The Question of Palestine

Okay so that time of year has come around again, DEADLINES!! For those of you who attend University you’ll know the pain which is deadline time for assignments and such. This year I took a module called Globalisation and Developing Societies, which sounds dull and boring which most of the time it is, however it does have its interesting points.

For the assignment we have to write a critique review of a book, therefore I decided to choose A) my tutors favourite book B) the most difficult book to get hold of ever and C) Probably the longest book on International Relations ever. I am currently half way through the book (“The Palestine Question”, Edward Said) and I am increasingly shocked by its contents. The book is essentially about the colonization of Palestine and its history, it also explains in detail the history and behaviour of Zionist Jews.

From the year 1945 onwards the Zionist Jews persecuted the Arabs in Palestine. Many Arab’s were murdered without guilt, thought or with any regret. The more I read this book the more my eyes are opened to what has happened in Palestine and the ongoing situations there. Before this book I never really understood what Zionism was and never really understood that it could/is seen as a dangerous organisation.

This book has kept my interest and is very well written by Mr Said, not only does he include his own work but that of other’s as well which academically is very useful. I am interested in reading some of Edward Said’s books such as “Orientalism”. I would even go as far to say that this has been one of my most interesting pieces of work for university.

Dear John - I'll See You Soon.....

When I agreed with my friends to watch the film Dear John (2010) I expected it be a cheesy romance which would be so cheesy it could of been funny, how I was mistaken. The film is written by Jamie Linden but is mainly based on a Novel by Nicolas Sparks which has the same title as the film. Sparks also wrote The Note Book, which is has also been made into a romantic film. Lasse Hallstorm directed this film and I personally think she did a grand job.

The film starts with a scene which you would expect to be at the end, with John Tyree (Channing Tatum) being shot at in a war and receiving bullets, a voice over is used here as John reads a letter in which he sent to someone after this had happened. Whilst on leave, John meets a college girl, Savannah Curtis (Amanda Seyfried) and their friendship grows and shortly becomes romantic, this making it a chick flick. Savannah is introduced to John's father, Mr Tyree (Richard Jenkins) who is a dedicated coin collector. Apart from the army, this is the only person John has in his life, and early on in the film we learn that the two do not get on very well, John considers his Father to be unlike the norm however we soon learn that he has Autism. Ironically Savannah introduces John to her next door neighbour called Tim Wheddon (Henry Thomas) who has a autistic son called Alan (Luke Benward). This is where Savannah tackles the ignorance that John has towards autism.

Soon enough their two weeks are up, and they both have to go back to their separate lives (just like in The Note Book). They begin to write to one another, during their year apart. After many months on tour with his unit, John gets leave for a weekend, which he goes to see his Father and Savannah. During this weekend John also brings some bad news, he reveals to Savannah that his tour has been extended due to the 9/11 attack. The news makes Savannah angry, to which John responds with a simple 'you mean everything to me'! How romantic huh!! The weekend ends with the couple expressing their love for one other for the first time! (in a barn, how un-orthodox)

Savannah unexpectedly writes John one last and final letter explaining that she has meet someone else. A stab in the back I would say. Then we go back to the scene at the beginning of the film with John being shot. John quickly recovers and insists that he goes back to his unit which is fighting in Iraq.

Not long after he returns to his unit, John's Father has a stoke and John is sent back to America. This then brings us to the most tearful part of the film. John, fond of writing letters, decides to write down his feelings in a letter to his dying father. Before John Blacked out his thought about his child hood, remembering about how coins where made and comparing himself to a coin in the American Army which has now become damaged and imperfect. He also wrote that he thought of his Father whilst tears stream down his face. The reason for this being so emotional and tearful was that the pair have never been that close, and I believe that each of us has had a relationship of this kind thus meaning it is easy to relate too.

Soon after his Father's funeral, 5 years since they last spoke John goes looking for Savannah and when he finds her he find out that she married her neighbour Tim. He soon learns that Tim has cancer and will soon die, this being the reason for the marriage so that Alan has someone to look after him. After Tim's death, Savannah writes to John one more time to explain all that had happened.

The ending of this film was the only down point of this film John and Savannah reunite, it feels like the director Lasse Hallstrom wants to keep her audience guessing to what type of relationship the pair have. The acting in this film was so relaxed and felt real which was also a great surprise to me. The film was a brilliant chick flick and surprisingly was not that all predictable, the writers kept you guessing at each turn. This film is an inspiring story of love, sacrifice and war.