Research Paper: Government and Politics

iran and Temporary Marriage

Exploring the Different Aspects of Temporary Marriage in Iran

Bidushi

5/29/2012

On my honor, I pledge that I have neither given nor taken improper assistance in completing this task. Bidushi Adhikari

Embarrassed to the bone, the woman refuses to give her name to the curious interviewer. A mother of three, she was hopelessly abandoned by her gay husband. Then, one day, a Shiite religious cleric working in Najaf, Iran, who had promised to help her with her financial crisis, brings her home, has sex with her behind a locked door, and gives her $15. She leaves, eyes flooding with tears, her heart contracting in her chest, clutching the money in her hands, the money that is so necessary for her survival in a tough world.  What was this about? Well, a temporary marriage.

We have heard it many times: marriage is a bond of love. It is a very special bond that ties two people together for as long as they live, or at least it’s supposed to. Marriage is a treaty between two people to love and cherish each other with every fibre of ones body. Therefore, when one hears of temporary marriage, as is this case in Iran, certain questions start to arise. First of all, it is worth knowing what temporary marriage is. The Qur’an refers to muta’ah in Arabic or sigheh in Farsi in these words: “And you are allowed to seek out wives with your wealth in decorous conduct, but not in fornication, but give them their reward for what you have enjoyed of them in keeping with your promise (4:24).” It began when Muhammad, the prophet in the Muslim culture, gave permission to men who travel far from home to rent out women and use them to fulfill the men’s sexual needs while they were away from their wives back home. This was a way for the men to avoid fornication. They had to “purchase” the women and the days they wished to hire these women.  And as for the present, temporary marriage still exists as a contract between a man and an unmarried woman, bonus if she is a virgin, who agree to marry each other for as long as they want, which can range from a few minutes to many years, and decide how much money should be given to the temporary wife; the woman is being rented out by a man without being legally convicted for it by law, where the penalty of having sex outside of marriage is a 100 lashes.  The marriage need not be officially registered and is wholly permitted in accordance to the Shiria law. It gives men a chance “to do it entirely on their own if they felt shy about going to a mullah to register the Union,” as stated by President Hashemi Rafsanjani in 1990. Additionally, the “husband” has the power to call off the arrangement whenever and under whatever circumstances he pleases.

All in all, it seems to be an advantageous agreement. The man gets out of being in a relationship that he could not afford. He does not have to commit to anything and can have multiple sex partners simultaneously if he pleases. For divorcees, it is a legal way to fulfil the passion that seemed to be dying out without a partner. For couples who are discovering the magic of the bond between a man and a woman, it is a way to get a preview of a permanent marriage.

However, there is a constant debate in between believers of Islam about the legitimacy of mut’a. Shiite and Sunnis, the two different branches of Islam, have opposing views regarding the subject. Twelver Shi’ite Islam, the dominant religion in Iran, supports the fact that, since the Quran permits it, mut’ah should not be banned or opposed. However, Sunni Muslims see mut’ah as a form of prostitution. Sunnis do believe that, originally, Muhammad did allow temporary marriages to make place for Muslim men who were either travelling, who couldn’t settle down just yet, or “military campaign or commercial journeys,” as stated by Malcolm Clark in the book Islam for Dummies[1]. They admit that it proved to be better than adultery, but they strongly claim that Muhammad later took back his words about temporary marriage, comparing it to other situations like drinking alcohol, which was previously banned but later allowed by Muhammad himself. However, as Clark further points out, Shi’ites stay firm about their beliefs and claim that Umar, the second successor of Muhammad, was the one who spoke about banning temporary marriage. Because believers of Shi’ites are not obliged to his words, they believe that the prohibition does not apply to them.

There is an important reason why Twelver Shiite support temporary marriage. Firstly, it is crucial to note that the women involved with these marriages are usually in a deep financial crisis. Nagham Kadhim, who runs a women’s rights group in Nafaq, says, “’The muta’ah marriage happens when there is an economic factor, like when the woman is poor and [does] not have money[2].’” Massoumeh Pareesh, a researcher in temporary marriages and Women’s Affairs, adds that “’ Usually women who submitted to temporary marriages had experienced some kind of family trauma or had gone through serious divorce and domestic problems[3].’” In the eyes of a judgemental Islamic society, these women have lost all their virtue and honour because they have lost the status as the “ideal Muslim women,” which refer to the society’s expected norm of an average Muslim woman. They have fallen to the very pits of the sexually-orientated hierarchy, which associates virgins with honour, class, and considers them an eligible marriage candidate, who may receive a grateful amount, is mahr, or the mandatory gift a husband offers his newlywed wife, often in the form of money, and non-virgins with dishonour and disgust. Therefore, Iranian clerics believed that temporary marriage “provides [these women] with a relief, or an escape[4].”

However, to many activists, this proves to be a very controversial decision because temporary marriage is strictly temporary and mainly revolves around the man’s pleasure and pleasing. It has shown to be very disadvantageous to women involved in such relationships. The woman has absolutely no say in the relationship, like wishing to terminate the agreement, and is used as an object to derive pleasure from. Because the marriage is not registered, it may also be hard for her children from a permanent marriage to receive an education because she is not able to prove paternity, and her temporary marriage relationship becomes, ultimately, useless in such cases. Additionally, children that may have been products of a temporary marriage are immediately handed over to the care of the father, with full legitimacy. Women’s rights are further abused because, as a first spouse, she may be completely unaware of the fact that her husband is involved in many other sexual relationships with other women. MP Sattar Hedayatkhak quotes in a reformist newspaper Etemaad, saying that “From tomorrow, no woman can be sure that her husband is not in a sexual relationship with another woman. Therefore, there is now no difference between here and the west. Anyone can have a sexual relationship with someone without the need to prove that there has been a temporary marriage agreement.” He compares the situation to the West, saying that now, there is no way to keep track of the sexual partners of a man, just like how it is in the West. Additionally, to engage in a permanent relationship with other women, the man first had to be permitted by his first spouse. However, in temporary marriages, that need not be done. Furthermore, since men have to pay their temporary wives, the first spouse of their marriages may have to deal with an unfair financial crisis. Aside from these disadvantages, temporary marriages “have been used as loopholes for ... human trafficking,” as Shoshi Shmuluvitz talks about in her article “Temporary Marriage in Iran: Exploitative or Liberating?” She adds that “poor families effectively sell their daughters to wealthy visiting foreign men in order to obtain the mahr[5]” and deal with their financial crisis.   

These are not the only abuses women face because of temporary marriage. Ayatollah Khatami, former leader of Iran, himself said that “a woman who has been temporarily married in exchange for a previsouly established dowry ahas no right to demand that her daily expenses be ppaid by her husband, even when she becomes pregnant.” The woman is left to fend for herself. Men, who are in the highest of positions, abuse these rights and buy little girls under the “Marriage for Minutes” contract, using them for sexual pleasures.

After a Bill was passed by the Legal and Judicial Commission of Parliament of Iran in August 2007 encouraging polygamy, making it easier for men to engage in temporary marriages, and degrading women’s rights, many women activists labelled the bill as an “anti-family Bill” for obvious reasons and rebelled against the promotion of temporary marriages. Questions were raised about how such a bond manages to provide women with happiness when they are being used as objects of pleasure without any commitment. Feminists have called this practice “legalized prostitution” which works grandly in favour for the men involved in such relationships. Supporters of temporary marriage, however, argue back, claiming that temporary marriage is an “alternative to the ‘free love’ of the West” and explain that it is much easier to control because it is legalized[6].  

As Shmuluvitz talked about in her article, temporary marriage has left several loopholes for girls to be trafficked for sexual exploitation. Iran Rooyan, a non-political NGO, reports that experts from Iran claim that “the primary cover used for the sale of many of these girls into prostitution by their own family is temporary marriage[7].” These girls, who range from early adolescents to women past their 30s, are trafficked “for the purposes of forced prostitution and forced marriage” to places like Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, the United Kingdom, France and Germany amongst many others. Additionally, the exact number of girls and women involved in temporary marriages are not certain because in March, 2012, MPs passed a law which dictates that unless under special circumstances, like the production of a child, temporary marriages need not be reported to the government or formally be registered. Therefore, it is hard for agencies in Iran to give a close approximation of the number of couples engaged in temporary marriages.

Not only human trafficking, but temporary marriages have led way to the establishment of brothels in various parts of the country and especially in the capital, Tehran. In June 2010, the government of Iran granted permission to create one-day, temporary marriages in certain places to “eliminate the problem of rape and sexual repression suffered by the Iranian youth[8].’” This license allows any Iranian or foreigner to retire to a house and hire a girl to have sex with with when and if she agrees to temporarily marry him. The low prices for these nights spent together range from $20 to $50, making it even more affordable for various parties. Since these destinations are certainly popular amongst officials and Shiite clerics, brothels are being built near holy sites so that “male pilgrims can ‘relieve their urges’ while on a ‘religious’ pilgrimage[9].”

With all this injustice, however, resistance and protest against this law is still ongoing in Iran. Not everybody, especially the more educated ones, agrees with the concept of temporary marriages and some still fight against it. For example, Leila Asadi, a human rights professor at University of Mary Washington, is women’s rights activist. During the time she lived in Iran as an international-law professor and an activist, she felt threatened and was, like many other journalists and activists in Iran, incline to move to the United States. She was fighting for the extremely low age, 13, of marriage for young girls, the concept of polygamy being encouraged by the government, and the Family Protection Law supporting temporary marriages[10]. In 2011, in Iran, Asadi presented to the United Nations Commission papers on the Status of Women in Iran. She spoke of the large scales of violence that occur against child brides and was thrown into jail for doing so. Additionally, women who are in power in Iran strongly speak out against temporary marriages too. Rafat Bayat, a noted, fundamentalist female MP, questioned the minister in 2007, saying “’Do you accept, yourself, to tell to your daughter’s suitor that your daughter has already made temporary marriage several times?[11]’” She has raised the question regarding the future of a girl involved in temporary marriage, after which she no longer remains legitimate to marry permanently due to her loss of virginity.

Internationally renounced organizations, such as Amnesty International, are also trying their hardest to raise awareness about the Family Protection Bill being passed. In March 2012, Amnesty International released a detailed analysis of Iran’s human rights status. In the report, entitled “Iran: Submission To the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,” the report highlighted the fact that “there are no provisions in law to ensure that ‘temporary marriages’ ... are not sued to circumvent the prohibition on early and forced marriage.” For example, in 2010, many women who opposed the articles of the bill went on a journey around Iran, talking to women who had been severely affected by their husbands marrying for the second time, and many a times, engaging in a temporary marriage. These stories of women were written down on pieces of cloth, which were then stitched up to form a big banner-like quilt that is now called “Chehel Tikeh” or “Forty Pieces.” Then, gathering another list of 15,000 signatures from women who opposed the law and alongside of the banner, these women went to the Parliament, asking it to remove the bill from the constitution that promoted polygamy. The parliament refused to accept the banner and, as of March 2012, it is still being discussed by the Parliament[12]. It has been harder for women to implement their biddings also because they are hardly being represented in the government. The women in the Parliament of Iran are almost as conservative as the men, and therefore, they support the legislation.

The media and film industry have also been part of the resistance against temporary marriage. Recently, Afghan actress Reha Zamani and Director Aisha K have joined forces to create a film, called Frishteh, that speaks about the controversial issue of temporary marriage in Muslim societies. Aisha K. believes that “through cinema, I am able to give a powerful voice to the marginalized communities of the world[13].”

Throughout Iran, temporary marriage has been an issue of great concern and debate. Many believe it to be the word of Muhammad while others argue that it is legal prostitution in disguise. Temporary marriage has promoted a lot of chaos in the country, from human trafficking to child abuse to opposition to the government. However, it must be pointed out that temporary marriage is just a fragment of the troubles that Iran currently faces regarding women’s rights. In general, the situation of human rights, and specifically women’s rights, in Iran is very weak and fragile. Women have, reportedly, lesser rights in Iran than men do, even in a 21^st century world. Therefore, when groups of women come up and fight for the abolition of bills that encourage temporary marriage, they are, ultimately, fighting for the rights of women in Iran, for them to be more recognized and not be treated like second class citizens. The involvement of international organizations and communities will, hopefully, revive the outdated traditions of Iran and help it adapt to a modern life in this century, with a strong religious foundation that carries the modifications of a modern world.

Bibliography:

"Abuse of Temporary Marriages Flourishes in Iraq." Points of View Reference Center. EBSCO, 19 Oct.

2010. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://web.ebscohost.com/pov/detail?sid=76f8cd02-7290-4a57-aea986b11e6464%40sessionmgr12&vid=1&hid=10&bdata=JnNpdGU9cG92LWxpdmU%3d#db=pwh&AN=6XN201010192110>.

Motahari, Farshid. "Iran's Lawmakers Reject Obligation to Register Temporary

Marriages."Points of View Reference Center. EBSCO, 05 Feb. 2012. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://web.ebscohost.com/pov/detail?sid=19cdf1a6-7049-496d-9dc1-d38fab2c7dcd%40sessionmgr11&vid=3&bk=1&hid=10&bdata=JnNpdGU9cG92LWxpdmU%3d#db=pwh&AN=2W64219718204>.

"mut'ah." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2012. Web. 27 May 2012.
<http://www.school.ebonline.com/eb/article-9054486>.

Treble, Patricia. "Let's Get Married--for an Hour." Points of View Reference Center. EBSCO, 20 Sept.

2010.  29 May 2012. <http://web.ebscohost.com/pov/detail?sid=0602f144-2205-490c-b894-ac15fe71699e%40sessionmgr111&vid=1&hid=107&bdata=JnNpdGU9cG92LWxpdmU%3d#db=pwh&AN=6XN201010192110>.

Vakalia, Fahima. "Temporary Marriage: Celebration or Violation of Women’s Rights." World

Poverty and Human Rights Online. 23 Apr. 2010. 29 May 2012. < <http://wphr.org/blog/2010/04/23/temporary-marriage-celebration-or-violation-of-women%E2%80%99s-rights-4/#_ftn7>.

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[1] Clark, Malcolm. "Islam For Dummies." Google Books. 29 May 2012.

<http://books.google.com.au/books?id=zPXu561ZpvgC>.

[2] McEvers, Kelly. "Abuse Of Temporary Marriages Flourishes In Iraq." NPR. NPR, 19 Oct. 2010. 29 May 2012.

<http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130350678>.

[3] "Temporary Marriage Has Turned into a Career and Source of Income in Iran." Planet Iran. Iran Press News, 9 Aug.

2010. 29 May 2012. <http://planet-iran.com/index.php/news/21112>.

[4] Shahla Haeri, op cit. Law of Desire, p.132-146.

[5] Shmuluvitz, Shoshi. "Temporary Marriage in Islam: Exploitative or Liberating?" Diwaniyya Dayan Center Podcast.

11 Mar. 2011. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://diwaniyya.blogspot.in/2012/03/temporary-marriage-in-

islam.html>.

[6] Ramazani, Nesta. "The Girl Trade in Shia Iran : LAW OF DESIRE Temporary Marriage in Shi'i Iran by Shahla Haeri

(Syracuse University Press: $39.95, Cloth; $14.95, Paper; 340 Pp.; 0-8156-2465-4)." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 1989. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://articles.latimes.com/1989-10-29/books/bk-101_1_temporary-marriage>.

[7] "Trafficking Fact Sheet." Iran Rooyan. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://iranrooyan.org/wp-

content/uploads/2011/12/TRAFFICKING-FACT-SHEET-final.pdf>

[8] "Iran Permits Brothels Through Temporary Marriages." Al Bawaba. 7 June 2010. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://www.albawaba.com/behind-news/iran-permits-brothels-through-temporary-marriages>.

[9] Choudhury, Salah. "Marriage for Minutes Forces Children into Prostitution in Iran." Weekly Blitz. 30 July 2010.

 29 May 2012. <http://www.weeklyblitz.net/910/marriage-for-minutes-forces-children-into>.

[10] Umble, Amy Flowers. "Her Fight for Rights Inspires Students - The News Desk."Fredericksburg.com. 10 Feb. 2012.

Web. 29 May 2012. <http://blogs.fredericksburg.com/newsdesk/2012/02/10/her-fight-for-rights-inspires-

students/>

[11] Tait, Robert. "Iranian Minister Backs Temporary Marriage to Relieve Lust of Youth." The Guardian. Guardian

News and Media, 03 June 2007. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/jun/04/iran.roberttait>.

[12] "Iran: Submission To the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights." Amnesty International, Mar.

2012. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cescr/docs/ngos/AI_CESCRWG49_Iran.pdf>.

[13] "Los Angles Afghan Artists Tackle Controversial Issue of Temporary Marriage in Iran With Their Film Farishteh." Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 03 May 2012. Web. 29 May 2012. <http://news.yahoo.com/los-angles-afghan-artists-tackle-controversial-issue-temporary-071528253.html>.

Week 2- Article 3: Please Read

Central Argument: Like formal words of gratitude, simple things in our life no longer seem to have the same meanings anymore.


Linton Weeks, in her article "Please Read This Story, Thank You," talks about how formal words of gratitude, like "thank you" and "you're welcome," are being replaced by other words, such as "no problem" and "sure," that do not carry the same message and weight. Our day to day speech, according to Weeks, is turning into something more casual. What was important to us in the past is no longer important now.


Things we did in the past start to loose their importance as time passes. As a high school student, I can think of one example: bed time. When I was little, they made up take a nap for two to three hours during the day. And when I got home from pre-school, my parents put me to bed at around 8 p.m. I remember how much I used to fight and cry because I would want to stay awake too, doing the same things they did, like watching television. My mother would get angry and tell me that I really needed to rest because I was a growing child. Even then, I would try to make excuses after excuses to get to stay for even just a little bit longer. However, as I grew up, the hours of sleep I got everyday started to lessen more and more. I would have to actually make an effort to go to sleep early. Nap times were long gone. Soon, as I came to high school, it became more and more difficult for me to get even 7 hours of sleep everyday. Other things, such as catching up with my homework, seemed more important than getting a good night's sleep. I could stay up late just playing games or chatting with my friends into the night.This experience, and reality, shows us how as time passes, certain things start to change and get less attention. They don't seem so important now as they have lost their importance.


However, this kind of loss doesn't always have to be in a negative sense. For example, meal time is always supposed to be family time. After a busy day, a good dinner is what joins the family together and lets stories be shared and feeling be recited. However, in my family, ever since I was little, we never had such rules in the house. My sister and I ate dinner first. After feeding us, my mother would have her dinner with my helper, since my father was away. However, as we started growing older, and my father settled back in Nepal, meal times did start becoming family time. My sister and I would set out the table very enthusiastically for the whole family, including my little brother, to sit. Once everyone returned home, we would gather together and have a great meal, happily, as a family, sharing the experiences of the day. This example shows us how sometimes, simple things in life can change for the better. Certain modifications can be made which are certainly harmless and can be a good development as well.
These two examples provided show us that when little things in life change, they can be negative or positive.

Week 4- Article 2: Why We Like What We Like

Central Argument: We like what we like because of the context we experience these things in.


Why do we like the things we like? What gives us that thirst to do things that are pleasurable for us? Well, Alva Noe, in her article "Why We Like What We Like," explores this dilemma and tells us that we like what we like because of the context we experience these things in. I agree with her because the context or experience gives us a particular feeling we like feeling.
Doing certain things triggers feeling which we then like feeling. For example, I love art. I love drawing and painting and being creative. When I sit in that wide room with the sunlight flowing in, I forget everything else. In that room, its only that paint brush and me, only that sketchbook and me. The feeling that builds up when I paint is that of joy and happiness. I feel relaxed and comfortable. I don't worry about anything else. The satisfaction and joy builds up till my throat pushing everything else aside. I let my imaginations go running and let my heart lead the way. Because I enjoying doing art so much, I do it again and again. I don't get sick of it because art is something I can let myself be absolutely controlled by, no matter how good or bad the results may turn out. This example shows me how painting, for example, triggers a relaxed and joyful feeling in me that I love and that I try to get more of by continuing what I do with art.
 In addition to triggering a special feeling, we do something we like because of the significant impact it has on our collected sphere of experiences. In the novel Shanghai Girls by Lisa See, she talks about two modern Chinese girls. They are beautiful and wealthy and can take advantage of the luxuries of the day. They frequently visit an artist for whom they model. He paints them beautifully and sells these paintings to the newspapers and magazines for advertisements. The author specifically describes the girls' feeling and thoughts as they model for him. The moment when he captures every detail of their posing, from the lighting to the folds of their skirts, stays with the two girls for a long time. Even after they have shifted to Chinatown in the States, they still recall those good days when they led such comfortable lives. They frequently recall the studio and the artist and remember how much of a luxurious and comfortable life they had had. They only remember all this because the thoughts and feelings they felt at that time left a remarkable scar in their memories to cherish even after such a long time. This example shows us why we do something we like, and it is because doing these things have a deep and significant affect on our memories.
Through these two examples, one can see how doing things we like have an impact on us: they trigger special feelings inside of us and they also leave heavy scars in our memories that we can call back later on. 

Week3- Article 1: Cool

Central Argument: "This paradox of the need for self-control in the face of a lack of control nurtured a cool attitude."


One has heard the phrase "Don't let others get to you" many a times. It is something that one says when implying that you need to have some self-control, whether it is over your actions or your feelings. You have to maintain your "cool," as they say. And that's exactly what a cool attitude is: the ability to control ones' emotions when one doesn't have control over the situation, just like professor of philosophy, Thorsten Botz-BorNstein, says. 


Staying "cool" means not letting others, no matter how much powerful they are than you in controlling the situation, manipulate your actions. It also applies to things like non-violent protests. For example, Ai Weiwei is a famous contemporary artist in China. His sculpture and pictures reflect his dissatisfaction with the Chinese Communist Party to signify human rights. He strongly speaks against the CCP. And, consequently, the government, ruled by the CCP, has become very angry with him and has arrested him with false charges. However, he still speaks against the government, strongly, and continues to criticize it in his works of art. This example shows us how Weiwei stands uprights and "cool," even though a force as strong as the government is after him. Another example is Mahatma Gandhi and his famous, non-violent approach to the British rule in India. He carried out his protests by telling his fellow Indians to boycott British goods. Also, when the prices of salt were augmented, he told them that they could make their own salt. Hundreds and thousands of Indians followed him as he went by the beach to "pick up" salt. This example also shows us how staying cool means not letting the actions of the powerful effect your own. 

Similarly, being "cool" also means controlling your feelings, but still not giving in, to something that seems unfair to you. For example, recently, as my exams finished, I spent a lot of time in chatting around with my friends. We were so engrossed in conversations about crashing a Muslim wedding, that we didn't realize how quickly the time has passed and that we now needed to head towards our own rooms for "quiet time." We also didn't realize how much noise we were making and that the dormparent would be angry because of this. She barged into the room and told us to return to our rooms. She looked particularly angry at me, and it could have been due to my loud, "obnoxious" voice. She snapped at me and angrily told me that she didn't like my behavior. At first, a deep anger arose in my chest, but, I managed to push it down and control my emotions. I nonchalantly waved goodbye to my friends and skipped down the hall, humming to myself. The whole time, I could feel her anger piercing my back, but I ignored it. Because of my reaction then, she dislikes me even more now. However, this experience shows that if one learns to control her emotions, she will have successfully managed to act the "cool" way.

These two examples clearly show us how being "cool" means not letting a higher or equal force manipulate our actions and emotions. We learn to stay in control and to stay "cool."

Week 3- Article 4: Awesome

Central Argument: Robert Lane Greene says that just like the word "awesome," many things take on a different meaning and evolve over time.

Just like organisms that learn to adapt to a new environment, words and concepts in general take on a different meaning over time. They evolve through their journey with time, changing and becoming something new and different depending on the time period. Just like the evolution of the word "awesome," as explained in Robert Lane Greene's article, The Rise of "Awesome," many words and way of life take on a new meaning and evolve over time.

Like the word "awesome," certain things that society perceives as "acceptable" change over time. The first example that comes into mind is one's body figure. Back in the twentieth century, to be beautiful was to be chubby. Women who were chubby and "healthy" were seen as beautiful. Being plump was also a way of displaying power and wealth. Many advertisement used beautiful, chubby woman to promote products like cigarettes and alcohol. This was what was "in" back in the day. However, as time went on, this started changing. People's perspective about what was considered "beautiful" started to change. Being thin became socially accepted; if people were thin, they were beautiful. Those who were chubbier were made fun of. And till now, in the twenty-first century, the trend still follows. So just like the word "awesome," social perspectives about various things, like a "beautiful" figure, started changing over time.

Not only social perspectives, other words have also taken on new meaning over time. Like "awesome," the word "nigger" has taken on a different meaning. In Spanish, it means a "black object." From the very beginning, the word took on a negative meaning when it was used to label African slaves. It became an offensive term to use against Africans or people from African decent. However, as time went on, and pop culture started triggering, the "nigger" was used as a replacement for the words like brother or friend or "dude." When used among "black people," it wasn't such a rude term anymore. Hip-hop music started using this word in its lyrics. Although it is still extremely rude for someone to call a black person "nigger," the meaning of the word has evolved a fair bit.

Just like words, friendships evolve and change over time too. When anyone is little, a good friend is the one who admires your handwriting, who plays "catch" with you, who learns the alphabets with you. She is the one who shares her candy with you, who helps you climb down the monkey bars, and who builds sand castles with you. If you two fight, all will be forgotten by the next morning, or, as seen in Mean Girls, your friendship will terminate right there. And as you grow and start to mature up, your friendship grows and changes. Now, friendship is not only limited to material things, but something more. That good friend will be with you through your hard times, she will encourage and support you when you need it, she will comfort you when you are sad, and laugh with you when you're happy. She will do crazy things with you. Like in the movie Something Borrowed, if you fight, it might leave a heavy scar, but you will eventually learn to move on because you care for each other. Therefore, just like the word "awesome," friendships also change and take on a different meaning in life.

These three examples show us how, like the word "awesome," many words and things in everyday life take on different meaning as time goes on.

Week 2- Article 3: Of Youth and Age

Central Argument: Francis Bacon claims that a young mind has much more capacity to dream, discover, and create than does an old one.

They say as people get older, they become wiser. They have had experiences that have truly been a one of a kind. However, as Francis Bacon says, a young mind has much more potential to learn and discover, no matter how wise age makes you. Francis Bacon tells the truth when he says that a young mind his curious, creative, and can change ideas into reality.

A young mind has the potential to be curious and creative. For example, in the beginning of the novel, Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Caroll, Alice is sitting by the shore, bored, when suddenly, she sees a rabbit with a pocket watch. As her curiosity gets the best of her, she leaves her sister behind, and ignoring her calls, runs after the rabbit. Thus, her adventured in Wonderland begins, and she returns home after having an extraordinary experience. When she recites her adventures to her sister, she refuses to believe her. This story tells how an adventure-seeking and imaginative mind can create wonders. It shows the reader how, perhaps unlike an aged mind, a young mind doesn't hesitate even once before jumping right into something that it finds interesting.

Other than being curious, a young mind can dream and actually make it a reality. For example, Kony 2012 has grasped the attention of many. First, it started out as just the idea of a man working in Uganda. Because of a painful encounter with a boy who lost his brother to the rebel group there, the man decided to take the matters in his own hands and try to make a difference. He went back to the United States and to the government, asking the officials for their assistance in this ongoing struggle in Uganda which has lead to violence and abduction of many children. Then, as he gathered more and more people to support the idea, it actually started making a difference. The U.S. government sent in troops to Uganda to assist the local army to capture the deadly criminal, Joseph Kony. And now this year, more and more people are recognizing the severity of the situation and coming together to raise awareness. This case shows us how it takes just one, enthusiastic and determined young mind to make a difference. It shows us a young mind is capable of coming up with an idea and actually making it a reality.

As seen in the two examples, a youth is very capable of being creative and making dreams reality. The youth have the energy, the enthusiasm, and the thirst to keep moving forwards in this world.

Week 2- Article 1: Of Marriage and Single Life

Central Argument: Francis Bacon claims that being married is more advantageous than being single because marriage helps to build up men's personalities and values.

Some people today have a very stereotypical view about marriage. People joke about how after marriage, the man is stripped off of all his luxuries and comforts as a bachelor. After marriage, the woman becomes moodier and bossy, and according to men, she likes to control every aspect of her husband's life. People are so overwhelmed with these kinds of theories that they neglect the bright side of the bond between a couple. Marriage can bring a lot of joy and happiness to people as it proclaims that they are to spend the rest of their lives in each other's arms. Like Francis Bacon says in one of his many essays, "Of Marriage and Single Life," I believe a married man can extract many great things from a marriage that ultimately helps him build his character.

Marriage can teach couples about many important values about life. For example, a recent movie I watched called One Day told the story of a young couple. They had been friends for almost fifteen years until finally they decided to marry. As their days of marriage becomes a source of joy, the man starts changing and becoming a better person than he was before. He stays true to her for the rest of their time together, when before, he did not take relationships seriously. After her sudden death, he starts to fall apart and lose himself completely. However, with a little chat with his father, who lost his wife ten years ago, the man finally realizes that he has to live everyday like his dear wife was still alive. He understands that this is what she would have wanted. This self-discovery shows the viewer that because of their unconditional love and support for each other, the husband understood an important value in his life, which was to move on even if his wife was no longer living.

Marriage doesn't only help build values, but it also gives them a chance to test these values. I come from a very strict, religious family, and although my father is a little relaxed about rules, at home, we are obliged to follow them. In many Hindu houses, like my own, it is considered unclean for women, who are going through their monthly mensuration cycles, to go into the kitchen where meals are being cooked for the elders of the family. My mother is especially careful about this rule as my grandparents stay with us, and they are very religious people. Therefore, one day, when the milk was boiling and my mother was nowhere to be seen, I ran into the kitchen, when I shouldn't have, and turned off the gas before the milk spilled all over. When my father saw what I had done, he looked taken aback. My mother returned from upstairs only to find that the gas was turned off. She turned around and asked me who turned it off. I looked at my father pleadingly who, noticing my desperation, turned to my mother and said that he had turned it off. My mother was relieved and I wan't in trouble. I mouthed a small "thank you" to him, and we went on with our lives. However, that event showed me how having kids can teach a man important things, like responsibility, love, and sacrifice. It shows that marriage can test a father's character and allow him to show the values that he has gathered from his marriage.

With these examples in mind, I believe that marriage is more advantageous to a man than being single. It teaches them about significant values in life and allows them to test their character from time to time.

Week 1- Article 1: T.V.: Good for You?

Central Argument: Watching television is beneficial because it is a way to spread knowledge and education to people, especially women in rural India, who don't have access to any.

He sat in front of the television, without blinking, without speaking, without even breathing, it seemed. He was so engrossed in it that he would even respond to my father's friendly whistle as he returned from work. It was absolutely amazing to watch. What was he watching? Nothing in particular: just a Japanese cartoon dubbed in English, which he didn't even have the fundamentals of. But still, he sat and watched, and later, when I asked him who the characters were, he named them, A to Z. He knew all of it. That moment, I realized how important T.V. is, even for a four-year-old child. T.V. is a revolutionary force that not only taught children about magical creatures that can fly, but, as Joel Waldfogel says, has helped people be more educated and be aware of the things going around in the world.

Watching television can help change a woman's perspective about her place in society. For example. there is an advertisement on Indian television about a English-learning program. A housewife, probably from rural India, is doing laundry as she speaks in broken English. However, as she progresses with her story, her English and her pronunciation ameliorate so that by the end, she speaks like a native English-speaker. Although the woman portrays the role of a typical housewife  in India, the message is somewhat different. Aside from advertising purposes, the commercial is teaching young women that being  housewives does not limit their education. It is telling them that housewives can also be smart and learn English just like their spouses or children. This strong message has a positive impact on women watching this commercial, and ultimately, it can change their point of view and have a positive impact on their behavior as women.

Not only women, but children can also gain knowledge and inspiration watching television. In a novel called Little Prices, Conor Grennan wrote about his experiences as a volunteer worker in an orphanage on the outskirts of the Kathmandu Valley. While he volunteered in the orphanage, he continued working on a book in which he wanted to write about his experiences. There is a chapter in the book where it talks about how one day, when he returns from Thamel, he finds that his computer is missing. When he goes to check on the boys at the orphanage, he finds that they are watching a Bollywood movie on his laptop. Their laughter fills his ears, and the way they mimic the cheesy scenes in the film touches his heart. While I read, I thought about how big a part electronics, computers in this case (but it can also apply to television), play in a kid's life. It can be, at certain times, a source of joy and laughter and knowledge. This shows how even children can make the most out of televisions.

Therefore, I agree with the author when says that watching television can be beneficial. It can inspire and educate women, who don't have education, about the importance of women in society today, and it can also help children gain knowledge and have fun in their everyday lives. Inventing the television was a significant growth in mankind's part.

Week 1- Article 2: Meet My Son

 Central Argument: Emily Rapp defends women’s right to terminate a pregnancy with the knowledge and information deduced from prenatal testing.

 

                 Abortion has always been an issue of great debate and controversy for a few decades. People argue about the cases where abortion should or not. Many believe that in cases where the girl has been a victim of rape or sexual harassment or if she herself has decided to give up the baby, then abortion should be legal. However, others believe that no matter what, aborting a child means taking the life of a human being, which is a crime. In certain cases, like in the one of Emily Rapp, people can understand why abortion is necessary. Rapp highlights the problem of babies being born with physical or mental disabilities and incompetence. In cases like her own, doctors predict that these babies aren’t even going to live till they are two years old. And their lives for the two years comes with great difficulty and hardships: paralysis, low rates of responding to the environment, or being deaf or dumb. I think that Rapp is correct when she states that abortion should be legal, but only in cases like her son’s.  In other cases, legalizing abortion can have a negative effect.

                If the baby is born with severe disabilities, abortion should be legal. For example, a few years back, our English class analyzed a short story about a boy named Christy Brown. This boy, being the youngest of several children, was born paralyzed. The doctors believed that he could never walk or talk or be a “normal kid.” His mother, along with handling all of her others kids, had to pay special attention to Christy due to his disability. She had to dedicate all her strength into raising Christy the right way. Many a times, the story told the reader about the times the mother broke down because it was so overwhelming for her. Even though Christy ends up being able to write an “A” with his left foot, the story highlights the difficulty of being born with a disability. Even if the mother loved her son with all her heart, she still had to face a lot of problems as Christy lived a different lifestyle from his siblings. Therefore, in cases where both the parties are being hurt, abortion can only prove to have a more positive effect than a negative.

                However, legalizing abortions completely can have negative effects, especially in the culture aspects of life. For example, many villages in rural places of Asia have conserved their traditional ways and try to implement their customs and traditions in their daily lives. In places like China, India, and Pakistan especially, the uneducated villagers have the mindset that having a baby girl is a curse in the family. According to them, along with a baby girl comes the burden of raising her well only to give her away with a lot of dowry. Therefore, if abortion in legalized, and if these kinds people find out about the sex of the baby in a mother’s stomach somehow, they will only force the woman to adopt her baby. It is called female infanticide. To many people, legalizing abortions would mean a way to be warned about the “misfortunes” to come and being able to deal with them through abortions.

                All in all, I think that Emily Rapp is right when she says that abortion is a choice of a mother and should be legal when she chooses to take necessary steps. It could save a lot of suffering in the caretaker’s part and the victim’s. However, abortion can also have negative effects when it is used by backward people for female infanticide. What would be best would be to make abortions legal depending on the situation.

Bob Dylan: "The Man in Me"

Bob Dylan: "The Man in Me"

When I listen to this song, an image appears in my mind: a country man, with a brown hat and cowboy boots, sitting in a cafe, his stomach bulging out, and a thick glass of beer in his hands. At the beginning of the song, Bob Dylan tone is carefree and delightful, and his "lalala" instantly grabs the listener's attention, releasing any stress or tension and making her sway to the music. The accompaniment of the musical instruments in the beginning also helps enhance the childish aura of the song. Then, as Dylan starts singing, one can almost imagine him smiling to himself because of the hint of a teasing and mockery in his voice. Just like in Adele's song, he starts out soft in the beginning, while still slowly building up the tension. The notes at the end of the phrases are comparatively shorter with precise ends to the notes in the chorus. As he sings the chorus, his notes start becoming longer and his tone more even relaxed and playful. When he ends the chorus for the first time. he leaves the last note ringing for some time and then jumps back to the shorter phrases. The songs terminates with another, joyful "lalala" from the singer,  in a happy, positive note and leaving the listener searching for the "replay" button!

Challenge 80: Prison Inmates

181. Should prison inmates be allowed to take college courses? Explain why or why not.

People go to prisons because they have done something wrong and need to be punished. There lies the classic debate of nature verses nurture. Were they made of bad material since birth or did the circumstance oblige them to act in a vicious way? Irregardless of their way of ending up in prisons, they are nonetheless humans. They make mistakes and they pay the price. However, even while they are prison, they should not be treated like filthy animals. There are still humans and they need the respect. Therefore, I think it is completely wrong to strip prison inmates of their basic right to education. Despite having committed crimes, they still have the right to an education. They should still be educated like any other person. And who knows? Maybe giving them an education is like giving them another chance in life, a chance to be better than before. Maybe they will be motivated by the fact that they can use this education to do something good in life, for their families, for theirs, a of course, for themselves. Maybe finding an education will change the way they view the world. Maybe they would want to earn a loaf of bread rather than steal one. Education can change their viewpoint. Ultimately, with this reasoning, we could have a better society and a better world. Criminals will come out of jail becoming new people because they have had the opportunity to learn about the world and about themselves. If they were did wrong things previously and did not wish for an education, in prison, by offering college courses, they would be obliged to take those lessons and make something out of it. They would learn of the world that is so different and better than their previous ones, and they may want to change their ways to become better people. Although there are a lot of "maybe's," unless we actually try educating prison inmates, we will never know what effects it will have. 

Challenge 61: The Silver Pen

55. Discuss an important personal relationship you have had and explain how it has changed your life.


I was introduced to it when I was in the fifth grade. It was a rather special event because I had never been allowed to use it previously: the ink pen. As silly as it seems, holding the ink pen for the first time in class was a glorious moment for me. The pen had a soft silver flow and tiny blue and yellow flowers decorated the length of the pen. As the year proceeded, so did my development in mastering the arts of writing in ink. It was difficult as first and I remember having to wash off plenty of ink from my fingers during the short breaks. I remember spilling it on the carpet at home once and earning a good scolding for doing so. I remember getting blue fingerprints on the pages of a precious school-owed book and having to stand outside class, my ears glowing pink with embarrassment and with my hands stretched upwards as a punishment. Those were the first impressions and I have to say, using the ink pen wasn't as "awesome" as I thought. However, the relationship with my white ink pen decorated in flowers strengthened as I grew more and more familiar with it. I would write pages after pages in the blue ink, hoping to perfect my writing and avoid smearing ink all over myself. My ink pen was different from others; some of them had rough covers, while others had a big, ugly chunk of steel as the lead. My precious pen was much tinier and much better and easier to work with. The lead of my pen was bend in a peculiar way and you had to tilt it just in the right angle to get the smooth effect. After I wrote something, I would silently watch the ink shine for some time and slowly sink into the tiny fibers of the papers. 
I wouldn't say that the relationship with my ink pen has changed my life entirely. However, it has taught me a few lessons about life and the way to live. You have to wait patiently sometimes for the best results to find their way. If you rush something, it might get destroyed. You have to take it slow, give it some thought, and really hope for the best. Secondly, not everything will go as planned. Not everything will be as smooth as you may imagine it to be. Things can turn out differently than you expect. And during that time, you shouldn't just tear out the paper and shove it in the bin. Instead, you have to learn to work around that blob of ink, find another way to make it work. Then only can you move on in life and really learn to complete the things you have set out to do. Despite these lessons, I lost my silver pen after I left for Woodstock. I have looked for it many times, but all I find are the fragments of lessons and encouragement the soft, silver pen has left for me. 

Challenge 79: Another me!

162. If you could invent something, what would it be, and why? (University of Virginia)

Obviously, I would invent something I need, something that will mean less work for me, and more time to just, as they say, "chill." I should invent something that should be useful. So, the best I can come up with is another me. Yes, I would invent another Bidushi. I know that things like cloning exist but inventing another me is different. I would ask whatever I want from the duplicate me without hurting her feelings. She will do exactly what I ask of her because she is me and she cares for me. Firstly, that would mean that I would get away from doing a lot of boring work, whether it be cleaning up my room or solving math problems. The second me could do all that work and make time for me to have fun. Secondly, I could really watch myself at work and observe what I look like when I am intensely memorizing facts for the next exam or listening to music and doing to art work. I could admire myself. Thirdly, having another me would also mean that I would be able to be in two places at once and confuse people! They would wonder how I could have attended that meeting but also have had a long conversation with my friends. It would be fun to watch people think that they’re crazy by tricking them. Fourthly, it would feel absolutely great to go against all the rules of nature. It would feel amazing to counter all that scientists and theorists have come up with since the beginning of time. Fifthly, I could send my other self on a mission to Mars or something that incredible.

I think that these are enough reasons for me to invent another me. I could get away from work I don’t enjoy doing, I could observe myself to see what I look like when I’m working, I could trick people, I could go against the law of nature, and I could send myself to Mars!

(I'm sorry but this one is a rather careless one. In my defense, I am half asleep.)

Challenge 78: Lead Role

111. Imagine yourself being an actor/actress. Tell about your feelings before the opening night of the performance where you play the title role.

Everything feels to be passing in slow motion. My make-up artist is working over my face, applying the last-minute things before I appear on stage. I feel nauseous and there is a heavy load slowly building up at my chest. I try to smile away my discomfort, but it refuses to budge. I can see the eyes of the other actors; they are all excited and prepared. I feel a little jealous; I am not that confident even though I have more to speak. I should have never agreed to play the lead role. But it's too late. I can't back out now. I thought that it would be easier, though. I mean, there is just an excited audience behind that curtain and I just have to do my level best to please them, to make them stand up on their feet, and clap their hands together with admiration. Shouldn't be so hard, should it? Ah, the feeling is eating up my insides. I can't stand it no more. I feel like I have to throw up. Gosh, I wish this would go away. 

Maybe I should think about something else, something more soothing and calming. After all, that's what the director had suggested and she sure knows me well. Think about something happy, something funny. Oh, yeah, there was that time we went to the beach. Wait, what happened then? The beach. The beach. The beach... oh yeah, somebody fell into the water and we laughed. Was that all? Ah, this nauseating feeling is so frustrating. I cannot make it go away. 

I wish he would stop dabbing so much glitter on my face. It makes me look like a pampered princess. How is all that make-up supposed to hide the feelings I feel right now? Goodness, who hired him? Wow, is that the director signalling me. Yep, now is you time to shine, Bidushi! Yeah, great, thanks for the little push, Mr. Glitter-...Guy! Smile now, smile. Aw, my stomach feels so tight. I need to have some water. God, why do I need all this right now?

Okay. Now the show will begin. Right. I've gathered myself together and now, I'm going to put up an excellent show. That's it. I'm at the center of the stage. The curtains are lifting. Smile and let the performance begin!

Challenge 77: Improvisation

Modern improvisational comedy originated in Hyde Park on the campus of the University of Chicago with the Compass Players. Some of the Players went on to form the Second City comedy troupe, precursor to the Saturday Night Live show on TV. With this essay option we invite you to test your own improvisational powers by putting together a story, play, or dialogue that meets all of the following requirements:
A. You must begin with the sentence, “Many years later, he remembered his first experience with ice.”
B. All five senses—sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell—have to figure in the plot.
C. You have to mention the University of Chicago, but please, no accounts of erstwhile high school students applying to the University—this is fiction, not autobiography.
D. These items must be included: a new pair of socks, a historical landmark, a spork (the combination of spoon and fork frequently seen among airline flatware), a domesticated animal, and the complete works of William Shakespeare. Have fun, and try to keep your brilliance and wit to three pages max. (U of Chicago)

“Many years later, he remembered his first experience with ice,” said Peter. He turned around only to find that there was nobody listening to him anymore. Sure, the audience had been fairly large when he first started with the story, but by now, there was just a dog looking at him hungrily and waging its tail. He threw at it the remains of the bun in his hands. The dog gave a joyful yelp and jogged away, waging its tail happily. Great, Peter thought, even the dog doesn’t want to be with me.

Peter had always been told by those elder than him that his skills of storytelling were unlike what they’d heard before. This boosted his confidence, and he thought that maybe he could use this talent to fill his pockets. After all, the university he was applying for was no joke: The University of Chicago. Now, after his first attempt turning out to be utterly disappointing, the University felt like a distant dream.

Anyhow, he gathered up his belongings and the remaining of his disappointment and headed home. Living in the beautiful city, he had always loved walking whenever he could. He loved observing people and studying them; it definitely helped him with his storytelling. He was so brilliant that he could thread out wonderful stories of as simple a case as the woman sitting in the cafe with a cup of coffee or a bookstore with a portrait of Shakespeare on the door and, predictably, the inside filled with the complete works of Shakespeare.

As he passed the big Bo-tree two blocks away from his home, he noticed something had changed. Being a quick observer, he realized that they had placed a new bench just underneath the tree. He always thought that there ought to be one right there; it just seemed like the perfect setting. Tempted, he thought, Why not spend a few moments here. After all, I don’t have a place to go and tell stories, he thought sarcastically.

The bench was empty and there seemed to be nobody around. He threw his bag pack on the ground next to him and lazily flopped onto the seat. It sure did feel new. The surface was smooth and safe from uncomfortable bulges. The backrest felt perfect. His body quickly absorbed the coolness of the bench to calm his heated body down. A short laugh escaped his lips as he thought about the events of the day. Maybe, he thought, I dream too much.

He lay there for a few moments, his arms outstretched and his feet dangling, taking in the calmness of his surroundings. He listened to the distant roaring of the engines of so many vehicles. He heard the ruffled footsteps of the passer-bys as they rushed to another place they had to be, another meeting they had to attend, another part of their life that was so important. Why hadn’t he such a busy life? He was only a student, but still, he felt like he had too much time in his hands nowadays. No matter, he thought, I’m sure I will also be viciously sucked into that cycle of what they call “professional” life. Running from place to place, from people to people, all to make some more money? Is that how life was meant to be?

As the weather started cooling down and the sun started making way for the stars, he left the thoughts behind and continued his way back home. The cool breeze blew at his face, ruffling his hair, and pushing him backwards. But he continued walking, against the incredible force, until he was at his doorstep. Through the thick glass of his door, he saw that somebody was already inside, and from the smell of baked goods and roasted chicken, he could tell that it was his grandmother. She had promised him a visit after her year-round trip.  Carelessly shoving the keys back on the inside of his jacket, he knocked on the door. From the other side, he heard the a big bang, which sounded like a pan had fell to the floor, rushed footsteps, clanking of keys, and finally, the clicking of the door. There stood his grandmother, clad in her nightgown, a thick, red sweater, and a wise smile. She leaned towards him and hugged him.

“Grandmother!” he said. “It’s so great to see you!”

“It’s lovely to see you too, son,” she replied gleefully, freeing him from a warm hug.

After that he let her talk. She was a talkative woman and it was always best not to interrupt her. She could talk on for days of the things she was excited about. Her eyes would tinkle, her thin lips would form a smile, and her hands would try to paint the pictures of her mind into thin air. It was amazing to watch. 

From the moment he had entered the house to the time he had fallen asleep, he had learned a great many things. From learning of the beauty of the Eiffel Tower at night to the smelly, Indian feet in Taj Mahal, he heard it all. He had heard how little the pair of woolen socks was of use in the cold winter in Finland and how shiny the spork was in the Germanwings Airlines. But the best part was that his grandmother had patiently listened as he used his extraordinary storytelling to tell her the story he had recited earlier that day. She smiled throughout, nodding that she had understood, and proudly clapping her hands when he had finished. The last of his thoughts before he fell asleep were that perhaps there was still chance, a chance that his storytelling could survive.