Blog Post #4
May 12, 2012
By: Michelle Deme
In the beginning of the year, we read a book called How to Read Literature like a Professor. The book detailed different symbols and themes that are common throughout many books. A theme in his book described religion. Throughout Swallows of Kabul, religious themes and motifs are scattered throughout to better describe characters.
Many times, Atiq compared his boss to a serpent and to evil. He hinted that his boss was like the devil, interrupting and corrupting everything he touched. One can also argue that Musaratt was portrayed Christ-like in the novel, especially at the end. Beyond the fact that she is a selfless person, she also dies for her husband's happiness and prosperity. She is martyred, like Jesus, for crimes she is not guilty of. Even with her death, Atiq was more worried about being alone rather than feeling guilty for the fact that HE killed his wife pointlessly.
Good catch Michelle! I agree with what you said. The religious symbolism was not very obvious, but it did exist. The author incorporated this symbolism when he used words to describe an individual. Like you said, Atiq's boss is described as evil and at one point a serpent. Clearly these two adjectives relate to the devil. But, nothing can beat the devil and this was shown through Mussarat. She is the Christ like figure in this story because she sacrificed herself for her husband and Zunaira. She did all this not because she had too but because she wanted to. Mussarat knew that by dying in order to save Zunaira's life, Atiq would be happy. This type of sacrifice could only be made by a selfless, strong, courageous individual, just as Jesus was. Like you said, the book we read earlier in the year helped me catch this symbolism. Christ figures in stories do not have to look or act just as Jesus did. Rather, they just need to embody the same characteristics and possibly be in the same circumstance, like Mussarat. Although this was settle, the religious connection did exist.
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