On the title of Orhan Pamuk's New Life

Orhan Pamuk's novel New Life is really admirable for many things of which is the choice of the title. The title reveals many things about the novel. It is a new life promised by a book that changes the lives of the readers. Every one who has read the book feels lonely, unable to continue his life. S/he starts to embark on journeys to see the angel. Death gradually becomes the pathway to this new life. Ossman and Genan witness death on their seats while travelling between countries. The title starts to look ironic for instead of angels, they encounter death, plots by Dr.Fine who tries to rid the society of this book.

Actually, meeting Dr. Fine is turning point in the novel for Ossman finds out the read author of this book and that Mohammad/Nahit is the son of Dr. Fine. He gets this feeling that his companion in this long journey has deceived him. He has been a victim to a scheme made up by Mohammad and his girlfriend Genan. The New Life is no longer a life of innocence for there is deception and disappointment. Ossman is disappointed at the fact that Dr. Fine's agents have discovered that Genan has spent a night with Mohammad. Ossman loves her and he has tried to approach her but she turns him down claiming that se has been never touched by a man.

Dr. Fine is truly connected to the title for he reveals an important theme in the novel. He believes that the enemies of Turkey exert their best to dominate the society with their Western, especially American, values and manufactures. He presides over a secret organization that tries to resist this Western invasion. From his viewpoint, this new life promised by the book is alien to the Turkish society and it has to be fought. Therefore, he hires agents to kill Refaky, the author of the book and his son without knowing that. In fact, one of the basic themes in the novel is the influence of the Western hegemony over the Turkish society and hos Turks deal with that.

Ossman, the first-person narrator, is different because he undergoes a journey to uncover all about the book, its readers and its origins. He finds Mohammad/Nahit in another town and kills him to win Genan. Besides, he is envious of the peace Mohammad enjoys in copying the book and leading a calm life. He meets every one reported by Dr.Fine's agents to have read/been reading the book. After his return to Dr. Fine's home, he finds that Genan has left him.

He continues his life persisting on identifying the origins of this book. He reads Refaky's references to the book, i.e the poetry of Ibn Arabi and many other things. He notes the similar ideas in these references and in the book. Refaky, who has been the friend of his father, is not that original writer. He has written the book to enjoys himself using his success as a writer to the children's stories. The irony in the title is intensified as the main ideas of the book are stolen and the writer was not that serious about his ideas.

The facts continue to be unfolded. Ossman goes back behind the sweets named New Life and again we are back to the theme of this opposition between the Turkish native values, manufactures and the Western ones on his meeting Thorya, the manufacturer of these sweets.

Pamuk, the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2006, does not propagate a clash between the Turkish Self and the American Other. He is objective in portraying the influence of the West and the reaction of the Turks. What lies behind the dogmatic rejection of American Other is a sincere call to pay attention to the Turkish identity and to take care of the past as Turks are proceeding to the future. I think this is the true New Life readers and audience have to seek.

Final Destination 2009: Film Review

Actually I'm totally Shocked and surprised at this bloody film. In a film that revolves around death and nothing except death, there is nothing else to be expected. The hero of the film foretells many crises throughout the whole film. He envisions the death of himself and his friends in the crisis of the car race, so he intervenes and save himself , his friends and many others to live in danger and anxiety because he predicts the deaths of the survivors and waits for his own. This game is repeated many times in the film in which he imagines that he can stop destiny from taking place in reality, until he reaches the conclusion that his survival and his friends' survival -including his girlfriend- is meant from the beginning. Thus, no one can play with death. He comes to this resolution on his death with his friends in the cafe they frequent all through, "Death by Caffeine".

Therefore, it is death and death and death despite any body's will and in spite of any taken precaution. Unfortunately, it seems to me a black and commercial film. The authors, Eric Bress and Jeff Reddick, just entertain us with their creativity in conceiving many death accidents, that are unbelievable . The Death scenes also reveal that the authors are totally sadistic . They envision these scenes in detail as if they are enjoying them. I do not like to attack people but in this case. I think there is something wrong with them that I'll leave to psychologists to analyze. The audience including me sit paralyzed in front of the resolution of the film. Many couldn't leave their seats which raised the question in my mind what is the purpose of this film? Except ruining people's moods, horrifying them with these scenes and gaining only money I do not think it purports anything. It amply demonstrates the inhumanity of the commercial film companies that care for nothing except money. Finally, it is important to make sure that children do not see such a film for it may stir some psychological complexities or provoke them to live in fear of death.

Love Me! "Short Story"

Sometimes I feel that the best thing ever is depression. I fought it and I'm still fighting it but I find it a very wonderful friend. He will never let me alone. He loves for the sake of who I am. He never resists my desires and my sudden whims. May be I'm in love with Him. I must me that if he is that loyal and faithful to me.

Inviting him at any time, he just submits to me. How blissful and joyous. I'm entirely happy. Happiness is a real treasure with him alone. This is the way I fight Him. I intrigue Him by having the best of Him and leaving the worst for Himself.

He is unlike Allah. He banishes no one and promises no one of anything. He is just here, there and everywhere. With a little effort, He can show you His mercifulness in making you euphoric in spite of anything annoying and upsetting in your life.

I love Him, so please love Him too

مصيبة بيع وسط البلد

أشعر بالدهشة حقا و الفزع لأن كل شيء أصبح عرضة للبيع في مصر حتي لو كان له قيمة أثرية أو تأثير حيوي علي الناس. في جريدة الشروق المصرية الصادرة يوم الاحد 19 يوليو، أعلن للعامة فجأة أن هناك تحالف من المستثمرين يسعي لشراء وسط البلد، و عمارات وسط البلد المصرية تعتبر أثرية- لست متأكدا من تاريخ إنشاءها- و طابعها المعماري الفني الراقي يجعلها تراث قومي يهم كل المصريين.
المشكلة كما ورد في التحقيق الصحفي أن هناك احنمال قائم لهدمها مما يعد اعتداء علي تراث قومي. و لا أعلم كيف تقوم الحكومة بالصمت علي احتمالية الهدم للعمارات من جانب المستثمرين.

و أنا عاشق لعمارات وسط البلد فتصميمها الخلاب الأوربى الطابع في أغلب الأحيان يشدني في أغلب الأحيان و يشعرني أن هناك جوانب جميلة- ربما مهملة لأن معظم العمارات في حالة مزرية- في القاهرة المكتظة بالسكان و العمارات القبيحة التي لا تعكس أي حس جمالي. و في حالة بناء أي عمارات حديثة سوف يختل المشهد الجميل لوسط البلد كما اختلت العديد من المناطق الأخري من جراء وجود العمارات الحديثة بجوار القديمة العربقة دون أي مراعاة للشكل الجمالي.
أنا محتج و أتمني أن يزداد الاحتجاج و أري رقابة حكومية علي ما يجري في عاصمة مصر.

نظام الكفيل...الوجه القبيح لدول الخليج

حتي الآن شهدت العمالة المصرية و الاجنبية في الخليج ظلما فادحا من "الأشقاء العرب" بسبب هذا النظام المسمي بنظام الكفيل. هذا النظام الذي يعطي للكفيل حقوق هائلة لا يستحقها علي المكفول، فالأخير لا يستطيع التحرك قانونيا دونه و الكفيل قد يسرق هذه الأموال و قد يطرد المكفول أيضا بما له من صلاحيات لا آدمية اذا قضاه. حدث هذا للعديد من المصريين العاملين بالسعودية علي سبيل المثال المواطن المصري "حامد أحمد سليمان" فبعدما كشف عن اختلاس كفيله لمبلغ خمسة ملايين ريال من شركته و شكرته الداخلية السعودية، استطاع كفيله و بمباركة نظام الكفيل العليل أن يصادر جواز سفره و يمنعه من الخروج من المملكة السعودية. هذا مجرد مثال لمأساة تحدث مرارا في الأرض السعودية المباركة التي تمثل فبها "سلطة الأمر بالمعروف و النهي عن المنكر" بكل من يخالف الدين الحنيف و كأن ما يحدث يلاؤمه أو يثبت جدواها.
لن أتحدث عن حقوق الانسان ها هنا لأنها لا تعني شيئا للمملكة العربية التي تمنع النساء من قيادة السيارات في الشوارع! و هناك سبب أدهي يجعلني أشكك في القوي العقلية لبعض "المفكرين العرب" وهي نظرية المؤامرة فهم يستخدموها لصالح بقاء النظام و عدم إلغائه. فتغيير نظام الكفيل عند بعضهم أصبح "لتمزيق ذلك النسيج المشترك ويسهل بالتالي القضاء علي هذه الدول بتفتيت شخصيتها الاقليمية والدولية والحضارية المتميزة" و كأن الغرب يتأمر دائما للاطاحة بالعرب و هويتهم. و كأن كل حقوق الانسان وضعت لتدمير أمة العرب و يساء استغلالها الآن من أجل إلغاء هذا النظام تعديا علي الخوصيات الثقافية..و كأن أيضا نظام الكفيل هو الآخر دستور ربانيا لا يمكن التخلي عنه.
طالبت الجمعية الوطنية لحقوق الانسان في السعودية بإلغائه و طالب أيضا قائد شرطة دبي بذلك و لكن لا حياة لمن تنادي. البحرين هي الدولة الوحيدة التي فعلتها و ما زالت تعاني من تبعات "فعلتها الحمقاء" في أعين الشقاء الخليجيين. فمازال هو النظام المفضل للدفاع عن "الهوية و السيادة و الخصوصية..." إلي آخر هذة الأسطوانة الفارغة. أفيقوا يا عرب..أفيقوا يا من حقا تسيئون للمسلمين بأفعالكم السخيفة و أنظمتكم البالية.