Category: Forgiveness

The introduction: the meaning of forgiveness

While analyzing forgiveness in Simon Wiesenthals work The Sunflower, I would like to consider some basic points concerning such psychological action or process as forgiveness. So, first of all, I would like to point out that forgiveness is mostly associated with such related matters as mercy or regret, etc.

Of course, the topic, which is to be discussed, is recognized to be an ethical issue. Taking into account the major themes of the book The Sunflower, one is to make a conclusion that such response to atrocities as forgiveness is considered to be the key aspect of humanity. In other words, I suppose that Wiesenthals work allows reconsidering the notions of beliefs concerning justice.

Generally, the action or the process of forgiveness is not unusual. Moreover, nobody will deny the fact that all people make mistakes and in most cases, do not consider moral obligations.

However, the most interesting point, which is to be discussed, is the question whether people should forgive everything, or not? The Sunflower is not related to such universal issues as life and death, and the biggest mistake of most of the readers is their confidence that the work reflects the above-mentioned concepts. In my opinion, the author didnt want to draw the readers attention to the interdependence between life and death, but he wanted to show something, which could remind persons of interim issue between the two.

The thesis statement

Simon Wiesenthals work The Sunflower seems to have a symbolic meaning. The interdependence between people, who have already died and those ones, who are still alive is recognized to be the key aspect of the authors work.

The body: the analysis of Simon Wiesenthals work

To confirm the thesis statement, I would like to rely on the quotation taken from a review by Ruth Pluznick. Thus, a narrative therapist states that according to Wiesenthals book A sunflower was planted on each grave as straight as a soldier on parade.

Butterflies were moving from one flower to the next, and it seemed to the author that they were carrying messages from one soldier to another (30). This sentence gives us an idea about the authors inner state. He was sure that for him there was no opportunity to feel free, there would be no light or butterflies.

The period the author highlights in his work is the Holocaust. In my opinion, Simon Wiesenthal reflected the sufferings of people who experienced Holocaust events. In other words, he depicted cruel reality of the Second World War. Pluznick is of the opinion that The reader is drawn into a world of unimaginable horrors  extreme deprivation of basic rights and needs, the constant presence of brutality

and degradation and death, the absence of any justice (30). When analyzing the issues disclosed by the author, one is to make a conclusion that forgiveness is considered to be unnecessary issue. Moreover, I suppose that psychological and political aspects of forgiveness are both to be omitted, while analyzing atrocities. So, the moral right of an individual to forgive for a group is considered to be wrong.

Here, I would like to consider the so-called limits of forgiveness. Much as religion perennially advocates for forgiveness on an infinite scale, repeat offenses can be quite hard to forgive, in light of the fact that the society may construe that the acts are carried out to take advantage of the fact that, the doer of the abominable deed, will always go scot free after seeking pardon for the atrocities committed. Ultimately, every human being has a breaking point beyond which they cannot forgive.

In my opinion, the purpose of forgiveness seems to be for both personalities: the forgiver and the person being forgiven. Although is it mostly appropriate for the one being forgiven, I suppose that the proverb an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth should take place, when speaking about forgiveness.

Generally, the relationship between forgiveness and personal responsibility is another point of discussion. In my opinion, if a person takes decision to punish the aggressor, nobody can speak about responsibility. Responsibility for what??? It is a persons legal and moral right to take vengeance or retaliate, especially, when speaking about Holocaust.

Dont you think so? We were told that everyone in the shtetl, family and neighbors, were rounded up and taken to the edge of the town. They were lined up and shot and buried in a mass grave (Pluznick 30). So, what responsibility are you talking about??

The conclusion: the right choice

When writing a conclusion, I would like to highlight some points, which are related to moral, social and personal values of forgiveness. Thus, one is to keep in mind that forgiveness is considered to be stress reducing value; however, in spite of the fact that the psychological action provides the forgivers with emotional piece, greater cooperation, or helps to resolve various conflicts, clarifies the choices, etc. dont you want to teach the enemies a good lesson? Dont you know that there will be no result, if you turn a blind eye to unjust actions?

Works Cited

Pluznick, Ruth. The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness, 2005. Web.

It is sixty-eight years since the end of the Second World War. As the younger generation, we are lucky to learn this dark history from books, mass media, or our grandparents but for those who experienced Second World War in person, besides endless nightmares of chaos, disease, and hunger, some of them needed to face the moral sanctions and condemnations for what they did to others, or what others did to them, even after the war had ended.

In his book The Sunflower, whether Simon Wiesenthal should have forgiven the SS soldier, Karl, who was confessing on his deathbed, seemed to have become a question, which troubled Simon in his life. In this case, forgiveness from Wiesenthal not only relieves the soldier of his sense of guilt and regret but most importantly, it can also bring Simon Wiesenthal peace of mind.

First, we have to understand the reasons why Simon chose not to forgive. The first reason that comes to mind is hatred. What did hatred bring him? It drove him to take revenge towards the Nazis and made him the foremost Nazi hunter, but the price he paid was that he never got peace of mind. It is not difficult to understand why Simon rejected the soldiers request to be forgiven. Simon was a normal person living a happy life and had a bright future ahead of him, but these were all taken from him when he was suddenly sent to the camps under horrible living and working conditions.

I believe that if anyone had gone through all the pain and horror that Simon had, and was asked to forgive Karl, the instinct, and most humane reaction at that moment would be to strongly decline the request without second thoughts, just as Simon did. Consider what the Nazis did to the Jews, detaining them in concentration camps, torturing, persecuting, and murdering approximately six million Jews.

He could not relieve himself of the terrible things he had experienced and questioned himself whether his silence at the bedside of the dying Nazi was justified. He was confused by his hatred and guilt for not forgiving Karl. If his mind was filled with negative thoughts and feelings, how could he have been happy? Consider Prince Hamlet, who dedicated his entire life to revenge, but did he get peace in his whole life? Was he satisfied with himself in the end? The answer is no.

If Simon had forgiven the soldier, perhaps he could have released the hatred in his heart, slowly, if not at once. He would have woken up from the nightmare that had haunted him for so long, and he could have lived happily in tranquility after all this chaos. Just as Mark Twain says, Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that crushed it. What had been done was done, and could not be undone, then why not live our best at present? When the dying man who had killed hundreds finally confessed and eagerly waited to be forgiven, what could be crueler than denying his final wish, and sending him to his grave with remorse? Why not let it go, at least so that the old man could have died in peace.

Simon might have thought the soldier was too evil to be forgiven and believed that most people would agree with his argument since everyone pitied the victims of the Holocaust but forgiveness means forgetting the past. Fundamentally, the Nazis extensive brainwashing and the evil social and political environment at that time had caused the tragedy. To be specific, Nazi was an official ideology, which had wiped people of their basic moral values, intelligence, and kindness. Without intellectualism, most of the Germans did not distinguish between good and evil and lived without empathy or kindness. Simon and everyone else who had experienced the terror could forgive the Nazis but go on remembering them as people who created permanent scars in their lives.

He could forgive the Nazis to prove to be moral and calm his own heart, although he did not. Karl truly regrets what he had done. However, if we had been in Germany during World War II, not as Jews, we would probably have forgotten our moral values and hurt some innocent Jews without self-consciousness due to political pressure. Moreover, SS soldiers were like Karl, they were not born to kill they should not have been fully responsible for their murder; it was not all their fault hence Karl was not that evil and was worth having been forgiven.

As a Buddhist follower, I learned the saying that we should always have compassion for others and even act nicely towards the person who hurts us. The same saying is also in the Holy Bible and Karma has made me believe that forgiving Karl would have been a better choice. Forgiveness can be good for both sides but forgetting is never because it is a form of denial and only recognition of guilt by both sides can begin to prevent a repetition of heinous deeds and so forgiving a person or a group means you can forget the atrocities. There is nothing we can do about the past, but we still have the chance to make ourselves and others feel better at present, as well as in the future.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is a poem created by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. It is actually the longest poem that has ever been written. Coleridge wrote the poem in the year 1797-98 and the first edition of the book was published in the year 1798. The poem Rime of the Ancient Mariner was the first British Romantic literature to be written. The poem is about a seaman who narrates a terrifying and weird tale to another man.

The setting of the poem is in the street in a surrounding where there is a hall where a reception for a wedding was to be held. There are also sailing ships containing 201 crew members together with ancient mariner, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and the South Pole. The mode of the poem is inexplicable, ethereal and preternatural.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner instigate with classical Greek catastrophe whereby a young man who has been affronted against the pagan forces is condemned to ramble around the world and reiterate his tale to those people who pass-by after the daemon inside him drove him to do that.

There is much themes covered by Coleridge in the poem and some include fate, death-in-life and fortune. Other themes include divinity and forgiveness. This paper mainly investigates how Coleridge has used the concept of divine and forgiveness in the poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

Coleridge has wrote about a Mariner telling his own account of forgiveness and sin to a group of young adults who were on their way to take part in a wedding ceremony. The Mariner gives an account of how he became responsible for the loss of lives of those people who had boarded the ship which he was sailing.

This was after he killed a certain creature that would have been responsible for transporting them by supplying them with the winds to sail them back home after the ship had hit a plateau while it was moving in the sea.

The major theme of the poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is mainly Gods forgiveness. This is because the Mariner had faith and believed that despite committing the terrible sin, God had freed him from his sins through forgiveness since he blamed himself for the deaths of those who had boarded the sea.

This is why he had the courage to tell other people about his story. He actually thought that it was his divine purpose to tell everyman what God had done to him for them to believe that their sins too can be forgiven. After killing the albatross who was suppose to provide them with wind, all the people in the ship died but he managed to survive because he had asked God to forgive him all the sins that he had committed.

When Mariner prayed to God to forgive him, the curse and the soul of the crew could not manage to enter heaven since its soul was broken. This is why the Mariners life was spared from death and thereafter the heavenly Angels guided the crewmans soul to the afterlife so that it may not cause any more deaths to other people who did not cause its death. It is the divine purpose of God and the heavenly Angels to protect anyone who believes in him from death especially if they repent their sins.

Every soul that repents its sins shall be spared and protected from the enemy. The albatross fell from Mariner neck after he whispered a prayer and this is when the guilt that he had been carrying left him. After this, the crews remains developed to good spirits which made the boat to rise and guide the ship which had broken down back to the dry lands.

However, before the boat docked, it sinks down in a whirlpool and again Mariner managed to survive. This actually a divine intervention since he had now survived death two times. His prayers had truly saved him from all manner of disasters and death.

Forgiveness is also evidence in the poem whereby the Mariner asks Hermit for forgiveness. However, the Mariner is forced to execute his penance in order to be forgiven of his sins by Hermit. After the ship had sunk in the whirlpool, Hermit was the only witness who saw the ship sink.

He Hermit went with a company of a pilot and a boat that belonged to the pilots boy to rescue anyone that was still in the boat. After heaving Mariner from the sea, the three believed that he was not alive until he spoke to them. Immediately Hermit decided to pray for Mariner and in the process he joins him in prayer.

The pilots boy thinks that the man lying down in the sand is a devil who is able to pray and quote verses from the bible. In the ocean, there was divine intervention when the wind and the waves stopped and the boats could now travel safely and at a speed that is incredible. The boat managed to sail safely and with high speed despite the fact that it was in a poor condition. This was actually unrealistic which means that it must have just been divine intervention.

Another part where there was divine intervention is when Mariner was burning from the inside. Mariner was left with a deep burning heart to share with the people what he encountered in the sea. He walked around teaching people to love one another whether one is big or small since the Lord God who is the creator of the universe loves us all.

The disaster caused by the dead albatross is a lesson to everyone; it shows that humans should respect all Gods creation without looking down on any because you may not know whether it is the devil or it is meant to bring you luck in your life. If humans are able to respect all creatures created by God whether it is a bird or an ant, then it means that they will have totally obedience towards God himself. There is no way humans can claim to love God yet they have no respect for other creatures.

Human beings can only be close to God in prayers if they are willing to respect all the creatures of God whether big or small. He was indeed touched by the miracle that he received from the sea and that is why he wanted to share it out with every individual he met. His story was indeed touching and it managed to change the listeners minds and hearts concerning love and that is why they woke up the next day feeling wiser and sadder.

The story of Mariner teaches us that despite the fact that humans are creatures full of sins; they can be redeemed of their sins if they humble themselves and repent before their creator who is God. All their wrongdoings and evil pasts will be forgiven. After confessing his sins to Hermit regarding his guilt for killing those people whom he was sailing back home, Mariner is forgiven and given the mandate to travel throughout the world to narrate his strange and mysterious experience to strangers.

Hermits divine work is to pray and revere back Gods creatures who have are in misery and have repented their sins. When Mariner failed to honor the commands that had been set by God, he is made to suffer. This was Gods way of making him understand that all things are equal before him hence should be treated with care and dignity without which they shall be punished. Mariner was cast out of the realm of divinity since he was considered a sinner after killing the albatross.

This case is similar to that of Cain in the bible whereby God was angered after Cain killed Abel and cursed him to wander in the world. Anyone who betrays Christ by committing sin cannot go without any form of punishment unless they repent. Their divinity will be lost until they become bold enough to repent their sins.

He can be compared to Judas who slay down the spirit of Christian, the person who was to guide him to deliverance by saving his soul and make him more divine, Mariner too committed the same crime. He killed the animal that was to lead them home and make them understand what divine is. Mariner had to pay dearly for killing the Albatross which is being compared to Christ.

The Albatross hanged itself around Mariners neck as a sign of sin. However, Mariner is forgiven his sins after he began to look at the sea creatures in a positive way. That is the time the rain started falling from heaven and it baptized him immediately after he said a prayer but this however was not an assurance of salvation. Mariner was then kept safe by God to act as a prophet to pass across the truth concerning the goodness and greatness of God.

He was to proclaim it to everyone he met so that they too become aware of the importance of Gods creation. He was to make the people aware of how precious Gods creations are before his sight and anyone who things hostile or evil towards them will definitely be punished just like was punished.

Only those who value and view Gods creatures to be beautiful shall find favor before God. Humans should love all creatures the same way and should not consider any as a monster. Mariner did not care that he had stopped the people from attending a wedding because he was aware of his divine purpose and why he was alive on that day and he wanted to share it with everyone who could listen to him.

In conclusion, God wants everyone to value his creation whether small or big, ugly or beautiful and anyone who looks down upon any creation will be punished. God however, is merciful to those who repents from their sins and accept that they had been wrong.

This is exactly what happened to Mariner. Despite being spared from death, he underwent a bitter experience in the sea which forced him to change his mind concerning how he views Gods creation. His life was spared after he changed his attitude towards Gods creation and after realizing and repenting for having killed the Albatross. God spared his life for a divine purpose which he was expected to fulfill.

Even kindness and forgiveness can create controversy in today’s world. There are few things as powerful as forgiveness, a concept that too many people struggle with. I define forgiveness as putting your trust into someone that has failed you. Despite cause for distrust, when you believe a person can change, and won’t hurt you in the same way, you can go about forgiving them. Considering how difficult it is to forgive those who have hurt us, The Sunflower is a book about either forgiving or condemning Karl Seidl, a nazi soldier on his deathbed.

The book is an account of Weisenthal’s experiences as a concentration camp prisoner and the moment he is summoned from his work detail by a nurse to the bedside of a dying Nazi soldier. The soldier is seeking a Jew’s forgiveness for a crime that has haunted him, in vain he desperately awaits the comforting words that might provide him a peaceful death. Throughout the story, we understand that Simon is unmoved by the soldier’s words and is questioning himself for even listening to his confessions. Weisenthal then poses the ethical dilemma of whether or not he should have forgiven Seidl, to the reader: “You who have just read this sad and tragic episode in my life, can mentally change places with me and ask yourself the crucial question, ‘What would I have done?’ (98).

I argue the best response the nazi could have received from any Jew was silence. In this case, Karl’s repentance was not sincere, and in asking for a Jew to hear his confession, he unknowingly adhered to a nazi stereotype in perceiving Simon as an undifferentiated mass rather than an individual. Simon was not addressed as a person nor given the proper respect, so the nazi should be chained to his past and his conscience for the pain he has caused. Many people have pondered whether Simon dare to forgive the dying soldier. The book’s second half is a symposium of responses from a diverse group of individuals, including other Holocaust survivors, and religious leaders. The responses vary. Some respondents write that forgiveness ought to be awarded for the victims’ sake; others respond that it should be withheld. Others do not say definitively whether or not forgiveness was the right thing. José Hobday, a distinguished Franciscan nun of Native American descent, mentions the anger and desire for revenge she felt when she thought of genocides and crimes against her people. But that one day her mother told her, “Do not be so ignorant and stupid and inhuman as they are… You must learn the wisdom of how to let go of poison” (174).

I believe that people generally make mistakes but genuinely don’t mean them. But mistakes vary. Such as telling someone they don’t look fat when they do is not on the same level as cheating or murder. Simon in this instance was not being ignorant, stupid, nor inhuman by staying silent he was bringing justice by leaving him to deal with his sins, his victims, and his crimes. Her sudden change in heart about forgiving Karl was for the sake of her own peace. I disagree with her because she is justifying what mass murderers are doing by stating “ No one. No memory, should have the power to hold us down, to deny us peace” (175). What she fails to acknowledge is that the future is inevitable and that humans have progressed sans forgiveness and regardless of the atrocities. Simon’s silence was the most fitting response: “There are many kinds of silence. Indeed it can be more eloquent than words, and it can be interpreted in many ways” (97).

His silence showed compassion but did not allow Seidl to easily feel unburdened of the weight of his wrongdoings. He acted as a confessor by listening to Karl and then leaving him to take responsibility for his actions. Harry James Cargas, a Catholic author and professor points out that we do not depend on others for forgiveness but rather earn it somehow. Certainly, Karl did not because his apology for the wrongs he caused only came when his guilt borne the consequences of his action on his deathbed rather than when the act was committed. Cargas argues that Weisenthal’s dilemma can be carried out to a logical end and poses a new question; “Should Adolf Hitler be forgiven?” He adds that if there is an unforgivable sin, certainly the Nazis have committed it.

I agree with Cargas because Simon would have no right to forgive Karl in the name of all Jewish people harmed. In this particular instance whether he had forgiven the soldier or not, that forgiveness would not relieve judgment from God. He also states that “Deathbed conversations are dramatic, but in many instances they are too easy” (125). Every human being has his burden to bear, and no one can remove it for another. We must hold accountable those who arrogantly valued their own lives more than the men and women we lost. It is important to realize that Wiesenthal held his hand and remained present throughout the confession. He did not express anger or spite.

The fact that Weisenthal was ambivalent about his actions and doubted their appropriateness only underlines his decency. In contrast, the dying german was indifferent to issues that did not bear directly on him. Moreover, as a simple gesture of human respect, he helped keep away a fly that was bothering Seidl. “Forgiveness is an act of volition” (98). By definition is the release of resentment. Even if he did not explicitly forgive Seidl, he acted with an immense amount of compassion given the circumstances. We often hear forgive but never forget, let you remember these experiences in efforts to not let it happen again. We’ve seen history be repeated by people, though a different incident, always the same story. It is clear that we have not gained anything from our experiences with man’s inhumanity towards man.

Think about it, how many times are we to forgive people who wrongfully kill a person. We don’t. A point often overlooked is that forgiveness can only be extended for wrongs personally suffered. Even then forgiveness can only be extended so far, there must be some sort of justice. Simon showed restraint without expressing hatred, by walking out without saying a word he did the most sensible, logical, and most decent thing possible.

Khaled Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner, revolves around the life of the protagonist, Amir, who seeks forgiveness and redemption—alongside other major characters. These matters become a recurring theme that makes up much of the novel’s plot. It can first be seen in Amir’s early childhood. He is consumed by guilt and further tortured by it throughout his adolescence and adulthood. At first, he has no intent of redeeming himself or forgiving himself and believes his punishment is to live with what he has done for the rest of his life. Through his return to Afghanistan, Amir learns of others that have faced guilt and taken on their own personal quests for redemption. The characters of Amir, Baba, and Hassan act as models for the central themes of forgiveness and redemption.

Throughout his early childhood, Amir predominantly seeks forgiveness from his father and seeks redemption for his actions against Hassan later in life. As a child, Amir enjoys reading and writing, which is unfavored by his father. Baba attempts to mold him in his own liking by signing him up for soccer, but Amir greatly fails at the sport. Through his many disappointments, Amir comes to a sole conclusion: “… Baba hated me a little. And why not? After all, I had killed his beloved wife, his beautiful princess, hadn’t I? The least I could have done was to have the decency to have turned out a little more like him. But I hadn’t turned out like him” (Hosseini 19). This thought leads Amir to form a pledge to one day prove himself to his father. The pressure of this matter allows for hate to arise and build up within Amir, which he primarily takes out on Hassan. So much so, that it leads to a major betrayal that indirectly results in a chain of life events that ultimately end in the death of Hassan. In their youth, Hassan is a threat to Amir and his relationship with his father. He acts as a barrier that prevents Amir from receiving what he desires most, Baba’s full and unconditional love. With time, he also becomes a reminder of Amir’s weak nature, which his father despises, and severe grief. At this point in time, Amir’s inner peace is disturbed and he believes the only way to repair it is through ridding himself of Hassan. He expels Hassan from his life, but completely loses his peace through the process. Later in life, Amir is presented with a way to redeem himself—by saving Sohrab. Amir goes through great trouble to rescue Sohrab from the Taliban and Assef. In the end, his body is broken but his conscience begins to recover. After nearly facing death at the hands of Assef, Amir notes that, “… since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace. I laughed because I saw that, in some hidden nook in the corner of my mind, I’d even been looking forward to this… My body was broken – just how badly I wouldn’t find out until later – but I felt healed” (Hosseini 289). Ultimately, by finding Sohrab, Amir is able to begin his process of redemption for what he did to Hassan and find a way to begin forgiving himself as well.

From a young age Amir is taught one major lesson by Baba: “… there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft” (Hosseini 17). Several years after his death, Rahim Khan reveals that Baba embodied what he taught against and despised the most—a thief. He confesses that Hassan was Baba’s child and that he stole Amir’s right to a brother and Hassan’s right to his identity. It is noted that Baba wanted the truth to be known, but his nang and namoos were at stake—the highest priorities of a man. Therefore, as a result Baba found other individual and unique forms of action to find redemption. Rahim Khan upholds the fact “… that good, real good, was born out of your father’s remorse. Sometimes, I think everything he did, feeding the poor on the streets, building the orphanage, giving money to friends in need, it was all his way of redeeming himself” (Hosseini 302). Baba could never come forward and confess the truth, but he was able to bring about happiness in the lives of others. Although Baba’s actions were charitable and of good intent, they never impacted those that he truly affected, which ultimately prohibited him from ever reaching inner peace.

Unlike the other characters, Hassan is a victim of others’ betrayal and neglect. Although being so, he shows that it is not in his nature to be resentful and ungrudgingly forgives those that have hurt him. Hassan’s story of betrayal begins at birth. He is abandoned by his mother days after she gives birth to him and is raised as a servant. While his early life is tragic, he is never phased by it. Instead, Hassan lives contently throughout his childhood, alongside Amir, until the day he is assaulted and raped by Assef. At this time, he loses his smile and is driven out by his friend. Once again, Hassan goes against the norm portrayed by the other characters who face similar dilemmas by moving on and forming a happy life. First, his mother reappears in his life at the gates of his childhood home. Rahim Khan notes that “[h]e took Sanaubar’s hand in both of his and told her she could cry if she wanted to but she needn’t, she was home, he said, home with her family” (Hosseini 210). Through this, Hassan takes a situation that has the potential to be escalated, but makes the most of it in order to better the lives of others and his own. This case of forgiveness shows the true strength of Hassan’s compassion and loyalty to those he loves. This can be seen again in his letter to Amir. Within the letter, Hassan tells Amir, “… I dream that someday you will return to Kabul to revisit the land of our childhood. If you do, you will find an old faithful friend waiting for you” (Hosseini 218). It is clear that Hassan has, once again, forgiven a major figure in his life that has caused him pain. In the end, Hassan is murdered by the Taliban, but lives his best life by being forgiving and allowing others to redeem themselves.

Overall, the central themes of forgiveness and redemption make up the plot to The Kite Runner. The characters of Amir, Hassan, and Baba face their own dilemmas concerning the matter and attempt to reach the same goal—peace through redemption. Each character has their own unique way of finding their goal. However, in the end the audience is left with a single question: did they find peace? With what is provided, the audience can conclude that Hassan is the only character that finds definite peace at the end of his painful journey. Unlike Hassan, Amir and Baba’s positions do not receive explicit closure. To begin with, Amir’s story is not over and can’t be as easily interpreted as Hassan’s as a result of this. He has rescued Sohrab, but has not achieved his main goal. However, Amir’s story at the end of the novel indicates a small advance towards the peace he once had in his childhood. On the other hand, Baba’s story does not end similarly to Amir’s. Baba’s late life is detailed throughout the entirety of the novel until his death. It is revealed that he lives an honorable life in hopes of redeeming himself, but dies with his secret and is never able to find true inner peace as a result. Overall, the recurring themes of forgiveness and redemption highlight key factors through the characters in order to teach an important lesson on the necessity of forgiveness and how difficult it may be to give to others and sometimes even ourselves.

The movie, Smoke Signals, written by Sherman Alexie and directed by Chris Eyre and produced in 1998. This film begins on July 4, 1976 on the Coeur d’ Alene Reservation. This movie has a variety amount of metaphors and themes spread throughout the movie. The themes consisted within this film are forgiveness, the importance of friendship, the danger of alcoholism, handling family conflicts, and fire being a huge metaphor/symbol in this movie as well. But the one theme that draws my attention and am compassionate most about is forgiveness. Forgive those who have done you wrong, to live a healthier life rather than living in a life holding grudges.

Arnold Joseph (Gary Farmer), drunk while celebrating the ‘independence’, lit off fireworks and set the Builds-the-Fire residence on fire, killing the parents of Thomas Builds-the Fire. Many people were already asleep in the house when the fire started, so no one was able to witness Arnold’s mistake, which he kept a secret from the whole reservation. Both Thomas Builds-the-Fire (Evan Adams) and Victor Joseph (Adam Beach), Arnold’s son, were saved from the burning house. Arnold ran to catch Thomas in his arms after Thomas was thrown from a window. After the fire, Thomas was raised by his grandmother (Monique Mojica). Victor was raised by his father Arnold and his mother Arlene (Tantoo Cardinal) in a family that was falling apart. After the fire, Arnold turned to alcohol to bury the guilt of accidentally killing the Builds-the-Fire parents by burning down their house by accident. Arnold’s drinking was out of hand. Arnold’s alcohol ended up causing him to abuse his family. He hit both Arlene and Victor. Which led to his father leaving to Phoenix, years later Thomas gave Victor some money to go to Phoenix since Arnold passed away but under one condition, Thomas had to come along too. Victor had no other choice but to accept the offer. And the journey began where he found his father’s living quarters. After getting answers to questions he had they left Phoenix. On the way home, Victor and Thomas got into a car accident on the highway. They swerved off the highway to avoid hitting a car that was stopped in the middle of the road. After the highway accident, Victor had found peace with himself and his father. Somehow he realized that he had to forgive Arnold for what he did and move on. You can say that going to Phoenix was a way to help him face his problems with his father. If he didn’t have to go to Phoenix to take care of Arnold’s death, he would have never realized that the way for him to be content with what happened with his father was to face his problems. Forgiveness was what Victor needed to do to fill the void in his life. Victor finalized his forgiveness to his father by spreading his ashes over the river. This signified Victor setting himself, and his father, free.

Victor’s experience and journey of finding what it takes to forgive is something that I can relate to. I’ve had to go through the many steps and stages that Victor did in order to reach the point of forgiveness and therefore, peace. It’s a process that involves apathy, anger, confusion, and pain amongst many other emotions, but the ultimate goal is reaching that point where you can forgive. When my parents split, I had a lot of confusion and apathy about the problem. When friendships of mine have fallen apart because friends turned their backs on me, I felt a lot of pain and apathy. After a close friend of mine lied to me, I had to deal with being able to trust her again and accepting an apology. All of these obstacles that I’ve had to face have all worked out. Problems don’t just work out by themselves, you need to face the problems. Facing problems is a critical step to understanding that is necessary to forgive. When forgiveness is tangible, real peace is found. When forgiveness isn’t possible, it’s the understanding that will solve the problem. When Victor found it in himself to understand, forgive, and forget, he was able to move on with his life and leave the burden that his father caused upon him behind. This process of forgiveness was shown very well in the film by the sequence of events. The film moved in chronological order, so it naturally showed the different stages that Victor faced while dealing with his problems caused by his father. Seeing the sequence of events in this film could cause some of us to notice how similar situations in our lives relate to this.

Forgiveness is not the only thing this film consist of other viewpoints that can be taken from this film is to discover ourselves through our relationships with others and how it is never too late to turn the tables. You can really see Victor discovering himself as the movie goes on he was very stubborn and seemed so angry all the time. However, towards the end after his journey with Thomas he has learned to forget about his grudge against his father and he became happier with himself. This viewpoint also relates to a similar viewpoint of how it is never too late to turn the tables. By this I mean that Victor never really forgave his father for leaving and he constantly drilled into his head that his father is a terrible man. He was able to turn that negative thought into a positive as the movie progressed and he started to understand the situation when he discovered new pieces of intel.

Some Coeur d’ Alene Native American History that corresponds to this film is their symbolism of the gift so powerful that it has the ability to give life, take life, and transform life. The gift itself is a living thing. It is born, it breathes, it consumes, and it dies. This gift is within us, and yet it is a reflection of us. The gift is fire which is also the very heart of Smoke Signals. Fire started this movie in the first place since it was a big tragedy where Thomas lost his parents. Also how Smoke Signals was a source of communication to people in great distances. Also they emphasized on hair and how it is considered sacred and significant to who we are as an individual, family, and community. In many tribes, it is believed that a person’s long hair represents a strong cultural identity. Hair is a symbol of a time with their loved one and once they pass they will cut their hair which represents a great loss. Also in this movie Thomas gets visions/Signs within his dreams which was some type of spiritual connection that Natives actual experiences through sleep.

In conclusion, this issue of forgiveness that is the most valuable from this film. The viewer can benefit from this by being able to notice how Victor got through his problems. If the viewer has problems of his or her own that are similar to this, then maybe the viewer can apply the film’s lessons to his or her life. The issue of forgiveness is the main point, but there are other great lessons and morals such as the importance of friendship, the danger of alcoholism, handling family conflicts, etc. Not to mention, there is a lot to be learned about Native American culture from this film. I would recommend this film to get a better view on certain perspectives you never thought about and that makes this film very eye opening. Another reason is to just learn from another we may depict ourselves to be different but we are similar in ways you would have never thought of.

Once there was a hand whose fingers were good friends. The owner of hand began a dangerous task. Despite the care he gave to the rest of fingers, the thumb was always pressurized more and had lots of cuts and bruises. At first, the other fingers felt sorry for the thumb and apologized for their unskillfulness. The thumb indeed forgive them. However, this happened frequently that one day the thumb decided to forgive the fingers no more. With anger the thumb stretched herself away from the fingers and refused to do any work.

For days together, the thumb remained aloof from rest of the fingers, reluctant to do any work further, with this position of the thumb, the hand looked so indifferent that the owner had to put his hand in his pocket in such a way that only the thumb was kept out while rest of the other fingers were inside the pocket in the darkness. The thumb felt very bad and she returned to her original position. She asked forgiveness to the rest of the fingers for her clumsiness and the fingers indeed forgave her. The hand looked all right again to the owner. The owner continued the work and this time all the fingers including the thumb worked hard and with unity.

Definition of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is often defined as an individual, voluntary internal process of letting go of resentment feelings and thoughts, bitterness, anger, and the need for revenge and distribution to someone we believe has wronged us, including ourselves. Our capacity for forgiveness is a part of human nature which has evolved in the process of natural selection, and it has developed in the same way as our tendency to revenge, according to evolutionary science. Forgiveness and revenge are both social instincts which solved ancestral human problems.

Although both are fixed aspects of human nature, these capacities can be altered which gives us hope that we can make the world a place that is more forgiving and less vengeful (McCullough, 2008). For different people redemption means different things. But in general it requires a decision to let go of bitterness and vengeance feelings. Forgiveness can even lead to sensations of understanding, empathy and compassion for the one who hurts you. Forgiveness does not mean ignoring or excusing the harm done to you, or making up for the harm done to the person. Forgiveness brings a kind of peace which helps you to live on. Psychologists generally define forgiveness as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or revenge towards a person or group that has harmed you, whether they actually deserve your forgiveness. Nevertheless, just as critical as determining what pardon is, is knowing what pardon is not. Experts who study or teach pardon make it clear that you don’t gloss over or deny the seriousness of an offense against you when you forgive.

Forgiveness is not to forget, nor is it to condone or justify offences. Though pardon can help remedy a damaged relationship, it does not oblige you to reconcile or release from legal accountability the person who harmed you instead, forgiveness brings the forgiver peace of mind and frees him or her from corrosive anger. While there is some controversy about whether true forgiveness includes positive feelings for the perpetrator, experts agree that it needs at least letting go of the strongly held negative feelings. It empowers you to recognize the pain and allows you to heal and move on with your life. Although early research focused on individuals forgiving others, new research areas are beginning to explore the benefits of collective forgiveness and self-forgiveness.

History of Forgiveness

Definitions of forgiveness rely on historical cultural factors that have been influenced by theological, philosophical, and theoretical views. The idea of redemption itself dates back millennia. Major world religions have long fostered redemption, with religious adherents extolling the practice’s many benefits (Ryeet al., 2000). Forgiveness has also a history in philosophy, with Nietzsche (1887) arguing for the inherent difference in power between offender and offender. Yet, in the field of psychology, forgiveness received little attention until the 1980s (see McCullough, Pargament & Thoresen, 2000, for a historical overview). Indeed, numerous systems were proposed for the relationship of forgiveness to health. These include forgiveness as an emotional strategy for coping, as improving the functioning of the immune system, as activating motivational systems (Worthington & Scherer, 2004), As decreasing sympathetic function of the nervous system (Berry & Worthington, 2001) as promoting increased social interaction (Toussaint & Webb, 2005), as increasing personal control feelings (McCullough & Worthington, 1994).

Key Points about Forgiveness

Forgiveness is not a simple act in response to an individual incident, but a lengthy, ever-changing process in which people work to repair broken relationships or broken hearts.  Recognition: Forgiveness is about recognizing that we are all fallible human beings willing to mess up.  Empathy: Forgiveness requires a degree of empathy or compassion rather than just acknowledging or letting go.  Reconciliation: Forgiveness is distinct from reconciliation involving some sort of peace process and uniting two or more former opposing sides.

In the course of human interaction, it is common for people to disagree on things. This is because everyone has a way of doing things and a different line of thought, and therefore, there can be conflict from the various ideas brought about by people. In the workplace also, there is bound to be friction between people. More often than not, if this friction is not resolved, the company will suffer from conflict among the workers or the managers. It is, therefore, essential to practice forgiveness. Forgiveness is practiced when one thinks another person has offended them at the workplace, and they feel the urge to retaliate, or they feel the urge to hold a grudge. This forgiveness is often compared to biblical forgiveness to enable people to relate to it personally. The following is a comparison of biblical forgiveness and forgiveness in the workplace (Dahiya & Rangnekar, 2019).

For example, a company LTL trucking deals with the trucking business. They got a new manager John who found one of the drivers, Sam, not following some of the company’s rules. Sam felt that despite not following the rules, he was doing the right thing. They held a grudge against each other for over three years, but the moment they forgave each other, their collaboration brought the company a lot of revenue. They put aside the grievances they had with each other the previous three years and chose to move on (Mishra, D’Cruz, Gupta, & Noronha, 2018). Similarly, the scriptures encourage forgiveness which involves forgetting past mistakes and moving on. When Paul was forgiven, his past life of persecuting Christians was forgiven (Deffinbaugh, 2004).

There exist differences between forgiveness in the scripture and forgiveness in the workplace. One of the differences is that in the workplace, there is an option of refraining from punishment. When one does something wrong to another person in the workplace, disciplinary measures can be taken against the person that is in the wrong. This is not the case in the scripture because forgiveness there is wholehearted without an option of punishment. Workplaces also seek to look for the good out of the disagreement that has arisen. After forgiving someone for a wrong committed, the workplace aims to learn from that disagreement so that there might not occur such a conflict in the future. The scriptures, however, advocate for forgiving and forgetting (Toussaint, Washington, & Tongeren, 2016).

Leaders in companies shape the way forgiveness is applied in the workplace. In the case of the LTL trucking company, a forum was created where the workers got to interact with each other, from the most senior person to the most junior person in the company. From this, the disagreement was able to be solved. If the leadership had done that earlier, the grudge between John and Sam could not have lasted that long. Some of the values displayed from these include perseverance and love. Scriptures encourage perseverance in distress, and this virtue is also practiced in the workplace. People, even in the scriptures, are encouraged to love one another to be able to practice forgiveness, and this is also the case in the workplace.

In conclusion, forgiveness is a critical pillar in the success of an organization. The productivity of the company can increase when people forgive each other for the wrongs committed. This is seen as a better means rather than exercising disciplinary action, which will bring even more tension between the people in the company leading to even more hate and reducing productivity.

References

1. Dahiya, R., & Rangnekar, S. (2019). Linking Forgiveness at Work and Negative Affect. Research Gate, https://doi.org/10.1177/2322093719857348.
2. Deffinbaugh, B. (2004, August 13). 14. The Conversion of Saul (Acts 9:1-31). Retrieved from Bible.org: https://bible.org/seriespage/14-conversion-saul-acts-91-31
3. Mishra, N., D’Cruz, P., Gupta, P., & Noronha, E. (2018). Forgiveness: A New Dynamic in Workplace Bullying. Research Gate, https://doi.org/ 10.1007/978-981-13-1017-1_3.
4. Toussaint, L., Washington, E. L., & Tongeren, D. R. (2016). Forgiveness Working: Forgiveness, Health, and Productivity in the Workplace. Sage Journals, https://doi.org/10.1177/0890117116662312.

Throughout the novel Religion is seen as the perpetrator of many of Jane Eyre’s fears, and at first only serves to enforce a strict rule of conformity and placate any form of discontent with its preachings of a fiery pit for those that act in contempt. As the novel progresses though, a kinder side of Christianity is shown in its teachings regarding substituting anger with forgiveness. As such, Jane is freed from her spiteful past and is able to pursue an identity not built on the need to disprove those who have wronged her, and thus is able to achieve the peace that her foil st. John never does. In Jane Eyre Bronte seeks to characterize how Christianity with its teachings of absolution of anger can free a person from their spite in order to pursue a future free from the influence of past aggressors.

Mrs.Reed’s the source for Jane’s spite, and her actions are motivated by her own anger towards Jane which is sourced by jealousy. The anger that Mrs. Reed felt was the cause for her living her life with fear of Janes outbursts, this in turn served to only push Jane more towards acts of anger “I was conscious that a moment’s mutiny had already rendered me liable to strange penalties, and like any other rebel slave, I felt resolved in my desperation to go all lengths.” (Bronte 11) Had Mrs. Reed not been so cruel, Jane would not have been pushed to such lengths, but motivated by anger, she had pushed Jane so far that she had accepted being the villian. By the end of the novel we see how it was “too late for her to make now the effort to change her habitual frame of mind,” (Bronte 244) and so she died with only fear and hatred in her heart. Meanwhile, “The revelation of the secret helps Jane to consider her aunt’s life and to evaluate the consequences of behavior motivated by anger. As a result, Jane leaves behind the red room and the Reed family’s rejection of her.” (Conway) This serves to free her to reject the contempt of Mrs. Reed and the residents of Gateshead allowing her to take control of her life and “make free, independent choices “ through “the purposeful nature or reflection.” (Conway) freeing her from all the labels given to her by Mrs. Reed. This gives Jane a strong sense of autonomy which aids her in learning how to forgive others misdeeds in order to free herself from their spite.

St John is an example of living one’s life without the peace of mind of forgiveness granted in many Christian doctrines. When Jane first meets him she obviously has reservations on the subject of his inner peace and the achievement attained, “He yet did not enjoy that mental serenity, that inward content, which should be the reward of every sincere christian,” (Bronte 357) he focuses on “stern allusions to Calvinist doctrines- election, predestination, reprobation” (Bronte 358) in his sermons, all contrasting the idea of salvation and forgiveness by God. St. John focuses so much on predestination that the peace granted by Christianity is no longer with him, and his belief in the Calvinist doctrines is what drives him to live his life as a missionary because it is what he believes he should be doing. St. John serves as a caution in regards to going against oneself and pushing themselves beyond what they are capable of in order to do what others had predetermined, and as such rejecting all forms of what defines their identity in order to satisfy another person’s or entity’s idea of what somebody should do with their future.

In contrast, Jane is able to reflect helping her “grow and to reject self pity or continued resentment.” (Conway) and “By discerning for herself what she perceives to be God’s will, Jane effectively resists Rochester’s and St. John’s attempts to possess her spirit as well as her body,” (Lamonica) allowing her to focus on herself and make decisions as an autonomous individual not driven by outside influences.

Forgiveness and divine intervention plays a major role in Jane reconciling with Rochester. It is only the anger towards his past that leaves Rochester with such guilt and as such he lives life limited by the fear of God punishing him for his rejection of the marital arrangements imposed on him by his family. He believes that he can repent with servicing Jane as a husband because he hasn’t been able to serve anyone else, hoping to get it right with Jane. And it is clear that a divine entity has forgiven him because when he cries out “I asked of god, if I had not been long enough desolate, afflicted, tormented- I could scarcely endure more, I pleaded ‘Jane! Jane! Jane!’,” (Bronte 455) He is answered by a divine entity sending his anguished lamenting to Jane so that she may return and thus forgive him showing he has gained the confidence of God once more. Ultimately it is Jane’s own love for Rochester that leads her back, she had the ability to decide whether she forgives him or not and because she had learned to reign in her passion in order to “subordinate the bad self to the good self, passion and impulse to reason and conscience.” (Kramer)

Forgiveness Is the Remedy—and a Relief for Depression Chapter 7 at a Glance Having learned that toxic emotions—anger, guilt, and fear—are serious obstacles on the road to lasting freedom from depression, it’s easy to wonder, What next? What can be done to deal with such formidable opponents? Thankfully, there is a proven antidote to toxic emotions—and a powerful tonic for regaining control over your health and well-being. However, like everything else on the road to healing depression for good, it’s not a magic elixir you can ingest for instantaneous and miraculous relief. This cure will require tough choices, discipline, and commitment on your part. It will take courage to face the emotional dragons you’ve hidden away in your closet over the years and to dare to think differently about them. But it can be done! Proof lies in the millions of people who have gone before you and found freedom in the age-old practice of forgiveness. I acknowledge that forgiveness is a loaded word for many people. It carries conflicting religious overtones or hints of pop culture sentimentalism many of us have learned to mistrust.

For many of us, anger, guilt, fear, and judgment are more than mere emotions; they’ve become an armored identity. We wonder who and what we’ll be if we let go. And yet the reward for learning to let go is immense, particularly if you’ve been living under the shadow of depression. Essential Ideas . . . and Your Insights The one who benefits most from forgiveness is you. The purpose of forgiveness is not to deliver anything to the one who caused us harm but to help ourselves by letting go of toxic attachment to the past and our pain. So long as we hang on to feelings of outrage, injustice, and desire for payback, we keep the offense alive and the wounds fresh. And in the process, we remain vulnerable to all the negative physical and psychological effects of runaway anger and fear. Your response: Have you experienced this truth in your own life?

Specifically, have you resisted the challenge to forgive someone? If so, what repercussions and detriments did you encounter by choosing not to let go of an offense? Forgiveness is not about letting someone ‘off the hook.’ When considering forgiveness, the most powerful objection we encounter in ourselves is the mistaken idea that to forgive means looking the other way while somebody ‘gets away’ with something. We see forgiveness as an undeserved get-out-of-jail-free card. That seems wrong somehow because we can’t stand the idea of saying, ‘That’s okay’ about behavior that is not. Your response: Is this an issue for you—feeling like forgiveness is akin to shrugging off someone’s bad behavior? What, for you, is involved in the process of acknowledging a person’s hurtful acts yet fully forgiving that person?

Forgiveness (or lack of it) gains momentum, bringing you more and more good health (or poor health). If you choose not to forgive, you poison yourself, add more toxic shame to your life, and increase the desire to escape into unhealthy behaviors. But the good news is that forgiveness is like a snowball rolling downhill: once moving, it keeps growing and picking up speed. With the struggling clients I work with, I’ve seen time and time again that forgiveness helps lighten their emotional load, brighten their outlook on life, shorten their recovery time, and restore their natural resilience against the recurrence of depression in the future. Your response: What other benefits come with the act of forgiveness? Specifically, how have you benefited—emotionally, spiritually, physically—when you found the courage to forgive someone? Taking Stock Forgiveness is a practical and necessary step in healing from depression. Holding on to past hurts only deepens your feelings of anger, guilt, and fear. Use these questions to understand your resistance to forgiveness and how to overcome it. I want to be able to forgive ___________________________ for _______________________________. But I haven’t yet let go of how that hurt me in these ways: I’m afraid if I do forgive, it will mean. I hope that forgiving this person will benefit me in the following ways: Things I have learned about forgiveness that surprise me: What forgiveness is to me: What forgiveness isn’t: Things I need to ask someone else’s forgiveness for: Things I know I hold against God or life: Strategies I know will help me let go of past hurts if I choose to employ them: Change Your Story, Change Your Life What is the story you tell yourself about forgiveness? What were the messages or role models you received in childhood about the issue of forgiveness? How have your spiritual beliefs and the teachings you received shaped your current willingness or unwillingness to forgive others (or yourself)? Write out your story—just let it flow without self-editing or filtering. Now write out a different narrative you want to embrace. Where do you want to end up? Describe your ideal life, free of resentment.

Dig Deeper What is your gut reaction when you hear the word forgiveness? To put it more personally, how do you feel when you hear the words (from yourself or someone else), ‘You really should forgive that person’? What reasons do you give yourself for not forgiving someone who caused you harm? How can you work through these reasons? Think of some instances when you needed to ask for someone’s forgiveness for a mistake you made or hurt you caused. What were those experiences like for you? How did it feel when you received forgiveness—or when it was withheld? Describe how your spiritual beliefs guide your thinking and actions about forgiveness. Do you find it difficult to live out the standards of forgiveness presented in Scripture? If so, in what way would you like to grow in this area? Do you feel the need to forgive God for anything? Some people take offense at the very idea that God, the Creator of all, would need to be forgiven. Yet it’s a fact that many individuals feel angry at God or disappointed with him for allowing traumas or hardships to come into their lives (sometimes including depression). How do you react to this issue? First Steps, Next Steps Now it’s time to get practical. We’ve explored many issues that prompted you to ponder and process. Let’s put those thoughts into action. I’ll provide several steps forward, and then it’s your turn to determine three additional steps you will take this week. Take time to review your personal history—from years ago to recent times. Can you think of someone (or several people) you need to forgive? Write about any resistance you feel about offering forgiveness.

Next, create a plan to follow through on your intention to forgive. Review the misconceptions about forgiveness discussed in chapter 7 of Healing Depression for Life. Which of these misconceptions have you believed in the past? Identify other misconceptions you would add. Rewrite in your own words this passage from the apostle Paul: ‘Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you