Thursday, October 2, 2008
The Kite Runner: Discussion of Author Intent
Use your in-class lab and homework time to post a question regarding Hosseini's's construction of plot, characterization, use of foils, imagery (or other literary terms) here. Be sure to sign your post with your first name and last initial. Once you have posted your question, respond to 10 peer questions from your class by Sunday, October 5th. Use direct quotations from the text to support your answers.
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85 comments:
Grover
What do u guys think about how the rape foreshadows the death of Hassan? Agree Or Disagree? Why?
Grover
Does Khaled Hosseini purposely foreshadow Hassan's death when Hassan Gets raped? Yes Or No? Why?
Do you think that if Hassan had not died Amir would still go to Afghanistan? Explain using the information about Amir provided by Hosseini.
What is Khaled Hosseini’s reasoning around the purpose of the plot, with unexpected changes? For example with the unexpected death of Hassan when you think they are about to reunite again, what is your opinion?
Khaled Hosseini is an amazing writer. The Kite Runner is so far the best book i have read in my entire life of reads. The suspense from the book keeps me wanting to keep reading, and i always find myself wondering what else is going to happen. Why does Khaled Hosseini use such intricate details when identifying a situation? for example, when Hassan gets raped, he says, "Just like i pretended like i hadn't see the dark stain in the seat of his pants. Or those tiny drops that fell from between his legs and stained the snow black."
ps. ADD ME IN THE POETRY OF SONG CLASS LIST! :) THANKS!
Compare and contrast the relationship between Amir with Hassan and Hassan with Amir. Also describe the way they feel about each other.
Seamus Slattery
How does the author, Khaled Hosseini, make clear to the reader the mood that Rahim Khan and Amir are feeling?
Brianna C.
Can the phrase "There is a way to be good again" still be applied to Amir's life after Hassan? And if so, how?
Ross P.
What was Khaled Hosseini intention in developing a relationship between Amir and Hassan? Do you think it was to forshadow and enhance Hassan's death? Explain.
Rickie S.
Do you think that Hosseini wanted the reader to beleive that Hassan's mother left him because he was Baba's son?
And do you think that she told Hassan that he was Baba's son when she returned to him?
-Andrew R.
How does Hosseini use the death of close family and friends to Amir to foreshadow his path to redemption?
-Nick S.
Why do you think Rahim Khan knew more about previous situations concerning Hassan and his connection between him and Amir? How come Rahim did not reveal this knowledge until Amir is an adult?
Katie K
This Pertains To the Parlon
I believe Amir's way to be good again is by atleast taking over the best he can for Hassan and take care of his Nephew and make the best for him.
Grover
In response to Chris Anderson's question, I believe that Amir would not have returned back to Afghanastan to see his dear friend Hassan because he was still ashamed about what had happened. Although the rape had happened to Hassan, Amir has always had a hard time talking about Hassan. Even the sound of Hassans name spoken on his own father's lips gave him chills. While Amir and Rahim Khan were catching up, Amir says, "Hassan, when was the last time I had spoken his name? Those thorny old barbs of guilt bore into me once more, as if speaking his name had broken a spell, set them free to tourment me anew."
To Ashlee Perrotta's Q
I think he goes into such intricate detail to get an emotional response out of the reader.
-Rockwell
Khaled Hosseini uses characterization in the novel The Kite Runner to make us perceive the characters the way he wants us to and the way he does. He uses characterization to show how respectful Hassan is when Hassan refuses to move back into Baba and Amir’s house when he is invited back by Rahim Kahn. "I pleaded for them to move into one of the guest bedrooms upstairs, but Hassan would hear nothing of it: “What will Amir agha think?' he said to me." How does the way Hassan behaves and how wonderful he is contrast to the way we perceive Amir?
Elizabeth E.
Darren D.
The author Khaled Hosseini has a good way of introducing and describing new people throughout the book; explain how he introduces and describes Hassan's mother and explain how Hassan feels reguarding this situations?
What are some examples from the earlier reading that Hosseini provides that indicate that Amir and Hassan are related? What can this relationship foreshadow? Give examples (quotes).
-Judy
In response to Sea Slattery, the realtionship between Amir and Hassan has always been a double standard. Amir liked to be with Hassan as long as people were not around. Hassan was always a loyal friend to Amir, but Amir was never a great friend to Hassan. For example, when Hassan and Amir were little, they would sit in the poplar tree regularly. Amir says, "Sometimes, up in those trees, I talked Hassan into fring walnuts with his slingshot at the neighbor's one-eyed German shepard. Hassan never wanted to, but if I asked, really asked, he wouldn't deny me." This shows how Hassan is a good friend to Amir and would risk getting into trouble just to make Amir happy.
To answer Ross P. question I believe that the phrase "There is a way to be good again" can still be applied to Amir's life after Hassan's death by going to get Hassan's daughter Sohrab from the orphanage and take her in as if she was his own daughter because they are the same blood and he kind of owes it to Hassan. It would also be the right thing for him to do to redeem him-self.
-Nick S.
Pertaining to Andrews Question:
I do not bekieve that Hossieni wanted the readers to think that Sansubar left because she was ashamed of having an affair with Baba and having a kid with him.
I also do not think she ever told Hassan that he was not Ali's real son.
Elizabeth E.
This Pertains To the Shannaughsy
I believe that it to eventually show that they are brothers and it explains alot when you look back and wonder why Baba treated Hassan the same. I believe it was but i believe it was just to greaten the story then hit a with something unexpect unless you read between the lines?
Grover
This goes to Rockwell's question
I believe that that may be a reason, however, I think that she left more because that was her nature and she was not being fulfilled with her life with Ali. I subscribe to the notion that she did not tell him because I dont think that she would and he would not have accepted it.
Seamus
To conjunct to Grovers Question I think the rape forshadowed not to his death but to Amir being his brother because Amir always turned on him and ran when he needed him and when this rape happened of all people to see it and help him was his brother and he turned on him
Joseph A.
Matt
Soraya and Amir have not been able to bear any children. When are given the option of adoption Amir says “We all had our reasons for not adopting…perhaps something, someone, somewhere, had decided to deny me fatherhood for the things I had done. Maybe this was my punishment, and perhaps justly so. It wasn’t meant to be, Khala Jamila had said. Or, maybe, it was meant not to be.” How does Hosseini address the concept of karma in Amir’s current struggle to foreshadow his later struggle in Pakistan?
This is for Chris A.'s question!!
I think that if Hassan hadn't died, Amir might have still gone to Afghanistan to visit Hassan. Amir wouldn't have had to go to Afghanistan for the orphanage because Hassan would still be alive. He had to go to the orphanage because he didn't have any family left, but had Hassan not died, he would've had family still. Yeah.
-Jay K.
In response to Elizabeth E's question, Hassan is portrayed to be a great person, while Amir on the other hand is not that at all. Amir looks like a very bad, disloyal, untrustworthy friend. Hosseini goes into detail about how awful Amir is in this passage, "I lifted Hassan's mattress and planted my new watch and a handful of Afghani bills under it." This shows that although Hassan thinks the world of Amir, Amir is very selfish and is always working dirty to better himself.
Pertaining to Grover’s Question
I feel that Khaled Hosseini did intend to foreshadow a cataclysmic event through the rape. However I doubt that the average reader considered that it would lead to his death, the reason being that Hassan has so much love and respect for Amir and Baba that he was willing to die for them.
Ross P.
In response to Ashlee Perrotta's question I believe that Hosseini goes into such intricate detail to get an emotional response out of the reader. I also think that he does it to keep you reading and almost make you feel like your apart of the story like you know the characters in the novel.
In response to Darren's question, Hosseini describes Hassan's mother as a very disloyal person. He describes her as being "A beatuiful but notoriously unscrupulous woman who lived up to her dishonorable reputation." When Hassan was born in the mud shack, His mother was only there literally long enough to push him out into the world. "While my mother hemorrhaged to death during childbirth, Hassan lost his less than a week after he was born. Lost her to a fate most Afghans consider far worse than death: She ran off with a clan of traveling singers and dancers." This shows how little responsibility his mother had at the time and how much having a child meant to her. Hassan acted like she never existed because its easy to not miss something you never actually had.
In response to Ross Parlon's questions, I say yes there is. "There is a way to be good again," Is a phrase that Rahim Khan would say to Amir. I believe that although Hassan has died, Amir can still be a good person and carry out the legacy of his friend Hassan by being the best person he can be every single day. The thing which would result in the most impact would be if Amir were to retrieve Hassan's son Sohrab from Afghanistan. Rahim Khan says, "What I'm asking from you is to grant an old man his dying wish." This shows that if Amir does bring Sohrab to the United States, he will be good again. He will grant Rahim's wish and also guarentee that his newphew have a better life.
In response to Jessica Schneider <3, I believe that Khaled Hossieni uses unexpected tragedies to keep the suspense up and to keep you on the edge of your seat, so to speak. Hassan's unfortunate chain of events, and Baba's death are all ways of Khaled drawing you into his story. An example of an unexpected event would be Amir and Soraya not being able to cocieve a child. "Soraya broke the bad news to her parents the weekend after our last visit with Dr. Rosen. We were sitting on picnic chairs in the Teheri's backyard, grilling trout and sipping yogurt dogh. God knows best bachem. Maybe it isnt meant to be." This is an example of how Khaled Hosseini uses unexpected events to keep you hooked!
In response to Brianna Cunningham, I believe the mood that Amir and Rahim Khan are feeling is much sadness and grief. Amir feels badly because he had a secret, that he has with the world, and the only people that knew were Ali and Hassan and now they were both dead. Rahim Khan is feeling badly also because he knows how great of a person Hassan was and how much Amir meant to Hassan. They are both guilt stricken because there is never enough time in the world to try to make up for lost time. There is tension between Amir and Rahim Khan. "His words hung in limbo between us, but atleast he'd know what to say. I was still searching for the right words, and I was the writer in the room."
to Judy's question
Hosseini included several clues that hinted to Amir and Hassan being brothers
-"There was brotherhood between people who had fed from the same breast, a kinship that even time could not break."
-"While Sanaubarâs brilliant green eyes and impish face had, rumor has it, tempted countless men into sin"
-Rockwell
Katie K
In response to Ashlee P's question, I think Khaled Hosseini used graphic details in this novel to specify the emotion between each character, and, for the reader to get a realistic veiw of that specific scene.
Katie K.
In response to Ross' question, I questioned myself that there was anyway Amir could re-deem himself and somehow give back to Hassan even after his death. But Amir;s decision lead him to adopt Hassan's daughter, Sohreb, from an orphanage and wants to raise her as his own daughter.
Katie K
To awnser Grover's question I think Hosseini purposly foreshadowed the death of Hassan to when he gets raped because when Hassan got raped Amir didn't have the guys to say anything because he acts like a coward. He feels know after finding out about Hassan's death he needs to finally do something to show him in some way he is sorry and this time he will take action instead of running away this time. He adobted Hassan's daughter out of an orphanage.
Katie K.
To Jess S' response, my opinion is Hosseini is an unexpected writer. He leaves you with cliff-hangers and wants you to not know what happens next in the book and to keep reading to find out.
Katie K.
To Seamus S' statement, Hassan was a very loyal and trust-worthy person to Amir and enjoyed being close with him and treasured their friendship " for you a thousand times over." (pg 70) Amir treated Hassan the complete opposite, he was almost affraid to say that Hassan was his friend in any way and only his servant, " He is not my friend!- But if so, then why, when BaBa's friends come over to visit with their kids I didn't ever include Hassan in our games? Why did I play with Hassan only when no one eles is around? pg 41
Katie K.
In response to Darren's question,
The author describes Hassan's mother as a very disloyal and permisquous person. He describes her as being "A beatuiful but notoriously unscrupulous woman who lived up to her dishonorable reputation." When Hassan was born
his selfish mother only gave birth to him then left "She ran off with a clan of traveling singers and dancers." She was described as a very selfish person.
Katie K.
To awnser Chris A's quesiton,
I believe that if Hassan hadn't died, Amir might have still gone to Afghanistan to visit him because of all the guilt he had been living with since his childhood. But if so, he had not died, Amir wouldn't have needed to go to Afganistan then to the orphanage because Hassan would have cared for his daughter because he wouldn't be dead. He would have been alive still.
Katie K.
To Shannaughsy's question,
I embrassed the fact that they were
brothers when you look back at the novel and see how BaBa treated Hassan like his own son, and how their realtionship was and compared it to Amir and BaBa's relationship, it was almost identicle.
Katie K.
To Andrews Question:
I do no think that Hossieni
was trying to make the readers believe that Sansubar was ashamed with anything she did like having an affair with BaBa and having a child with him.
Katie K.
To awnser Matt's question,
Hosseini foreshadows Amir's struggles and situations by taking what happend in Amir's life as a child and not facing his fears, to not being able to have kids. Amir thinks not being able for his wife to conceive he thinks it's his fault because of his past and that it was not "meant to be".
In response to Darren's question, Khaled Hosseini uses alot of detail to describe new characters.
At one point Hassan's mother comes into the book. "beneath it, we found a toothless woman with stringy graying hair and sore on her arms. she looked like she had not eaten for days. But the worst of it by far was her face. Someone had taken a knife to it and..." Sanaubar is described in a very grotesque manner. Hassan responded by being both happy and overwhelmed. HE did things with her as if to make up for lost years. At one point though he runs away, probably overwhelmed, but returned later.
In response to Jessica's question, Khaled Hosseini uses an unconventional style of plot. The plot contains numerous changes that are unexpected. He does this to build up the excitement just to knock you down even harder. Amir is certain that Hassan was still in Afghanistan; Amir was wrong! "'Ordered him to kneel'....... 'and shot him in the back of the head'". The Taliban went after Hassan and killed him because they could. This is one example of Hosseini's use of the plot.
In response to Seamus Slattery's question. In the beginning of the book Amir and Hassan play different roles in their relationship. Hassan is extremely loyal to Amir and would do anything for him. "'But before you sacrafice yourself for him, think about this: Would he do the same for you? Have you ever wondered why he never includes you in games when he has guests? Why he only plays with you when no one else is around?'" Assef says this to Hassan prior to the rape. Hassan would do anything to please Amir and Amir often looks down on Hassan.
In response to Judy's question:
There is alot of evidence within the early portion of the book that suggests that Hassan and Amir may be related. "They say there is a brotherhood between people who've fed from the same breast". Amir and Hassan fed from the same breast, this is very solid in terms of evidence. "We took our first steps on the same lawn in the same yard. And, under the same roof, we spoke our first words". It sounds alot like they are brothers.
In response to Rickie's question:
I believe that Hosseini made the relationship between Amir and Hassan the way it was for a reason.
the fact that Hassan had been so loyal and that Amir had betrayed him intensified the situation. Hassan would do anything that Amir wished. On the other hand Amir did not help Hassan in his time of need during the rape. I think that Amir's neglegence foreshadows the death of Hassan. It also gives alot of regret and meaning to his death.
In respone to Grover's question:
I believe that Khaled Hosseini uses the rape scene to foreshadow the death of Hassan. Both of these could have been prevented if Amir had not been so neglegent and had been a friend to Hassan. "I ran because I was a coward. I was afraid of assef and what he woud do to me. I was afraid of getting hurt". Amir's lack of help during his friend's time of need. Hassan could do nothing in either situation.
In response to Ross Parlon:
"There is a way to be good again" does still apply to Amir even after
Hassan's death. There is no direct or personal way for amir to make up to Hassan. Sohrab, Hassan's son, is in an orphanage that does not seem promising at all. "'I want you to go to Kabul.
I want you to bring Sohrab here'".
Rahim Khan told Amir of how he can redeem himself.
In response to Nick's question:
Hosseini uses the death of one of
Amir's friends, and a brother, in order to foreshadow his path of redemption. That character is Hassan. In order to redeem himself, Amir must adopt Hassan's son Sohrab. "Sohran is a gifted little boy. We can give him new life here, new hope, with people who could love him". Rahim Khan says this to Amir, tells him how he can redeem himself.
In response to Ahlee's question:
Hosseini uses very intricate detail
in order to delineate the scene. By using such detail he is able to
hook the reader right into the book. Alot of authors give you an
idea as to what is going on while Hosseini leads you to believe that you are actually there. "I loved
wintertime in Kabul. I loved it for the soft pattering of snow against my window at night, for the way fresh snow crunched under my black rubber boots, for the warmth of the cast-iron stove as the wind screeched through the yards, the streets". He describes the wintertime in Kabul with much detail. The immensity of his descriptions escalates the suspense as well.
In response to Brianna's question:
Hosseini uses specific details to set the mood that Amir and Rahim Khan both share. "Amir Jan, I summoned you here because I wanted to see you before I die, but that's nor all." Rahim Khan is sick and his chances of living for more than a while are low. This is part of why the tone in this scene is so grim. Another reason is the discussion of Hassan's death and of Sohrab.
This Pertains to the Schneider
I believe Hosseini tries to keep us prepared so we are unsure of what the climax is going to be because it seems like there has been many but that it whats the catcher to make us want to read because there is so much going on.
Grover
This Pertains to the Perrotta
I believe when he uses such detail it helps us see through imagery and it can be understood alot easier than if he was just like Hassan Got Raped instead he explains with imagery and other point of views.
Grover
This Pertains to the Perrotta
I believe when he uses such detail it helps us see through imagery and it can be understood alot easier than if he was just like Hassan Got Raped instead he explains with imagery and other point of views.
Grover
This Pertains to the Seamus
I believe that Amir was very jealous of Hassan the whole time because of his insecurities and I believe he took advantage of Hassans love for him many times, where I believe Hassan respected Amir and love him as a brother which is eventually found out, but Hassan shows his loyalty when he says things such as if thats what you want amir i'de do it and other things like when he still tries to talk to Amir where i believe it should have been Amir trying to talk to Hassan after the rape incident.
Grover
This Pertains to the Kolodocject or however you spell it
The main reason i think Rahim Khan knew about Hassan being Baba's son as well is because the fact that he acted like a father figure at times to Hassan and Amir as he would have heart to heart talks especially at Amirs birthday when Amir says he felt like Rahim already knew somehow and he couldnt tell him because he didnt know how he'd be looked at by Rahim. As to why he didnt say anything until they were older i believe is because he felt like he should have been the person to reveal this but then Baba died so that could be why.
Grover
In response to Grover's question:
After the rape seen it was clear to me that Hassan would be dead by the end of the book and Amir's guilt drags on even more
-Brown
Why do you think that Rhaim Kahan waited to Amir was and Adult, to tell him that he and Hassan where half-brothers?
Sean H
In Response to Chris A’s question, I think that Amir would not have gone back to Afghanistan had Hassan not died. Amir would not of wanted to face him, for betraying him twenty-six years earlier.
Sean H
In response to Briana C.
Hassan looks at Amir as a brother, friend, and much more that he cared for and always from when they were kids to adults. Even though Amir betrayed him he stills loves him no matter what
Amir looks at Hassan as a servant, friend, and etc throughout the book but then becomes jealous of his and Baba's relationship and tries to get him fired. The main reason he tries to fire him is so he can get away from this guilt.
-Brown
In response to Bri c.(other one is for seamus response)
They make it relevant to life it shows the sorrow, pain, and suffering they go through when there "family" dies on them that they have known for life.
-Brown
In response to Ross’s question, I think there is a way for Amir to be good again, and that would be to go to Afghanistan and do everything he can to get Hassan’s son out, and to take care of him, instead of giving him to another family.
Sean H
In resposne to Nick S.
The reasoning for this is because he can now start off on a clean slate. He then has opportunities to honor hassan's death and his family.
-Brown
In responose to Katie K
The reason he did not tell him till he was an adult because it is hard to cope with something like that as a child. He waits till he's more mature and realizes really what did happen that day in the alley.
-Brown
In response to Grover's question: I think that Hosseini purposely foreshadows Hassan's death when Hassan gets raped. This is because when Assef was about to rape him he didn't even do anything. "Hassan didn't struggle. Didn't even whimper. He moved his head slightly and I caught a glimpse of his face. Saw the ignation in it. It was the look I had seen before. It was the look of the lamb." I think that the reason that Hassan didn't do anything about the situation was that he thought that he deserved everything that he was about to receive. He thought that Assef was at a higher status than him. If getting raped was what he was going to get then that was what was going to happen to him.
In response to Chris's question: I think that Amir wouldn't have went to Afghanistan if Hassan was still alive. Amir wouldn't have to go there. He would have Hassan. "Baba loved the *idea* of America." One of the reasons that they went to Afghanistan was so that they could have a better life. Baba wanted Amir to have a better life. If Hassan was still alive then Amir would have to leave regretting leaving Hassan behind.
In response to Ross's question: I think that the phrase "There is a way to be good again" can still be applied to Amir's life after Hassan. I think that people makes mistakes and that we should learn from this. Amir tries to make up for his mistakes when he is with Soraya. "Soraya and I never went out alone together while preparations for the wedding proceeded-." By trying to be a better person after what happened to Hassan is all that he can do.
In response to Nick's question: Amir is patching things up with Baba. He goes with Baba to America. "Baba loved the idea of America." All that Baba was doing was for Amir. By patching things up with the people around him, he trying to redeem himself.
what did Assef give Hassan for his birthday? what does that foreshadow?
-brown
in response to chris a.:
No I don't think he would have gone back because he would not want to have flashabcks of the rape again. After all his work with a new slate he wouldn't want to go into disaster again.
-brown
in response to Jessica S.:
I think he wantrs us as the readers to know that this is not just a book but everyday events that people or himself went through at that time. He shows this through all the different, intense, and random events that take place very close to eachother.
-Brown
Grover i dont believe that the rape scene with Hassan foreshadows his death. But i do believe that the author is trying to show us that somthing like this that happened so easily points out how easily somthing seriously or really big like a death could occur towards Hassan.
-DARREN (dooce)
Chris A. I believe that Amir would of came either way like he did because he didnt know that Hassan was dead when came there and also Rahim Khan was like his second father so that why he came to see how he was doing
Darren(dooce)
Jess S. I believe the author does this because he wants to keep you interested throughout the book and not make you disinterested in what happens to the rest of Amir's life, because when Hassan died i thought that the rest of this book was going to drag on but it has so much good shit left coming i can feel it.
-Darren(dooce)
Bri C. the author explains Amir as very shocked to here about how he finds out Hassan is his brother and how Hassan has a kid and that Hassan has died. The author makes Rhaim Khan sound almost sad and regretful that he kept all of this from pretty much the son that he never had (amir)
-Darren(Dooce)
PARLON. Yes this phrase can still go on in Amir's life after Hassan's death because all is Amir has to do is go find Sohrab and take him back to America with him and raise him as his own child. Sohrab is already his nephew but after his parents death then i mean Amir might as well be a father figure to Sohrab.
-Darren(dooce)
Pertaining to Katie K.'s question:
I think that Rahim Khan knew about the previous situations between Hassan and Amir because Hassan could of told him. Hassan didn't want to tell Baba and get Amir in trouble for not telling him anything that was going on with them. Rahim Khan probably didn't reveal his knowledge because, he could of wanted to see if Amir would redeem himself later on throughout the book.
Bri Cunningham
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