Blog #7

"...I don't know - a thick mask, as though her face as a surface of a sea.. It possessed not a single colour but a multitude, appearing and disappearing and intermingling.."
I understand this passage as an illustration of gender roles in this particular culture. Mustafa's mother could not express most of her feelings, opinions,or concerns. She had to hide it under "thick mask". Her face was compared with the surface of a sea, because as we she might have to pretend to be someone she is not, or she might cover her true feelings, but nobody would never know what under the surface. She had many feelings, and she had to work very hard to cover them. Perhaps, she did not want her son to know something. Perhaps she had to cover it for his own good.
"That was bad luck for him, because it is said he was intelligent" (page 49)This passage implies that maybe it's better not to know as much, so our minds and souls won't struggle with strong feelings disagreements, and opinions, because "Justice, Equality and Socialism - mere words", meaning that such things do not exist in this world. The interesting fact is: Mustafa was very intelligent man but yet he has chosen a simple way of life. Maybe he realized that he'll never be able to change the world or life he was striving for. Then he decided to enter a world, which he can change, alter in some ways. During his intelligent life he may have discovered things that he wished he didn't know, and he may became superstitious.
"You have transmitted to us the disease of your capitalist economy. What did you give us except for a handful capitalist companies that drew off our blood - and still do?" Maybe it would be much better for the world and for the humanity as a whole, if some developed capitalistic countries would not enter developing countries under mask of humanism and with the single purpose - taking resources. Maybe people of developing countries do not need this knowledge poisoning their minds and souls.
I see a strong philosophy under Mustafa's purposeful living in village.. He feels very strongly helping people of this village with his "strength and means". He had many opportunities to become and influential man in developed society. He was well respected by his teachers and fellow students, and yet he struggles with his moral values, and he acts like his life has no purpose anymore. Then, he returns to the village and finds his purpose.