Sorry I'm a little late posting this week, but I'm at the beach and I haven't had easy access to a computer. Anyway, this week I have asked that you read chapters 1-10 of The Kite Runner. I think you will find this book challenging in terms of content and engaging as well. As you read, think about the following subjects and comment about themes that are being developed as they relate to these subjects. Remember that a theme is a declarative statement that indicates what the author is trying to say about the particular subject. I was pretty pleased with your thematic statements on Frankenstein. Try to steer clear of statements that are overused, or cliche. You can always re-write the statement so that it sounds more complex than the same old cliche lessons, or morals, that you have heard time and again.
Consider these subjects and what the author is saying about at least one.
-Role of books, literacy
-Friendship, guilt, redemption
-Father and son relationship
-Coming of Age
-Discrimination, prejudice, class structure
-Master/Slave relationships; loyalty, devotion and duty
Please choose one of the subjects listed, then suggest a thematic statement related to that subject, then explain how that theme is relayed in the chapters you have read.
I would also like you to comment on some emerging symbols and motifs as related to Foster's book. There are several ironies that occur in these chapters, and there should be some things that jump out at you as symbols. Explore those in your responses as well. I think you'll find that Hosseini's novel rich with symbolism. I look forward to reading your responses. As always, let me know if you have any questions.
P.S. Wasn't Harry Potter 7 awesome??????
I chose the Father/Son relationship because it seems to be a constant struggle to Amir throughout his life. I think a thematic statement for that relationship could be not always like father, like son because Amir and Baba are almost completely different. When people say like father, like son, usually they act alike or do things the same way or are sometimes physically built like each other. But in this case, they are different, from everything to views on subjects, books, Amir is shy and Baba isn't, Amir is a coward and Baba isn't, Amir wants the attention of Baba when he is little, but it seems like Baba has other stuff to do than pay attention to his son. Everything that Amir does, Baba seems to disregard it and act like it is nothing. Until Amir wins the kite and Baba watches, things change and Baba brags on Amir to everyone. Baba throws Amir a huge birthday party but Amir knows that it is just blood money and they are mostly friends of Baba. I think Rahim Kahn cared for Amir more like a son than Baba did. I feel like Baba is more concerned about Hassan and Ali than his own son. It also feels like Amir has to live up to Baba's reputation that everyone around them knows about. There is a constant tug of war between father and son to be understood and for Amir to actually be acknowledged by his father as his son would be a wonderful thing.
ReplyDeleteI think the kite and the stories are the things that make Hassan and Amir's relationship grow stronger and keep them friends since they are kids and they have grown up with each other. I think the books are kind of ironic because Amir reads to Hassan and loves to share those stories with him, yet Amir knows how to read and Hassan doesn't so Amir uses that against Hassan and thinks that Hassan is stupid because he can't read. When Amir makes up his own story, he never thought that Hassan would say that his story was amazing and that he should write his own. I think Amir is constantly confused by Hassan's loyalty and the fact that he doesn't know the difference between Amir's made up story and the real one. I think the kite can be ironic because the two boys both enjoyed flying them and running them down, yet the kite is what tore them apart because Amir witnessed something that he didn't do anything about. I think the symbols in this book are a good thing at first then they turn out to be a bad thing. (I hope this is what you were wanting!)
Yes, HP was amazing!
I would like to start out by saying that this is my favorite book that we have read. It holds my attention the entire time, and while yes some of the content is challenging I think that is what makes this book so much easier to connect to.
ReplyDeleteThe subject of friendship, guilt, and redemption first caught my attention because of it’s dominance so far in this novel. I believe the thematic statement “Friendship cannot withstand the acts of selfishness and disloyalty” closely relates to this subject. Amir and Hassan have been friends ever since birth. They took their first steps on the same lawn, and they fed from the same breast, which according to Ali means they have a kinship that not even time could break. “Amir” was even Hassan’s first word. As they grew up together their friendship grew too, but the differences between the two were always clear. Hassan was a true and self- sacrificing friend who would always take the blame for Amir and stand up for him when he was being bullied. He was completely dedicated to their friendship saying “For you a thousand times over!” when Amir told him to come back with the kite. Amir however wasn’t as loyal and trustworthy. There were many times when he wouldn’t even refer to Hassan as being his friend, but just as his servant and he was often jealous that Hassan received equal attention from Baba, sometimes lying about Hassan’s health because he selfishly wanted Baba all to himself. All these small details led up to the biggest test of their friendship; the night in the alley after the kite fighting contest in which Hassan passed and Amir failed miserably. Hassan knew that Amir had to stood by and watched what had happened, and did nothing because he was too selfish to risk Baba’s acceptance. But even after that Hassan still loved Amir and when Amir was avoiding him, he thought that he had done something wrong, taking the blame for Amir once again. The guilt was eating away at Amir and he didn’t know how to handle it, so instead of handling it he shamefully lied about Hassan stealing leading to the two servants leaving the family for good, which was exactly what Amir had wanted . Although they had a strong friendship, it was destined to fall apart because of Amir’s true underlying feelings.
There were many symbols in these first few chapters. The symbol that stood out to me the most was the blue kite. I think the kite symbolized their friendship, the good and the bad. The kite was beautiful just like their friendship and it also connected them. They had been flying kites together their whole lives and while they were flying kites their differences didn’t matter. I didn’t matter that Hassan was poor, low-class, and uneducated because he could fly and run kites just as good if not better than Amir. This made them seem more equal as people is society. The kite also represents the bad parts of their friendship. Just like holding on to the rope gave the boys cuts and scars, so did holding on to their friendship. Every time Baba praised Hassan it hurt Amir to know that he wasn’t special enough for his father’s undivided attention. Every time that Amir betrayed Hassan he was hurt, although he didn’t show it or let it bother him as much. Finally when Amir stood by and let Hassen be abused, lied about it, felt guilty, and then forced him to leave was the last and deepest cut that they both received, and they will both walk around with these scars for the rest of their lives. I find this symbol to be ironic because Amir winning the kite fighting competition was at first the best thing that ever happened in his life, but it turned out to also be the worst. I also find it ironic that Hassan had to keep reassuring Amir that there was no monster, when is truth Amir was the monster and Hassan was the one who need the warning and the protection.
I think books and literacy play a huge role in this book. I think the thematic statement for this situation would be: knowledge is power. Amir and Hassan have a lot in common, and one of those things is stories. Amir loves to read and write, and Hassan loves to listen; simply because that is all he knows how to do. Hassan never lets on to Amir that the disability is a problem; he still loves for Amir to read to him, and never fails to encourage Amir with making his own stories. The books they read bring the two together in many ways; it’s kind of like a bonding activity. It seems that Hassan is the only one that truly understands Amir’s fascination with literature, and I think that’s because Hassan feels the same way. Although the two share this obsession, Amir still feels power over Hassan because of it. Amir is able to go to school, get an education, and learn to read and write. Hassan, because he is a Hazara, was never lucky enough to have that opportunity. Sometimes, to make himself feel more powerful, Amir would point out Hassan’s ignorance, and attempt to humiliate him. Personally, I think that Amir is a little intimidated by Hassan, because he knows that Hassan has potential. Another way books can be a theme is because of how much they affect Amir and Baba’s relationship. Amir has struggled for Baba’s love and attention since as long as he can remember. Baba never really felt like Amir was a part of him, because their interests were so different. If Amir was interested in sports instead of reading and writing, Baba might feel differently about him.
ReplyDeleteThere are many symbols in this book. Taylor and Ali, I agree that the kite was a huge symbol. I also think that Hassan’s pants may be a symbol too. After seeing Hassan get raped, the memory of seeing Hassan’s pants lying in the alley still haunts Amir. I think the pants are a symbol of regret and the realization that Amir is a coward. Also, I think Amir’s watch and money could possibly be a symbol too. It would be a symbol of a new start for Amir. The regret and pain is too much for him to handle. Amir hated seeing Hassan, simply because he didn’t do anything to help him that night. Amir thinks that if he can get Hassan out of his life, his pain would go away and the relationship with his father would stay good. So, hiding that watch and money under Hassan’s bed, was a symbol of hope and a new life.
Hassan is not only a loyal servant to Amir, but also a loyal friend. Amir is blind to this fact, although I believe he chooses to be due the huge difference in his and Hassan's social classes. I believe the thematic statement- Genuine people are hard to come by,- applies to the friendship between the two, and the loyal relationship a servant attempts to have with his master. Amir is never quite thankful of the everyday things Hassan does for him such as leaving his warm slippers at his bedroom door, making his breakfast, and ironing his clothes every morning yet Hassan is devoted to this routine and does it with a smile as he sings. Hassan is always eager to spend time with Amir, playing in their favorite spots and listening to him read. Within the first ten chapters Hassan makes the comment that he is happy with his life and his home...accepting that he has reached his highest duty in life...to be a servant. This is a great example of Hassan's faithful, and loyal attitude, which shows the reader(and should show Amir) just how genuine he is despite the emotional and physical tragedies he has to face.
ReplyDeleteThe gunfire heard by Amir, Hassan, and Ali at the beginning of Chapter Five is not only symbolizing a change in society in the novel's plot, but also forshadowing a change that is about to take place between the three "friends." Ali is quick to take action and comfort Amir and he comforts his own child, which is another example of a genuine servant being thoughtful and caring towards his master.
Hassan's sling-shot is a symbol of his willingness to stand up for Amir, but not for himself. Had Amir been cornered in that same alley that he was and he would have been around the corner in Amir's place, I believe he would have used the sling-shot, along with any other method, to save Amir from such a horrible, horrible thing.
In closing, this is my favorite book out of the three we've read, and it is true that you save the best for last!
Sometimes loyalty is not rewarded; sometimes selfishness overpowers one’s appreciation.
ReplyDeleteThus far, I have been truly intrigued by this novel. Among all of the present subjects a part of this literary work, that of the master/slave relationships as it pertains to loyalty has caught my attention the most. It is clear that Amir and Hassan possess a special kind of relationship that goes beyond that of a master and a slave. Amir and Hassan possess a friendship, almost a kinship. However, this special relationship that looks past social class or events of the past is sadly destroyed. Despite Hassan’s many years of devotion and affection towards Amir and despite the fact that he was brutally tortured to defend Amir’s prized blue kite, Hassan receives nothing but a cold shoulder from his one and only friend. I understand Amir’s feelings of guilt, but that does not give him the right to act so cruelly to someone as dear as Hassan. Amir’s selfishness and cowardice ultimately lead to the demolishment of his relationship with Hassan. As I stated before, Hassan’s constant loyalty went unrewarded, all due to the mere fact that Amir let his own guilt and cowardly ways overpower his character.
Looking back on what I’ve read so far, Hassan sticks out to me as a symbol of goodness, Christ-like goodness. In Chapter 14 of Foster’s book, Foster discusses Christ-like qualities (I know I’ve related this chapter to a lot… sorry:/ ). Hassan possesses a great number of these qualities. He is hated by most of society, all because he is of the Shi’a people. He constantly is mocked and is looked upon as the scum of the earth by many Afghans. Despite his placement in society and all of the evils he has faced throughout his life, Hassan possesses a forgiving, compassionate, and loyal nature that indeed sets him apart. Perhaps one of Hassan’s most extravagant qualities is that he is completely selfless. He sacrifices himself, and allows himself to be physically tortured just so Amir can be happy. Another event that sticks out to me of Hassan being a character with Christ-like qualities is in Chapter 8, when Amir continuously hurls pomegranates at Hassan while screaming at him to get up and hit him back. While this is occurring, Hassan acts with such diligence, not moving or making a sound. When finally he does get up, pomegranate in hand, and crushes the fruit upon his own head. This event shows so much about Hassan’s character, along with many others.
Oh! And Harry Potter was beyond amazing! I was an emotional wreck after! haha!
ReplyDeleteI would like to start by saying that I’ve really enjoyed reading this novel so far. Referring to the topic of master/slave I think that it occurs throughout the first chapters of the novel. Baba came to know Ali when his father adopted him after his parents were murdered, and Baba’s father was ruling over the case. Ali has been Baba’s servant since they were little because Ali was raised by the families servants so he knew how to treat the family. Also he is a Hazara which means he was somewhat born into slavery. Ali has great loyalty for Baba because he stuck with him throughout the years and Baba has loyalty for him also because he treats him well even though he doesn’t acknowledge him as a friend. For example he treats Ali’s son Hassan as one of his own even giving him an allowance and buying him birthday presents because he knows that Ali can’t afford presents for him. Ali’s duty is to keep the house clean and to serve the family dinner. Also he watches over Amir whenever Baba goes out of town or is at a party, basically he’s a caretaker. The relationship between Amir and Hassan is kind of different in the sense that their still children. But still Hassan has loyalty to Amir, an example is when Assef and his two friends start to bully Amir, and before Assef hits Amir, Hassan pulls out his slingshot and threatens to hit Assef if he doesn’t leave them alone. But the same loyalty Hassan has for Amir, Amir has no loyalty for him. When Hassan is being beat up and sexual abused in the streets, Amir just stands there and watches while it happens. Hassan’s duty to Amir is to make him breakfast and clean his room before Amir has to go to school. Then when Amir comes home he plays with him, and Amir reads him stories on occasions. Never have a companion that casts you in the shade, this is exactly what Amir did to Hassan.
ReplyDeleteI think that the blue kite is a huge symbol because it resembles their friendship and how strong it is, then when the kite is cut it shows how their friendship is in for a rough patch. Also the gun fire they heard is a symbol of the change the country will go through and a change their friendship will have to go through. I agree with Taylor in that it’s ironic that when Amir wins it’s his greatest moment in his life, but when he watches Hassan being abused it’s Hassan’s worst moment. Hassan would do anything for Amir and that’s proven when he puts his life on the line just so Amir could have his moment of glory bringing home the kite.
I would like to start off by using the Father/Son relationship, and I believe that a thematic statement that would suit this situation is that if a son does not have his father's pride then he will feel empty forever. I feel that my thoughts are summarized in the quote "It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons" by Johann Schiller. Throughout the entire story so far Amir is constantly trying to find a sense of acceptance from his father while he tries to live up to his father's reputation, but he just can’t seem to measure up. Whether it is his father's undying ability to do what is morally right, or Baba's former athleticism as a young boy Amir seems constantly surrounded his father's shadow. I almost get the sense that Baba doesn't really even love Amir like a son, or for that matter as much as he loves Hassan. I think this is shown by Baba hardly ever giving Amir a second look until he finally wins the kite flying tournament (thanks to the help of Hassan). It really seems like Amir and his Father really have nothing at all in common and that it is a strain for them to even be around each other. Also, I get the feeling that somewhere deep down Baba is storing some kind of anger towards Amir for killing his wife, and that Baba would be happy if he just had Hassan and Ali in his family. Sadly, the feeling of rejection that Amir has will eventually cost him the best, and possibly the only, true friendship that he had. Amir even had the nerve to take the kite from Hassan and give it to his dad without even saying a word about what had happened. All this was done by Amir just to get a faulty sense of acceptance from his father that would only last for a couple of months before his father was embarrassed by him again.
ReplyDeleteI think that Hassan being raped is a huge symbol in this novel. To me, it represents a loss of innocence as Amir grows to hate Hassan over being a loyal friend. I think the rape also shows irony in that while Hassan has done nothing to Amir his entire life but shown him love, Amir is now betraying Hassan, and their friendship, by hiding the truth just to get some kind of respect from his Father at the expense of Hassan's happiness. I also agree with Katelyn is that Hassan is like a Christ figure in that he is innocent but sacrifices himself for Amir.
Tanae said...
ReplyDeleteThis book is sooooo interesting and better than what I expected!!! I understand what a Kite Runner is thanks to Chapter 6! I actually find this novel interesting and a little easier to read!! I read it while I was on vacation. So that goes to show it has to be great!
I chose Discrimination, prejudice, and class structure. My thematic statement is "the underdog always wins." It really relates to one scene that stood out to me in the first ten chapters. But, most people where they're from Wazir Akbar Khan district, don't speak, assoiciate, or even think about Hazaras. Hassan, Amir's helper and "friend", is a Hazara but not ashamed. In Chapter 5, page 40, there's this bully named Assef- the "Ear-Eater" and he approaches Hassan and Amir. He begins questioning Amir about how he could be seen with his servant and actually have respect for Hassan. Then he goes on and compares Hitler to what he would like to do to all Hazaras. Assef thinks Hitler was a great leader and envied how he was majority succesful for getting rid of a group of Jews. Assef started picking on Hassan. He made a statement saying, "Afghanistan is the land of Pashtuns. It always has been, always will be. We are the true Afghans, the pure Afghans, not this Flat-Nose here. His people pollute our homeland, our watan. They dirty our blood." Moments later Assef gets rowdy and just as he's about to hit Amir, Hassan is bent down with his sling shot in hand, ready to shoot aim at the Ear-Eater. Assef let his fist fall and turn away to leave Amir and Hassan alone like the two had wanted. There was also a time at the beginning of the novel (page 7) when Amir and Hassan took a shortcut and had an encounter with some men. A soldier yelled at them, "You! The Hazara!" Like Hassan didn't have a name? That really irritated me. Then the soldier yelled a pretty vulgar comment about Hassan's mother and Amir and to comfort him.
Now that I go back and read this... It also kinda goes with the Master/Slave relationships; loyalty, devotion, and duty. Maybe Hassan felt as Amir's servant it was his right to protect him from Assef. Just a random thought. But it applys to the novel because Hassan is bullied a lot throughout the novel just because he's a Hazar but he can't help that at all. He becomes strongs and in becomes natural for him.
Like everyone else I would have the say the Kite represents the friendship between Hassan and Amir. It is beautiful and perfect.. Then destroyed when the kite was cut and Hassan is raped...
Hey y'all. Just returning from the beach and looking over your posts. I really meant to let you know prior to reading that this book contains some mature scenes. I hope that no one is offended by them. They are written with great skill and tact and they are integral to the book, not just added in gratuitously, as I think you will agree. This is actually one of my favorite books of all time. I'm so glad we can end the summer discussing it! Remember that for thematic statements, I am looking for complex ideas, not cliches or morals. Several of you are sounding cliche. We'll work on this more in class.
ReplyDeleteI must agree with many of my other classmates that this book was by far my favorite of the summer reading books. I was reading through the subjects and friendship, guilt, redemption caught my eye. A thematic statement for this subject would be, “Guilt can destroy a friendship.” Hassan and Amir had what they believed to be a form of a friendship. Although Amir treated Hassan nothing like a friend, Hassan was nothing but loyal to Amir. Amir used Hassan’s illiteracy against him, mocking him about words he didn’t understand; but every time Amir was mean to Hassan, he always felt guilty about it. The final straw in their friendship was when Amir watched Hassan get raped, but didn’t have the courage to stand up to the boys who were raping him. The guilt from this ate Amir up inside. Hassan got raped because he was being loyal to Amir, bringing him the blue flag that he deserved. Hassan was truly a friend to Amir, but by that point, Amir was no friend to Hassan. Amir let his guilt destroy their friendship.
ReplyDeleteI must agree with Spencer that Hassan being raped is a very important symbol in the novel. It represents the loss of innocence for both Hassan and Amir. The lamb is also a symbol in these chapters. Amir describes Hassan as looking like a lamb while he is being raped. As a part of Afghan tradition, a lamb is sacrificed on Eid Al-Adha to honor when Abraham almost sacrificed his son for God. Amir sacrifices Hassan in order to get his kite, the pride that comes with winning the kite, and the honor he will bring to Baba. Amir also sacrifices his friendship with Hassan to get the kite. Hassan is Amir’s lamb. I also believe that the blue kite itself is also a symbol. The kite symbolizes Hassan and Amir’s friendship. While the kite is flying, it is beautiful. The beauty of the kite as it flies symbolizes the “good times” in Hassan and Amir’s friendship. However, when the kite is cut down, this symbolizes the horrible downfall of their friendship.
So far the book has not been my cup of tea. Having said that I also believe this book exposes and confronts a large number of the problems that mankind has endure since the beginning. The theme that captured me was the extreme prejudice and class structure. Prejudice in Kite runner comes in the form of the Pashtu’s discriminating against the Hazara’s because of both their physical appearance and religious beliefs. The Pashtu’s because of these minor differences between themselves and the Hazaras believe that they are above the Hazaras and that they should be served by them. Amir appear to be friends at the beginning of the novel getting into mischief and playing together but as the story progresses and the boys grow older Amir, because of the society he has been raised in, sees Hassan as no more than a servant to him. So it is confirmed that the poison of prejudice and class structure can penetrate even the innocent souls of children. The author also does a good job showing that prejudice is an inescapable evil by giving examples of different time periods where prejudice existed such as Baba and Ali’s childhood and the constant references to Adolf Hitler.
ReplyDeleteA symbol that stood out to be was the conflict under the Pomegranate tree where Amir throws the fruit at Hassan trying to instigate Hassan to strike him, but when Hassan refused Amir hit himself with a fruit in the middle of his head and ask Hassan if that made him happy. This I believe is a symbol of the guilt that Amir feels toward Hassan because Amir did nothing in Hassan’s time of need in the alley. Amir feels that he throws all these bad things at Hassan trying to push him away, ignoring him and thinking less of him, but Hassan does nothing to retaliate he only wants to be friends with Amir. So to try and compensate for doing all these things to Hassan he hits himself with a fruit, and I believe that this symbolizes and foreshadows that all of Amir’s misfortunes and tragedies will be brought on by his own hand.
Harry is a wimp Neville the real hero no one wants to give him any cred thats alright hes my hero....Do it for the kids
ReplyDeleteSo I've decided to do the Master/Slave relationship, and i think a good thematic statement for this story is, The master may control the slave but the slave teaches the master. It makes sense because Amir and Baba do control Hassan and Ali but they teach Amir. Hassan shows Ali what it is to really be friends with someone. He teaches Ali that a true friend will do anything for the other, no matter how distant or strained their relationship is. And Ali teaches Baba that every friendship no matter how strong or old can be broken even by just the smallest thing.
ReplyDeleteAs far as symbolism goes I think the entire story of the kite race can be seen as a symbol for Amir and Hassan's friendship. Even from the start with the old blind man that makes the kites its a symbol. The old man is the best and is a perfect enviroment for kite building, that is kind of a symbol for the perfect enviroment that their friendship started in. But he's blind which could be a symbol for Baba being blind to his son. Then the fight where Amir is winning and him and hassan are working together kind of summerizes their friendship its close and they really try to help each other. And the most obvious I think is after Amir cuts the last string hassan runs after it for him, it shows that no matter how close they get Amir will always be the master and Hassan always the slave.
This Book has been one of my favorite books I've ever read. There are some scenes in the novel that really disgusted me. With that said I would like to talk about the Friendship relationship.
ReplyDeleteAmir and Hassan, Even though Hassan is the son of their slave, they are really close friends. I however believe that their relationship isn't that great. Hassan will take up for Amir and defend him like he did when he pulled the slingshot on Assef. He defended his friend and Assef didn't have a chance to hurt Amir. On the other hand while Hassan is chasing the last kite after Amir won the kite flying contest. Amir goes to find Hassan when he gets to the corner he sits back and hides while his friend who defended him earlier in the novel is raped by Assef. Once Amir catches a glimps of Hassan's face and he sees his pain he makes a decision that he will regret. He runs back home and acts like he had no idea what Hassan had been through. I believe that Amir is a sorry friend for letting his "Friend" take that kind of punishment. If I have a friend that is good enough to stick up for me, I will have their back whenever they need me.
I will also have to say that Hassan being raped is a symbol for the loss of their friendship. Hassan shows up early in the morning does his chores and leaves before Amir can see him. I believe this is because Hassan is embaressed of the act encountered on him.
I love how you are all choosing different things to identify as symbols. An act as small as a gunshot or as significant as a rape can be highly symbolic. You are recognizing that objects are highly symbolic (pomegranates, kites), but also plot events. I'm glad most of you have enjoyed reading the novel. I find Hosseini's writing style kind of hypnotic. When I read it I can really hear the characters speaking and sometimes I'll dream in the cadence of his language. I know that sounds bizarre. Nonetheless true, though. Same thing happens when I read Jane Austen. Enough babbling.
ReplyDeleteThe Kite Runner is much better than I thought it would be. I thought The Kite Runner was going to be dreary and something that may be difficult to read. But it is far from that. It helps me understand the book more and more as I read the chapters and see what Amir does with his life and how the rest of the characters act.
ReplyDeleteI decided to choose the father and son relationship because I believe that it is the most important thing in a family, having a relationship with your parents. Baba seems like the type of father who only wants to see his child doing the right things and making him proud with whatever he may do. Even though Amir thought he could never please his father, Baba, he does it by winning and doing his best in the kite tournament. A thematic statement for the son and father relationship would have to be trying to live his life, as his father would want him too. Amir believes that if he does not live his life as his father thinks he should, his father would not be proud of him, which would depress him. He wants to live and be exactly what his father desires him to be.
Throughout the chapters Amir attempts to find ways to be accepted by his father, even if that means shedding a little blood by flying a kite. I believe he is trying to live up to his father’s own reputation, instead of finding his own way, and going with the flow of his own lifestyle.
Like Katie, I agree that a huge symbol is when Hassan was raped, because it changed his whole life. He use to wait on Amir in the morning; while Amir ate, he ironed clothes. However, in Chapter 8, page 80, Amir says, “For a week, I barely saw Hassan. I woke up to find toasted bread, brewed tea, and a boiled egg already on the kitchen table.” That statement, to me, made it seem as if the rape of Hassan changed his life, and made him a different person. Amir also says, “My clothes for the day were ironed and folded, left on the cane-seat chair in the foyer where Hassan usually did his ironing.” Amir could tell that the rape had a huge impact on Hassan because Hassan changed his daily routine and became very distant. Hassan no longer waited on Amir in the morning, which ultimately changed Hassan and Amir’s relationship.
Another symbol would be the blue kite that Amir won at the kite tournament and gave to Hassan to hold. When Hassan was in the alley in Chapter 7, Assef wanted the blue kite but Hassan refused to give it to him regardless of the consequences. In Chapter 7, page 72 Assef says, “…today is only going to cost you that blue kite.” Hassan still refused to give up the kite and said, “Amir agha won the tournament and I ran this kite for him. I ran it fairly. This is his kite.” That, to me, showed the true friendship that Amir and Hassan shared. Not giving up something for your friend, even though you could be injured, shows a lot about what their friendship meant. I guess through Hassan’s eyes it is better to be a good and loyal friend to Amir, than loosing the one thing he care most about – his friendship with Amir.
Sorry this is late, I was at the beach with no internet access.
ReplyDeleteThematic Statement: Love can be Slavery.
Discrimination, prejudice, class structure and master/slave relationship is what I’d like to discuss because I believe they go hand in hand. Amir is Hassan’s master in many ways. Hassan is a Hazara, which in Afghanistan are considered dogs for lack of a better word. Hassan and his father, Ali, are slaves due to their class. The ‘pure bred’ afghans despise the Hazaras, they cuss them in the street and they are made slaves. Amir does the same even though he tells Hassan that he is his friend and that he loves him. And Hassan believes him. Hassan loves Amir as if he was his own brother, he stands up for Amir when he is bullied, he makes his breakfast, and basically does whatever Amir tells him to, not only because he is Amir’s slave but because he loves him so. Another way Hassan is Amir’s slave is his love for him. Hassan loves Amir so much that when he promised to bring him the blue kite, he gave up his pride and his innocence, just to keep his word to him. Therefore, Hassan is a slave to Amir, because of his class and his love for him.
As far as symbols go, the blue kite, to me, represents Hassan’s love and loyalty to Amir. The kite is what Hassan chased and ultimately caused him to give up his pride and his innocence. He could have easily handed the kite over and walked away scott free. But he didn’t which makes the kite a symbol of loyalty and love.