Ali and Nino part 3

Continuing along with Ali and Nino, I see a huge difference between this book and Kite Runner. The students are not oppressed like they were in Kite Runner; rather they take advantage of the teachers and get away with it. On page 32 Ali explains the term "Leprosarium" and the plan behind it. The students invented in the teachers mind the false existence of a Leprosarium near Baku where sick people would be kept away from the town. But when the students wanted a break from school, they would have a their form's spokesman go talk to the form's teacher and alert them to the news that some sick people had escaped and currently the police were searching the town for them. So the students would get up to a week off just because the teachers never checked with officials to verify the statement. Already I see the culture difference between Afghanistan (Kite Runner) and Azerbeidshan (Ali and Nino) and the rights of the children and their say in society. 

Another big thing I learned in Ali and Nino is the importance and symbolism of dancing and singing/poetry in Baku and that culture (Mohammedan and Georgian). Nino and Iljas Beg (Ali's best friend and son of Seinal Aga who was a peasant turned upper-class status after an earthquake unearthed an oil field under his land) dance in a traditional dance that is more a story than steps. The boy twirls around the girl with arms spread wide like a bird looking at its prey who is the girl. After circling closer and closer into the girl, the boy overtakes the girl who then lets down a handkerchief. As the handkerchief hits the ground the boy then throws a dagger at it to nail it to the ground. This is a symbol of power over and almost ownership of the girl, so Ali switched Iljas Beg's dagger with his so that when the handkerchief was nailed to the ground it actually was Ali's dagger pinning Nino's handkerchief. 

With the poetry bit- there is great importance put on poetry because it is written by the Ashouks who actually never write their poems down but rather they recite them. This is a point of personal pride for Karabagh. So poetry is huge part of culture and there is much pride for their country among its people.

  

Ali & Nino part 2

I continued reading and the book is really picking up. It is not going as fast down the path I think it is headed. This time I learned a lot about culture differences  and general cultural rules which I anticipate will play a big role in this book. One big cultural difference that Ali noted was the way ethnic people from Baku (capital of Azerbeidshan) eat versus how the Russians eat. The ethnic people like Ali and his family eat with their hands while sitting on the floor. But the Russians and christians like Nino and her family eat at a table with forks and knives. Ali also noted that both groups view the other as strange and he quoted Nino as saying the way Ali and his family eats was "barbaric". 

Another culture difference mainly between the Russians and the ethnic people of Baku is the theme of Blood Price. Ali illustrated that blood price is something the ethnic people really care about. It is so important that it plays a role in teacher-student relations. The russian teachers knew it was practically not an option to fail an ethnic student because they knew that the native children could easily obtain daggers. Apparently also it was not rare that a teacher would get beaten up in a dark alley. So in that way the Russians had to respect the natives due to fear of being hurt or killed. This goes along with the Muslim idea of "an eye for an eye" where killing is justified by another killing.

Apart from culture and more to the plot- Ali passed school which I believe means he graduated from school and according to his father, his life now begins and it is even more important that he follows Muslim customs and duties. That plays into culture- coming of age upon graduation and the responsibilities to be undertaken now that Ali's life begins. Another part of plot is where my prediction of where the plot is headed remains fairly true. As soon as Ali passed school he told his dad who gave him 3 wishes as a gift but then Ali called Nino and they are apparently going to meet at the lake in the Governor's Garden at 5pm that day. During the call Ali could feel his family members behind him and he could feel Nino's "aristocratic mother" on the other line behind Nino. This gave me the idea that their relationship seems to be rather secretive and this might be the problem they have to face as they grow. 

Ali and Nino: part 1

I just began the book Ali and Nino by Kurban Said which takes place in a town called Baku in Azerbeidshan which is on the border of Europe and Asia. So the town's ambiguity as to which it belongs to, East or West, will definitely factor into the events and outcome of the book. Even being only about 12 pages in I have an idea of where the book is headed. First of all, as stated on the back on the book, Ali and Nino is a "classic story of romance and adventure". Ali is the narrator and main character and is a young schoolboy  from an aristocratic family. And Nino is the love interest; a girl at the girls' school across from Ali's school and one of Ali's cousin's friends, who is, according to Ali, the most beautiful girl in the entire world. Straight off the bat we see that Ali is very proud and at times pretentious, most likely due to his upbringing in such a wealthy, powerful family. It's the type of scenario when a child will not pass a class, but the father or family donates money or supplies to the school in order to change that FAIL to a PASS. Well, that's what happened with Ali and his father. All his father had to do was donate "some chemical equipment or other" and Ali passed his class. 

So now that the author has established Ali as this bratty schoolboy set on marrying Nino, I'm seeing that his desire to marry her and his adventures along the way will ultimately change his character. Obviously this is just a guess but it seems that this is where the book is headed. It still sounds very interesting and I'm hopeful it will turn out to be a good love story.

Kite Runner- Afghan customs

In the novel Kite Runner the theme of Afghan customs plays a big role. Once in the US, Amir and Baba stay true to their Afghan identity by continuing Afghan customs and traditions. Among blood pride/lineage and marriage rituals is the way Afghans converse with other Afghans in society; in Kite Runner such an exchange occurred in the flea market. The ritual is to say hello and engage the other person, then offer food and chat. If there was good news, one Afghan would congratulate the other. However, if there was bad news, they would offer condolences. By bringing this ritual to the US, Afghans like Amir and Baba were maintaining their Afghan identities. And when someone like Amir or Baba is forced to flee their native country and make their new home in a foreign land, their identity all they have.