The fabricated short narrative was an attempt to humanise a peculiar face entwined in an image that has slightly steadily grown ill-famed and monstrous in the past old ages because of their actions which was considered by many as abhorrent. inhuman and barbaric.

Curiously. the procedure of accomplishing this peculiar end in humanising the agents of terrorist act through the portraiture of the mundane struggles. concerns and what-nots of a peculiar terrorist was ironically done by leting the character to stand in a background that represents that biggest act of motiveless neglect for guiltless human lives in the name of patriotism. radicalism and Jihadist cause. This is peculiarly in the instance of Muhammad Atta and his function in the crashing of the aircraft that landed in one of the two towers of the World Trade Center in September 11. 2001.

The paper. through the analysis of character. scene. point of position and symbolism. leans towards the analysis that the short narrative of Martin Amis has the consequence of demoing a existent individual. The remainder of the universe that has openly opposed terrorist act has continued to detest and contemn terrorists and terrorist act that either in the present or in retrospect people. like Atta. was already lovelorn of human features and was left merely with the intrigues that can enable the individual to set about undertakings that merely an hardhearted monster or Satan can make.

Amis pointed in the narrative that while Atta possibly viewed by some as a monster. the universe should non bury that Atta was besides human and has many human features. nevertheless. mundane and fiddling. Character Despite the presence of many different characters. the focal point of the narrative is on Atta. It may non be straight intended to humanise the terrorist particularly in the heads of Europe/American readers. but that was the consequence.

Some critics believed that an of import facet of the impact of the narrative after reading is traveling the readers towards oppugning the possible injury that led to the degree of mental unsoundness that Atta seemed to be inflicted with ( Jones 8 ) . to be non to a great extent motivated and yet excited in the decease of people including his ain. Ostrem believed that the short narrative was created so that the writer and/or the reader can understand Atta’s province of head ( Ostrem 1 ) .

But other critics believe that the presentation of the character in the short narrative shows an of import defect that counters the thought of humanising the terrorist. Harmonizing to Kumar. the “absence of true empathy ( Kumar 1 ) ” to Atta and the persons Atta is stand foring in the narrative. Kelly points that the average-individual modus operandi Atta went through in his last twenty-four hours can be considered as an attempt to humanise Atta even when the Kelly herself believes “humanizing Atta was non what Amis is seeking to make in the first topographic point ( Kelly 3 ) . ” Puting

Situated in different neighboring topographic points where Atta was believed to hold stayed and went 24 hours before he smashed the aircraft at the side of the WTC. the scene allowed the readers to engage fiction with world. leting for a more emotional. dramatic and affiliated consequence among readers. Since the 9/11 calamity was felt all over the universe. a writing manner that some critics like blogger Madison Guy believes to be a small to uncomfortable particularly when the calamity was “too recent for fiction ( Guy 5 ) . ” although other critics like Rapa believed otherwise ( Rapa 1 ) .

Point-of-view The first individual point of position proved critical and debatable because the defects in the character of Atta in the narrative was attributed mostly to the British author’s deficiency of apprehension and penetration to the head. bosom and psyche of his lead adversary. Even if the attempt to warrant the defects in Atta’s personality by indicating out that Atta was a committed Zealot but non a overzealous and non a echt faithful was by no agencies any more effectual in rectifying the job.

On the contrary. it worsened the state of affairs because readers were either get downing to acquire really baffled and disbelieving of Atta because of his “contrasting mentality and attitude throughout the narrative or they think it was a ill written ( Charles and Leah 1 ) . “poorly researched stuff. that mocked Jihadists and Islam ( Madison Guy 8 ) . ” Kumar pointed out that because of the defects of the narrative and the deficiency of strength to bind everything up together as a solid work of fiction. the narrative failed to move as a agency to acquire inside the caput of a mass liquidator.

Alternatively. it was reduced into something kindred to acquiring inside the caput of Martin Amis and his personal ideas on the 9/11 onslaught ( Kumar 1 ) . And that is non surprising. since some critics believe that it was Amis’ hallmark particularly among his station 9/11 fictions to react in a personal tone. “as if he… were targeted ( Review of Martin Amis: The last yearss of Muhammad Atta 1 ) . ” Symbolism Atta’s chew overing on the possibility that Jihadists were misled by the belief of having virgins in the after life ( and alternatively. raisins ) point to the thought that Atta is aware.

It offers the readers the penetration to the chance that one of the attitudes of the suicide terrorists include the blindly keeping on to a peculiar belief even when the belief is flawed. The raisin/virgin grip was the microcosm. an of import symbolism of a bigger issue – throughout the narrative Atta clip and once more confessed to the readers how he was merely seeking to “play along. ” collaborating with other members of the cell in this mission sans the overzealous belief in contending for faith. its ideals and perceived benefits. even its freedoms.

Conclusion How the humanizing of Atta and the Atta-types affects the readers is something that is left to the readers for them to make up one’s mind for themselves. What the paper is seeking to indicate out is the witting or unconscious attempt of the writer to “humanize” Atta and educate the readers about understanding terrorists like Atta. who are besides human persons whose jobs that led them to such actions should be addressed and remedied.

Unlike other narratives about how terrorists are profiled ( in literary or movie ) where the focal point is on set uping the absence of clemency and compunction. Atta was presented by Amis as an ordinary adult male with ordinary jobs – with himself. his equals and with the universe. If non for the gravitation of his action Atta is an ordinary person. And as an ordinary person. the narrative points that it is possible that despite the sum of spiritual belief. political motive or a down sense of composure in the face of killing and decease. everyone. including terrorists besides feels fright for his/her ain decease every bit good as compunction.

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com/2006/05/last-days-of-muhammad-atta. hypertext markup language & gt ; . Jones. Matt. “The Last Days of Muhammad Atta. ” Chez Le Piment Rouge. Pictures and Polemicss by Matt Jones. 2006. 16 December 2008 & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //lepimentrouge. blogspot. com/2006/05/last-days-of-muhammad-atta. hypertext markup language & gt ; . Kelly. “The Last Days of Muhammad Atta. ” A Child is Born. Blogspot. 26 April 2006. 16 December 2008 & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //childisborn. blogspot. com/2006/04/last-days-of-muhammad-atta. hypertext markup language & gt ; . Kumar. Amitava. ( 2006 ) . “Muhammad Atta. ” Blogsome. 2008. 16 December 2008

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