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1. Red Birds by Mohammed Hanif

2. Group no. 1 Mohammed Hanif's take on the absurdity of war and international aid.

3. Introduction Popularized in the 20th century, French philosopher, Camus defined absurdism as the futility of a search for meaning in an incomprehensible universe, devoid of God, or meaning. According to him, the origin of the absurd was from the conflict of man not being able to rationalize and explain his existence in human terms. In "Red Birds," Mohammed Hanif suggests that the endeavors of war and international aid frequently result in more harm than good. He examines the absurdity of these efforts, emphasizing how they can lead to disorder and perplexing rather than resolving conflicts or assisting those in need.

4. The futility of War: This futile endeavor reflects the uncertainty and hopelessness experienced by individuals caught amid conflict. " He kept looking for Ali. There were so many things he wanted to ask him. But Ali had vanished, like everyone and everything else “ Momo's persistent search for his brother Ellie’s attempt to fix the plane The military base point less projects The cynical violence Loss and grief Environmental destruction

5. The story takes place in a place where there is a lot of fighting and war going on. In this setting, things are often very strange and don't make much sense. Imagine people doing things that seem silly or pointless because of the war. The setting shows how war can make people act in funny or absurd ways, even though the situation is serious and sad. It's like a mix of comedy and tragedy, where the setting itself adds to the absurdity and irony of the story. Mohammad Hanif, the author uses humor and contrasts to show how silly and absurd things can be in the military. They give you a 65-million-dollar machine to fly, with the smartest bomb that some beam riders in Salt Lake City took years to design, you burn fuel at the rate of fifteen gallons per second and if you get screwed, they expect you to survive on four energy biscuits and an organic smoothie. With a voice both tough and thoughtful, Hanif underscores the absurdity of war and the fragility of being human in a violent world. When Ellie is confronted by the horrors of war in person, he realizes that “on paper your flying jacket is also fireproof but the papers don’t tell you it can’t protect your eyes from melting in their sockets” . Setting of war: Absurdity and irony

6. In "Red Birds," occasional aid refers to the help that people sometimes get during war, but it's not always reliable or consistent. It's like a small ray of light in the darkness of war. For example, the line : " I didn't find the mutt. The mutt found me“ . refers to the unexpected encounter between the protagonist and a dog in the desert. Despite the absurdity, Momo still tries to offer assistance by guiding the man to where he can find proper water, even though he is in need. " Don't be an animal, the boy says, putting the plug back and wiping his hands with an oily rag. 'Drinking water is inside the jeep” . Occasional Aid

7. Power drifts in "Red Birds" refer to the shifting dynamics of power between different characters, especially in a war-torn environment. During war, people's positions and influence can change rapidly, leading to power struggles and conflicts. We see this in the novel through this line : "Did I fly 637 sorties, drop a few thousand tons of the smartest bombs, so that in the end I could shovel shit or whatever it is that you have to shovel to keep those herbs alive and cactuses inverted?“ This line shows how war can change a person's life in strange and unexpected ways. The person who used to have a lot of power and do exciting things now feels like their efforts were wasted. It also reflects the absurdity of war, where someone who was once involved in intense and destructive actions is now dealing with everyday tasks . Power drifts

8. Red Tape and Nepotism It delves deep into the intricate layers of society, exposing the raw realities of red tape and nepotism. These aren't just abstract concepts but living, breathing forces shaping the lives of the characters within the novel. Imagine Major Ellie, a soldier tasked with a mission to find his missing pilot, but instead of navigating enemy lines, he finds himself entangled in a bureaucratic maze. The military base becomes a symbol of this bureaucratic quagmire, where forms and protocols take precedence over human lives. Through Ellie's struggles, we feel the frustration and absurdity of bureaucracy, where rules and regulations seem to suffocate any hope of meaningful progress. But the red tape doesn't stop at the military base; it extends its grip into broader society.

9. Hanif portrays the characters' resilience as they navigate through the harsh realities of their environment. One of the primary characters, Ellie, is a young refugee who finds himself stranded in the desert after his plane crashes. Despite being in a dire situation . , Ellie demonstrates remarkable resilience as he tries to find his way back home. T he aid workers and military personnel in the refugee camp show resilience as they grapple with the moral dilemmas and bureaucratic red tape inherent in their roles. Hanif uses these characters to explore the complexities of human nature and how individuals respond to extreme circumstances. Human fortitude and resilience

10. Foregrounding It's a literary device that emphasizes ideas and symbols through attention-seeking techniques. There are many symbols used beautifully here like Red Birds; these are representative of dead souls on the battlefield, their sorrow of not being in peace, homelessness, and powerlessness but some say that a bird represents hope and freedom being a flying creature that can go anywhere . 2. Backgrounding Hanif began Red Birds after a series of personal losses; the epigraph is a quote from his close friend Sabeen Mahmud, a Pakistani human rights activist who was assassinated in 2015 following a reading she staged of Hanif's politically sensitive work. Perhaps Mutt's voice is the bridge between the novel and Hanif's feelings of grief. "I don't think I or any of my colleagues have recovered from that shot," he told The Guardian . Pragmatic devices

11. 3. Omission According to Thomas Huckin , under the model of framing, omission is an integral part of revealing the plot of the novel narrative. It is the deletion or exclusion of certain elements that are intended to bring up meaning. Mohammed Hanif does not name the place where all the destruction takes place. Which depicts the senselessness of all the wars and futile aid propaganda. This brings nothing but sorrow. Pragmatic devices

12. Topicalization Topicalization refers to the emphasis given to the topic of a sentence, that suggests some meaning at the beginning of certain sentences, and conveys the main point . While in the camp, Major Ellie observed, "Make them orphans, then adopt them, that’s how the world goes . The first statement highlights the cruelty of war, while the next one contradicts it. Analysis at sentence level

13. Connotation Connotation refers to the meanings beyond their literal existence. Momo has a plan of business to catch kites, train them, and sell them to Arabs for money , " Naming his project" Ethical Hunting ". Hunting is never ethical which is a paradoxical term used by the boy in paradoxical circumstances, business during war . Metaphors Metaphors are used to give attribution of an object to another. In the novel, Major Ellie calls himself a " bargaining chip" to camp for food. "Eagle strike " a name given to Major Ellie by Colonel Slatter is metaphorical because in the same case, he is there roaming in the plane "Eagle " in the sky to bomb people perfectly . Analysis at the word level

14. Register Register refers to recording an event, transaction, name, or other information, or aggregating stored data, usually containing past events, transactions, names, or other information. Mother Dear uses the rosary to pronounce the ninety-nine names of the Creator on its beads. Analysis at the word level

15. The ghastliness of war and its consequent unsavory realities are subtly captured in Mohammed Hanif’s recent novel, Red Birds. Hanif demonstrates his finesse by dovetailing the tenebrous story of the war with comic yet insightful scenes that bring tragicomic effects to the novel. Hanif uses these characters to explore the complexities of human nature and how individuals respond to extreme circumstances and activities that are ultimately futile in war and absurd. The loss and grief, environmental destruction, satirical depiction, paradox, nepotism, global ideology, and political insights. Though his prose has no ornamental frills and no redundant fancifulness, his engaging style, and the gripping narrative make it an interesting read . Conclusion

16. Questions are always welcomed!

17. Thank you.