Debate about possible themes

Listed Below are some common themes noticed among readers:

Turning Hardships into Oppurtunities

After getting lost, Mortenson ends up in the right place after all that he had been through. Nothing had been the same from when he had started the journey and now his life is changed forever in every best way possible. However, he is disappointed, that he will not reach the summit of K2. which was his original goal, but that failure leads him     to the new village of Korphe, where he realizes that building a school would be a better deed for his sister than placing her necklace at the peak of the mountain and where his mission as a humanitarian proceeds. 

Empowerment Through Education

Mortenson, from the very beginning of the story, recognizes that education is the key to his personal growth and the positive growth around the world to be more general. People like Jahan, Tahira, and Shakeela had played limited roles in their communities without education ultimately become community changers in their schools. They improve medical care, teach other girls, and change attitudes towards women as they make an effort to make other people realize that they deserve respect. Boys tend to be less educated since they leave home to find work and get a better living.For girls, they will have a higher education since they stay relatively close to home and learn education more freely. So the reader understands that education for girls is unitque and a cost-effective tool for improving the economic conditions for everyone living in similar places. The author hints on violentess and how it can be combated with educated women and an educated population as a whole.

Overcoming Cultural Differences

Mortenson grows to understand more religions and their lifestyle. Mortenson has no problem recognizing all people of different cultures to be equal. When he first comes to Korphe, he wants to participate in the lives of the villagers. As he returns again and again, he strives to become part of the community. He learns about Islamic prayer not only to fit in better but also to gain an understanding of the people and their spiritual lives. Although he often becomes impatient and tries at first to force events that he feels aren’t happening quickly enough, Haji Ali teaches him that he must respect the ways of the Balti people if he wants their cooperation. As Mortenson becomes more afflicted in humanitarian projects, he continues to build bridges between cultures. After 9/11 attacks on the world trade center, he urges Americans to combat terrorism through understanding and unity rather than violence.