Kite Runner Ch 1 - 7 + Literary Devices

Descriptions of Hassan’s house:

Mud huts and marble houses

"my father was a force of nature"

Mr Hurricane- Descriptions of Baba and his relationship with Amir

Brass Knuckles

The overthrowing of the Afghan monarchy, introduction of Assef and initiation of the feud between him and Amir and Hassan, Hassan's birthday: "one-eyed Assef"

Symbol of what most ppl think in Afgansitan (Pashtun’s vs Hazaras)

"In the winter of 1975, I saw Hassan run a kite for the last time"

The calm before the storm- winter and descriptions of kite tournaments

Foreshadowing

"Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba"

The look of the lamb- Hassan's dream, the winning of the kite tournament, Hassan's rape:

The novel begins with a flashback. what do you think is its purpose? what do you learn about the narrator?

I think the purpose is to show who amir is right now before who he used to be is introduced. we learn that he tried to hide his past and that he "is bad"

Who is Hassan? Describe him physically. What is a cleft lip? Describe him by his relationships. What was his first word? Why is that important? How did he come into Amir's life? What contrast is made between Amir and Hassan?

Amir's friend with a cleft lip. a cleft lip is a birth defect, sometimes called hare lipped. his first word is amir - shows he has always cared about amir. He is willing to do anything for Amir. excellent kite runner

what does it mean to be a Hazara, shi'a muslim. Afghanistan's minority group? who, in the story thus far, is Hazara?

a lower, poorer, discriminated against, class/ethic group of muslims. (there features are similar to Chinese features)

what does it mean to be a Pashtun, sunni muslim, Afghanistan's majority group? who, in the story thus far, is Pashtun?

a higher, richer, more liked class/ethnic group of muslims. amir and baba are Pashtun

how does amir describe his home? why do you think he elaborates this description so much? what do the details of the family pictures in amirs house reveal?

he talks about every detail (as if he's trying to make up for something). the pictures show he and baba's relationship and who amir is closest to

who is sanaubar? how is she contrasted to amir's mother

hassaans mother.

Hassan’s Mom vs Amir’s Mom

H’s mom - left 5 days after giving birth with a group of performers

A’s mom - died during childbirth

who is Ali? what do the neighborhood kids call him? what does it mean? why do they call him this?

Hassan's father. Amir’s family servant they call him Babalo, it means Boogyman. they call him this bc he walks with a limp and a draggy leg, causing him to look a little scar. Lower half of face is paralyzed, crippled in one leg by polio, remains cheerful and kind.

how does amir feel about his father in these chapters

he wants his fathers attention

who is baba? describe him. what are his values? how does he relate to extremely religious leaders

• Amir’s father

• Strict

• rich

• thinks in black and white

• Values Soccer and politics

• Larger-than-life figure with wild hair and a loud voice

• works hard and succeeds

• works with charities and an orphanage

• Charismatic, unreligious, brave

What does baba give Hassan for his birthday? what does his present suggest about his character? how does amir react to this present?

surgery to fix Hassan's cleft lip. it suggests baba has sympathy for him and wants him to look normal. amir is shocked and jealous that Hassan has baba's sympathy and affections.

why did Hassan’s present present turn out to be ironic?

its ironic bc Hassan stopped smiling for good after his surgery.

who is assef? what is his ancestry? what is he famous for? what is his political vision?

The son of Baba's friend, Mahmood. he is also a bully. German mother and Afghan father. famous for his stainless steel brass knuckles. his political stance is that Afghanistan is for Pashtuns only. torments children with his brass knuckles

who are wali and kamal

Assessf’s friends

what happens between assef/wali/kamal and amir/hassan? what does assef threaten (foreshadow)?

Assef is about to punch Amir when Hassan points his slingshot at assef to defend Amir. Assef threatens his return and threatens to force Amir to fight for himself.

what does amir want to tell assef about hassan when assef bullies them about being friends?

he wants to say Hassans not a friend but a servant and then immediately feels guilty

"there is only one sin, only one. and that is theft. every other sin is variation of theft." -- pg 17

baba's view on sin

"a boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up to anything." -- pg 22

baba's. thoughts on Amir not defending himself

"...a person who wastes his God-given talents is a donkey." -- pg 32

Rahim Khan says this in his letter to Amir. He's essentially saying that amir should give up on writing because that's his god given gift

why do boys in afghanistan during the winter of 1975 have gashes on their fingers?

they had to cut and make their own kites.

in ch 6, how does amir feel about hassan? (think about his conflicted feelings.) what does he mean "my life as a ghost"? pg 56

he feels jealous of hassan. he doesn't feel noticed by baba, he believes that baba doesn't think amir is worthy of being his son

what is the proudest moment of twelve-year-old amir's life as described in ch 7

winning the kite running competition because he gets to see Baba proud of him

what happens to hassan when he runs the blue kite for amir? (assef foreshadowed this earlier in ch 5)

assef corners and rapes hassan

Amir

• protagonist and narrator

• wealthy

• grows up in Kabul, Afghanistan along with his dad, Baba

Ali

• Hassan's father

• lower half of face is paralyzed, crippled in one leg by polio, remains cheerful and kind.

Assef

• antagonist of the novel

• blue-eyed, sadistic boy who idolizes Hitler

• torments children with his brass knuckles

Rahim Khan

• Baba's close friend and business associate

• understanding

• encourages Amir's writing

• wants Amir back to go to Afghanistan for a chance to redeem himself

• Wise

Sanaubar

• Hassan's mother and Ali's wife

• had a "dishonourable" reputation when she was young

• despises Ali and leaves after Hassan is born

Sofia Akrami

• Amir's mother and Baba's wife

• college professor of royal blood

• dies giving birth to Amir

Sakina

woman who nursed both Amir and Hassan

What year does Amir narrate the story?

2001

According to Ali, why did Amir and Hassan have special kinship?

They were nursed by the same women

The term "Hazara" describes which characters?

Ali & Hassan

What does Amir call Assef?

sociopath

How did Amir learn about Hazara history?

read books

Baba was rumored to have done what?

wrestled a bear

According to Baba, what is the greatest sin?

theft

For what did Amir feel Baba blamed him for?

The death of his mother

As a child Amir was talented at what?

reciting poetry

Who said "If I hadn't seen the doctor pull him out of my wife with my own eyes, I'd never believe he's my son?

Baba

Who is "the face of Afghanistan" to Amir?

Hassan

What did Hassan point out in Amir's story?

a plot hole, shows how smart he is

What made Hassan such a good kite runner?

he knows exactly where the kite will land

What did Amir do to help Hassan when he got raped?

absolutely nothing

According to Amir, what is "the look of the lamb?"

defeat

How did Amir deal with his guilt?

ignored Hassan

chapter 1

establishes Amir's guilt and his life in both SF and Kabul

chapter 2

we are introduced to Amir, Ali and Hassan. Hassan has a run in with some soldiers who insult his mother.

chapter 3

we are introduced to Baba and Rahim Khan. We learn about the conflict between Baba and Amir because of his less than athletic nature.

chapter 4

We learn more about Amir and Hassan's friendship. Amir tricks Hassan with an improvised part of a book, then writes his own story

chapter 6

the kite fighting tournament is introduced, and Amir learns that he could get into his father's favour if he wins the tournament.

chapter 5

the Russians roll in to Kabul. Assef and his violent racism are introduced. After leaving him, Hassan gets plastic surgery to remove his harelip for his birthday.

chapter 7

Hassan has a dream about a monster in a lake. Amir wins a kite fighting tournament. Hassan gets raped by Assef and Amir just watches from the rubble.

How did Amir learn about Hazara history?

read books

What is another term for harelip?

cleft lip

What is Baba's opinion of the mullahs?

They are crazy and do not know what they are talking about

Seasons 1 - Winter 'at the age of twelve'

I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975.

Brothers - First words

I think the foundation for what happened in the winter of 1975 - and all that followed - was already laid in those first words.

Race / Religion 1 - Pashtun, Hazara, Sunni, Shia

In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I was Sunni and he was Shi'a, and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing.

Race / Religion 2 - Shia

That's the one thing Shi'a people do well... passing themselves as martyrs.

Race / Religion 3 - lamb

Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba

Race/Religion 4- Hazara

He was just a Hazara, wasn't he?

Foreshadowing 1 - After Hassan asks Amir if he'd eat dirt.

And that's the thing about people who mean everything they say, they think everyone else does too.

Foreshadowing 2 - After Hassan points out the major plothole in Amir's story. He is interrupted by gunfire from a bloodless coup that topples the monarchy.

I never got to finish that sentence. Because suddenly Afghanistan changed forever.

Brothers 2: Pure

He was so goddamn pure, you always felt like a phony around him

Time Frame

‘the winter of 1975.’

Example of Personification

‘the past claws its way out.’

Example of Imagery + Symbolism + Personification

‘Then I glanced up and and saw a pair of kites, red with long blue tails, soaring in the sky.’

how is hassan’s rape referenced in chapter 1?

“peeking into the alley near the frozen creek”

what language does amir use to describe afghanistan in chapter 1?

negative imagery, “crumbling mud wall”, “frigid overcast day”, “frozen creek”

what language does amir use to describe afghanistan in chapter 1?

• positive and natural imagery

• “sun sparkled” the sibilance might make this description more memorable

• “crisp breeze”

• “they danced”, personification makes the setting very vivd

why has hosseini contrasted afghanistan and the usa in chapter 1?

negative descriptions of afghanistan might outline the opinion of an american reader. by drawing a reader in with a familiar perspective, his humanisation of afghanistan might be more impactful

where is chapter 1 set? what is the significance of this?

the “golden gate bridge” in san francisco, grounding the narrative

which words are italicised in chapter 1? why?

• “for you, a thousand times over” and “there is a way to be good again”

• italicisation shows they’re important

what is rahim khan’s importance in chapter 1?

he bridges the gap between past and present

what is the significance of baba’s name?

it means father in afghan, he can’t suppress his afghan identity

which pronoun does amir use referring to he and hassan? what’s the significance?

“we”, suggests unity

what is the plot of chapter 2?

amir’s childhood memories with hassan

how is the equality between amir and hassan emphasised?

“we took turns”

what language is used to describe amir and hassan’s childhood memories? what might this suggest?

• positive natural imagery

• “poplar trees”

• “high branches”

• mulberries and walnuts”

• their equality is a part of the natural order

significance of “a face like a chinese doll”.

• "amir about hassan

• childlike imagery

• “doll” might foreshadow that hassan is an accessory to amir

what extended simile does amir use to describe hassan?

“a face like a chinese doll”

which of hassan’s physical features does amir list?

• “narrow eyes like bamboo leaves”

• natural imagery shows that he’s celebrating the features that should divide them (hazaras have more asian features than pashtuns)

• “that looked… gold, green, even sapphire”, semantic field of wealth shows he’s praising him

a quote showing that hassan obliges amir. “hassan never denied me anything”

showing the audience that this is a servant master relationship in truth, yet amir did not realise this and still might not

how is amir’s house described?

using the semantic field of excess:

• “broad entryway flanked by rosebushes”

• “sprawling house”

• “wide windows”

give a direct comparison between hassan’s hut and amir;s house.

“crystal chandelier” and “kerosene lamps”

how does amir’s house show the generational power of the pashtuns?

there are pictures of amir’s “grandfather and king nadir shah”

how is baba’s power shown through amir’s house?

• financial power “crystal chandeliers”

• social power “king nadir shah” and his mother is a “smiling princess”, referencing her royal ancestry

what difference in hassan and amir’s upbringing is described in chapter 2?

amir was brought up with culture, “politics, business, soccer”, while hassan was brought up with religion, shown through the tapestry with “allah-u-akbar”

what is said about the position of women in chapter 2?

sanaubar’s “oscillating hips have sent men to reveries of infidelity”, suggesting women are slut shamed and sexualised

what do we learn about the violence between the hazaras and the pashtuns in chapter 2?

“the pashtuns had quelled them with unspeakable violence”, which amir reads from a book

how is power of the written word seen?

“the book said a lot of things i didn’t know, things my teachers hadn’t mentioned”

what does chapter 3 focus on?

baba’s relationship with Amir

which story starts chapter 3?

“lore has it my father once wrestled a black bear”

how is baba seen by the people?

• strong, “a black glare that would “drop the devil to his knees” as rahim khan used to say”

• honest, “no one ever doubted the veracity of any story about baba”