lack of human rights and injustice. All of these issues are connected to make everything happen, which is essentially the purpose of the story. "District Twelve. Where you can starve to death in "safety" " (Collins, 6) said  Katniss, who is living in "the nation of Panem" where the "Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line" (1). She hunts illegally to keep herself and her family alive, selling some of her "victims" at the black market. Her District is so poor, most people just die of hunger. This creates the atmosphere of the place, establishes the setting at the beginning of the series and provides an important contrast /comparison. The atmosphere is very depressing and hopeless. Poverty is a very big issue in the world and many people can relate to what Katniss had to go through before the Games.As mentioned above, Katniss lives in District Twelve, the poorest one which also creates a contrast between other districts, the Capitol, and Katniss' home.
       In the Hunger Games series, injustice and the lack of human rights both play a very significant role, as they meaningfully contribute to the plot. Without these social issues, there would not be a crisis.The reaping system is unfair, with the poor getting the worst of it" (The Hunger Games, 13)  is one the of complications Katniss has to face because of where she lives. The way the people are treated in the districts compared to the ones in the Capitol is unacceptable and is the biggest issue Katniss has to live with.

Significance...

New York: Scholastic Press. 2009. Print.

       The dress Katniss wore during her interview furthers our understanding of relationship between characters, creates the atmosphere of a place, contributes meaningfully to the plot and creates a complication for the main character.Katniss and her stylist Cinna become very close during her journey to and back from the Hunger Games. He transforms the wedding dress into something very rebellions and it clearly represents how attached to Katniss he is, and how he will stand up for her even if it means torture and death. Therefore, the situation creates a very chaotic atmosphere as the new outfit symbolizes the uprisings in the districts."What will be seen as a flashy costume in the Capitol is resonating in an entirely different way throughout the districts."(253) It also contributes to the plot and creates complications for Katniss because she started to stand up for her beliefs in the arena and everyone slowly followed her example. Her mockingjay pin became a sign of the uprisings and when she "became a mockingjay", it might have been the spark for something deadly. "When I Hear the screams of the crowd, I think it's because I must look stunning.....I lift my long,flowing sleeves into the air, and that's when I see myself on the television screen....Cinna has turned me into a mockingjay."(252)
        Katniss' pregnancy is also very important to the story as it maintains the atmosphere of the place, contributes meaningfully to the plot and creates conflicts and complications.  After Katniss' interview, there was already a tense atmosphere and when Peeta said she was pregnant, it completely changed everything. The audience was shocked. "It has to strike them and sink in and be confirmed by other voices before they begin to sounds like a herd of wounded animals, moaning, shrieking, calling for help."(257) This also contributes to the plot and creates conflicts and complications because after Peeta has announced Katniss' condition right before she was about to enter the Games, all the contestants joined together in a powerful line to show the Capitol the power all the districts have. "And then it happens. Up and down the row, the victors begin to join hands...By the  time the anthem play its final strains, all twenty-four of us stand in one unbroken line in what must be the first public show of unity among the districts since the Dark Days."(258)

Define and Describe A Character

                  Collins, Suzanne, Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press. 2008. Print

1. Courageous

 To be courageous means to  be in a state of mind that helps you to face difficulties and pain. The synonyms are fearless and tough.The antonyms of courageous are cowardly and weak.

2. Caring
A caring person is someone who is compassionate and helps everyone around them. The opposite of caring is someone who is ignorant and thoughtless. Synonyms are considerate and sensitive.

3. Independent 
To be independent is to be able to not rely on others for support or funds. Synonyms: self-reliant and freewheeling. Antonyms: dependent and  helpless.
Katniss Everdeen shows all these qualities throughout the entire book. Her courage saves her life before and during the Hunger Games.She is a very tough girl because her father died when she was young and she had to feed her mother and sister all by herself. When she was in the arena, she managed to stay alive and face her enemies without showing any emotion."Panic begins to set in. I can't stay here. Flight is essential. But i can't let my fear show."
Katniss took care of her family after the tragedy that killed her father. She loves her sister more than anything and when Prim got chosen to go to the Games, Katniss volunteered to save her life. She knew that she could not live through another death in her family and she would do anything to keep them safe. At the Games, she became close with Rue and she was trying to protect her from other contestants, even though at the end she is her enemy. "I turn and head back to the stream, feeling somehow worried. About Rue being killed, about rue not being killed and the two of us being left for last, about leaving Prim alone back home."(213)
Katniss learned how to be independent since she was a little girl.The Hunger Game tested her capability of staying alive on her own. She got her food, made fire and slept in the trees to keep the promise she made to Prim. Katniss proved that she is self-reliant to herself and others and that kept her alive this whole time. " I allow myself to drift farther away, and soon have two rabbits and a fat squirrel to show for it. I decide it's enough. I can set snares and maybe get some fish."(316)

Identify and Sort...

MLA: Picoult, Jodi. Nineteen Minutes.  New York: Washington Square Press,2007. Print.
     The five elements I found in Nineteen Minutes are conflict, suspense,  no unnecessary details, turning point and foreshadowing.

1.Suspense

2.Conflict

3.Turning Point

4.No unnecessary details

5.Foreshadowing

     The most important element to me is suspense because without it, the book would not be as exciting and adventurous.It keeps the reader wondering and interested in the outcome of the story. 
     Picoult has done an outstanding job creating suspense throughout the entire novel. She has gone back and forth from different characters, making us wait  until we get to the desired point of view to find out what happens. The climax of Nineteen Minutes is at the very end of the story therefore, tension and curiosity are with the reader until the story goes to court. What will happen to Peter and Josie? This was one of the questions that kept me interested in this book and made me wonder about the outcome. Jodi Picoult created the right mood and included the right amount of details to make the story of the high school shooting as suspenseful as possible!
     “In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn; color your hair; watch a third of a hockey game. In nineteen minutes, you can bake scones or get a tooth filled by a dentist; you can fold laundry for a family of five.
In nineteen minutes, you can stop the world; or you can just jump off it.”(Jodi Picoult, Nineteen Minutes) This quote appears near the beginning of the novel and I believe it is very powerful as it makes us wonder why the author has included it in the story. As we read on, we find out what happens but not until the end do we know what the real impact of those nineteen minutes is. I also believe it creates suspense by making the reader think about what they have just read and makes them curious and maybe a little nervous about the ending. 

Identify...

MLA: Picoult, Jodi. Nineteen Minutes.  

New York: Washington Square Press,2007. Print.

       

       I believe that a good book should have a balance of different feelings, create suspense and keep the reader interested by presenting him/her with an exciting setting, plot and a strong character.In my opinion, a good balance is essential because one can get to know the character and relate to him/her if certain feelings are revealed.Every book contains suspense and mystery , but how it is presented is also a key characteristic. For example, too much excitement may lead to confusion and no mystery will lead to loss of interest.
     
        

       I am reading Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult. This book contains all the listed elements above, making it very hard to put down. I can easily relate to the characters in the story, as it contains different points of view and each character is thoroughly described . Love, hatred and mystery are all presented in a way that makes the reading much more exciting and emotional. Picoult creates suspense throughout the entire book, revealing the truth behind a murder until the very end.She also gives clues about what lead to the horrible incident, without giving away too much and makes the reader interested in the plot.