To be honest, because I was absent the other day, I couldn't quite get what I was supposed to do for the third person narrative's task. Therefore, what I'm presenting here in this post is only to shed some light on why do writers use the first person narrative in these kinds of books such as the book we're studying which is "Into the Wild".

Third-person narrative can be identified by observing certain pronouns used in the narrative. Third-person narrative uses "he," "she," "it" and "they," not "I" or "you." This form of narrative tends to offer the most objective view of a story because neither the narrator nor the reader are participants. Even in third-person narrative where subjective thoughts and feelings are known, they are generally contextualized by the thoughts and feelings of other characters. This use of the third person narrative in this book however, doesn't reveal any internal thoughts or emotions about the characters and report only what is observable from outside.

Finally, in my own personal opinion, I believe that in non-fiction books, third person narrative is ought to be used. Writers Cannot know what a person was thinking in a particular moment; therefore, the use of the third person narrative is the best method for this genre of books unless the writers are writing about themselves, it is a different story. For fiction books on the other hand the writer have the liberty of writing in any possible way he or she sees best.

Around the World in 200 Days

Please read this post with full attention as I put my greatest effort in translating, researching and quoting in order for this post to look as proper as possible for this great personality whom I carry a great deal of passion towards. He is Anis Mansour an Arab writer who is considered the pioneer of modern Arabic travel writing and one of the top journalists in his field By all standards, he is "a free-standing independent press institution". Specialized in philosophy, interested in literature, deeply in love with politics, as well as scientific readings, he is indeed "an encyclopedic, multi-faceted writer". In the press, he has achieved the utmost that a writer can aspire and in literature all that a man of letters can possibly dream of. Navigating deep in philosophy, has given him all the depth and ability to probe deep and assimilate facts of life.

Above all, travel literature is his proper realm; his vital sphere. He is truly the first travel writer in the modern Arab world; the most popular indeed. His books are on top of best-sellers in Egypt and the Arab world. He is characteristically known for his intensive and extensive reading in all fields of knowledge. He acquired his appreciation of literature from his father. Born in the central-Delta city of Al Mansoura on August 18, 1925, he obtained his BA (philosophy) in 1947, and then worked for some time as a teacher of philosophy.

His major conception of the universality of philosophical literature are expressed in his book Al Aqqad's Saloon, we had some days". In this book; he renders his own conception of the rich discussions on philosophy, history and civilization, made in presence of an eminent author and thinker, whom he admired and highly valued. His book "Those drived with me", is a study, made in deep love and admiration, of the most prominent thinkers in Egypt and the entire world. "Those Great Men were Born at the Same Time", is a study of a number of great men of thought, literature and philosophy, who influenced his life, including Al Aqqad, Al Mazni, Taha Hussein, Al Rafie, philosophers such as Heidegger and Marcel, historian Toynbee. etc.. All of them were born in 1889. 4. His book "Behold ! It's Full Moon", is an account of a spiritual trip, where he recalled all his private fears and anxiety.

His book "Blessed Be My Soul" renders memorial recollections, where he portrays early beginnings of anxiety and fears which had enveloped his childhood and later survived in his youth and the rest of his life. Anis Mansour as a travel writer Mansour's travel writings were sheer pieces of self-expression. In his travels he was rather reaching for himself under various circumstances.

Chief of his travel books is "Around the World in 200 Days", for which he was granted the State Incentive Award. This book is most famous and widely read work in the Arab world, which is reprinted every nine months. This book is considered one of the most interesting and in-depth accounts ever known in Arabic literature, of tales and facts on many countries of the world. Preface to the second edition was written by famous novelist Mahmoud Taymor.
Following the 1967 war, he wrote some example - setting books designed to raise the morale of youngmen, these included:
"The most wonderful Travels in History" and "You are in Japan and other countries" In these books he describes life and manners in some countries and shows how these nations could overcome difficulties faced.

He also wrote in politics, literary criticism, psychology and science.He also contributes a daily column, entitled "Situations" in Al Ahram Daily. Today, he writes for The Middle East Newspaper "Asharq Al-Awsat" which is the most famous and prestigious News paper in the middle East and the world. I hope that I have been as neutral in my language as possible because it is extremely difficult for anybody to be neutral when talking about his or her role model when it comes to journalism and writing in general. Now here are some facts about the man:

· He was appointed Editor-in-Chief of "Akher Saa" and later "October magazines" in 1976. Besides, he acted as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Dar El Maaref press house until he retired in 1985.
· In "Al Akhbar" newspaper he was the youngest of the book-page writers including prominent literary figures such as Al Aqqad, Salama Moussa, and Ali and Mustafa Amin.

· He mastered besides Arabic, English, French, Italian, Greek and Hebrew languages.
· He played a vital role in the peace negotiations with Israel during the tenure of President Sadat.
· He taught philosophy at the university for 17 years.
· After gaining a name in the press, he collected his short stories previously published anonymously in two books; "Dear Mr. So" and "Remnants of Everything."
· He wrote about 177 books in various fields.
· He translated from German, French and English about 200 short stories and 24 plays.
· He was the first to issue a book in Arabic on existentialism.
· He was the first to translate into Arabic and introduced to Egypt Italian writer Alberto Mararrio.
· He wrote 15 comedies, which were televised or staged.
· He wrote 12 Television serials.
· Anis Mansour believes that literature is the subjective expression of the writer's life and personality.
His own books are, thus, a reflection of his thoughts and personality.

By this post, I wish I presented a fair image of this great writer and I hope that someday you ( My Arabic reader ) would enjoy reading for this icon who has a great impact on the Arabian collective conscious. ^_^

P.S. The titles of the books in red are translations of the Arabic titles. He didn't write them in English.

another thought

I'm writing down this thought before I forget it so here it is
Why do people here in England an the rest of the world wake up early in the morning and sleep early in the evening? I asked myself this question as soon as I got here. Shops and businesses close doors around 6 p.m. while back home everything starts at 5 p.m. and life starts at night; people go out at night, shop at night, see friends at night, even some of them go to school at night! I had a hard time adjusting at my first few weeks in this town. Back in Saudi Arabia we didn't have lunch beaks. Everything starts very early in the morning around 6 a.m. sometimes before the sun even rises. I remember having breakfast with my parents at 5 am then starting my car on my way to school before 6 am and then driving for an hour in an open space where I can see the sunrise through my window every morning. Oh my God I miss those days.
At noon everything stops and people return to their homes to have a big lunch with their families and then it's nap time! At this time of day every human being living around the tropic of cancer is asleep! When I was little, I wanted to defy this law but I couldn't. I fell asleep as soon as I got home from school! At 5 pm. when the sun becomes less aggressive, everything starts again and the empty six-lane road becoms a grid lock!
Finally, at late evening when everyone return to base the family gathers before having a light supper which can be around 11 or 12 pm. and then everyone get to their rooms preparing for the next day. But here I feel that everything is the opposite. What do you think?

Just a Thought

I used to be very enthusiastic when it comes to Arabic or Arabic Literature and I'm still that person except for one thing which is that I used to come across certain literary expressions that doesn't exist in any other languages and because of this I was convinced that Arabic is the only language spoken today that is capable of delivering deep human thoughts and emotions efficiently in only one letter or sound, but with further study, I found out that this doesn't apply only on Arabic, but also on every ancient languages whether they're spoken today or not such as Latin, Hebrew,Greek, Aramaic,Sanskrit and Chinese. However, other languages such as English (in its current form), German, Korean, modern Japanese, Hindi and Jawi (the language of Malaysia,Singapore and Indonesia), can carry some deep meanings in a way an Ancient language cannot handle and this is common amongst all modern languages. Therefore, I reached to a conclusion that every language is unique in its own way except for French!! What I've learnt in three months learning Japanese is way better than what I've learnt in two years studying French. It's too difficult!!

That was just a thought I wanted to share with you. Let me know what you think.

Will Be Back Soon..!!

I'm feeling a little bit ill lately, body and mind. Therefore, my presence and cotribution will be brief. I hope I'll be good to go by next week. So, Pray for me guys!

Ramadan Kareem

Now we're in Ramadan and it felt normal at the beginning. I didn't feel feel any change from the days before (in this post I'm talking from a cultural point of view not a religious point of view). Until last night. I was alone at home and the boys were out somewhere. Suddenly, a strong and huge wave of various emotions hit me and I didn't know what to feel. I remembered all what I am missing this month back home. Ramadan in Makkah. That's a wish of a lifetime for more than a 1.6 billion people around the globe and I, out of stupidity, chose to miss it by coming here to Nottingham. It's not that I regret coming here, but I wish that I could spend a few days in Makkah during Ramadan.

The month of Ramadan here appears like any other month. But in Makkah the whole city changes, crime rates fall and a magical, beautiful, peaceful atmosphere is felt. During the day, I usually stay at home with my family either watching them running around preparing for the BREAKFAST which is usually around 6 pm in the evening, or playing with my two little nephews. If my father was in a good mood, I try to get to him in his study and bring up something in order to discuss/learn from my father whom I consider my mentor. I owe my father everything I've became. He made me aware and conscious about what's happening in the world and he has also built a strong foundation of knowledge. My mother on the other hand, helped me academically made me become one of few students with the highest marks in my year of graduation from high school and one of few students who make it to the prince of Makkah's court and take place in many important events. Sorry I've gone too far with this, but anyways, that's pretty much what happens during the day.

In the evening after we've had breakfast, I would take my car and start wandering around the city. Probably I'd stop by one of those places that exist only in Ramadan and have a liver sandwich..mmm. Or maybe drink some Subia..mmmmmmm. The city looks really colorful at night and everybody's started getting out of there houses after they've had breakfast. I'd probably hang out with some friends or with my cousins or one of my cool uncles and aunt.

But unfortunately I can't go back now, not yet. One month to go. Can't wait. I miss my car the most. *sigh*

while surfing the web today, I found this... !! I don't know what to call it; is it a song, a short clip or ..? Anyhow, it's about Ramadan and it's done by one of my favorite artists. I wanted to share it with you and I hope you enjoy it and "Rmadan kareem" ^_^

Oh by the way, I have a "Ramadan Quiz" for you. What is the name of the second oldest university in the world after the University of Al-Karaouine in Morocco and it is still working and granting degrees until today?

Hint: It started in the year 970 and a side of its building is in the background of the video below.

Crazy Night!! part 2

I wasn't really going for part two but I thought since I started this things it's my duty as a good student to finish it. So after more than forty minutes of listening to that chatterbox; she almost cracked my head. even though she looked lovely, I couldn't stand her babbling anymore. finally it's my stop. I got off the train and went all the way up to the train station. I stood in line to get a ticket back to Nottingham. I took a later train to avoid being on the same train with "Izzy". Everything went great. Quiet half empty train, late at night until we reached Market Harborough after that, 'the journey terminates here' the driver announced, and we had to get on coaches that drive us the rest of the way to Leicester. When we arrived at Leicester, we got on another train that was waiting for us. as soon as I found a seat, I heard Izzy's shouting "Hey, we're on the same train!". Oh my god where did she come from?! I need some peace people! She jumped on the seat next to me, grapped my phone and started playing with it while she was cracking my head with her stories about her friends. Finally we arrived at East Midlands Parkway and she got off the train. I didn't hate her actually I even thinks she kind of pretty in some way but god she's too nice and too friendly for her own good and that's can be irritating sometimes specially when your exhausted and insomniac just the way I was when she was sitting next to me. What do you think should I kepp her info in my phone or should I delete it?
Please let me know.

A Crazy Night!!

I'm writing this while it's still fresh. I'm writing about a crazy night, an unbelievable girl and some other minor details which all happened to me tonight, which is my birthday by the way. I'll try to write it the way I remember it without any addition, omission or editing. Why? Simply because I'm fried and sleep deprived. So here you go:

Waiting for the underground train in London heathrow, an Indian (or Pakistani. Who knows?) man approached me and asked me in his modest English about directions in the underground. With my also modest knowledge about the underground world of London I told him to get on the one arriving at this platform unless he wants to go all the way to terminal 5. He thanked me and left. A European guy came after him and asked me about which train he should take. I told him the same thing as the man before him. A girl has a ton of make up on her face was watching from a distance waiting for her turn to ask. When the European guy left she rushed to me with a big fake smile on her face and said: "Hi". "Hello, How can I help you?" I replied. "Do you know which way is the train station?" She asked. "Which train station?" I replied. " I need get to East Midlands Airport. Flights from there are way cheaper than from here. Do you know which way I should go?". "You should take the train coming now and then get off at King's Cross and you'll find yourself in the train station you want". "Thanks". "Your welcome".

On the underground train, there was a little girl sitting on her mother's legs singing in spanish. It was a pleasant feeling that you get from looking at that girl. I was watching with a smile on my face. "You need a hair cut!" I looked back and it was the girl from before. "excuse me?!". "I'm sorry I couldn't help but noticing". "So?". "Nothing, I'm just saying".

End of Part One...Check my blog some other time for Part Two (which is the messy part). I should get some sleep now. See you later.

Perfect Road Trip!!

So here I am in Darwin. It's a nice place but it's not what I'm here for I want to be in the big city. I want to be in Sydney. It's a fact, known by many, that I have something for big cities. I love touring big cities, walking down their streets, watching people rushing around while sitting on a bench with an empty mind and cup full of coffee and wondering about the stories behind those buildings I see before me. That's my favourite kind of tourism. On the opposite side I resent hiking a mountain with a heavy backpack on my back and a thin air in my lungs causing numbness in my fingers and toes. My advice to anyones wants to challenge the magnificent Jungfrau, please don't. Use the train and you'll get to it quickly minus the backache, I'm saying this out of a personal experience. I hate spending time in the wilderness where you'll find all sorts of weird creatures. Some may find it interesting but I find it irritating and boring. This is why I didn't want to cross the desert all the way to Sydney, but I had to do it because I didn't want to fly alone to Sydney and then wait for them alone. I prepared everything that day from essentials, such as a large first aid kit to things, apparently, I won't need them, such as a bug juice and sleeping bags, but who knows? I also printed some google maps showing the shortest routes., but unfortunately, it seems that I have chosen to travel with the company of some nut jobs! They wanted it the hard way! they wanted to stay out of the main roads and make a long turn by passing by Alice Springs. The journey which was supposed to be a two day drive became a four day drive. Time went very slowly and the scene was repeating itself again and again and again. Four long days went by and the people I'm with are still expressing their wonder about the desert and how beautiful it is, like they didn't come from a similar environment. Why do people like the desert? It's a desert for God's sake! Empty, boiling, full of disgusting creatures and the sands, people always tend to use this word in a romantic context. Come on, it's coarse, rough and it gets everywhere; in your shoes, your eyes and many other places. Finally, after four long stressful days, we reached the big city. Finally, I get to take a proper shower. Finally, I get to be a real civilized human being. Finally, I'm in Sydney!