Chapter 6 - The Kite Runner

‘Winter.’

Change in time. Dramatic short sentence. Immediately made to show how meaningful Winter is and how impactful this season will be toward Amir’s character.

‘The sky is seamless and blue, the snow so white my eyes burn.’

Juxtaposition of the cold setting and the ‘burn(ing) of his eyes’ Maybe trying to show how this winter isn’t like a regular winter - something uncanny about it. white is like purity, so if his eyes burn it could be a foreshadowing to the disintegration of Hassan’s purity

‘at least those whose fathers could afford to buy a good iron stove.’

he knows he has privileges but he doesn’t really care too much about it. lack of concern for social inequalities

‘as the trees froze and ice sheathed the road, the chill between Baba and me thawed a little.’

Amir feels much closer to Baba during Winter time, that is a big reason as to why this time period is special to him

‘Baba and I lived in the same house, but under different spheres of existence.’

Recognises how divided he is from his Baba - they are not the same but the kites allow them to connect.

‘I felt like a soldier trying to sleep in the trenches the night before a major battle.’

makes it seem like an important event, something life changing. simile.

‘In Kabul fighting kites was a little like going to war.’

Amir would therefore have won the war but with Hassan as a sacrifice in ch7. Mirrors violence ahead. Taliban come in to help but freedom is sacrificed.

‘compare our battle scars’ ‘they were reminders of a beloved season that had once again passed too quickly’

Kites are painful and damaging, leading them to be banned in countries like Pakistan. However children like Amir think of the pain as a badge of honor a reminder of happiness.

‘sometimes i’d wished he didn’t do that. Wished he’d let me be the favorite.’

Constant annoyance with Hassan’s existence, wants Baba’s sole affection.

‘Afghans cherish custom but abhor rules.’

Afghans like their traditions but do not want to be controlled, we can see this type of resistance with Baba in America.

‘That wasn’t a rule that was a custom.’

No matter your class or social standing Afghan culture and customs overrides that.

‘most coveted prize’ ‘it was a trophy of honor, something to be displayed on a mantle for guests to admire.’

Metaphor to show how priceless the winner’s kite is. Deliberately defines how invaluable it is…

‘i was falling….’

‘….behind’

‘clumsier too' ‘I’d always envied his natural athleticism’

He is a wealthy son of Baba, yet he is still envious of Hassan with innate abilities he doesn’t have.

‘I’d sooner eat dirt’ ‘look of indignation’

complete loyalty to Amir

‘I knew I was being cruel’

he likes being cruel, it’s fun for him, mirrors traits of Assef.

‘He was the ant and I was holding the magnifying glass.’ ‘kind of like when we used to play insect torture’

Signifies power imbalance between them. also how Hassan is treated like an animal

‘a second face, this one just lurking beneath the surface’ ‘maybe i’d seen it someplace before’

The Hassan that isn’t obedient and has emotions of his own. Looking into Baba’s eyes because it is his son too.

‘I find it hard to gaze directly at people like Hassan.’

Hassan had a sense of intimidation about him to Amir even though he is a Hazara because of his irrefutable honesty and loyalty that was almost scary to him.

‘If I was going to toy with him and challenge his loyalty he’d toy with me, test my integrity.’

Hassan sets a double standard, challenges Amir discreetly in a society where he cannot. Natural intelligence comes through.

‘was that what it would take? Had he just slipped me a key?’

Rhetorical questions - surprised? Amir holds the keys to the doors for Hassan and Baba does so for Amir this analogy of keys and doors describes the power imbalances between people.

‘He had won because winners won’

Baba is a winner through and through.

‘I was going to win’

repetition of this short sentence, he will do anything it takes to win the heart of Baba.

‘I had a mission now. And I wasn’t going to fail Baba. Not this time.’

Lots of short simple sentences, feels very dramatic - this is his only goal. Does not want to be a failure to Baba

‘Iran represented a sanctuary of sorts’

a safe place for Hazara’s suggests Amir’s knowledge that Kabul isn’t so great for them.

‘He’d accepted that fact that he’d grow old in that mud shack in the yard.’

Generational pain, perpetuating unbroken cycle of prejudice. Amir feels sympathetic even before the rape.

‘the ‘God willing’ qualifier didn’t sound as sincere coming from my lips’

Hassan is more connected to the religion than Amir.

‘He was so goddamn pure you always felt like a phony around him.’

Hassan is symbolic of purity

‘I had the distinct suspicion Hassan had let me win.’

Hassan wants Amir to be happy not jealous.