From the Paper
" This study will compare and contrast two poems--"On Pain" and "On Talking"--from Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet. The poems call for comparison and contrast because of the similar way that the poet treats different subjects. In both cases, Gibran sees his subject as being full of contradictions and disparate possibilities. He sees both pain and talking as entities which can be used as tools for the peaceful liberation of the self and consciousness or as ways for the individual to remain in a state of turbulence and ignorance. Gibran sees pain and talking as dependent on the perception and wisdom of the individual for their values, purpose and definition. They are not necessarily good or bad in and of themselves.

The prophet is asked to speak on pain, and he says that pain is a necessary factor in the awakening of the self and the soul..."

Abstract
This paper explains that Gibran's early books, written in Arabic, are full of anger and rebellion and express the sadness of a lonely soul; but, later in his life, Gibran's changed view expresses a tender and benevolent view of life as he demonstrates in his masterpiece, "The Prophet". The author argues that Gibran is teaching the reader that, without suffering, a person can never truly love and live life; without this pain, man would only live halfway. This paper relates that the book is not only a lesson that pain and happiness exist together, but also a guidebook for living life.

From the Paper
"In the last chapter of the book, Gibran writes about Almustafa's farewell to the people of Orphalese and passage into the next world, or death. In this chapter, Almustafa tells the people that he is moving on past death into the next level of existence and he thanks them for teaching him. At this point in the story, his teachings address the idea of man being one with God and death as being a "stepping-stone" to living in the next life.
Gibran writes, "There are no graves here. These mountains and plains are a cradle and a stepping-stone." (The Prophet, p.87). Gibran adds, "You are not enclosed within your bodies, nor confined to houses or fields. That which is you dwells above the mountain and roves with the wind. It is not a thing that crawls into the sun for warmth or digs holes into darkness for safety, but a thing free, a spirit that envelopes the earth and moves in the ether" ".

Tags:didactic, qur?an, almustafa, island, parent