Haichiko

This is Hachiko.

hachi means 'eight'; a number referring to the dog's birth order and kō meaning prince or duke. Hachikō was an Akita dog born on a farm near the city of Ōdate. Hachikō is a royal companion since older generation.

and this is a true story.


i watched a movie called Hachi: A Dog Story last week. its not a Korean or Japanese movie but it is in English. It was directed in 2009 by Lasse Hallstrom, starring Richard Gere, Joan Allen and Sarah Roemer. 
 


the story is about a loyal dog that loves its master so much. Its master ,  name Parker, is a married guy that has a stable job, happy marriage and beloved daughter. his life was perfect but he feels the loneliness after the death of his son. one day, when he found the dog, his life changed. he becomes more happy and energetic. 

Every single day, the dog will send him to the train station in the morning, and wait for him at 5 in the evening. Hachi will wait at the same spot until he arrives at the station. Parker never teaches Hachi to do so.
everybody at the station knows Hachi and his loyalness. 

the story reached the climax when Parker died of happiness. *u have to see the movie to know why* Hachi waited for him at the station but he didnt turns up. her daughter took Hachi away to  live with her after Parker died but every 5 oclock in the evening, Hachi will come and wait and the same spot at the station. Hachi soon stayed in the station and keeps waiting for Parker everyday, every falls, every winter ; for 9 years.

Hachi died there at the station, on winter,  at the exact spot; waiting for Parker.



Today, a bronze statue of Hachiko sits in his waiting spot outside the Shibuya railroad station.


from my view, 
firstly, its a sad story. a really sad one. i cried like crazy. i never thought i will be so touched watching a dog story. i think basically its about a broken hearted dog that loves his master so much. at the first time Parker found the dog, i felt the chemistry in them. i felt like its not Parker who found the dog, Hachi found him. he escaped some how and just stand there in front of Parker. Hachi had loved him ever since. Hachi is not an ordinary dog. it doesnt play fetch. However, i think Hachi willingly fetch for him because Hachi wants to impress him. because he knows, Parker will be happy and loves him. the waiting part is just to show the loyalness of Hachi. he never been asked to do that. Hachi just want to show how much he cares for Parker. after Parker died, Hachi is broken hearted. he doesnt care to find food, he doesnt care for the weather, he just sit there wait for him.the part that Hachi died is very sad because before he died, he dreamed Parker arrives at the station and hug him.  :(

please please go and watch the movie. 
i would love to hear your thoughts.
p/s: another recommended movie is Marley and Me.



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My confession~~~

‘Ok! I’ll write... Oh my...Stop talking to me could you????!!’ This is me talking with the voice in my head. Every single day since Dr. Rai said; “guys, you all need to write in a blog,” the voice keep telling me to just go and write. (At first I was panic because I don’t even know how to open a blog!) But then the voice said, ‘Never mind, there’s always a first time for everything.’


My confession~~~

For so long I’ve wanted to do this (write, I want to become a writer) but I don’t know how to express my feelings, thoughts and ideas into interesting words. There seems so much going on in my mind, that when I started pouring one out, it does not stop until I got mental block (could that be possible??? Is it happening only to me or is there someone else out there suffers from this??? Or am I just simply not talented enough???) See! I’m rambling. Ok stop!

Last time we talk about fear. If you guys still remember the video in our lecture with Dr. Rai from www.awomansworld.com. Women nowadays are strong. We does not sit and cry in the corner if anything unfortunate ever to happen to us but instead we held our head up high and find our way through it. But then, is it fear and weakness if women cared so much, she become worried for everything that’s happening around her? Is it weakness if she is scared of gaining weight, of getting old (not all women but majority), and so much more. Is it only because she wants to get herself worried or are there any other pushing factors? So here we came to think of an issue. Credit to Dr. Rai because I admit, it never crosses my mind to think of an issue, a bigger picture behind all stories and behaviors.

Back to the topic ‘My confession~~~’

I AM SCARED OF WRITING! From before I have tried to write about a dozen times. They all ended halfway. Why? This is because my real life stories had had a sad ending and had been a rollercoaster ride. You don’t understand the link to why I’m scared of writing? Ok let me explain. Before this, all of my stories are related to my real life (I have yet to improve my imagination skills to make a ‘not related to dead or alive person story’ ), at some moment before I begin writing, my life was like in heaven (simile), but short after I try to describe it in my story, abruptly something bad will happen. I’m not being illogic or superstitious, but on the other hand, it does not take only one story for me to made up this conclusion. It’s a chained event and happens continuously. So, that is the root to my fear (hyperbole, proud to say, i did my figurative language presentation last week!!!). I’m braving myself to take this course (Elit) because of my undying love (personification, again, i did my figurative language presentation last week!!!) in writing and if only there is someone out there that could help me overcome my fear, I’m sending my S.O.S here…HELP!!!



Your coursemate,

_lovespell_
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Currently Munching: A Case Of Exploding Mangoes (By Onion)


Notes About the Author
This is Mohammed Hanif's 1st book. He was born in Okara,Pakistan, and he graduated from the Pakistan Air Force Academy as a Pilot Officer.Eventually,he left his career by pursuing journalism.He is currently the BBC's Urdu special correspondent in Karachi.

Public Opinions About This Book
"Unputdownable and darkly hilarious.Mohammed Hanif is a brave,gifted writer"
Mohsin Hamid,author of The Reluctant Fundamentalist

"Exuberant and satirical"
Observer

"Zesty, highly inventive...Hanif is a gifted writer...His explosive finale is brilliantly constructed"
Daily Mail

"Grimly, intelligently comic, as if written by an Asian Joseph Heller."
Daily Telegraphy

"Funny, subversive, erotic and sad...Anyone thinking of applying for the job of unhinged, religious dictator should read this first."
Mark Haddon

Personal Opinions About This Book
   1st glance at the title. What is the 1st thought that comes into your mind? I can see a crow in the midst of unpeeling the mango skin, a few jetplanes flying in the background...What is the message hidden in the bookcover? No way a crow, a ripe mango(as you can see it is yellow) can be connected to jetplanes! Let's flip open the book then. It's a tale spiraling around the death of the Pakistan dictator General Zia and several top generals in a plane crash.(he IS the president of Pakistan from 1978 to 1988)The author started the storytelling by visualizing a public view of the plane crash and revealing the role of the storyteller.

Air Force Junior Under Officer Ali Shigri was convinced that General Zia is responsible for the death of his father eventhough the military claimed that it's a suicide. The story unrolls as the disappearance of his close friend,Obaid who's suspected in ending General Zia's life by hijacking Ali Shigri's plane in order to destroy the general's residence. The attempt failed,Obaid goes AWOL,and Ali Shigri was jailed and interrogated.

“There are shocking scenes in Hanif’s novel, and the shock they deliver is greater because they occur as interludes to the comedy......Zainab, a blind woman who is to be stoned to death for adultery, even though this alleged offense occurred while she was being gang-raped......Shigri himself is arrested and incarcerated in a torture center in Lahore Fort. From his cell, he listens to the screams of other prisoners being branded with Philips irons, and communicates through a hole in the wall with a man who has been in solitary confinement for nine years.”

The author unpack the synopsis cleverly by manipulating between third-person view and self-told story.The tale leaps from character to character:

1.General Zia,"fattened, chubby-cheeked and marinating in his own paranoia." and broke into violent sobs easily at morning prayer where "The other worshipers continued with their prayers; they were used to General Zia crying during his prayers. They were never sure if it was due to the intensity of his devotion, the matters of state that occupied his mind or another tongue-lashing from the first lady." Organiser of a party of mango festival in the plane.

2.Arnold Raphel, the US Ambassador of Pakistan, host of a party in Islamabad where the western guests dress up in flowing turbans, tribal gowns and shalwar kameez suits, by way of ridiculous homage to the Afghan fighters" Among the invited guests young bearded Saudi known as "OBL",who's the employee of "Laden and Co. Construction". And the hilarious part is that the local CIA chief approached him and said" Nice meeting you,OBL.Good work, keep it up."

3.Khalid Obaid.or rather, Baby"O"Obaid. Ali Shigri best friend and in certain situation, lover. Love watching "The Gun Of Navarone" with his Poison Perfume on.

4.General Akhtar Rehman,the ambitious head of Inter-Services Intelligence,is happy to enhance the general's already heavy security.

5.Air Force Junior Under Officer Ali Shigri.Son of Col. Quli Shigri(who's the man in charge of converting the fort Ali Shigri was bailed in into a torture centre) Plan to kill General Zia with his sword dipped with snake's venom by unintentionally scarring the general during the Drill inspection.

6.The crow.

At the end of the story, eventhough Hanif concludes it with a rational explanation of Obaid disappearance and the mystery behind Zia's plane crash, he spent more time on describing the stupidity, brutality and hypocrisy of the Pakistan rulers. As dull politic as it might be, readers may find darkly-steered and yet comical sense of humor in this political satire.

Onion's rating:7.5/10.0



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