Article Review

Anatomy of a Murder-Suicide

Reading the article made me acknowledge some of the reasons that drive individuals to develop the urge to kill others and eventually commit suicide. In his writing, Solomon considers various incidences of mass killing that have occurred in the society. In most cases, the victims are innocent and only happen to be within the vicinity of the enraged killer. It is difficult to unravel the actual reasons that lead individuals to commit such crimes. As indicated by Solomon, people tend to mourn the victims and forget about the person who caused the carnage.

Looking at our society today, suicidal acts are brought about by personal problems that seem irreparable. For instance, Adam Lanza butchered fellow students because of possible alienation by his friends. Problems at home may have also propelled him to act in that manner. Lanza thought nobody cared for him and death provided the only feasible solution to end his problems. The anger he had towards those who discriminated against him made him decide to end their life too.

 

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It is common to direct blame towards the perpetrator’s upbringing or social relations as some did with Lanza’s case. However, this does not hold true in most cases. According to other cases monitored by the writer, it shows that individuals are islands that are difficult to understand. The decision to kill is as a result of complex reasons. Therefore, the grieving need to accept the situation and avoid blames that only increase pain.

It will be of help if those in positions of responsibility like parents constantly monitor their children in a bid to understand them. This will make them open up and share issues that are disturbing them. The governments should also regulate gun ownership and provide strict rules to govern users.

Love in a Blue Line: My Son the Fanatic

The narrative is about two characters, Parvez and his son Ali, who have two different lifestyles. Parvez migrated to Britain from Pakistan and is worried about the behavioral changes exhibited by his son. At first, Parvez is afraid to discuss the looming problem with his friends as his son Ali is quiet outgoing. However, Parvez realizes that his son’s problem is becoming persistent and decides to seek advice from friends. The discussions reveal the possibility of Ali’s addiction to drugs. Ali would also sell his personal belongings to get money used to buy the drugs. This shows how parents fail to understand their children by speculating what they might be up to instead of finding the truth.

Parvez is advised by a prostitute who happens to be a close confidant on how he needs to handle his son. Parvez heeds to the advice and realizes that his son’s behaviors were not as speculated. This demonstrates that people like Bettina know a lot about family even though they may not be taking care of one.

The narrative demonstrates how conflicts in families arise when members take different stands on religion. Parvez is not comfortable with Ali’s prayer habits. He tries to advice Ali against his religious stands but the plan does not work out. From the point of view of Parvez, Ali is considered a fanatic due to the religious activities. However, Parvez can be argued to be also a fanatic due to his hate towards religion. It is as result of his harsh upbringing. Life in Britain enables him explore things that are restricted by his strict religious nation. For instance, Ali tells his father that he has gone against the Koran by eating pork and taking alcohol.

Some religious practices can make individuals alienate themselves from the rest of the society. For instance, Ali is convinced that he should abandon education as it inculcates anti-religious values. Parvez tries to explain to his son his ideas towards life in vain. Ali believes that Koran is the ultimate guide to a fulfilling life.