Section 10

Section 10

Summary:

Amir, Sohrab, and Farid find there way to Peshawar. It reminds Amir of Kabul and how one day that was his hope that the city could be that well organized but it appeared it was headed in the wrong direction. They acquire a hotel room in the city and the difference from the hotel in Kabul is drastic. Once they settled in Farid has to depart and return to his family. Before he left Amir hands Farid an envelope that contains a little over two thousand dollars in order to pay him back for his kindness and help. That is the last time Amir saw Farid again. He then took pain pills and went to sleep waiting for them to work. When he woke up Sohrab is nowhere to be found. He seeks assistance fro the hotel manager, but because of the stigma of Afghanis the manager refused much service, until Amir begged and offered to pay him for a ride to the mosque. They found him about hundred yards away from the hotel. Amir has the manager go back to the hotel to give them alone time. Amir and Sohrab stare at the mosque and talk. The conversation leading into Sohrab feeling bad for what he did to Aseef at the Taliban’s mansion. Amir tries to explain that some bad people stay bad and that he is clean and pure regardless of what they have done to him.  Amir works up the nerve to ask the boy if he would want to live with him and his wife in America. He also revealed the hidden fact that Sohrab was his nephew and Hassan his father is his brother. Amir explains that his father was not ashamed of Hassan but him self and his own actions. The two make their way back to the hotel. Sohrab fears to be put into another orphanage and Amir promises to never allow that to happen. Amir is finally able to speak to Soraya on the phone at the hotel and her excitement exudes through the phone. He mentions Sohrab and how he wishes to adopt him and finally EVERYTHING finally comes out. After fifteen years of marriage he is able to tell her everything and she still is able to look past it all. The next day Amir and Sohrab make their way to the American embassy where their hopes are shot down. Raymond Andrews delivers heart-breaking news to Amir as he discovers adopting Sohrab is close to impossible and is not too sympathetic about it either. No adoption agencies were willing to take on an Afghani case because of the turmoil the country is current in and the fact that there was no real way to prove Sohrab was an orphan due to no death certificates. After the persistence Amir showed for not taking no for an answer Mr. Andrews directs him to an immigration lawyer named Omar Faisal.  The only real way to get Sohrab out of the country was to place him in an orphanage again, which did not sit well with Sohrab. Amir later finds out due to his father-in-laws connection in the INS, they have been able to grant Sohrab a visa. As he goes to inform the boy of the splendid news he unfortunately comes across a terrible bloody site in the bathroom. Sohrab is immediately transported to a hospital where Amir is not permitted access to him during surgery. With the fear of having another persons blood on his hands he could do nothing but ask which way west was and prey. He then drifts into a heavy sleep while preying. He is woken by a doctor and begins to prey again. The doctor came with good news that Sohrab was alive in the intensive car unit. Once he is aloud access to Sohrab he does not leave for three days. He returned to the hotel to clean up and get some sleep and once he returned Sohrab had been moved to an on level bed. Amir tries not to look at the bruise on his arm. He had the same lifeless face his father had when Ali made them move away. It would be a year before the boy spoke again. Sohrab never accepted nor declined Amirs offer to live with him in America, so he went when his visa arrived. Even Soraya’s jubilance to see him did not drop some life back into his face. It was if no one had lived in the colorful room up stairs with them. The general is fascinated by the boy and curious as of to why this boy was now apart of their family. After his questions of beating around the bush Amir told his parents of his half illegitimate brother and how the boy was his nephew. Amir and Soraya became heavily involved In Afghanistan affairs after the twin towers fell in 2001 and America retaliated. The North Alliance moved in as the Taliban fled. On the Afghanistan New Year there were massive amounts of Afghani’s in the bay area celebrating. A great deal of kites fly high in the sky. Amir begins to tell Sohrab of his father’s incredible talent to chase kites. He buys a kite from a close kite vender and asks him his he wishes to fly it with him. The eventually get into a battle with a green and they one using Hassan’s old tricks. As Amir went to retrieve the kite, Sohrab smiled for the first time in a year.

Quotes:

1.)   “There are a lot of children in Afghanistan, but little childhood” (Hosseini 318) this quote is important because it highlights what most of a previous section was about. It stood out because it shows what a desperate state the nation is in. It adds a sense of unfairness because of the fact that these children’s childhoods are being stolen from them. It reveals that the youth of Afghanistan are a massive number of the population but they must worry about survival and not being a kid. It foreshadows a great struggle to get Sohrab’s childhood back.

2.)   “My chest tightened with a surge of unexpected anger at the way my countryman were destroying their own land.” (Hosseini 321) this quote is important because it reveals Amirs understanding of what is happening to his country and how it is his own people who are causing it. It foreshadows him becoming more involved in helping Afghanistan affairs. It adds a sense of frustration and urge to make a difference in this catastrophe. It stood out to me because it reminded me of Mark Anthony’s famous speech “Friends, Romans, Countryman.”

3.)   “ Perspective was a luxury when your head was constantly buzzing with a swarm of demons” (Hosseini 356) this is important because this reveals the inner battle Sohrab is currently going through. This adds to the silence Sohrab continues throughout the book because within he was fighting off his depression. It stood out to me because ever since Sohrab had been hospitalized Amir has become more religious but this is dealing with demons in a more metaphoric way.  It foreshadows that he will eventually be able to have his luxury of perspective once again.

Imagery/ Symbolism:

 A rainy day kicks off the Afghanistan New Year, people were frying bolani and steam came from teacups and a pot of cauliflower aush, and an old Ahmad Zahir song is blasting from a cassette player. Amir, Sohrab, Soraya, and Khala Jamila ran across the grass field. Sohrab has on a yellow rain coat. By three o’clock the rain stopped and a cool breeze blew through the park, and more families arrived. “Amir look” Soraya said pointing at the sky, there were a dozen kites in the sky and then she pointed out the kite vender. Amir picked out a yellow kite and tested the string. He asked Sohrab to help, but of course there was no answer. Amir talks about Hassan’s amazing kite running when they were both kids in order to intrigue Sohrab. He held out the string for him and he took it. They were able to allude and defeat him using Hassan’s old tricks and from that victory came a smile from Sohrab. This image stood out to me because it parallels to the beginning of the book when Amir and Hassan would kite run. It is significant because it brings back the life into Sohrab’s face, which is something Amir could never see from Hassan. It adds a sense of family and togetherness because finally the “green light” which symbolizes hope is able to shine in the boy. Green is motioned constantly through out the book when ever significant moment occurs something is mentioned to be green to represent the hope that everything will be “good again”.

Style and Rhetorical Devices:

1.)   On page 316 “Who the hell cared about another dead Afghan kid?” This rhetorical question enhances the meaning by making dead Afghan kids a common thing that is not scaled equally to a kid in America. It was place during the scare of losing Sohrab to show how that society treated that particular race because of the stigma attached to them. Without this I think the true understanding how little of a deal death was when it came to an Afghan child.

2.)   On page 317 “The mosque sparkled like a diamond in the dark” This simile is used to enhance the importance of this location due to its religious purposes. It was placed here to make the location stick out by giving it a tremendous view since Amir was about to change Sohrab’s view of him forever. Without this there would be no foreshadow of Amirs new strong religious beliefs.

3.)   On page 320 “Now as the boy’s pain soaked through my shirt, I saw that a kinship had taken root between us too.” This metaphor is used to enhance the meaning of his pain. It is placed their to symbolize how his tears carry all the pain and suffering he has been through. Without it the reader may miss the true meaning of the tears.

4.)   On page 328 “So” he said, crinkling his gray eyes against the smoke, “Tell me your story.” This is ironic since Amir is an author making it seem as if it should be fairly simple and Mr. Andrews should be sympathetic to him, which is why I think the author chose to place it as their first interaction with him. Without it there would be a lack of irony and sort of lightness within their interaction, since it does get fairly heated.

5.)   On page 359 “ I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.” This personification is used to enhance the perspective of Amir because instead of gradual forgiveness something else just disappears one day. It is placed here because he has just realized that he no longer cares that Baba might have loved Hassan more because he was more like him. Without it the reader would miss a crucial part of Amirs journey because he finally could accept what Baba did.

Theme:

Amir has gone through a journey that he will never forget and what helped him persevere was hope, which was symbolically hidden in the color green. The green kite that Amir and Sohrab defeated in their epic battle was to represent that together it is possible to overcome with the help of hope. The victory of the green kite sparked the light back into Sohrab. Hope has been there through the wedding, death, and surgeries of the characters to show how it was always there. No one ever had to say they were hopeful because it lingered in the air and it was apart of their world.

Personal Response:

I can’t believe its over! I want to see how Sohrab grows up and if he does become like his father in the ways of being respectful, loyal, and loving. I feel like he left us off on one of those ominous endings that could kind of go anywhere. I think that Amir has grown tremendously because he has been able to persevere though everything and has been able to leave behind his childhood past. He has transformed into a selfish loser into a generous kind and loving person. I feel like Amir is now proud of him self, which is something I don’t think he ever really felt before. I hope Sohrab can be a child once more.

Section 9

 

Summary:

In chapters 22-23 of Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner the time has come for Amir to finally accomplish what he has been sent to do. The time has come for Amir to face the Taliban and this time Farid cannot come along and help him. The Taliban is the only thing coming in between him and Sohrab. Even though he wishes Farid could tag along as well as his father. He remembers what a powerful man his father was and how he would not be as hesitant, but it soon became relevant that he is alone and must face the Taliban alone. He is greeted by too men and as he was greeted Farid mouths “I’ll be back”, but Amir is unsure if he will. He is escorted into a room upstairs where he waits. The armed men returned with the tall Taliban man who wore dark John Lennon glasses. He is astonished that he stands in front of the man who he just witness execute someone, and he didn’t even bother to change. The blood still stained his white shirt. Suddenly Amirs cheeks burn from the removal of his beard, the Taliban new it was a fake. Amir finally sees Sohrab he has make up on. They treat him like a monkey boy making him dance with a boom box and have bells strapped around his ankles. The Talib called Sohrab to him and then after he finished caressing him he removes his glasses to reveal his blue eyes. The Talib is Assef. The only way Assef will allow Amir to leave with the boy is if he does what he could not do when they were children, which is fight him. Amir is aloud to walk out with Sohrab if he is the only one to walk out of the room they will fight in. As they fight and Amir acquires a vast amount of injuries he begins to laugh. He laughs because he is finally at peace with his past. After it is clear that Assef will not stop brutally beating Amir, Sohrab takes it upon himself to end the fight. He takes a cup in his slingshot and fires it at Aseef’s face. It hits him directly in the eye. Sohrab helps Amir out outside to the car and they make their escape. Amir is then hospitalized for a few days before he must then flee from the Taliban. While in the hospital he attempts to become closer to Sohrab but it fails. It has come to Amirs knowledge that Rahim has left to some place that no one knows. A plot-turning event is when Farid returns from the American consulate where it seems to that Thomas and Betty Caldwell never had been. There has been no documentation of them ever being in Afghanistan. This reveals Rahim’s ultimate plan to make Amir “good again”.

 

Quotes:

 

1.)   “ Nothing wrong with cowardice as long as it comes with prudence. But when a coward stops remembering who he is… God help him.” (Hosseini 275) this is important because this is Amir reverting back into his boyish and childish ways. It adds to this section by nearly having a relapse of cowardness. The way he treats cowardness is almost like a drug because it is easier to run away then deal with the issue is what makes it stand out. It might foreshadow him overcoming another cowardly response toward a dangerous situation, or not. It reveals that Amir is not as strong or changed as once believed.

 

2.)   “What was the old saying about the bad penny? My past was like that, always turning up.” (Hosseini 281) this quote is important because it directly states how his past never stops coming back to haunt him. It adds to this section by using the saying that was not even finished because the only thing that mattered was the result of things turning up. It stands out because it is not only clear to the reader but to Amir as well that every thing that could not be faces as a child he must face as a man. It foreshadows even more surprising events that appear from his past. It reveals that the past will not let him move on to the future till he learns the lessons he could not as a child.

 

3.)   “My body was broken-just how badly I couldn’t find out until later- but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed.” (Hosseini 289) this quote is important because it is a realization moment for Amir. It stands out because it shows how now that he faced this obstacle and gone through it rather than running away it helps him feel “healed”. It adds to this section by having his soul being healed while breaking his body showing antitheses. This foreshadows Amir being more at peace and having less selfish thoughts since he is doing a selfless deed.

 

Imagery/ Symbolism

 

While Amir is in a slight comma he has a dream. Baba is wrestling a black bear, the Baba Amir remembers from his childhood. As they roll on the green grass it is not clear whether or not it was the bear or Baba who roared. After a claw and hand swipe they fall to the ground followed by a load thud. Baba is found sitting on the bear’s chest and his fingers dug into his snout. He looks up and Amir and then he sees that he is the one wrestling the bear. This image struck me because of the fact that is reminded me of the scene in Harry potter of how Harry thinks his father saves him from the dementors, but in actuality it was himself. This image is important because it symbolizes how in a away he as become just as strong and fearless he use to think his father was. This adds to the text by showing Amir’s 180 turn-around. He never thought he would be to the standers of Baba and yet he has proven himself to himself.

 

Style and Rhetorical Devices

 

1.)   On page 273 “He killed the engine and we sat for a minute, listening to the tink-tink of the engine cooling off, neither one of us saying anything.” This onomatopoeia enhances the meaning of the silence; because it is not the fact that they are quiet it is why they are quiet. The author placed it there to amplify the silence to set up the atmosphere full of tension. Without it the reader would lose the true purpose of sitting in silence before Amir steps foot into the Taliban’s palace. It is to let the nervous tension linger.

 

2.)   On page 275 “The grape was sweet. I popped another one in, unaware that it would be the last bit of solid food I would eat for a long time”. This foreshadowing enhances the importance of the grape. The author placed this here to make the reader wonder what possibilities could cause this information come true. Without it the constant dwelling on the grape would appear pointless.

 

3.)   On page 277 “He said it fondly, like a man telling of a great party he’d attended.” This simile enhances the sick and deranged manner of the Talib and how he is able to describe massacring hundreds of people in a delightful way. The author placed this here to give the Talib an eerie and demented feel. Without it I don’t think that it would be fully understood how twisted he is.

 

4.)   On page 278 “How is that whore these days?” This is personifying America and it emphasizes how it shelters anyone who needs it or has to flee into its protection. The author uses this here to show the hatred and animosity the Talib holds toward the country.  Without it the initial hatred for traders and cowards that fled would not be read as clear.

 

5.)   On page 302 “ I know that in the end, God will forgive. He will forgive your father, me, and you too. I hope you can do the same. Forgive your father if you can. Forgive me if you wish. But, most important, forgive yourself.” The use of this repetition is to enhance the fact that in order to forgive others he must forgive him self as well. The author placed this here in order to tie in to the forgiveness he must eventually give to him self and not just others. Without it I do not think that message would have been perceived.

 

Theme:

Amir has is finally what he had never in his wildest dreams thought he would be and that is brave. He went in and saved Sohrab with out dragging anyone else along with him. He is able to face Assef who might as well be the source that his fears sprout from because he would never even have to be good enough again had he not raped Hassan or be as evil as he was. Amir finally is able to fight the black bear and come out in top.

 

Personal Response

I think Amir has grown tremendously. He is now who he used to look up to showing how he has made a 180 turn into someone completely different. It was ironic how Hassan’s prediction of “one eyed Assef came true. It was even more ironic that it was his-own son to cause it. I love how Sohrab is practically a new Hassan, so in a way it is like he never left. I just hope he will become closer to Amir and that he will adopt him and take him into his home. Something tells me the Taliban is not going to allow this story to have a happy ending.

Section 8

I know this was getting confusing soooo here you go

Summary :

In chapters 18-21 of Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner the past has a tight hold of Amir’s life. As he looks back on his life with Baba and Hassan it becomes clear how there has been subtle clues that he has missed through out their life together. It is why Baba would become incredibly irate when Amir would bring up the idea of obtaining new servants, because Hassan is not a real servant. Amir realizes how Baba had gone against his own words by lying to Amir, Ali, and Hassan. He had stolen Hassan and Ali’s right to the truth. After contemplating how he missed all of the signs Baba had showed when caring for Hassan, Amir begins his journey to find Sohrab. He still encounters terrible carsickness when traveling, which Farid his driver finds quite annoying. Farid is not a fan of Amir, he views him as a privileged and pampered American who knew and still knows nothing about the “real Afghanistan”. Amir is astonished as of how much his country has drastically changed due to the Taliban take over, which was once thought to bring relief not more oppression. Wahid, Farid’s brother invites Amir into his home so that he is able to rest and eat. Engaged in conversation with Wahid Amir states his reason of returning to Afghanistan, and Wahid calls him an “honorable man and a true Afghan”. The reasons also allow Farid to view Amir as more than a spoiled brat that ran from his country opposed to fight for it. Before they leave for Kabul Amir gives the youngest of Wahid’s sons the watch they were staring at, but it turns out they were starting at the food he consumed in their presence. He left a handful of money under a mattress for the family before he left. Amir’s first run in with the Taliban is quick but memorable one because he does what one should never do. He stares at one directly in their eyes. This action not only has Farid irate but a homeless beggar. The beggar use to be a professor at the university his mother went to and remarkably remembers her as well. Amir learns more about his mother from this professor than his own father could ever tell him. Farid and Amir finally arrive at the orphanage and at first they are turned away, but after reassuring the director they mean no harm they are able to at least enter the facility. There is little food and water for the children. The living conditions are unfit because of the over crowding occurring. Once asking about Sohrab again the director Zaman reports grave news to them. In order to supply food and water for the children is to give a child to the Taliban whenever they ask and take the money they give. The Taliban took Sohrab nearly a month ago. Farid nearly kills Zaman for his terrible actions, but is stopped by the fearful looks of the children. It is now up to the both of them to retrieve Sohrab from the Taliban’s grasp. Farid and Amir drove off and crossed the bridge to Pashtunistan Square where all of Amir’s childhood lived. Amir stubbles upon his house Hassan and him grew up in. Flashbacks fill Amirs head as he consumed by the memories of his childhood home. The place where he once lived and played is now a condemned unsafe building. Farid urged hi to hurry so they ventured on ward south. Amir pays 75 dollars for a run down hotel room for the both of them, which is understandable for the fact that the owner is merely trying to feed his children. They made there way to the Ghazi Stadium where they witness an execution justified by the fact that sinners should die they way they sinned. After a brutal stoning the half time bell rang and they had arranged a meeting at three o’clock with the Taliban.

 

Quotes:

 

1.)   “Hassan’s not going anywhere, he barked. He is staying right here with us, where he belongs. This is home and his family” (Hosseini 225) this is important because it is a clue Baba gave to Amir when he was a child. It adds to the unwinding ball of truth that past has balled up and is now unraveling. It stood out to me because it is a former quote so it looks familiar to the reader. When its repeats gives it a whole new meaning. It reveals the true meaning of the quote to the reader. It foreshadows more subtle quotes having more literal meaning than metaphorical.

2.)   “That’s the real Afghanistan, Agha sahib. That’s the Afghanistan I know. You? You’ve always been a tourist here, you just didn’t know it” (Hosseini 235) this is important because it is the view of a non-privileged person not as kind as Ali, who is the first from this background that has spoken. It adds to the bitterness and undesirable state the country has been left in or has always been in. It stands out because it is the first time anyone has basically not praised him because of who he was, but scolded him for who he was and his actions. It foreshadows the feelings of others who stayed and fought for their country and how they are most likely to respond negatively toward Amir. It reveals definite tension between the two, which needs to be resolved.

3.)   “Don’t worry, you were more right than you know” (Hosseini 239) this is important because it the first time Amir outwardly admits to his wrong doings. It adds to the section because it is Amir coming to terms and accepting who he once was and how awful and ignorant he was. It stood out to me because of instead of taking the opportunity to prove Farid wrong he allows him to have the satisfaction of having him know who he truly is. It foreshadows Amir attempting to divert himself from his former ways and become a better person. This quote reveals that Amir has clearly accepted who he was and how awful he was to others around him and how he is remorseful for it.

 

Imagery/ Symbolize:

On pages 239 and 240 Hosseini describes the brutal and senseless murder of Hassan. The tightly tied ropes digging into his wrists with his hands tied behind his back. There is a man blind folded kneeling in the streets swaying back and fourth. He mutters “for you a thousand times over”. He holds a faint scar above his lip. The man standing behind him is tall and dressed in a herringbone vest and a black turban. He takes a step back and bring the barrel to the kneeling man s head, takes a step back, and places it on the back of his head.  The riffle roars with a deathly blow. Amir then awoke from his dream. It strikes me because even though Amir was not present for the execution of Hassan he dreams of it as if he was really there. With the description of his upper lip it is clear to the reader that it is Hassan. This image is important because Amir is being consumed by his guilt making him constantly feel guilty for an event that was out of his control. This image adds to the undying guilt that even haunts him in his dreams. The image symbolizes the undying need to clean his cautious of the blood stained hands and makes the quest for becoming good again even more imperative to have Hassan’s murder brought to justice as well as his sons kidnapping,

 

Rhetorical Devices and styles:

1.)   On page 226 “ Maybe Baba would have brought them along to America. Maybe Hassan would have had a home of his own now, a job, a family, a life in a country where no one cared that he was a Hazara, where most people didn’t even know what a Hazara was. Maybe not. But maybe so.” the repetition enhances the uncertainty Amir has in his life with all of the new information he has acquired. The author placed this right after another tragic event. The news about Ali’s death causes this reaction and with out it there would be a glaze over of how serious his death is to Amir.

 

2.)   On page 240 “ I had a home in a land that might as well be in another galaxy to the people sleeping on the other side of the wall I leaned against.” This hyperbole enhances the meaning by creating a gap between Amirs knowledge of Afghanistan and the reality of his home country. After his memories of what he knew Afghanistan to be replayed in his head and then this hyperbole is used here to show his epiphany of how different the country is now. With out it the reader would not see how Amir in a way proves Farid right, because he truthfully no longer knows his country if he ever did.

 

3.)   On page 241 “ I sensed Afghanistan humming under my feet. Maybe Afghanistan hadn’t forgotten me either.” This personification enhances the emotions Amir has toward Afghanistan even after being away for so long he has a connection to it as if he can communicate with the country. This is placed after a doubting moment of if Amir even belongs in the country and it is imputed to reassure him and the reader that he does. With out it the true relationship between Amir and the country and how much it meant to him would not be clear.

 

4.)   On page 264 “ The tangy taste of pomegranate crept into my mouth.” This flashback enhances how vivid the memories he could recall from his childhood years ago. With out it I don’t think the importance of his childhood and how in a way it could never be destroyed. It was placed after discovering the tree still standing in a gruesome sensory.

 

5.)   On page 272 “ It was set, then. Three o’clock.” This allusion is to death and how death comes in three. It enhances the fear the Taliban enforce all over the country. It ironically occurs after the Taliban finish stoning a man to death and has yet to kill the woman next in line. The three could foreshadow another death soon to come.

 

Theme:

After years of running from his issues Amir is finally facing his fears head on. Amir has allowed guilt consume majority of his life, but now he is trying to be “good again”. His ultimate goal at this point and last hope to make immense with his past is to save his half nephew from the Taliban, which for once it seems as if this is not for selfish purposes. He is already constantly dealing with the memories of his poor choices from the past, but I think what drives him are the joyful ones he remembers.  It gives him a sort of drive to be able to give this boy at an equally as joyful childhood. His courage mainly benefits the boy, although Amir comes out with a clean cautious, it never bothered him before to live with it.

 

Personal Response:

I am so glad to see Amir finally begin to man up and take some initiative. He is being much more generous and looking out for more than someone other than him self. I feel like Sohrab is going to turn out to be the son Soraya and Amir could never have. Family is always a huge role in this countries culture according to past events and now that there is something he has the chance to save and protect he feels the need to take this chance. Farid accompanying him added a nice side to the story by letting the reader understand how Afghanistan truly was other than letting Amir assume everything was well. With out him Amir would probably be dead by now. I think this meeting with the Taliban is risky but I am not sure of what other possible way they have to find the boy. The fact that he puts his own life on the line not to retrieve the boy but to find him unknowing for sure if he can be found is courage I have never seen from him before, Amir is earning my respect.

Personal Response

I personally feel as if Amir should have told his wife after about 10 years of marriage the story of Hassan. It seems as if his childhood best friend  was never mentioned. It is ironic how he is somewhat replaced by Baba and then Soraya. There is always one person there for him yet Amir was almost a last resort option in their cases. Baba had no one else but Amir and there for the bond gradually occured. As for Soraya she loved someone else before and would have been with them if she could. Amir was the only man willing to actually marry her. Hassan was the only one that was truly loyal to Amir and would choose him over anything. I am glad someone is finally making Amir take his skeletons out of the closet. All of the characters have made drastic turn arounds and Rahim is no exception. He is no longer sugar coating things for Amir. He appears to be much more bitter than joyful as Amir once remembered. The news of Hassan’s death and his sons loss of both parents barley phases Amir. He reverts back to his cowardly ways as usual. Once he discovers the real reason him and Hassan were so close is because they were actual, brothers, and hopefully Amir will attempt to fulfill Rahim’s dying wishes.

Theme

Guilt is what is currently driving this story. The re-occurring theme would be the past’s guilt controls the future. Hassan has been almost resurrected from the dead after such a long period of time with only having thoughts and never voicing them. Hassan went from being a distant memory to being a ghost haunting every corner Amir turns. This is important because the whole story is refocusing back to its roots in Afghanistan with Amir. Once the focus turns to the happier life in a stable lifestyle the past will not let it be a pleasant life. This type of guilt will hang over his almost as if the same shame of his father knowing, since Rahim Khan knew the truth. Guilt will inevitably cause the truth to seep out into the light. He will never be able to move forward if he still glimpses back into the past. 

Style and Rhetorical Devices

On page 191 “elegantly curved like a letter from ancient Arabic writings.” this simile enhances the meaning of their love since he gives a comparison to the elegantly flowing writing of both their native culture. Even while aging he is just as in love with her. The author most likely placed this where he did to show that regardless of the aging factors he still sees her beauty. After all the unattractive things said about her the device is needed to amplify the sweetness to it all.

On page 200 “Yes. It was the shortcut to school. I remembered the day Hassan and I crossed it and the solders had teased Hassan about his mother. Hassan had cried in the cinema later, and I’d put an arm around him.” this flashback contributes to the meaning in order to show Amir comforting Hassan opposed to putting him down like usual. It shows how much they are similar to actual brothers because siblings put each other down all the time, but if any one else is to do the same it is not justified. I think it was placed here because it is a memory the audience remembers so it ties into remembering Kabul and its military. Without it the mention of Kabul and the military would be over looked as an unimportant factor.

On page 201 “When he spat into his handkerchief, it immediately stained red.” this enhances the meaning by foreshadowing the death of Rahim Khan, which is vital to the story line. Baba as well had a bloody cough like that. The author placed this here so the reader as well would feel as uncomfortable as the characters. With out this foreshadowing the whole severity and stakes would not be as intense.

On page 202 ” Those thorny old barbs of guilt bore into me once more, as is speaking his name had broken a spell, set them free to torment me anew. ” this metaphor contributes with expressing the pain and suffering guilt can cause. He placed this right after Amir says Hassan’s name out loud to emphasize that Hassan is his trigger to all of his guilt. With out it saying Hassan’s name out loud would have no real affect on Amir.

On page 203 “No one to greet, no one to sit down with for chai, no one to share stories with, just Russian soldiers patrolling the streets.” the repetition helps enhance the meaning of truly being alone and trapped. It was as if he was imprisoned in the town its self. The author placed this here to emphasize how empty and unfamiliar the town would be to Amir. With out it the extremity of having no other choice but be alone is not clear.

Image/symbol

On page 197 Hosseini depicts an image of Amir pulling up to a narrow building at a busy corner where two winding streets intersected. His driver fakes up his one and only bag he brought. The door they walk up to is intricately carved. Many people have their laundry out to dry on their balconies in the sun. On the way to the second floor the stairs creek as they walk up. They stop at the end of a dimly lit hallway to the last door on the right. Finally he knocks and the sight of Rahim Khan is unreal almost like a thing made of skin and bones pretending to be him. The image struck my interests because it is the first time in nearly 20 years he has seen Rahim again and it is as if he wasn’t truly himself. The significance of this image that the excitement Amir has for seeing Rahim is stopped in it’s tracks by simply the appearance of his physical state. It adds to the text by showing how much everything has changed. As an old man he is no longer living a lavished lifestyle, like Baba. It symbolizes the loss of Amirs childhood, because not even the one person he could look up to is even distinguishable.

Quotes

“A way to be good again” (Hosseini 192) this quote is important because it has become apparent that Rahim Khan knows and has known for a while about the unfortunate day in the ally way with Hassan. It adds to the story by creating a twist that was not ever foreseen. It stood out because it was extremely unexpected that Rahim for years had been with holding his knowledge. It foreshadows that the offer he has proposed to Amir will involve Hassan in some way. It reveals that Hassan or the past is coming back and catching up with his past.

“Hassan I said. When was the last time I had spoken his name?” (Hosseini 202) this quote is important because it brings to the reader’s attention how little Amir actually spoke his name. It adds to the story by allowing Amir to realize within him self that Hassan has turned into a thought than a part of reality. It stood out because it was the first time Hassan had been mentioned to someone else other than in his head. It foreshadows Hassan becoming apart of his life again. It reveals that Amir is has always feared speaking Hassan’s name again because of his awful memories.

“What will Amir agha think? What will he think when he comes back to Kabul after the war and finds that I have assumed his place in the house?” (Hosseini 208) this quote stood out to me because it shows how Hassan still looks up and is loyal to Amir. It is important to see how Amir is put in a golden light, almost like a throne. It adds more pity for Hassan because he will forever be loyal to a person who is not as loyal to them. It foreshadows Hassan moving back to the hut behind the house to not offend Amir. It reveals Hassan’s still intact loyalty and respect as if he is higher than him.

Summary

In chapter 14-17 of Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner the past begins to catch up with the present. Another leap in time has occurred and Amir and Soraya have been married for ten years. They are both in stable careers, Soraya is a high school teacher and Amir is a thriving published author. It comes to the couple’s attention that Amir must go to Pakistan because Rahim Khan has become extremely ill and must see him.  Amir is also aware that there is more than just Rahim Khan’s illness taking him to Pakistan, but “a way to be good again”. Soraya’s father had also been experiencing medical differences with his hip as well as his kidney’s. With her father’s illnesses their relationship grew stronger. Sometimes he would come to work and listen to her teach and sometimes even take notes. Amir finally lands in Pakistani and is able to reconnect with Rahim Khan.  He asks Amir countless amounts of questions about his life because of the lack of communication they have had throughout the years. Rahim speaks of how much Kabul the city Amir grew up in has changed and how dangerous it is. The North Alliance has taken over Kabul and it is now made up of different factions and risk being shot by a sniper if you got past all the check points, until the Taliban took over. Even Baba’s orphanage was destroyed.  Rahim explains that he did not leave and flee to America because Baba had asked him to watch over the house until they return. As he became older he could not take manage the house as well, so he sought out Hassan. Ali had unfortunately been killed years after moving out of Baba’s house. Hassan had been living in a deserted poor area living in a mud house with a pregnant wife. He of coursed asked countless questions about Amir as well. They at first did not accept his proposal to move in and help maintain the house, until Rahim informed Hassan of Baba’s death. The decided to move in but had to refuse to stay in the rooms. They move into the shack where Hassan grew up in, and they maintained the house with no pay. Hassan’s wife Farzana eventually gave birth to a little girl, who was a stillborn. The same year she became pregnant again. One morning a woman appeared at the door appearing to be famished, toothless, and had been at some point had a knife taken to her face. She had traveled a long ways to see Hassan and apologize; it was his mother, Sanaubar. Hassan and Farazana nursed her back to health and took care of her in the guest room up stairs. Sanaubar was the one who delivered Hassan’s child in the winter. He named him Sohrab after his favorite super hero. Soharab and Sanaubar became inseparable until he turned for and she died. At the beginning of Rahim’s illness he sees a doctor leaving the house vulnerable. The Talibs see the house like an open target by claiming the house was stolen by Hazara’s. They attempted to evict Hassan and his family, but of course Hassan refused for it to happen and so they took him to the street. They shot him in the back of the head. Farzana attacks them and is shot as well, leaving Sohrab an orphan and eight. The Taliban took over the house and both of their cases were dismissed as self-defense, regardless of what others say. Rahim asks Amir to go to Kabul and find Sohrab in order to bring him to a safer place for children. Amir of course refuses and insists to pay for someone else to retrieve the boy. Rahim reminds Amir of how much Hassan has done even more than most know. Amir again disregards his efforts. Finally the truth comes out. Rahim tells Amir that Ali was sterol and could not have children, who were the reason the first wife, left. In fact Hassan is Baba’s son in order to give Ali some one. Baba had to be with Hassan’s mother to fool Ali into thinking it was his son.

Imagery/ Symbolism

An image on pages 166- 169 has the whole room in tears full of joy. As Amir and Baba approach the door the chatter stops from behind it and Khanaum Taheri opens the door. Before they even get through the door she begins to cry. In the house Amir is able to seen pictures of people who would soon be his family, because the couple didn’t not have an engagement period Amir was going to marry into the family without much knowledge of them. The living room is full of about two-dozen guests and they all stood when Baba walked in and said their Salaams. The general was pleased with the traditional way the wedding was set up. Without Soraya present Baba gave a speech for her family thanking them for accepting Amir, as they’re soon to be son in law. The general gave a speech in return that thanked him and was honored to have such a wonderful man join their family. Soraya then appeared dressed in a wine colored traditional Afghan with long sleeves and gold trimmings. She slowly came down the isle behind her are female relatives. She kissed Baba’s hands and then sat beside Amir. This image grabbed my attention because of all the little details put into it made the reader feel as if they were actually attending the wedding. It is important because this is changing character in the books lives. Now that they are married the couple must start their own lives together while also keeping their strong family bond. It adds to the story by having this be one of the first extremely joyous events, but still bitter sweet because of Baba’s health condition, which was very apparent at the wedding as he coughed through his speech. It symbolizes a new beginning for both families, because now their children are adults and must take care of them in their old age.