Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

123.The laftz ceremony is also known as the “giving word” ceremony. This ceremony entails the acceptance of both families for the new member of the family (the husband’s family accepting the wife and the wife’s family accepting the husband) this differs from American customs because American families don’t necessarily abide by the strict ceremonies and don’t have to be approved of by the opposite family to be wed.

124.The memory that comes to mind during his wedding is one of Hassan. He wonders if Hassan married and whose face he saw in the mirror under the veil. He wonders who the woman Hassan married was and what she was like.

125.When Amir sees the leather bound book given to him by Rahim Khan he feels sad. He goes off to cry away from Baba and Soraya.  Even though they like his writings, he still is emotional about others reading it. Baba did not take any interest in him before… why start now.

126.General Taheri doesn’t work and Baba does. General Taheri is very restrictive of his family and Baba wasn’t as strict on Amir. Baba and the general share a common pride for the Afghani people and for their country.

127.The standards are seen in different customs for male and female in America verses in Afghanistan. Amir and Soraya like the American dream… the American customs. However, their parents conform to the traditional customs from their home in Afghanistan. They may have liked the idea of America but their traditoion made them proud. The segregation of the male and female roles are seen strongly in the characters of the General and his wife. While more American conduct is observed in Amir and Soraya.

128.The fact that the general makes Soraya cut off her hair shows that the General is strict with traditional customs and hard on his daughter. Amir is different from any Afghan guy she has met- he is not a traditional maniac, and he is still willing to marry her despite his faults.

129.The presents they get from Soraya’s parents are: a leather couch, a set of dishes, and a typewriter with a note. “Amir Jan, I hope you discover many tales on these keys. General Iqbal Taheri” This signifies their acceptance of Amir as a writer and that they are proud of his profession, unlike Baba.

130.Amir wonders if he deserves all of the happiness in his life. This relates back to the attack on Hassan.

131.Afghanistan was forgotten because of china, Tiananmen square and other news that “was more important.”

132.Soraya and Amir cannot conceive children. They try but to no avail. After tests with numerous doctors, no answer is found for why they cannot conceive. They consider adopting but through the general they decide that adopting may not be the best idea for them. 

Chapter 22

210. The house has a well manicured lawn with geraniums and stubby bushes. It is a large house and has an Afghan flag draped on one of the walls. There are twin mint green sofas and a big screen TV.

211. Amir wonders what he is doing there. He thinks of himself as gutless and that there is nothing wrong with being a coward.

212. The man Amir meets has sallow colored skin and tiny sweat beads are present on his skin. He is wearing a black turban and has cut like those of the homeless in San Francisco. This means that he is doing something that hurts himself and others as well.

213. They searched Amir.

214. He tells Amir about when they went around and shot all the men all boys in front of their families. He also says that he went into houses and let the bullets fly. He tells Amir this because Hassan was a Hazara and this was the Hazara massacre.

215. The Taliban think that by killing Hazaras they are doing God’s work and purifying the world. He probably became this way because he wasn’t raised in what was right by his parents.

216. The man says that Amir could be arrested for treason because he abandoned his waton when it needed him. It is ironic, because the Taliban are killing people, and that is also considered to be treason.

217. Sohrab looks a lot like Hassan. He had a round moon face, pointy stub of a chin and seashell ears along with the same frame.

218. The men treat Sohrab like scum. They make him dance and don’t care for him well.

219. The man reveals himself to be Assef and Amir is sickened.

220. When Amir offers pay for Sohrab, Assef states that his own family is rich and that if he needed money he would get it from them.

221. Assef and his family were taken to jail by the communists. Then one of them took him away and starting kicking him. One kick helps him pass a kidney stone and with relief Assef starts laughing. He believes that God is on his side.

222. His mission is to “help” the world by punishing those he believes has done wrong.

223. Sohrab’s eyes are surrounded by mascara.

224. Assef states that if Amir wins then he will walk away with the boy, and if he doesn’t then he will be dead. The fight isn’t fair because Assef has brass knuckles.

225. The story is about a man in a surgical cap and with an Allah necklace around his neck. Amir says that he thinks that he gave him, Assef a good fight. It shows how Assef has changed.

226. Amir is losing badly and doesn’t fight very well. Assef is hurting him badly and dominating the match.

227. Amir feels healed because he used to be mean to Hassan and he believes that he has gotten what he deserved. He laughed because he feels healed while his body is being broken.

228. Sohrab shoots Assef in the eye when it is obvious that Amir is about to be killed. Hassan used to do the same thing and stand up to Assef with his slingshot when Assef would try to hurt him.

229. The brass ball from the slingshot gets stuck in Assef eyesocket.

230. Farid helps them to his car and they drive to the hospital.

Chapter 25

I don't know what Q 280 is.

266. Amir is very nervous. He says that he already has Hassan’s blood on his hands and don’t want Hassan’s son on his too. He compares it to riding with Baba in the tank of the fuel truck with all of the rest of the refugees. At both times he is scared and wants to escape from the predicament.

267. Amir sets out his prayer mat and says that he is sorry for not praying for all those years and that he has neglected god. He says that he will fast and commit to memory the Holy book. Also he will think of him every day and take a pilgrimage.

268. Sohrab is white faced with plastic tubes and IV tubes along with a ventilator.

269. Amir thinks that he sees one of the doctors in his dreams but it turns out to be the embassy man Raymond Andrews. I think that Amir dreams of him, because he is the person that he went to try and get Amir to America.

270. The hotel manager asks Amir to leave because it is bad for business for him to stay. Amir says that he understands and leaves.

271. Amir takes the Shahnamah to the hospital, because it is Sohrab’s favorite book. He hoped to get Sohrab to trust him again after he broke his promise.

272. Sohrab really wants his old life back.

273. Amir thinks about how he wishes that he had his old life back, but his old life is gone. It is in italics, because it shows a main theme of the story.

274. Amir has become more attached to Sohrab, but he wishes that Amir had let him die.

275. Amir tells of when he and Hassan sit beneath the cherry tree and Amir asks Hassan to eat dirt for him to prove his loyalty. He says that it is now his turn to prove his worthiness.

276. Sohrab used to have faith in a better life but now he had no hope.

277. Sohrab wouldn’t speak a word for the next year.

278. When things are bad your head is confused and you can’t think straight. America wasn’t bad, but Sohrab couldn’t see it because he wanted his old life back.

279. In Afghanistan the end or result is all that matters, but in America until the end has happened it shouldn’t be stated. Anything could happen.

280. Sunday’s tiny miracle was when Amir takes Sohrab to America.

281. Amir was the socially acceptable half of Baba and Hassan was the other. Amir believes that Baba thought of Hassan as his true son and not Amir.

282. Amir and the General talk about where Sohrab came from and why Amir brought him to America. Amir tells him not to refer to Sohrab as the Hazara boy, because it is disrespectful.

283. There are American flags everywhere.

284. Soraya and Amir join Afghan prodjects. They do this for civil duty and to fill the silence of Sohrab. It is similar to Baba building the orphanage.

285. March 2002

286. The General had been summoned for a military position in Afghanistan and accepted. He wanted to support his country.

Chapter 21

197. As Farid and Amir drive towards the stadium, the see a dead man hanging near a restaurant as well as a beggar aiming to sell his prosthetic leg.

198. The Street Of Guests seems to be a reference to the people behind the Taliban and the somewhat nicer neighborhood, or street, they live in.

199. When Amir sees the pink house, he is reminded of the times when Baba would tell him that if he ever got lost, he should remember that they live on the street with the oink house on the end.

200. When Amir walks around his old house, he sees that its run down and gloomy. The asphalt is cracked and broken, the paint is peeling, the bricks had faded, and the driveway seems shorter than it used to be. Amir feels like a stranger.

201. Farid tells Amir, "Nothing you remember has remained. Best to forget." Amir responds by running to the old pomegranate tree and finding the carving he did with Hassan years ago. The one that said "Amir and Hassan. The sultans of Kabul."

202. The tree used to symbolize forgiveness in times of hardship, hope, and innocence. When Amir sees it now, it is wilted, lifeless, and without fruit. Now it symbolizes the change in Afghanistan, and possibly in Amir as well.

203. The Hotel Amir and Farid spend the night in doesnt have any running hot water, the toilet is cracked and  doesnt flush, the mattress is worn and accompanied by a ragged blanket, and there is a bloodstain on the wall just behind the bed.

204. Amir doesnt mind paying the cost for the room because he understands that the man he gave his money to probably has kids to feed, and he sympathizes with that.

205. The Mullah Nasruddin jokes are jokes about "the bumbling mullah" and are most likely included by the author to provide a sense of relief and possible a sense of hope for the reader.

206. Amir and Farid enter the stadium feeling sickened by what they witness. They watch during halftime as a man and woman get stoned by the Taliban for "spitting in the face of God".

207. The clerics seemed to be vicious members of the clergy. They didnt have much regret for their actions.

208. The man and woman were placed in holes in the field and buried up to their chest. As they awaited the stoning, the cleric gave a long and frightening speech about sin and punishment by order of their religion and God. They ask how one should punish an adulterer, one who dishonors the sanctity and spits in the face of God. And answers that "we shall throw stones back". The two people then take stones to the head until the Taliban can no longer hear their hearts beating. The poeple in the crowd seem shocked, gasping at each stone, and Amir states he had never wanted to leave a place so badly in his life.

209. To set a meeting with the man in the black glasses, all Farid had to do was tell someone had personal business he had to discuss with the man in white. The man he spoke to then confirmed the meeting with the man in the glasses, to which he nodded, and the meeting was set for three o'clock.


Please feel free to comment as much as you like. Id love to hear any extra input you have on the questions Ive answered.
-Summer

Chapter 16

I was supposed to do ch 16 but I forgot my english stuff at school. Sorry. I'll do it on monday!
-Anjolenna

Chapter 19

Chapter 19:

174: Farid’s family is very impoverished and they have been through many hard times. Two daughters of Farid's seven children were killed by a land mine, a disaster which mutilated three fingers on his left hand and also took some of his toes. He is bitter because he doesn’t think Amir really understands what has happened to the country and he has been through so much.

175: Farid is rude to Amir because Amir thinks he knows what has really happened in Kabul. But he really doesn’t, since it is much more serious then he thinks.

176: Amir had to: exchange dollars for Kadar and Afghani bills, find a artificial beard, get a garment ( pakol) all to prepare to go to Afghanistan.  

177: Amir wanted to leave as soon as possible so he would not change his mind about going to get Sohrab.

178: Everything had changed about the country since Amir had last been there. He felt like it was a whole new country because it had changed so much. He wasn’t familiar with it. Farid responds with the question of how Amir still referred to it as “his country”. Farid is curious of how it was still his country if he hadn’t been there through the horrible times.

179: Farid and his brother argue about how Farid assumes Amir is there to sell the land of his fathers and get the money and go back home. Farid’s brother defends him and tells Farid to mind his manners in his house. This shows that Farid is more critical and un compassionate and that Wahid cares about manners and being kind to guests.

180: Amir tells the men why he really is in Afghanistan. They both decide he is an honorable man and that they are proud to have him staying with them. Farid decides later that he was wrong to assume about why Amir was in Afghanistan.

181: Amir cringes because he believes that he is really not an honorable man for all the sin and wrong he had done towards Hassan. And that this one act didn’t make him honorable.

182: The boys’ eyes were glued to the watch throughout the dinner. But when Amir gives the watch to the boys they are shy and muter thank yous as if they are ashamed they had eyed it. They look at it for a while but then lose interest. Showing that while things may be wanted at first, you will lost interest.

** I don’t know if this is right.

183: The nightmare that Amir has is of Hassan’s murder in the streets. And that he is the man murdering him. Amir is blaming himself for Hassan’s death in this dream.

184: Amir shoves a wad of cash under the mattress of the family. This shows that he is turning into a very compassionate caring man.

-Meghan =)

We still need chapters!

It would be great if someone could help fill in the remaining chapters. 13, 16, 19, 21, 22, 25 still need to be completed.

Chapter 20

185. Afghanistan has become war torn. Structures have fallen and chaos litters the streets.

186. The Taliban are ruthless and go about killing others simply for the pleasure of it and Amir learns that you should look at your feet when they pass by so you won’t provoke them.

187. Amir meets an old beggar. He asks for money and Amir gives him about three dollars. The man is in very poor condition and thanks Amir. He is interested in the beggar because he tells him about when he met the Taliban and about how he knew his mother.

188. Amir’s mother taught at the university.

189. Amir stares at the Taliban when they pass by.

190. The orphanage it a building that is in poor condition with splintered walls and windows boarded up with planks.

191. Zaman is afraid of Amir, because there are so many bad people who come to the orphanage including the Taliban. He is frightened. He tells him that he is looking for a boy and that he is his half uncle.

192. Zaman is a short, thin balding man with a shaggy gray beard.

193.Farid attacks Zaman when he learns that he has been selling children. Amir tells him that the children are watching.

194. Zaman has allowed children to be mistreated so that he can take care of the rest of them. I agree with what he has done, because otherwise many other children would have suffered as well.

195. He learns that Sorab has been taken by a Taliban official.

196. Zaman tells Amir to go to Ghazi Stadium tomorrow and that the man who has Sorab will be wearing black sunglasses.

Chapter 11

104. “Baba loved the idea of America. It was living in America that gave him an ulcer.” This quote shows that Baba thought of America as a dream come true, but when he gets there it isn’t what he expected.

105. At Mr. and Mrs. Nguyen’s grocery store Baba doesn’t have enough money to pay for some oranges and he gives them a check to pay for them. When they ask for ID Baba gets mad and breaks some objects. Baba responds in this way because he has been buying their fruit for two years and they still want to see his license. Amir replies that it is what they are supposed to do.

106. Baba refuses to take the food stamps because of his self pride.

107. Baba says that he is proud of Amir and curls his arm around Amir’s neck. He also gives him a kiss and his eyes gleam.

108. Baba says that he wishes that Hassan had been with them tonight. Amir is greatly disturbed by this.

109. Amir wants to be independent and he still wants Baba to be proud of him, but it is not as strong as before. The last time he did something for Baba, he hurt himself in the process.

110. Baba wants Amir to go to college, but he is disappointed in him becoming an author.

111. Baba tells Amir that no suitors knock on the general’s door looking for Soraya and that her life changed within a few days. She ran away with a man a while and that changed her life.

Chapter 18

(thank you to who ever answered these questions, but I was the one who was supposed to complete this chapter, so I will just paste my answers at the bottom of your post. -Meghan)
170. How he never missed a birthday and how he got hassans lip fixed.
171.That he had a brother.
172.To purify themselfs and to show that he did care about his life and the kives of others.
173.He decides to go because, hassan loved him and there was a part of him left in Kabul and Amir wanted a chance to fix the past.

IDK who was supposed to do this chapter but i had it done and it was missing on here so i just decide to do it.

170: Amir resurrects the memories of how much Baba cared for Hassan. These included when he paid to get Hassan’s harelip fixed, Baba never missing Hassan’s birthday, how Baba had told Amir they would never get new servants, and how Babe wept when Hassan and Ali announced they were leaving. These had been the signs in front of Amir showing that Baba was Hassan’s father that he had never noticed. After finding out that Baba was Hassan’s father he realized these signs he hadn’t known about at the time.

171: When Amir was very young, Baba had explained to Amir that “There is only one sin. And that is theft, when you tell a lie; you steal someone’s right to the truth.” Since Baba lied about Hassan being his true son, Amir feels he was robbed of the truth. And that Baba was a hypocrite when he told Amir not to lie and not to steal the truth from that person. Baba was a liar, therefore: he was a thief.

172: Both Baba and Amir had both betrayed the people who cared most about them. Rahim Khan had called Amir to come to atone the sins towards the family of Ali and Hassan. Amir has the chance to save Sohrab, Hassan’s son, and make things up for the betrayal his father and he had committed.

173: Amir decides to find Sohrab and save him from the orphanage. He realized that a little part of Hassan, the one person who loved him completely, was in Kabul. He will atone the sins of his father and himself and save the little piece of his brother.

Chapter 7

48. Hassan and Amir went to alke, that was said to have a monster in it, but they didn't beleive it so they went swimming in it anyway and nothing happened to them. Everybody was clapping for them and the lake was named "Lake of Amir and Hassan, Sultans of Kubal". They were allowed to charge people money to siwm in the lake.

49."like paper sharks roaming for prey." "my kite was rocketing to the sky."

50. Hassan holds the spool to a red kite with yellow borders. Amir controls the kite. They both bloody their hands as they fight the other kites. Other kites fall around them but Amir tells us that his kite keeps flying. Then there are only two kites left, Amir’s and a blue one. Amir brings his kite on top of the blue one and then cuts it down.

51. Happy, releived, special.  I dont really know what to say for this one.

52. He will be pleased, happy, and proud of Amir.

53. "For you a thousand times over."   Im not sure where it was said earlier.

54. Something bad will probably happen to him, so there will be nothing else good to smile for, so the picture will be the only memory of Hassan smiling.

55. Amir would make a grand entrance with a trophy. Heads would turn to him with a moment of silence. Then Baba would embrace him and acknowledge his worthiness.

56. They are in an alley. Im not sure what the symbolism would be.

57. . Assef tells Hassan that to Amir he is just an ugly pet and asks if he would do the same for him. He responds that they are friends. 

58. Amir is no shown as a coward who knows he is no better than Hassan and social status won't make a difference if someone is stronger than you.

59. As Amir witnesses the assault on Hassan he remembers the sacrificing of a lamb to celebrate and commend Ibrahim's sacrifice of his own son to God.

60.Hassan remains loyal to Amir during and after the assault and was ready to take what he has to in order to retrieve the kite.

61. Amir compares Hassan to a lamb, meaning that Amir thinks that maybe what happened to Hassan was worth the price of winning Baba's respect.

62.What Amir said that to show that he is no way as good of a friend as Hassan and Amir ran because he was a coward of what would happen to him if he stood up for Hassan and he shows us how important Hassan really is to him.

63. The symbolism shown after Hassan and Amir meet is the dead birch tree. This symbol shows that Hassan has died inside and their friendship has died a little as well.

64. Amir is greeted by his smiling father when he returns home. Amir reacts by hugging him and crying against his chest.

65.I now understand that Hassan's dream was showing of how helpless he is in the water and that their will always be something that can hurt him yet Amir won't be there for him.

Chapter 15

140. Peshawar reminds Amir of a "busier, more crowded version of Kabul." Most of the Afghanis that could escape came to Peshawar.
141.Rahim Khan has become very frail and sickly. He lives in a small apartment that doesn't compare to the lavish luxuries of his past.
142. Rahim Khan doesn't remember ever giving Amir the notebook he wrote stories in. This is surprising because it was Amir's favorite present that year and it was very special to him and Rahim Khan knew that.
143. Rahim Khan went to a soccer game and the man next to him cheered when Kabul scored, and a soldier struck him on the forehead. The changes in Afghanistan were extreme and cruel. You had no freedoms and could be punished and injured for any misdemeanor.
144. The Northern Alliance completely split Kabul. If you crossed between territories you risked getting shot.
145. Rahim Khan danced when the Taliban got there because he thought they would be their savior and end the constant fighting.
146. The orphanage was destroyed by the Taliban. This means that they really didn't care what they destroyed, as long as they destroyed it. They killed children for no reason and were completely content with themselves for it.
147. Rahim Khan and the rest of Afghanistan were excited when the Taliban got there. Even though the Taliban were dangerous, they were better than the Northern Alliance.
148.Rahim Khan is dying. He doesn't believe he has the rest of the summer to live. He coughs up a lot of blood on his handkerchief.
149. Amir tries to get Rahim Khan to  come back to America so he can see a good doctor. He is optimistic and thinks Rahim Khan will survive. But all of the Afghans still in their homeland have lost all hope for themselves and their country.
150. Amir learns that Hassan lived with Rahim Khan in Baba's old home.

Chapter 14

133. June 2001. The book starts in 1975.
134. Rahim Khan called Amir to tell him that he is ill and dying. Amir responds by going to Pakistan immediately.
135. Soraya has a sliver of fat under her chin and gray streaks in her hair.
136. Before Rahim Khan hung up, he told Amir "There is a way to be good again." By saying "I knew he knew", Amir is referring to Rahim Khan knowing what had happened in the alley with Hassan.
137. The General broke his hip and had numerous medical issues afterwards. He was softened and his relationship with Soraya was strengthened. Khala Jamila's complaints of her own health then changed to her husband's health. She sang to him while he was asleep in the hospital bed.
 138. Amir dreamed of Hassan saying "For you, a thousand times over!" This implies that Amir still has a guilty conscience over what happened, and that he misses his playmate.
139. The following week, Amir goes to Pakistan.

I hope these are right! Feel free to make comments and change things if you disagree

Post Comments

Posting comments on each of the sections of questions could be a good study tool. Adding any imput over what may have been missed by the original writer is something that is important so we don't all miss any essential elements. If you disagree with an awnser, this also could help make sure that all sides of the questions are examined. Try to post a comment on at least one post.Talking through each of the sections I think is a good way for everyone to gain a deeper understanding of the book/chapters. This is for your benifit and for the benifit of all of us. :) Micaela and I are in agreement on this point because we talked through a chapter while we awnsered questions and it really helped us charachterize and get a better feel for the chapter we were working on.
Kaitie

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

90.   Amir and Baba left Kabul at 2 in the morning heading towards Jalalabad, Pakistan. Eventually hoping to move to America. They brought very few belongings.

91.   Amir and Baba kept the fact that they were leaving a secret because they feel like rafiqs or (the comrades) were always listening. No one could trust anyone anymore.

92.   The comrades or the Russians invaded. This event has lead to a very distrustful community.

93.   While at the border of Pakistan sitting in the back of a truck a young Russian soldier attempts to harass a young afghan married woman. He asks for 30 minutes alone with her but Baba won’t allow it. Baba stands up to defend her honor.

94.   The young Russian soldier threatens to shoot Baba and raises his gun. Another Russian officer stops the soldier from killing Baba. The officer apologizes for the soldiers actions and lets them move past the checkpoint.

95.   Amir is original reaction is that he tries to refrain Baba from standing up. Amir fears he will lose his father. Amir thinks that his father defends his pride and the honor of others too often. “Do you always have to be the hero can’t you just let it go for once.” (pg.115)

96.   Amir again feels guilty about the attack on Hassan. He feels he isn’t worthy to be Baba’s son because he doesn’t portray the same courage and honor that he sees in Baba.

97.   Karim is the truck driver. Karim informs all the passengers that the truck to finish the trip broke last week. This enrages Baba and attacks Karim for not informing them earlier and taking the money anyway.

98.   So the passengers from the truck are hiding out in the basement because they are waiting for the truck to be fixed  to come to take them to Pakistan. The basement is described as smelly, mildewy, dark, and dank.

99.   Kamal looks sickly and depressed because four men caught Kamal. When he came back he was bleeding “down there”. Kamal no longer talks and just stares.

100.                        This event is ironic because Kamal earlier in the story helped hold down Hassan while Assef attacked him. Now that Kamla has been attacked in the same way its ironic.

101.                        Baba grabs a handful of dirt because he knows he will never come back to the place he grew up. He wants to keep a part of home close to him. The dirt symbolizes how he wants to remember his wife, Hassan, Ali, and his home.

102.                        While sitting in the gas truck Baba tells Amir to think of something happy. Immediately Amir thinks of flying Kites with Hassan.

103.                        When the passengers get out of the gas truck Kamal has a hard time breathing. The fumes caused him to suffocate and die. His father overwhelmed with grief take a gun in his mouth and commits suicide. This event causes Amir to get sick literally and mentally/emotionally.

Chapter 23

 232. The author leaves so much space to represent the long periods of time that he was unconcious and didnt know what was going on in the world around him. 233. Amir recalls the dream of his father, Baba, fighting off a huge bear. The dream has changed this time though because he is the bear in this dream.
234. Amir's spleed had been ruptured, but a delayed one. he also have seven broken ribs. One of the ribs went into his lung and punctured it. And he also was suffering from many deep cuts, the worst one on his upper lip causing it to be split into two. There was a fracture on his left eye socket bone.
235. Amirs ruptured spleen could be a symbol. Becuase he could have died and left Sohrab with no one to care for him. But God was on his side and delayed the rupturing of his spleen.
236. Sohrab is very quiet. He just mainly sits there and looks at his hands avoiding all eye contact. He does shake hands with Amir though, and says one thing and then doesnt talk at all again for a while.
237. Rahim Khan sent Amir out to get Sohrab and bring him back to another orphanage. But before they can get back Rahim leaves. He leaves Amir money in a safe-deposit box and takes off to be where he would like in his last few days.
238. Amir is concerned with the tall man that walks into his room because he is afraid that Assef has sent someone to come get him and finish the job that he could not.
239. Rahim's letter states several things. One that he said he knew about what lies Amir has and that he knows what happened to Hassan that one day. He also apologizes for not telling Amir the truth about Hassan before. He explained the problems Baba had and how he was torn between two sons, and how he always meant well even though it might not have came off that way. He asks for his forgivness for lying to him. Lastly he said that he left money for him in a band in Peshawar.
240. Farid thinks that Amir should leave the hospital as soon as possible because he believes that the Taliban might send people after him, and people to get finish the job from Assef and his fight.
241. Farid says,"For you a thousand times over." This makes Amir cry because the one day that he had one the kite competition and Hassan went to run the kite he said this same phrase to him. This is also the terrible day that Amir stood and watched as his brother was tortured by Assef.
242. Amir finds a cardgame which he and Sorhab both like. This is the start of their relationship as a father and adopted son.
243.  Amir had a dream of his past. Like a film of little parts of his past. This is disturbing because his past was not a pleasent time, and he relives the time when he saw Hassan with the blood dripping from his pants, the worst memory of all.
244. Farid tells Amir that the people that Rahim has told him about that would take care of Sohrab have never existed. This was a set up from Rahim, he knew that they never have existed but he needed an excuse to tell Amir to go get Sohrab. So he told him that they would take him in, but in reality he knew that they werent there so Amir would end up taking him home to a nice place in America.
245. "A way to be good again" Rahim had told Amir, this simply means that he knows that he lied all those times and that it wasnt a right choice at all, and this is a way for him to redeem himself.

Chapter 6

38. Amir loves the icy season because then he kite fight.

39. Ahmad was an epileptic kid whose dad was a doctor. He is different from Amir in the fact that he is forced to attend winter school.

40. When Amir fought kites, he and his dad were able to connect better on a more personal level.

41. “As with any war, you had to ready yourself for battle.” “I remember how my classmates and I used to huddle around, compare our battle scars”

42. A kite runner chases down any kites that get their strings cut and whoever gets there first gets to keep it. Amir says Hasaan is the best because he always knows where the kite will be.

43. The kite runner who climbs a tree falls and breaks his back. Hosseini tells this story to show the kite runners’ dedication to the kites they catch.

44. In the scene where Amir sees Hasaan’s face change Amir sees Hasaan with two faces and says it had happened before.

45. Amir and Baba discuss Amir’s chances of winning in the big kite in the morning. This shows Baba’s desire for Amir to do something worth being proud of and Amir’s desire for Baba’s approval.

46. Amir says he will buy Hasaan a colored TV and he does this because he likes Hasaan like a brother.

47. Inshallah means “God willing”

Chapter 5

32. On July 17, 1973 Daoud Khan, the king’s cousin, took over Afghanistan in a bloodless coup while the king, Zahir Shah, was away in Italy. The next day Hasaan tells Amir his concern about him and his father being forced to move.

33. Assef was a boy living in the military district. His mother is German while his father is Afghan. He is considered the neighborhood bully and regularly beats kids up. Amir and Hasaan fear him because love of violence. He happily beats people up and greatly enjoys.

34. Hasaan threatens Assef by aiming his slingshot directly at his left eye. He does this to protect Amir, but not himself. This shows Hasaan’s great loyalty to Amir along with his courage.

35. Assef tells Amir that one day he will force Amir into a one on one fight with him.

36. One year.

37. Baba pays for Hasaan’s plastic surgery to fix his hair lip.

Chapter 24

246. The Shah Faisal Mosque is the biggest mosque in the world with giant concrete girders and soaring minarets. This captures Sohrab’s attention.

247. Amir offers for Farid to stay the night and that it is a long drive. He replies that he wishes to get back that night, because he misses his children. He then tells Sohrab goodbye to which he receives no reply. Amir then give him an envelope with over two thousand dollars. He is stunned then honks twice and drives away.

248. Amir describes his heart giving a sick lurch and he calls Sohrab’s name. He finds the experience disorienting. Amir goes to look for Sohrab. He asks the help of the hotel manager. He helps Amir, because he has his own children and can relate.

249.  Mr. Fayyaz says “The thing about you Afghanis is that… well, you people are a little reckless.” He means that Afghanis can do crazy things if they want to.

250. Sohrab is upset, because he believes that he is dirty for shooting Assef in the eye with a slingshot. Amir tells him that he is not dirty at all.

251. “There are a lot of children in Afghanistan, but little childhood.” This quote means that children growing up in Afghanistan don’t grow up in a loving family or have a decent childhood.”

252. Sohrab asks Amir is he will be put in hell for hurting Assef. Sohrab wonders if his father is disappointed in him. He then weeps.

253. When Amir asks if Sohrab wants to come to America with him Sohrab starts crying into Amir’s shirt.

254. Sohrab nibbles at his sandwich silently after Amir tells him that he and Hassan were related.

255. The two mullahs are discussing whether one of their son’s would go to hell because he wore his pants low. This shows that there are stricter rules in Pakistan for Muslims than the rules in America.

256. Amir promises Sohrab that he will never go to an orphanage.

257. Soraya is stunned when Amir tells her that he wants to adapt Sohrab. She accepts him as family. Amir asks her not to tell her parents who he is.

258. Raymond Andrews tells Amir to give up the case for adopting Sorhab. Amir is angry with him, because he wants to take Sohrab home and also become good again.

259. Raymond’s attitude hasn’t been the same since his daughter died.

260. Amir tells  Faisal everything that has happened since he visited Kabul. They then discuss possibilities on how to adapt Sohrab. He suggests that Amir place Sohrab in an orphanage and start an I-600 form.

261. Sohrab is named after a great warrior.

262. Sohrab explains that sour apples will make you sick if you don’t wait for them to ripen. He says that when he really wants something he will wait for it such as going to America.

263. Sohrab is upset with Amir, because he doesn’t want to go back to an orphanage.

264. Amir learns from Soraya that Sohrab will be able to come to America.

265. Sohrab has tried to comit suicide. Amir is screaming when he enters the bathroom where Sohrab is. He calls an ambulance.

Excellent

Excellent job everyone! We have a lot of chapters done, however, we still have more to do. Anyone willing to volunteer to do a few more?? If you are please post what chapters you will do because we don't want repeats. Lets commmunicate and get these done.
-Micaela

Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

1.       Ali’s parents were killed by two drunk drivers. Baba’s father takes the young Ali in and adopts him.

2.       Amir and Hassan are best friends, never apart, and are very loyal to one another. They are the best of friends. In contrast, Baba and Ali were playmates, but Baba never called Ali a friend. Hassan tells us that Hassan is not his friend, but in truth we see that he really is a great friend to Ali.

3.       This quotation is all that society teaches Amir coming into play. He knows Hassan is probably the best friend he will ever have but that doesn’t matter because of the diversity between the Hazara and the Pashtun. Hassan really can’t be his friend because of social differences.

4.       Amir and Hassan experience many adventures together. Every day, they play, read and imagine up many fantasies. They really in many senses of the word are friends. Alli and Baba, however, were never “friends”, just playmates. They played together but for them the social barrier was so large that they could not be friends.

5.       Amir is a literate Pashtun boy and Hassan is an illiterate Hazara boy. The author uses the concept of literacy and illiteracy to show the social class differences in the boy’s lives. Hassan wakes up, prepares Amir’s breakfast and does his chores. Amir, on the other hand, wakes up, eats breakfast and goes to school. Also, Amir uses Hassan’s illiteracy to make fun of him in a way. This is shown in the word usage imbecile.

6.       The significance of the word imbecile is that Amir told Hassan the wrong definition of the word. In fact, he used the complete opposite usage of the word.  He then proceeds to use it in a sentence. The sentence used (p.29) “When it comes to words, Hassan is an imbecile.”  The sentence is correct, but instead of meaning that Hassan is good with words, it means that he is an idiot about words. Amir knows this, but Hassan is oblivious and will never question Amir whether or not if he is being truthful.

7.       Amir’s first story gives him an idea of what becoming a writer would be like. When he tells Baba, he does not pay much attention. Amir then gives Rahim Khan the story to read. Later, Rahim tells him the story is excellent and encourages his future stories. This shows us two different personalities between Baba and Rahim Khan. Baba is busy, a bit distant, and gruff. Rahim is kind, loving, and a second father figure. Amir feels that Rahim Khan really cares.

8.       Hassan reacts to Amir’s story by posing a question. He asks why the man had to kill his wife to cry, because he simply could have used onions instead.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

1.       Baba is Amir’s father.  He is a wealthy businessman and holds himself to a high moral code. He shows the quality of high moral standards through his wanting Amir to stand up for himself and have the courage to do what is right.

2.       Baba is the philanthropist who builds a local orphanage for the community. This shows, as mentioned above, of his high moral code and his want to help others. This is just one way he shows it.

3.       Amir tells the lie that Hassan is ill because he wants to spend time with Baba alone, and doesn’t want Hassan there as well.

4.       This quotation tells us about Baba. Amir relates that he is a man who takes control and wants things to be to his liking. Amir loves his father, but also fears him a little as well because “you can’t love a person who lives that way without fearing him too. Maybe even hating him a little.” Amir may hate Baba a little because he never fit the standards Baba set for him.

5.       Amir is confused by the conflicting teachings of school and home. Baba drinks liquor and the priest taught him at school that drinking is a sin. He is confused because Baba is a good man and not a sinner.

6.       When Amir tells Baba about the conflicting teachings, Baba tells him the following: “ Now, no matter what the Mullah teaches, there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Do you understand that?...When you kill a man you steal a life…you steal his wife’s right to a husband, his children to a father… when you tell a lie you steal someone’s right to the truth…When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness. Do you see?”

7.       A pivotal experience in Baba’s lifetime is when he is told he cannot do something. He is told he will never marry well or succeed in building his own house. He disproved them and became one of the most prominent men in the city.

8.       Amir excels in writing poetry and fiction stories. He won some school competitions and enjoys reading his mother’s books. She also was a poet.

9.       Baba is really concerned for Amir because he has no courage and no potential to play sports. Baba takes this for lack of courage and perhaps weakness. This is related to Rahim Khan and he responds telling Baba that “children are not a coloring book, you can’t fill in the lines with your favorite colors.”

10.   This quotation is about weakness. Baba feels that without courage, you grow to be a weak man, and not a leader. This is said in relation to Amir.

11.   Amir may have felt downhearted and unloved overhearing this conversation about him being not fully up to Baba’s explanations.

Chapter 12

112.When Amir trys to spend time with Soraya he feels that he has brought great dishonnor to the family.
113.Amir can not just ask Soraya on a date because her mother dosent aprove.
114.They differ because there is not a whole lot of dating it more a social standing. The father in the end is the one who usally chooses. Also the father of the soon to be husband of the bride has to ask for the brides hand in marrige instead of the husband doing it himself
115.Her carrer plan is to become a teacher because when she lived in virginia she became ESL certified and now she teaches at a public library one night a week and her mother was a teacher too.The other reason that she wanted to become a teacher was because when she was in the fourth grade her dad had hired a woman named Ziba to help around the house. Ziba had a sister in iran and since she was illiterate Ziba would ask her to write letters every once in a while. One day Soraya asked if she wanted her to teach Ziba how to read and write. Ever since she taught that girl how to read and write Ziba Called her "Teacher Soraya".
116. Baba gets cancer and he dosent want any treatment. So he continues to live his life like he has nothing to worry about. Amir is upset and dosent understand why his father wont take the treatment that they have to offer.
117.Baba is upset with Dr. Schneider  because he is a russian and he thinks that he is trying to kill him.
118. For this Quotation its more of your personal opinion so... what i said was that you should'nt worry too much about others just worry about yourself.
119. So General Taheri ask if Amir needs anything and before he can say anything he bolts out of the room and Soraya follows and when she gets in the hall she stands close and says that she is "so sorry we all knew something was wrong but we did not know it was this". Then she grabs his hand and ask if he needs anything and he says no but he cant do it with a smile and he tells her to go back in to her father otherwise he is going to get in trouble for her being with him. and as she is walking in in he tells her that it means alot that she is her with him.
120.When Amir's father is very ill he ask for his father to ask for Soraya's Hand.(to get married). Baba is so excited he calls to see if he could make a visit to General Taheri the next morning.
121. On the phone she tells him that her father said yes but that when she was 18 she ran away with a afghan man when they lived in virgina and he was into to drugs and she stayed with him for a month until her father came to get her and ever since then her and her father have shared their differences.Then she she ask Amir if that bothers him and he says a little but i will still marry you.
122. At the end of the chapter Amir states that he envied her because she had the couage to tell that story he did'nt tell her how he runied a 40 year friendship between Baba and Ali.

Chaptre 17

I hope I didn't read the questions too literally. Oh well. Chaptre 16 will be here shortly.

-Anjolenna :)

161. Hassan’s letter first tells Amir to thank Rahim Khan and says that he wants to read a letter from Amir soon. Hassan says his wife and son enjoy hearing about Amir and Hassan’s childhood. Next Hassan tells Amir about what Kabul is like now, (which is described on question 163), then talks about Sohrab and how he will be smart. Then he tells Amir about the pomegranate tree. Hassan then tells Amir how sick Rahim Khan is. Hassan says he dreams a lot. He dreams nightmares, that Rahim Khan will get better, that his son will be a free person, that Kabul will be peaceful again, and that Amir will visit “the land of our childhood”. It ends with “may Allah be with you always.”

162. The letter makes Amir feel remorseful. He reads it twice to fully remember Hassan.

163. Hassan says fear is everywhere in Kabul. The savage rulers don’t care about human decency. Women aren’t allowed to talk loud and Taliban members can do whatever they want. Hazaras are not allowed to fight back. Life is scary and threatening to Hazaras.

164. The pomegranate tree is fruitless. Droughts dried up the hill it sits on and it hasn’t bore fruits for years. This symbolizes Hassan’s and Amir’s relationship with each other. It hasn’t “bore fruit” for a long, long time.

165. We learn that after Rahim Khan left, the Taliban learned that Hazaras were living in the house. They came and interrogated Hassan. Hassan argued and they shot him in the back of the head. Hassan’s wife “attacked” the people who shot Hassan and they shot her.

166. Amir keeps saying “no. no .no.” Amir thinks about when Baba, Ali, Rahim Khan, and he were huddled around Hassan’s bed after his lip surgery. He thought about how everyone in the room was dying or dead except for him. He also thought about the man who shot Hassan. He says “Hassan slumps to the asphalt, his life of unrequited loyalty drifting from him like the windblown kites he used to chase.”

167. Rahim Khan wants Amir to go to Kabul and free Sohrab from an orphanage and bring him to Pakistan to live with an American couple. Amir reacts by saying “You can’t be serious.” He says he can’t and doesn’t want to go to Kabul. Amir is just very surprised and is still in shock from learning about Hassan’s death.

168. Rahim Khan interjects with “A boy who can’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything.” Amir responds after pondering with “Maybe Baba was right.”

169. Rahim Khan tells Amir that Ali has a wife before Sanaubar. She left him childless then got married again and bore three girls. Ali was sterile. We can assume that Sanaubar had Hassan with Baba but they didn’t tell anyone because Ali would lose his honor. Amir freaks out and asks why they would hide this from him and Hassan. He says “I’m thirty eight years old and I’ve just found out my whole life is one big f***ing lie!” After that, he storms out of the apartment. 

Hehehe! It's a rainbow!!!!! :D

I'm confused on why teachers say "don't say bad words" then they make us read a book with tons of bad words.  Hmm.

Chapter 2

1.      Hassan is a loyal friend to Amir and also one of the family’s servants. He is discriminated against for being a Hazara.

2.      Hassan lives in a servant hut, while Amir lives in a house with several bedrooms and other details of higher wealth.

3.      Hassan’s mother was named Sanaubar and ran off with a clan of traveling singers and dancers after Hassan’s birth. She had a dishonorable reputation and was 19 years younger than Ali. Also she was a Shi’a Muslim who was very attractive.

4.      Amir and Hassan run into a soldier when they take the forbidden shortcut. He taunts Hassan and he is crying when they have walked past the soldier. Amir tries to comfort him.

5.      Ali acts as a father towards Hassan and is a loyal servant to Baba. He has a limp in one leg.

6.      The main reason that the Hazaras and Pashtuns don’t get along is because one is Shi’a Muslim and the other is Sunni. The differences of the two groups in the past carried on to modern day where they were still treated differently. Hassan is treated poorly because he is a Hazara while Amir is treated better.

7.      Amir and Hassan became good friends, because they grew up together and did everything together. It was also said that those who fed from the same breasts had a brotherhood and kinship that time couldn’t break.

8.      “People say that eyes are windows to the soul.” This demonstrates that you can tell what someone is feeling through the expressions in their eyes.