A Most Wanted Man III

In what I read this week, Le Carré continues the various points of view. I find his way of introducing his character’s backgrounds interesting. He sometimes tells the readers straight out, or leaves it a mystery. In the fifth chapter, the reader learns more of Issa’s background through the German police and the German intelligence. Bachman is talking to his fellow workers about what they want to do with Issa. A fellow worker finds a story connecting Issa to extremists. He says, “In 2003, an investigation was launched by organs of Russian state security into unprovoked armed attacks by militant bandits on law-enforcement officers… Under interrogation, Dombitov confessed that all makes in his cell phone belonged to a militant Salafi group committed to violent acts with the aid of… explosive devices, homemade, low quality, but highly effective” (112). This is obviously dangerous for Issa, because he may have associated with this group. If he is associated, he will be watched more carefully, and he’ll probably be arrested by the police and deported. Annabel realizes that staying at Melik’s house is unsafe for Issa, so she hides Issa at her house. She thinks, “I’m doing this for my client Magomed… I’m doing it for my client Issa. I’m doing it for life over law. I’m doing it for me” (117). When she tells herself this, she is trying to convince herself it’s the right thing to do. She obviously doesn’t want another case like Magomed.

In the last chapter that I read, Brue learns more about the Lipizzaner account through his secretary. He also meets a couple of British intelligence who know his father. Brue thinks, “So you were a British spy, they now tell me. Selling Frères down the river for a British medal. Pity you didn’t feel able to tell me yourself” (151). Brue is wondering about his father’s dealings. What his father does is illegal, and now Brue has to deal with the consequences. The chapter ends with a conversation between Brue and his wife. She asks, “Is it a woman Tommy? I had the impression you’d rather given us up these days” (162). This gives the impression that Brue is becoming enamored with Annabel. This is an interesting complication.

A Most Wanted Man II

In the next few chapters, Le Carré introduces different points of view, such as the private banker, a lawyer, the German intelligence, and the local police. What I find interesting is how Le Carré introduces the characters. He doesn’t introduce the characters’ background right away, which tends to add a sense of mystery. In the second chapter, we meet Brue, the banker, and Annabel Richter, the lawyer. Annabel’s client (Issa) needs Brue’s help to access a bank account so he can go to medical school. She tells him, “He’s [Issa] drowning. All you have to do is hold out your hand… He trusts you… All right, he doesn’t trust you. But his father did. And you’re all he’s got” (38). I find it amazing that Issa never met Brue, but Issa’s willing to risk everything to get a hold of this account. At this point in the story, the reader doesn’t know who the client is. Later, you find out that the client is Issa. In the next chapter, the reader meets Bachman, a member of the German domestic intelligence service. The German intelligence still feels disturbed because they didn’t figure out that the hijackers of 9-11 plotted their attack on German soil. Bachman wants to recruit a live source to work as an Islamic terrorist spy. Le Carré writes, “He was chaffing against the dismal failure of Western intelligence services—and the German service most off all—to recruit a single decent live source against the Islamist target” (55). He figures that Issa can be this live source. Bachman seems a little nationalistic. His disappointment in ‘the German service most of all’ suggests that he didn’t think much of the other intelligence services. He obviously thinks highly of Germany.

In the last chapter I read, the story returns to Melik’s house. Issa is finally meeting Brue, to take possession of the money. When Brue starts talking to Issa, Issa’s sad past is revealed. He says, “…Anatoly is the best friend a murderer and a rapist could possibly have, sir” (80). We find out that Issa’s Chechen mother is raped by Issa’s Russian father. She is killed after he is born. Issa hates his father for murdering and raping innocent people. Because of this Issa wants to become a doctor so he can help others. With hesitancy Brue is talked into helping Issa. Annabelle explains, “Last year I had a client called Magomed. He was a twenty-three-year-old Chechen who’d been tortured by the Russians… Magomed didn’t have Issa’s track record. He wasn’t a militant or a suspected Islamist. He wasn’t wanted by Interpol… they dragged him out of his hostel bed and put him on a plane to St. Petersburg…His screams were the last anybody has heard from him.” (89). This is the first instance of Annabel sharing something from her past. She is determined to help Issa and save him from deportation and more torture. I think it’s to help rectify the case she lost the year before. It must be frustrating to be powerless in a situation like this.

A Most Wanted Man I

The Most Wanted Man is a compelling book by John Le Carré. The first sentence introduces the whole chapter with a mysterious mood. He writes, “A Turkish heavyweight boxing champion sauntering down a Hamburg street with his mother on his arm can scarcely be blamed for failing to notice that he is being shadowed by a skinny boy in a black coat” (1). I found this start interesting because it states what the first chapter is going to be about in one sentence. Also, it reveals something about the main character to the reader. Le Carré continues to have Melik, the main character, to encounter the man three times before they actually talk. The piece of paper says, “I am a Muslim medical student. I am tired and I wish to stay in you house. Issa… When his father died Melik had proudly assumed the role of master of the house and his mother’s protector and, as a further assertion to his authority, done what his father had not succeeded in doing before his death…he had launched himself and his mother on the long, stony road to German citizenship…” (5). Even though Issa didn’t know anything about Melik and his mother, he still asked for help. Melik declined him, which is understandable. This is a time after September 11, and German authorities were looking for terrorists. With association, Melik probably would never become a citizen of Germany. I don’t know why his family left Turkey and came to Germany. It is interesting that Le Carré doesn’t spend the first few pages describing Melik’s family history. We do know some of Issa’s history, since he tells us later in the chapter.

Melik’s mother accepts Issa into their home, even though Melik doesn’t think it’s safe. Understandably, Melik is suspicious of Issa. This suspicion becomes more pronounced when Leyla, Melik’s mother, tells him that Issa has been to jail. Melik asks, “Do you know that for a fact? We’re harboring a jailbird? Do the police know that for a fact? Did he tell you?” (7). Again, Melik sees the danger of associating with Issa. He doesn’t want to be known as a terrorist himself, and he wants to be able to become a German citizen. He’s very suspicious of this unknown man. Even though Melik distrusts Issa, at the end of the chapter, there’s a sense of acceptance. Melik has a change of heart after he sees the torture marks on Issa’s body and is moved to tears. Issa comes down with a fever, and is very sick. Melik tells Leyla to move Issa into his (Melik’s) own bed. He then reflects on the situation. Le Carré writes, “Yet compared with Issa, he was untried. Issa is a man and I am still a boy. I always wanted a brother and here he is delivered to my doorstep, and I reject him. He suffered like a true defender of his beliefs while I courted cheap glory in the boxing ring” (16). Melik starts to realize that Issa is stronger and tougher than he realized. Could Issa have been in jail because he is Chechen? Did he stand up his beliefs? Issa suffers because of his mysterious past but moves towards the future with hope. Melik understands that he can learn something from Issa.

Angel on my Shoulder post 4

This week, Natalie Cole writes about her experiences after going to rehab in Hazelden. Her life became so bad that she had to go to rehab. When she got out, she writes, “Recovery is a lot like life. You’re always growing but never fully grown” (233). I think this is an interesting comparison because it is true. One can not expect to go to one day of rehab and be immediately clean. He or she must slowly learn how to limit the drug or alcohol use. Eventually, he or she can go through a long period without the drug or alcohol. Also, Cole said “And you don’t say you’re “healed” or “cured”, you just say “Today I did not use by the grace of God” (233). This is also interesting because one doesn’t use the words “healed” or “cured”. I don’t think they can, because one may be clean for a week, and use again on the eighth day. What do you call him? If he didn’t use for a week, is he cured? I don’t think so. I guess there isn’t a time limit one must be clean for them to be “healed”.

One of the biggest accomplishments in Natalie Cole’s life, in my opinion, is singing with her father in Unforgettable. This is the first and, I believe, the last time anyone has sung with someone who is dead. For so many years Cole refused to sing her father’s songs. She writes, “The only sour note at this beautiful time was my father’s absence” (272). I think the reason why she did this was she wanted to feel close to him again. She didn’t want to be forever remembered as ‘The daughter of’, but that was long forgotten. She was Natalie Cole, an independent singer. Now the title was forgotten, Natalie wanted to feel close to her father again, the solution, singing one of his songs with him. The fans of Natalie Cole loved it. A review in the newspaper describes it as being the “best album of remakes ever made” (305). I believe this was a win-win situation for Cole. She felt closer to her father, and audiences everywhere loved the album.

Angel on my Shoulder post 3

The section I read this week in Angel on my Shoulder, Natalie Cole gets herself into trouble. First she is asked by a detective to report check forgers in the Springfield area. She describes, “…he was very decent to me. That’s because it wasn’t me he wanted. He was after the check forgers and the various drug dealers I had come to know” (119). Cole was in an ethical dilemma. She could tell on her friends, or she could lie to the detective. It doesn’t say what she did in the book, but based on the fact that she wasn’t arrested, she probably told the detective what he wanted to hear. I think this is a good choice because I feel that one should tell the police the truth, or the police can’t do their job properly. Later, Natalie Cole is arrested for using drugs during one of her performances in Canada, but she didn’t go to jail. Instead she was put on probation, and she couldn’t leave Canada. In order to make sure that she didn’t leave, she had to visit a particular jail and sign in. Her producers, Marvin and Chuck, were in Chicago, wondering when she was coming back. Cole writes, “…but I couldn’t bring myself to tell them [Marvin and Chuck] the truth” (134). In this situation, I don’t believe this was the right thing to do. I would have told Marvin and Chuck why I was stuck in Canada, and hopefully they would still want to produce my album. This decision led to her divorce with Marvin years later.

Blog Question 2 response

Ethics is a complex topic to discuss. There are so many different opinions. In On the Waterfront directed by Elia Kazan, there, too, are different opinions about ‘ratting’ or being a whistle blower. Terry believes that a whistle blower is someone who stands up for the greater good when innocent people are being killed. Father Barry wants whistle blowers to expose the mob corruption and reveal who is killing workers. Father Barry feels God is on the side of those who protect the weak. However, Johnny Friendly disagrees with Terry and Father Barry. Johnny doesn’t support whistle blowers because he is the leader of the corruption and benefits the most from it. Every one must go along with his wishes. Initially, Charlie, Terry’s brother, supports Johnny and his corrupt group until they require Charley to finish off Terry. That is when Charley sees how the mob’s intimidation affects others and he may realize his guilt in all of it.

I believe that I am being a “tattle tale” when I blab something just to get someone in trouble but it doesn’t involve an ethical position I have taken or a cause for something. I may tattle on my brother just to get him out of my hair.
I feel that to be a whistle blower it would require me to take a position on some side of an idea. A whistle blower might be looking out for the good of others not just himself. By informing on someone, the whistleblower might realize that the decision may not benefit him at all. It makes me feel better knowing there might be a mechanic of an airline who whistle- blows. Whistle blowers benefit the greater good.

Blog Question AMS Quarter 2

In the play, “All My Sons”, Joe Keller seems to think that family comes before society. “You’re a boy, what could I do...what could I do, let them take forty years, let them take my life away?” (Miller, 69). Obviously from this quote he thinks family should come first. He did all that he did for Chris, “For you, a business for you!” (Miller, 70). Chris has a different view from his father. “I don’t know what it is, but every time I reach out for something I want, I have to pull back because other people will suffer” (Miller, 16). He’s a considerate person, and puts society before himself. Larry, even though he isn’t a character that actually has any lines, seems to agree with Chris. In his letter to Ann, “How could he have done that? Every day three or four men never come back, and he sits back there doing his business” (Miller, 83). He obviously believes, too, that one’s country is more important. In his eyes, it seems that serving your country is honorable, and for Joe Keller to kill those pilots is treason.

Obviously, ethics isn’t a black and white issue. I think it would have been acceptable for Joe to replace the parts that were faulty. If he couldn’t make the parts, then I would come forward, and I say that I was guilty. I don’t think I could live with the knowledge that I put my friend behind bars, when I too, should be behind bars. In Larry’s situation, I might have reacted differently. He didn’t know all the facts behind the conviction. Also, I’m assuming that he destroyed the plane he was flying, which is Government property. In that situation, I probably wouldn’t have killed myself. I wouldn’t talk to my dad if he was guilty, and if he wasn’t, I would probably forgive him. I think the only way to determine if something is right or wrong is our own opinion. In the end if the decision saves lives, then I would go ahead and do it. If the outcome costs more than I intended, then I would accept the consequences.