Upon completion of reading your novel, what have you learned about a different culture? What shocked you? What seemed strange to you? What couldn't you believe? Take time to give specific examples from your novel that share what you learned about history and a different culture. Share your feelings about what you read.
What i learned about this culture is that the women are overpowered by the men, Like they cant go out without having a male relative to walk them around. I couldn't believe that the Taliban did anything to ruin there lives such as murder people in public or send out suicide bombers to random places. As this was happening there own country was having a civil war after the attack of 9/11. At points in the book it got very dark and sad like the Rwanda war thing.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree I can't believe that this culture thinks it is normal to just kill someone that doesn't with them
DeleteI have to agree because i dont think it is fair that women had to be with a male relative just to go outside.
Deletei really haven't learned anything i didn't already know. what shocked me the most was the book didn't get interesting at all. its a very long and boring book and thats what i got to say about this book.
ReplyDeleteI learned that the germans didnt care about anything but killing the jews and did everything to do it. During the run bodies of the prisoners were dropping by the second and the officers did nothing, what is strange to me is why the germans would want to do this to the jewish people. i feel like the jewish are a peaceful people with not fighting back or retaliating
ReplyDeleteThat shocked me a lot to when the bodies just kept dropping when they were running and they didn't care a at all. At some point you would think that they would feel a little bac but they don't at all.
Deletei think it started when one of the jews killed an officer of the nazis, i do not know
DeleteIts kinda like in my book the Tailaban is like the germans not caring if they killed or destroyed anything in there path
DeleteThe Germans seemed to have a one way mind set like the Taliban did.
DeleteYah it shocked me when they were killing all the babies and children showing the Germans really don't care what they're doing to them.
DeleteYah I can not believe Germans hated Jews there had couple that had family members and I wonder if they did anything
DeleteUpon the completion of my book, night, what shocked me the most was that his father died. The whole thing that was keeping Elie alive and motivated was that his father was still alive. It was strange that the doctors at the camp operated on his foot when hes jewish, and they were literally killing all his people around him. I couldn't believe that people could do things like that to other people. I learned a little about what it was like in the camps and my feelings after reading this book is that its a great book over a very disturbing topic.
ReplyDeleteThat shocked me a lot when his dad died because I thought he was going to make it to end and live with his son but he died right before that could happen and that shocked me a lo. I felt bad for Elie, because he was that close to making it through all of that with his dad, and they could go live there life.
Deletei also think it was a great book too.
Deleteya its a disturbing thing to think about because, the germans had no morals and did everthing they could to erdicate the germans
DeleteIts the complete opposite but Malalas father was the one who kept her motivated throughout the book
Deleteif his dad died sooner I think Elie would have gave up before he got as far as he did
Deletei will agree it was upsetting that he almost made it to the end and that he had to go just like that. i could not imagine what that was like for elie.
DeleteThe part that shocked me the most was how poorly they were treated, like I just don't how people could do what they did to them, and just live with it. They just killed babies, and people for no reason, other then them because they were Jews. I was also shocked on how far Elie dad made it being older and not in the best shape, but he made it almost to the end, there was a point in the train car that I thought his dad had died, and wasn't going to make it but he woke up that shocked me. Throughout the book I definitely learned about the Jewish culture, and what they believed in.
ReplyDeleteit did surprised me that his dad lasted that long at his ages
Deletethe killing babies was really messed up and i makes you think about what kind of stuff they did that was never told about
Deletei was so surprised the way they treated children
DeleteWhat I had found surprising was how differently they treated different types of people, like how babies were useless and how strong fit men were treated almost like a human being.
DeleteI agree with how tragic it was in how the Jews were treated so cruelly. I don't understand how people could ever be that brutal, either. Likewise, in my novel, The Kite Runner, the Hazaras were treated as slaves and of little value. Sadly, life for them became even worse when the Taliban arrived. People were shot in the street, tortured, etc., all for being a different religion, etc.
DeleteYah they were treated really bad, like how they weren't given food for how many days while they were being transported and more.
Deletein book malala they talk about how girls have to waer something over their hairs to coves their face. something that shocked me was at the end of the book where she talk about a brother who klled their sister just because they took a video of themselves dancing. something that i could not believe was at the end where she said that a taliban wrote a letter to her and said he would have warn her if he knew they would shot her. something about their history is that their country has not been around for a long time. over all i like the book, i think that it was pretty good and easy to read.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree, overall I didn't mind this book!
Deletethe book night it shocked me that they could get away with what they did to the Jews. it was hard to believe that they could do this to other people just because there were Jews. it was strange that they feed them when they were working them till death.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on how the Jews were treated so very wrong just for being a different religion, and it is hard to believe people should be treated so terribly for their differences. Likewise, in my novel, The Kite Runner, the Hazaras are treated as servants and are not respected like that of the Sunni Muslims.
DeleteThe part that shocked me the most in night is the way that the concentration camps were run. I think that because the guards just beat the jews just for fun and treated all of them like garbage. A specific time is when they were trying to get on the train and if they are too slow then they get shot
ReplyDeletethe guards didn't treat them like humans
Deletei agree they treated the jews like they where animals
DeleteWhat shocked me the most in my book was the difference in treatment between males and females. For example, when Malala was born no one even cared because she was a girl. Males are much more respected. They can have jobs, leave the house, and go to school. Females are just expected to cook, clean, and can barely even leave the house unless a male is along side them. This would be very hard for me, because I like to be out and about to much!
ReplyDeleteI agree that it would be hard for me to live in those standerds because I don't think that I could be cooped up in my house for a long period of time.
DeleteI agree with your comment, we are very lucky here to have as much freedom as we do, and I also could not stand staying home all of the time.
DeleteI agree, not being able to leave your home and being treated differently is very hard to deal with.
Deletei was very surprised that when the town of Jews heard that the Nazis were taking over and kidnapping all the Jews they weren't worried in the slightest. they didn't take it as serious as it was. i felt horrible for the people who were being hurt and killed for no reason like when they were running and if they stopped they would be shot dead.
ReplyDeleteI 100% agree how could you not be worried about a war that is slowly moving towards you, how can you just continue to act like a normal day.
DeleteI believe they just didnt see any of these terrible things happening coming. They probably knew the Nazis were coming, but they just didnt think it would be that bad.
DeleteI think at first they proboly just thought it was a joke and they believed it wouldn't happen to them
DeleteI learned that if you are put into a desperate enough decision you would do anything to survive. I just can’t believe that someone who was in their right mind could willfully do this to another culture. Like how could you take someone else’s baby and have it been a shooting target, or forcing someone to kill themselves buy being forced into an incinerator.
ReplyDeleteYeah I would maybe understand the Nazis doing this stuff if Hitler threatened their lives but he didnt, he just told them to.
Deletei agree with that people will do anything to survive in my book many similar things happened.
DeleteYeah that’s the way it is in my book. I learned that too that you are willing to do whatever to survive until you can do something about it
DeleteI dont feel that people would do anything, i feel that it is more a strength of mind kind of thing
DeleteWhat seemed strange to me about the Holocaust was that the nazis were somehow convinced to these unspeakable acts to other human beings. I cant imagine how Hitler rationalized these actions to the overwhelming majority of the people of Germany.
ReplyDeletei agree its crazy that they all just did it without any questions
Deletejack recker
I agree with you Jesse, Hitler had to have some amazing persuasive skills that are hard to come by.
DeleteI agree its crazy to think how he can get that many people on his side to all the stuff in the camps
DeleteObviously Hitler had great persuasive skills and most of the German army followed his lead but not all doing it willingly. Those who didn't want to do these acts but they still did them because they themselves would be enslaved or executed for treason against the Third Reich.
Deletei learned that people are very easily manipulated hitler told them to kill millions of jews so thy killed millions of jews no question
ReplyDeleteJack Recker
After completing the book, The Kite Runner, I feel I have learned more about the Afghan culture. Some things, I loved, like their annual kite running competition. However, most things were very sad. For example, having servants, the poverty, the illiteracy, and later, the orphanages, the Taliban takeover, the existence of life in a state of rubble, etc. I love how the reader understands what life was like for Amir and Hassan in their youth living in Kabul, in comparison to their life in Kabul after the Taliban took over. For example, Amir and Hassan were able to visit the zoo, go to the movies, climb trees, etc. Later, after Amir returns to Kabul, he sees nothing but people trying to survive living in homes that have been destroyed, trees used for firewood/warmth, poverty everywhere, a person selling their limb on a street corner which would feed a family for a few weeks, etc. It did not surprise me to learn that Assef had joined the Taliban and, in the novel, showed a lot of cruelty to others through torture, abuse, etc. Assef really made me angry throughout the novel, especially raping Hassan and Sohrab. Amir, also, made me angry and was a coward for not sticking up for his friend or running for help. Amir remained a coward up until the end of the novel where he finally redeemed himself and made things right with Hassan, even though Hassan did not live to see it. One thing I definitely learned is how grateful I am to live in the United States and not in a country like Afghanistan. I would hate to always be living in fear. Also, I love my freedom and living in a land of opportunity.
ReplyDeletein my book the rebels are like the Taliban and how they kill civilians if they don't support their ideas.
DeleteAs I read a thousand splendid suns I learned that women do not have much say and men are more in control. Women can’t go anywhere without a guy accompanying her outside. What shocked me was how many wife’s the guys had in the book and it’s shocking how different all cultures are. I couldn’t believe what men could do to the women and they could just get away with it, like hurting them. When Rasheed was hurting Laila nobody did anything, but once Rasheed got jealous and did what he did, Mariam finally stood up to him and did what she wanted to do. If that was me I would hate to live like Laila and Mariam and what they had to go through.
ReplyDeleteIn I Am Malala it is the same way. The women do not have much say in anything. The men can go outside as the please but the women are expected to stay home and never go outside unless its necessary.
DeleteIn I Am Malala I think even with the difference in belief or culture men and women should still be treated the same
DeleteI feel that the sad but true thing about Ishmael's culture is that it happens every day and the people of Sierra Leone have to worry about weather or not that they will live another day. They have delt with so much violence that they they have become desensitized to it. Again it is sad that they have to go through it on a daily basis. It surprised me when I read about the priest getting burned alive and ate by dogs, Ishmael only described it in two sentences where I would make a whole book about it.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the people became desensitized to the violence because of how often it occurs.
DeleteI think what happened to them all is terrible, and they will forever be traumatized with the memories.
DeleteAfter I read A long Way Gone I thought I learned more about Sierra Leone During war than what the place is really like. But the more Learned about Sierra Leone I realized that it is in its normal state when its at war, because since the 60s there's always been a war. The culture there seems to me that everyone one in power abuses it and everyone else becomes a victim of it. The people live in constant fear especially from boys Because of there use as soldiers. Most if not all of the soldiers commit war crimes and do very brutal things to civilians and enemy soldiers. There is little to no help from the government and every one must fend for themselves. Most families are split up and have no clue what happened to one another. All of these things happened to the main character Ishmael in only half a decade.
ReplyDeleteI agree because I got the same thing you got out of this book with the culture and history of Sierra Leone and the war.
DeleteIt is kind of what I talked about too because the people have ben at war for so long that it is common.
DeleteIn my book Along way gone some of the things I've learned about the culture is that even before the war they were living in little huts and the way they farm is a lot different from the way we do it. Another thing with the culture is the fact that everyone has to watch their backs because they use little kids to fight. The things that shocked me the most were the amount of drug use by the kids also how much they wanted to just kill. it also shocked me of how savage both the army and the rebels were but the rebels were definitely more ruthless to civilians. things that were strange to me was even the army was addicted to drugs and that is strange because drug use would not be tolerated in the us military. I couldn't believe the fact that Ishmael Beah was in charge of his own squad at 15 years old. Some of the history that Sierra Leone has been at war for along time and every one who has power abuses it.
ReplyDeleteI also think that it is strange that they were addicted to drugs. today, that would not be tolerated.
DeletePayson Hofstetter
DeleteI agree it was very strange that they were addicted to drugs at a young age.
Yea as sad as it is the kid have to be very careful of what they do because they could get enslaved by the rebbles.
ReplyDeleteIn I Am Malala, I have learned what it was like living in fear every day. I couldn't imagine being scared to go to school let alone leave your house. Something that shocked me was how long the army let the Taliban terrorize Swat. When the schools were all shutdown for a while but then only the boys schools opened back up is something that was strange to me. Something that i couldn't believe is even with the amount of death threats Malala and her family received they didn't ask/want protection. If i was in Malala's shoes and i was receiving death threats, there was no way you would every see in outside of my house. I was be too scared to go anywhere especially without protection.
ReplyDeleteYeah in my book it was about the same I couldn’t imagine living a life like that. I can’t imagine not being able to go outside without someone or being scared to
Deletejust imagine living a life where you have to be scared if you will see tomorrow or not I know I can not imagine that
DeleteIn my book Night they were in constant fear of their life every second of everyday. They were in concentration camps and had to do what they were told when they were told and if the Germans didn't like it the Jews were beaten or executed.
DeleteThroughout the book A Long Way Gone, there are many different things that I learned about their culture. I learned that they lived in villages and in huts. I also learned about what it was like during the war. It was very gruesome and I was surprised by how even the little kids had guns and were fighting. It was definitely a hard time for everyone. I also learned that in order to cope with the issues going on, they used lots of drugs. Today, that would not be allowed.
ReplyDeletePayson Hofstetter
DeleteI was surprised too that they had to use the children to fight.
the drugs they did messed with there heads and allowed them to do bad things.
DeleteIn the book Night I found lots of different things along the lines of how they dress the word choice they use when talk or use to write. They are going to do things a little different because of it being a different country but I was surprised on how different it really is. I also learn that some things may be hard but a hard battle only make the success that much better.
ReplyDeleteIn my book, the characters really went through some hard times too! They always found a way to succeed tho:)
DeleteWhile reading The Kite Runner I had learned a lot about the Afghan culture. One of the big things that I learned about the culture that I really liked was the annual kite running festival that they had , one thing that I had learned didn't know it happened was that I had invaded Afghanistan and that is just something I didn't know. Granted this was a good book I wish they had done more to it and explain some things better like the Russian invasion.
ReplyDeleteWhat really shocked me was seeing how poorly they were treated. I knew that they were treated bad already but I didn't know that the Germans would just toss babies in the air using them for target practice. Also what shocked me is how Elie's dad was able to make it all the way through even though he was old, but then in the end he was right there but he ended up dying.
ReplyDeleteI've read a lot of books about the Holocausts and it is ten times worse of the things they do to people then what happened in my book A Long Way Gone. Its sad knowing these things happened in our world.
DeleteWhile reading I Am Malala i realized how easy as americans and what pakistan was going through while we were sitting back and i didnt realize the sexism back then and how bad it was until i read how women were treated compared to men but I feel like Malala got the glory of being treated some what like her brothers were in that time and I feel like it is a real eye opener to how things havent changed in some areas
ReplyDeleteIn my book women were also treated very badly, we sure take for granted what we have in the US!
DeleteWhen reading Thousand splendid suns I learned a lot about the culture in Afganistan. I learned that women were not treated very well and the boys were the boss of the house. it was strange to me how much the women changed their minds throughout the story. I just couldn't beleive how badly women were treated and abused!
ReplyDeleteI am reading the kite runner and they were in afgan to! But I read that they would buy children and use them as slaves!
DeleteThe book overall was very intense and i agree, its crazy to think that kind of behavior is allowed and accepted in that culture.
DeletePayson Hofstetter
ReplyDeleteWhen reading A Long Way Gone I learned some things about the African culture like how they eat chicken only on the holidays or special events. What shocked me the most was that the children didn't get a childhood. It seemed strange to me that snorted gun powder with cocaine. I couldn't believe that the government had to use children for there army and I thought that was wrong.
i still don't understand why the mixed gun powder with it like why
DeleteIn the book night they talk about how it is in the concentration camps. it shocked me how badly they treat people there. they hung a kid and let him hang there, they went around shooting people and baby's. When they were in the camps they had very little food and it was very hard to survive.
ReplyDeleteDuring the time of reading Night i did not learn much but i was surprised as to the extent of what took place. I knew the Germans were horrible to the Jews bit i didn't know the fine details you can only learn from someone who was there, for example shooting dead babies. How could anyone in their right mind shoot dead babies. Like i get the whole intimidation thing but if you're going to try to intimidate them leave the already dead, children, and women out of it. All in all it was a good book and i believe more people should be exposed to the more violent side of people and see what really goes on instead of being sheltered and not see anything bad that people do.
ReplyDeleteI agree it was weird how they can just go out shooting babies like it was fun for them. I also agree that more people should read this book to understand what really happened in the camps.
DeleteI am reading Kite Runner and there are similarities because of the mass extermination of a certain group of people. My book talked about the Hazara people being exterminated and I agree the things they did to get rid of them were terrible.
DeleteAfter reading a long way gone I learned a lot about the African culture. like how they live in villages and huts. A shocking thing I found when reading was the children fought in wars and where forced to do horrible things and they did drugs just so they could get the many horrible things done that they had to do. the drugs they did messed with there heads and allowed them to do bad things, and the drugs they where doing where weird like gun power mixed with cocaine. it also shocked me how the kids in the war thought there thought process was kill or be killed this is bad that kids are thinking like this.
ReplyDeleteIt was such a terrible way to live life and I am thankful of where I am at now.
DeleteSomething similar happened in my book, Kite Runner. The Taliban used an orphanage to buy kids to enslave. At one point the Taliban made a kid dance at a soccer game until told to stop and was sexually and physically abused while in with the Taliban.
DeleteI read the book night and what shocked me was that nobody knew what was happening in the camps that the Jews were in. it seemed strange that no one knew that it was happening. like I would think that some for the people would know but wouldn't say anything
ReplyDeleteI am Malala. One thing I thought was strange about this culture was that the woman in the book couldn't go out of the house without a male figure. Or when woman could only stay at home. Another thing about this culture I thought was different was when they only celebrate their sons birth and not the woman's. something that shocked me was when she pulled through, Malala was looking a little shaky in the end of the book and 4 hospitals in 16 days would be hard on a person! Overall i didn't like the book till the ending it was pretty boring but the ending got really good.
ReplyDeleteI also thought that is was shocking and sad to see when guys were born it was a good thing, but if a girl is born nobody is supposed to care.
DeleteI agree, the book did have a rough start and was hard to get into, but between halfway and the end, it started to get better.
DeleteIn I am Malala, I thought there were lots of shocking parts in the book, I could never imagine having to live in that much fear everyday, all Malala wanted was a education for women, and even that was too much to ask for, it's really sad that only guys births will be celebrated and not for the girls. It's really an eye opener to see that not everyone in the world is lucky enough to even go outside, or go to school, have TVs, and radios, I personally could never be as strong as Malala was, and overall I think this is a good book.
ReplyDeleteMalala having to live in fear everyday is right. She would witness people being killed everyday. I couldn't even imagine!
DeleteIn the book A Long Way Gone the things that shocked me the most was what the people in Africa would have to endure with and suffer. It was such a sad and terrifying way to live life expectably when young kids that are 14-16 years old fighting a war and killing people. It just isn't right and is sad to know that it actually happened in the world and may still do to this day. I am thankful for society that I live in now and I don't have to worry every day about death.
ReplyDeleteThat's crazy. I'm also very thankful that we've gotten to grow up in an accepting culture and never have to worry about not being protected.
Deletethat should never have to be a thing were a child has to be in war and am very thankful that are laws are stricter and protect are younger people
DeleteI am reading Kite Runner and in our book there are many cultural references. I learned that the Taliban took over Afghanistan and did their best to exterminate all the Hazara which is a religious group. They are normal people other than their religion and I cant believe they would want to wipe them out just because of religious history.
ReplyDeleteIts sad the lengths people will go to do things to other people that are different.
DeleteReading the kite runner and they are living in afganastain its a whole different world and culture compared to what we live in. What shocked me was how his father got all his money he actually owned a couple businesses. What was strange but I liked was there kite flying tournament's they seemed awesome and I would like to try them.
ReplyDeleteUpon finishing the book I learn that women are treated as thing than a person like Hassan's wife when she raised her voice to talk to a hard of hearing salesmen a kid comes up almost breaks her leg with a stick to the back of her leg
ReplyDeleteAfter finishing ‘I Am Malala’, I have learned a lot about their culture. They celebrate different holiday than we do, and the holidays we have the same of, they are either celebrated differently or on a different day. Something that was shocking and strange to me was the fact that there was many nights that Malala and her family would wake up to the sound of open fire in the middle of the night. People just brutally beaten in the middle of the street ahead of everyone. Something that I just couldn’t believe was that the Taliban members and just normal people were killing so many children aging from 5-15.
ReplyDeletewhat really surprised me in my book is how everyone was so nice most of the time before the war. like how people would offer food to hungry children or offer then shelter. and when the war came through how they turned into people who trusted on those from their own village. like the fishing village where they tortured and almost drowned ishmeal and his freinds. other then that the food stuck out to me. as they ate mostly casava leaves and bananas and very little meat.
ReplyDeleteWhen I finished reading A Thousand Splendid Suns, I learned that women in that culture are treated as objects. If you can't bare a man's child, you're pretty much worthless. Being a female overall in that culture is almost seen as being a disgrace. What seemed strange to me was how women, even girls, can just be given away to some random guy of the family's choice. I couldn't believe how each woman in the book was treated, physical, verbal, and mental abuse are all things that got put on them. Those are probably some of the strongest female characters I have come across. When Mariam undercooked the rice and Jalil made her chew pebbles because he was so enraged by her slight mistake is crazy. That's just one of the many examples of pure abuse that he puts onto Mariam and Laila throughout the book, it's a scary thought knowing that this behavior is acceptable in some cultures.
ReplyDeletei agree that the women were more objects then actual people.i also thought rasheed should have been a better father figure even though the first baby was a girl
DeleteWhen i finished Malala, I was suprised as to how many different names there were. What i liked the most was hpw Malala made it a goal for females to be educated. I didnt like how they sent suicide bombers in random places either, that just wasnt right. Overall this book was ok.
ReplyDeletewhen i finished A Thousand Splendid Suns i learned that living there is so much different from other places. i say this because of how the man would treat there wifes and not care. in this book i was shocked when mariam stood up for her and lalia when mariam killed her husband. what seemed strange was that rasheed would threaten them but would turn around and act like a different person.
ReplyDelete