3. Helpful
Greg Mortenson’s helpfulness can be seen from Murphy’s theory of characterization, character as seen by another Murphy 162. Greg Mortenson is
helpful, it is showed when he is in Korphe village. In Korphe, he starts helping people by building schools, taking care of the villagers who are sick and so on.
“My grandmother was very shocked when Doctor Greg went into her kitchen,” Jahan says. “But she already thought of him as her own child, so
she accepted it. Soon, her ideas changed, and she began to tease my grandfather that he should learn how to be more helpful like his American
son” 113.
Sakina, Jahan’s Grandmother is shocked knowing Greg Mortenson comes to her kitchen and helps her. However, she is happy and she asks her husband to learn
from Greg to be more helpful. Greg Mortenson is asked by Haji Ali to do something during the school
building process. Haji Ali feels that during the building process, Greg Mortenson makes the men who work accomplishing the school building crazy of him. And
his helpfulness is showed when he has a conversation with Haji Ali. It is analyzed by using Murphy theory, which is from Greg Mortenson’s conversation to other.
Haji Ali reached up and laid his hand on Mortenson’s shoulder. “These mountains have been here a long time,” he said. “And so have we.” He
reached for his brown lambswool topi, the only symbol of authority Korphe’s nurmadhar ever wore, and centered it on his silver hair. “You
can’t tell the mountains what to do.” He said, with an air of gravity that transfixed Mortenson as much as the view. “You must learn to listen to
them. So now I am asking you to listen to me. By the mercy of Almighty Allah, you have done much for my people, and we appreciate it. But now
you must do one more thing for me.”
“Anything,” Mortenson
said. “Sit down. And shut your mouth,” Haji Ali said. “You’re making everyone
crazy.” “I followed him ….”149-150.
What Greg Mortenson said to Haji Ali is kind of his willingness to do what Haji Ali asks in order to help him. Besides, Greg Mortenson also helps the men in
finishing the school building by doing what Haji Ali commands. After finishing building a school in Korphe, Greg Mortenson plans to
continue his works to build other schools in Northern Pakistan area. Therefore, he goes to another area but in his way, he is kidnapped by the Taliban members.
When he is kidnapped, he has a little conversation to Khan, an emerging Taliban commander. “Greg Mortenson explained that he planned to build many more
schools for Pakistan’s most neglected children, and he’d come to Waziristan to see if his service were wanted here” 170. From what he says, we know that Greg
Mortenson has a big desire to help not only Korphe people, but he comes to another area which needs his help.
In 1998, Greg Mortenson visits the refugee camp in Peshawar. At that time, Taliban is conquered most of Afghanistan area. In the refugee camp he
provides foods, shelter and he also educates hundred thousands of people. In such condition and situation, it is difficult for Greg Mortenson to construct the school.
Therefore, he does other things to help them, But at the Shamstoo Refugee Camp, southwest Peshawar, he organized
eighty teachers, who held classes for four thousand Afghan students, and agreed to see that their salaries were paid as long as the refuges remained
in Pakistan 208.
Despite the difficult conditions, Greg still makes big effort to help the children to get education in the refugee camp. He organizes and pays teachers to teach in the
refugee camp. From what Greg Mortenson does, it shows that he helps anyone in any condition. When something happens in someplace, and Greg Mortenson
cannot help the people by himself, he will give his effort to help them, such as asking and arranging for someone else’s help.
With eye disease rampant in Northern Pakistan, Mortenson arranged for Dr. Geoff Tabin, an American cataract surgeon, to offer free surgery to
sixty elderly patients in Skardu and Gilgit. And he sent Dr. Niaz Ali, the only eye doctor in Baltistan, to the renowned Tilanga Eya Hospital in
Nepal for specialized training so he could perform the surgeries himself long after Dr. Tabin returned home to America 208.
After giving help to the people in the Northern Pakistan, Greg Mortenson has to go and return back America-Pakistan. He returns to America to meet his family
where he usually stays for a week in his hometown then comes back to Pakistan. After his arrival in Islamabad, Greg Mortenson is picked up by Hussein,
Apo and Faisal. They are still driving to get to Skardu. When they have arrived in Indus Hotel, Syed Abbas Risvi the religious leader of Northern Pakistan’s Shia
Muslims meets Greg Mortenson and asks for Mortenson’s help. Syed Abbas tells him that the war is a disaster for the Gultori civilians. They have two thousands
refugees in Skardu and the rest are hiding in caves. After Greg listens to Syed Abbas explanation, he directly goes to the
refugee camp in Skardu. There is a person named Mullah Guzar, who talks to Greg Mortenson about how his family really needs water. According to the
condition, we can understand how Greg Mortenson is helpful by his speech, “We will help you bring the water for your families,” he promised 220. Greg
Mortenson gives good response to Mullah Gulzar, he promises to help him and his family to bring water for them.
Having a big desire to help other area instead of Northern Pakistan, Greg Mortenson builds schools in Northern Afghanistan. He hears about the civilian of
Afghanistan news. Under Taliban pressure, more than ten thousand Afghans, mostly women and children, become the victim. Women and children are starving
and need shelters. Knowing the news about the Afghans, Greg Mortenson says, “Since I started working in Pakistan, I haven’t slept much,” Mortenson
says. “But that winter I hardly slept at all. I was up all night, pacing my basement, trying to find some way to help them”
Mortenson fired off letters to newspaper editors and members of Congress, trying to stir up otrage. “but no one cared,” Mortenson says. 239.
Greg Mortenson tries hard to find some ways to help the Afghans until he cannot sleep all night. Based on his speech, we know that he really wants to help the
Afghans by thinking about the way to help them.
4. Brave
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