من أرشيف محمد الأنصاري في التسعينيات | تعليق على شخصيات رواية The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Here is my comment on the main character of the novel.[/color]
[left]This novel was written by a Japanese writer called Kazuo Ishiguro. The hero of the novel is Stevens (the butler). He is a very complicated character. He is deeply attached to the traditions of England. He begins a motoring holiday by the ford of his new employer Mr. Farraday .The journey takes him very deep into the fascinating places of the English countryside as well as his old memories of the past. Stevens tells the readers all about this journey which begins from Darlington Hall where he works, to the English countryside. The novel is in the form of a diary, countaining about six days.
Stevens is very serious , strict, straight and unemotional. The utmost happiness could only be reached by keeping the duty. Stevens is the type of people who take their professions too seriously. Throughout the novel Stevens is concerened with the definitions of “dignity” , “professionalism” and “greatness”. To have such qualities, one has to hide one’s feelings behind a mask. Indeed, this is what Stevens did throughout his life. As a result, he gained nothing but disappointments since this strange behaviour made a great gab between him and his father. It was also a direct cause for his loss of the only lady he loved in his life. When stevens tries to get his beloved back, he finds out that she has become a far-fetched image.
Miss Kenton works under the authority of Stevens the butter. Mr. Stevens is in love with her. Yet he shows his love through offending her. On the other hand. Miss Kenton’s love to him is revealed through a totally different way from his. She keeps on introducing flowers to his room. She wants to introduce warmth and love to his dull and monotonous life which is governed only by his rules and actions. Stevens never thinks of words such as ‘love’ or ‘marriage’. He is concerned with other things such as professionalism and dignity and how to be a great butter. He hides his love behind his mask in order to be devoted to his profession .To achieve greatness, there must be no place for emotions or feelings.
Miss Kenton is one of the characters who have a great effect on Stevens. This is clarified through certain actions throughout the novel. For instance, Stevens keeps remembering some parts of the letter she sent to him. He even misinterprets some sentences of the letter according to the way he likes in order to satisfy himself. Stevens believes or tries to convince himself that Miss Kenton regrets being married and that she wants to come back to D.H. As a matter of fact, this is one of the reasons which pushed Stevens to accept the journey offered by his employer. Yet, he says to himself that Miss Kenton’s coming back has a professional dimention; she is the only one who can put every thing to the right place.
One day, Miss Kenton finds Stevens reading a novel of romance. When she asks him about what he is reading, his reaction is ‘ I must ask you to respect my privacy’. Then Stevens emphasises that reading improves his langauge and will add to his professionalism. However, the reader is aware that this is not the truth because Stevens tries to compensate what he lacks of love and emotions by reading such a kind of novels.
It is Miss Kenton who makes it clear that Stevens puts a mask on his face to hide his feelings. She uncovers this truth in front of Stevens’s eyes.
‘Why do you always have to pretend.’ Miss Kenton says these words when Stevens tells her about the desire of Lord Darlington to bring the two Jewish girls back. Stevens tells her that he was very distressed by what happened. It comes as a surprise to Miss Kenton because she finds out that he shared her the same attitude. But why does he not show? Why is he pretending all the time? Of course, Miss Kenton herself failed to know the answer.
Another example may clarify the strange nature of Stevens’s behaviour with Miss Kenton. Miss kenton tells Stevens that an acquaintance proposes to her and she will accept that proposal. She wants to know his reaction. But, to her disappointment, he is like a stone. She is trying to push him to say something; to go out of his usual coldness. What concerns him is serving the visitors who have reached D.H. Stevens’s feelings are compressed inside him. No one can remove the mask that he wears. She tells him that if he does not want her to go out at her holiday, she will not go. The deep meaning of her words shows us that if he asks her not to marry that person, she will obey.
At the end of the novel, Mr. Stevens evaluates all his past after the departure of Miss Kenton. Now he is disappointed because he finds himself alone in this world. Stevens used to be cold with everyone. He used to have barriers between him and the people around him. His policy was behaving in a cold way and using a very formal langauge. Only by this way he can protect himself.
من أرشيف محمد الأنصاري في التسعينيات | Why is divorce increasing nowadays
If a husband and his wife feel that they lead a monotonous and incompatible life and that they cannot go any further together, the solution that comes to mind is “divorce”. But why is divorce increasing nowadays much more than in the past? Besides, why is it increasing in specific areas rather than others? Why is divorce attacking us?
The rate of divorce is on the increase due to some reasons. For example, women today think very highly of themselves and feel confident. This is because today women depend on themselves and earn their living by working.They do not live in the dark any longer as women did in the past. So, if a husband quarrels with his wife, the quick solution that jumps to the wife’s mind is “divorce”. The wife assumes that it is the only way to follow. Otherwise, life will be unbearable! In fact, what drives wives to that kind of thinking is their excessive confidence in themselves. True, it is the wife who is always the one to blame. In my view, man never thinks of divorce unless he wants to marry another woman. Fortunately, this phenomenon is uncommon in our society although it exists.
On the other hand, in the past the rate of divorce was not as great as it is now. This is because woman in the past was not independent financially because she did not work.So, she could not ask for divorce since she could not afford it. In addition, woman in the past was locked at home and was treated as an inferior being. She did not have her share of education. Consequently, she had no weapons by which she could fight after divorce. So, all that she needed was security and protection rather than divorce. These things were indeed to be attained only by the wife’s obedience to her husband. Therefore, divorce – which means destruction of marital life – was not known for wives in the past.
Furthermore, the rate of divorce is increasing in the urban areas rather than in the rural ones or among the bedouin. This is partly due to the fact that women in these areas are not “working wives” . They are only house wives. They could not depend on themselves if they are divorced. Therefore, obedience to husband comes in the first place. Besides, most of these women still live in the dark and are ignorant. For such women, the husband is everything in the world. He is even called “ Si Esayed”.
Of course, it is the only change in society which leads to these conclusions. Society now is not that of the past. Thirty years ago, society was not as it is now. So, what will our society look like after a couple of decades? No one knows what will next attack us. If change leads to such directions, then change is evil rather than good.
من أرشيف محمد الأنصاري في التسعينيات | The exploitation of children in Egypt
The exploitation of children in Egypt is considered as an uncivilized behaviour that leads to nothing but the darkness of the future of these children. Unfortunately, there are parents who think that the exploitation of their children is a right given to them. Obviously, these children are used as bread winners for their families, through many ways; each way depending upon the nature of the environment in which the child lives. The result, more or less, is the same. It clearly means that the child loses his innocence, becomes a victim of his circumstances and above all, he loses his right as a human being.
A tragedy is clearly seen in the countryside of Egypt. Children are deprived very early of their education while they should be taught until at least the age of fourteen. Hence, they carry the burden on their shoulders from the very beginning. In the fields , especially in the seasons of harvests, children work so hard that every one of them gains at the end of the day about ten pounds, which are taken directly by fathers.
Another kind of exploitation of children is obviously seen in the towns among the low classes on the one hand, and the high classes on the other hand. It is known that the income of the low class families is not enough at all. Therefore, the children of these families have no choice but to be bread winners for their families. The girls work as maidservants or apprentice hairdressers, while the boys either clean cars or become apprentices to any profession. Besides, those who are homeless or kidnapped , are put under the supervision of unsafe persons, so they become thieves and beggars.
In the high classes, the children are exploited for no reasons but increasing their parents’ wealth. An obvious example of that is the famous actors and actresses who drew their children in their stream. Hence, the child loses his innocence from
من أرشيف محمد الأنصاري في التسعينيات | كتابة المقال باللغة الانكليزية والخطوات المتبعة
This is an essay written about the following topic : ( How do you feel when the lecture is cancelled? )
Three things govern my feeling when the lecture is cancelled: the teacher’s personality, my mood at that time and the subject. These three things, simple but extremely important, specify my feeling as they touch me deeply.
First of all, my feeling depends on the teacher’s personality. If the teacher is optimistic, popular and cheerful, I will not be happy if he/ she cancells any of his/ her lectures. I may even feel disappointed because such lectures seem to paas very quickly. On the other hand, if the teacher is arrogant, tough and pessimistic, I will be happy when his/ her lecture is cancelled. I may even make up my mind not to attend such lectures which , more or less, lead to nothing but annoying me and affecting my psychological state.
Secondly, my feeling is governed by my mood at that time. In other words, if I have a cold or headache or even some personal problems, it will be impossible to attend my lectures at that time and if I am forced to attend, I will be distracted and out of mind. Therefore, when any lecture is cancelled at such a time, I will be very happy, on the contrary, if I am all right, I will be very sorry. Hence, my feeling in this case is governed according to my psychological state.
Finally, and more important, is the subject. There are some of the subjects which seem very dull. Consequently, I am very cheerful if any lecture of such a subject is cancelled. But I will not be happy if any lecture of an interesting subject is cancelled


