In the article "Whats the Deal With Iran?" by Patrica Smith,The main idea is about how the new younger generation of Iranians crave and want stronger diplomatic ties with the United States.While the religious clergy that is running the country still detest the United States.Since the 1970's our two countries have been very hostile.Due to the fact that the USA implanted a loyal Shah(king)in the Iranian government.Which caused the capture of 52 US civilians and was held hostage for over 400 days by Islamic fundamentalist.Our diplomatic relationship wasn't helped when Iran began to use nuclear power and refused to stop.  Since there has been one recent successful talk/agreement about shutting down nuclear test many young Iranians are happy that the relations are getting better with the United States.          

  I think the author wants to show that not all Iranians are bad or hate Americans .That were actually very similar to us  and they want to be more like us. I think the author wants you feel some compassion or sympathy to the younger Iranians. Since they live in a oppressive government,but they want more personal freedom like style of clothing,music and activities.Similar things that teens and young adults in the States do.

 Definitely my opinion on Iran has changed. I used to think that they were just a huge warmongering machine and there people are evil. I realized that there people are just people.Who have jobs,family and friends like and normal person here.Now my attitude towards Iranian policies and hostile attitudes towards western countries have not changed,but I now learned that its not okay  to judge a civilian by its countries attitude to my very own county.      

            Cormac McCarthy's novel "The Road" is about a man and his son who

struggle to survive in the empty shell of the United States of America. After a

apocalyptic event that left the land covered in ash .With almost no food and

barely any water made  death  very possible . Death is so prominent that eating

,drinking or people having a exchange of a few kind words is extraordinary. The

major theme of the novel is death.

        

             The man and the boy  struggle to survive. The landscape is covered in ash

and soot . Most living things were killed . Civilization has been completely

destroyed by the big mysterious event . For example, cows are extinct, and the

boy has never ever seen birds or fish. "On the hillsides old crops dead and

flattened. The barren ridgeline trees raw and black in the rain"( McCarthy 18).This

shows that everything dies and will die

 

          Eventually  the reader become aware that the man is dying. "In the night he

woke in the cold dark coughing and he coughed till his chest was raw.... He knelt

there wheezing softly, his hands on his knees. I am going to die, he said. Tell me

how I am to do that"( McCarthy 148) . His death is approaching , his worsening

cough and the increasing amounts of blood he spits out, are evidence of

that.Which adds on to the theme of death or mortality.

 

       

             The color of the scenery and landscape thoroughly represents death. The

overall tone is black and grey . The ash ,the water, the rain , the burnt trees. Bleak

landscape  in general gives and ambiance of death and depression. The

interesting thing about this book is that death is expected and even accepted by

the characters. When the man shot a bandit that was trying to get the boy. He

didn't  give a second thought about shooting him. He just accepted the bandits

death and didn't think twice about it.

One major theme that plays through out Cormac McCarthy's novel "the road" is death.
The man and the boy  struggle to survive, death is the obvious theme because there is a constant threat of murder and running out of food . The landscape is covered in ash and soot . Most living things were killed . Civilization has been completely destroyed by the big mysterious event . For example, cows are extinct, and the boy has never before seen birds or fish. "On the hillsides old crops dead and flattened. The barren ridgeline trees raw and black in the rain". 

Eventually  the reader become aware that the man is dying. "In the night he woke in the cold dark coughing and he coughed till his chest was raw.... He knelt there wheezing softly, his hands on his knees. I am going to die, he said. Tell me how I am to do that" . His death is approaching , his worsening cough and the increasing amounts of blood he spits out, are evidence of that .

The color of the scenery and landscape thoroughly represents death. the overall tone is black and grey . the ash ,the water, the rain , the burnt trees. Bleak landscape  in general gives and ambience of death and depression. The interesting about this book is that death is expected and even accepted by the characters. When the man shot a bandit that was trying to get the boy. he didn't  give a seconded thought about shooting him. He just accepted the bandits death and didn't think twice about it.