Leftovers

The modern piece of literature Leftovers by Laura Weiss is a book that focuses on the troubled adolescence of two girls, Ardith and Blair. These young women "have committed an unforgiveable act in the name on love and justice" and are paying for even second of it.

The story is based on the childhood of the two girls, and examines what could have possibly went wrong. The circumstances include alcoholic parents, abusive siblings, and forbidden friendship. Simple choices such as wearing a revealing shirt out at night, taking a different route home at night, or even deciding to start a conversation with your mother result in events such as cutting ones wrists, being locked out of the house and being forced to sleep with a padlock on your door, which result in desperation and the need for revenge, which in turn results in committing a heinous crime.

Is the crime always the fault of the criminal?

Crime And Punishment

Crime and Punishment is probably one of the most talked about pieces of literature ever, and the work's author, Fyodor Dostoevsky, has recieved much praise.

The novel is based on a man's decision to murder an old pawnbroker. This man's decision to murder was thought to produce wealth and happiness not only for the murderer, but for humanity as a whole. However, much to the murderer's (Raskolnikov) suprise, the crime gave way to months of physical and mental torment that was uncontrollable and unavoidable.

Raskolnikov committed a crime deemed the worst crime in the world, and expected to walk away unscarred. He paid for his actions through a jail sentence, mental anguish, and the loss of respect between him and those he loved. Although murder may not be and everyday action, it is still an action, and there is still a price to be paid for it.

The Awakening

Kate Chopin's literary masterpiece The Awakening addresses the question: do our everyday actions effect our lives in the long run? in a very unique and almost subtle way.

When Edna chooses to marry out of pure lust, she ends up living a life full of unwarranted passion for other men, lack of interest in her children, and udder unhappiness about her situation-despite her beauty and wealth. The novel ends with Edna's suicide, only after she is deserted by the only man she ever cared for. Edna's hasty and unreasonable marriage may have given her brief satisfaction, but her lonliness and pain were the factors that eventually ended her life. She chose to kill herself by walking into the ocean, and being unable to swim, ended up being engulfed in the waves, just as she was engulfed in her own misery and passion.

The Kite Runner

In Khaled Hosseini's novel The Kite Runner Amir makes many decisions in his early and mid childhood that will haunt him for the rest of his life.

Amir's best friend Hassan is the type that will do anything for his best friend, but Amir never returns the favor. Amir treats Hassan horrendously, and stands as a witness to Hassan's violent rape without taking action. Amir's constant ignorance and eventual shunning of his best friend result in Amir's troubled adulthood and lack of trust in individuals. He feels a constant sense of dread and sadness, especially when he learns Hassan has been murdered. Despite Amir's successful life in America, he returns to Afghanistan to redeem himself by adopting Hassan's son and rescuing him from child slavery and sexual abuse.

Amir's seemingly typical childhood disregard for those who are different turned in to much more, a life wasted trying to fix his past mistakes.