5 Quotes

1.)"What was so funny was that, for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace. I laughed because I saw that, in some hidden nook in a corner of my mind, I’d been looking forward to this."
-This is what Amir was thinking right before Assef was about to really beat him up in exchange for Sohrab. He knows he's going to be really messed up since Assef has his brass knuckles and guards waiting outside the door but he finds solace in this because in a way, it makes him feel as if he's about to finally get the punishment he was wanting from Hassan for being a bad friend all of those years. He obviously wasn't looking forward to it, but he felt as if he almost had it coming and it was his real way to feeling redemption and guilt be lifted.


2.) ‘For you, a thousand times over,’ I heard myself say.
- This is what Amir says to Sohrab but also what Hassan says to Amir towards the beginning of the book during the kite race. I feel like this quote is a really good quote to start and end the book with because it shows an undying love/loyalty to the characters that are saying it. At the end of the book Amir is once again in the same kite race situation he was in during the winter of 1975 except this time he's with Hassan's son and he says it to him as he runs to get the kite. The roles reverse and show that there's finally redemption and balance for Amir.

3.) "Then Hassan did pick up the pomegranate. He walked toward me. He opened it and crushed it against his own forehead. ‘There,’ he croaked, red dripping down his face like blood. ‘Are you satisfied? Do you feel better?’ He turned around and started down the hill."
-Hassan is showing his loyalty to Amir in this quote. This takes place after Hassan’s rape when Amir tries hanging out with him for the first time, which doesn’t go well. He begins to throw pomegranates at Hassan trying to provoke him and get a reaction so he’ll feel somewhat punished/relieved by not intervening during his rape. Instead of Hassan throwing one back at Amir like he was begging, Hassan decides to pick up the pomegranate and smash it against his own head. Things between them weren’t the same after this moment.


4.) ‘Hassan’s not going anywhere,’ Baba snapped. He dug a new hole with the trowel, striking the dirt harder than he had to. ‘He’s staying right here with us, where he belongs. This is his home and we’re his family. Don’t you ever ask me that question again!’
-This quote is a major part of the story looking back, it was alluding to the fact that Hassan is indeed Baba’s son and Amir’s brother. Amir was asking his father to look for new servants and Baba became filled with rage and resentment immediately, it even scared Amir. This was foreshadowing what would eventually unfold for Amir later, learning the tragic truth of his childhood.


5.) I thought about Hassan’s dream, the one about us swimming in the lake. There is no monster, he’d said, just water. Except he’d been wrong about that. There was a monster in the lake. It had grabbed Hassan by the ankles, dragged him to the murky bottom. I was that monster.
- Amir is a “monster” because he feels like he had the power to change that entire situation or even the outcome of his life from that defining moment. He refers to Hassan’s dream because Hassan had previously used it to comfort him and let him know that everything would be fine, the tables turned and in the end it showed a lot about Amir’s character and integrity. This was his betrayal.


6.) There is a way to be good again, he’d said. A way to end the cycle. With a little boy. An orphan. Hassan’s son. Somewhere in Kabul.
- This, to Amir, was his chance for redemption. There was a way for him to rectify his past and try to fix his wrongs and that was by doing right by Hassan by saving his son. His cycle of lies, deceit, betrayals, and fear would finally come to an end. I hope that for Amir this was more out of wanting to do the right thing rather than doing it for his personal relief. I don’t think in the end that Amir could necessarily fix his past or the events that occurred during his childhood, it was too late for that but he did redeem himself, he learned and grew, and put himself in danger.

-Tanner Niemann

5 Quotes

1. “For you, a thousand times over.”
This quote between Amir and Hassan is special because it shows just how dedicated Hassan was to Amir. The bond between Hassan and Amir was unbreakable, until the kite running incident that robbed Hassan of his innocence, fractured their friendship, and eventually caused a painful falling out for both Baba and Amir. This quote would end up haunting Amir for a large part of his life until he experiences his redemption arc and takes care of Hassan’s son Sohrab where it is at the end of the novel that Amir echoes Hassan’s words to show the same amount of dedication and loyalty for Sohrab.

2. “There is a way to be good again”
This quote was an interaction between Rahim Khan and Amir. Rahim is trying to show Amir that redemption is possible if he is willing to look for it. The concept was that redemption is possible for anyone no matter how bad the sin was. Amir ended up redeeming for his sins when he rescued Sohrab, but not before facing his fears by having one last confrontation with Assef. It is in that last fight that Amir truly redeems himself and finds his way to be good again as his friend Rahim once said.

3. “There are a lot of children in Afghanistan, but little childhood”
This quote was said by Amir. Kite Runner does a good job of providing examples for this quote as it is scattered all throughout the novel. From when Hassan gets sexually assaulted by Assef, to Sohrab being a sex slave for Assef. These are just examples from the book, there are hundreds of children in Afghanistan that have grown up and dealt with every day life with gunfire, explosions and seeing loved ones die at an early age. War is all they know and they hardly know of a time where there was peace in their part of the world.

4. “I opened my mouth almost said something. Almost. The rest of my life might have turned out differently if I did. But I didn’t”
Another quote by Amir. This time it’s his self reflection in the moment of Hassan’s assault, showing how fragile and important each moment could be. Had he said something this novel would have gone in a completely different direction. I think this quote shows just how important it is to always speak up and do the right thing, even if it terrifies you to do so.

5. “There is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Everyone other sin is a variation of theft. When you kill a man, you steal a life... you steal his wife’s right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness.. there is no act more wretched than stealing.”
This quote was said between Baba and Amir when Amir questioned why he was drinking when drinking is one of the sins in their religion. Out of all the quotes in the novel this one stuck with me the most just because of how unique this point of view on theft is. Baba breaks down each terrible sin holistically and links it back to theft and showing why its bad. I think this quote is important because it’s one of the few lessons that Baba teaches Amir as Baba was a man of few words to Amir during the beginning part of this novel.

-Darren

Tanner's Response To Stephanie's Reading Questions

• Who suffers the most in The Kite Runner?

- I believe even though plenty of others went through worse experiences, Amir suffered the most because he had such emotional baggage and guilt that he had to carry his entire life. It doesn't help that his worst fears are confirmed in the end after meeting Rahim Kahn.

• What did you like about Baba? 

-I believe Baba was a stern father figure for Amir and this shows later in the book when Baba is dying and Amir says, "What will I do without you?" to which Baba answers, "What I was trying to teach you to be your whole life, a man".

• Dislike about him? 

-He was a little too hard on Amir for things that were out of Amirs control and were actually Babas fault in the first place.

• How was he different in the U.S. than in Afghanistan? 

-I feel like in the U.S. he was more open with Amir and showed character development in the sense that it took him to lose everything to see what really was important to him, which was Amir. In Afghanistan he was more focused on business, parties, and a social life rather than being his father (because of his guilt)

• Did he love Amir?

-He did love Amir, just in his own way. I think in Afghanistan it was hard for Baba to love Amir because he felt so much guilt over Hassan and maybe a little resentment within himself which he took out on Amir.

• Why did Amir act so hatefully toward Hassan after he saw him get rape?

-He acted so hateful towards Amir because he was ashamed of not helping him when he needed it and ran from the situation, This created a deep resentment internally for Amir and I don't think he was ever able to process what he saw. He felt guilty.

• Why did Hassan still love Amir?

- Because to Hassan, Amir was more than just his friend or Agha, he was like a brother to him and had unwavering love and commitment to Amir.

• Did Amir ever redeem himself?

-Yes I think Amir did redeem himself, (a little late though)

• Why or why not?

-He traveled to Afghanistan and risked his life even when he had everything he ever wanted and was comfortable back home in America. He traveled to Kabul to save Hassans son and make things right.

• Do you think redemption is ever possible?

-I think redemption is possible if you really seek it, if not for the other person, at least for yourself.

• Did the book change your feelings on immigration?

-Not really, I have multiple opinions on that, however, I do feel like Sorabh was in dire need of being rescued from that situation and that those rules were unjust.

• Why or why not?

• Which parts of the immigrant experience seemed the hardest to you?

-Trying to work back to the top. They seemed to emigrate here fairly easily, it was the life afterwards that was the hard part.

• What did you think of the portrayal of women in the book?

-The most portrayal of women in this book is of Afghan women and their culture, it's all relative to where you're from with your customs and traditions.

• How is sexual violence used in the book?

• Do you think Amir is the only character who feels guilty for their past actions? 

- I think everyone had things they felt guilty for. Baba, Amir, Soraya, Rahim Kahn, they all had troubling experiences in the past.

• Do you think Baba had regrets about how he treated his sons?

-Yes and no. I'm sure he maybe felt he could've been less harsh on Amir but I'm not sure what he could've done for Hassan without telling the truth.

Symbolism: Kite

Symbolism:

The kite in this novel takes on many forms during it's course in the story. When we first join Amir in his flashback from his novel, the blue kite is the key to finally getting Baba's approval and love. As Amir thought to himself "I didn't know what to think or what to say. Was that what it would take? had he just slipped me a key?" (pg 56). However by the end of the kite fighting tournament what this kite stands for takes a dark and twisted turn. At the end when Hassan is running the prized blue kite back to Amir, Hassan gets cornered by Assef and his friends. Amir, who was frozen with fear watched as Hassan got sexually assaulted by Assef. After that incident the blue kite stands as a monument to Amir's guilt for not being able to do the right thing. He's vividly haunted by his inability to speak out as his act of cowardice plagues his everyday life and poisons his relationship with Hassan.

It's not until the very end of the novel where the blue kite takes another transformation as it would stand for Amir's peace with himself as he felt he redeemed himself after saving Sohrab and taking him back to the United States. At the end, Amir flies the kite with Sohrab in a kite fighting tournament with Sohrab victorious and Amir running for the kite with joy as a man freed from his past sins.

- Darren

Darren's Reading Questions

10 Reading Questions

1. Who is the main protagonist of the story and what is his main motivation as a character?

2. What is a kite runner?

3. What did Hassan stop doing in the Winter of 1975?

4. What are the two things that set Amir and Hassan apart?

5. Who did Baba always give his attention adncare to?

6. What is the one thing that Amir is good at?

7. What does Baba wish that Amir had that he doesn't?

8. What does Baba end up building and funding on his own? 

9. What genre of movie do Amir and Hassan both enjoy?

10. What does Amir ask of Baba that angers him? 

- Darren

Stephanie's Answers To Roger's Reading Questions:

1. According to Amir’s father the only sin is theft.

2. He wishes Rahim Khan was his father instead of Baba.

3. Hassan was actually the son of Baba.

4. One of Assef’s favorite insults is fag.

5. Amir learned the word sociopath.

6. Hassan's mother shows up at Amir’s old house.

7. Seeing Baba stand on a rooftop cheering after he has won the kite tournament.

8. Blood it represents the violation of Hassan - his sacrifice, also blood symbolizes the blood shed by Afghans in the wars. Blood is linked to death, evidence of Baba's cancer and Sohrab's suicide attempt.

9. He was at a soccer game when a man with the Taliban hit him in the face with his gun.

10. He was shot in the street by the Taliban.

- Stephanie Nunez

Roger's Reading Questions

1. According to Amir’s father, what is considered the only sin?
2. Who does amir wish was his father instead?
3. Who is Hassan's real Father?
4. What was one of Assef’s favorite insults?
5. What was the English word Amir learned, for the creature that Assef was?
6. Who shows up at Amir's old house one day in an old blue burqa?
7. What was considered the single greatest moment of Amir’s life?
8. What is one symbolism used in the book?
9. How did Rahim Khan get his scar?
10. How does Hassan die?
    - Roger Xu

Roger's Five Quotes

1. “People say that eyes are windows to the soul. Never was that more true than with Ah, who could only reveal himself through his eyes(Chapter1, Page 8)
1. This quote portrays symbolism. Eyes symbolizes emotions. Amir was describing how he sees the real Ali and with part of Ali's face paralyzed, it prevents him from showing emotions. Amir uses Ali's eyes to see what he feels or thinks. Often times, people will use their eyes to express emotions they are afraid to say out loud. It is also important because the eyes is one of the reoccurring symbols throughout the book.
2. "What does that word mean?? "Which one?? "Imbecile.? "You don't know what it means?? I said, grinning. "Nay, Amir agha.? "But it's such a common word!? "Still, I don't know it.?If he felt the sting of my tease, his smiling face didn't show it. "Well, everyone in my school knows what it means,? I said. "Let's see. ‘Imbecile.?It means smart, intelligent. I'll use it in a sentence for you. ‘When it comes to words, Hassan is an imbecile(Chapter 4)."
1. This quote shows you the difference in education between Amir and Hassan. It also lets the reader know that in the setting that Amir and Hassan was raised in, only certain people can actually get have privilege of attending a school and obtain proper education. It shows the reader that life during this time wasn't that great, and that there's an obvious social class boundary between Amir and Hassan.
3. "The shootings and explosions had lasted less than an hour, but they had frightened us badly, because none of us had ever heard gunshots in the streets. They were foreign sounds to us then. The generation of Afghan children whose ears would know nothing but the sounds of bombs and gunfire was not yet born(5.5)."
1. Relating to real life, shootings and explosions shouldn't be part of anyone's daily life. This quote implicates that life wasn’t easy here. There was war going on and kids and citizens are exposed to constant danger and violence.
4. "I thought about Hassan's dream, the one about us swimming in the lake. There is no monster, he'd said, just water. Except he'd been wrong about that. There was a monster in the lake. It had grabbed Hassan by the ankles, dragged him to the murky bottom. I was that monster. That was the night I became an insomniac(Chapter 8)."
1. The things he saw in the ally has impacted his life in way he has not predicted. Amir feels immense guilt that hassan has been raped and that he couldn’t do anything but run away.  Amir and Hssan never really connected after that. It also broke the inner bond between the two. This is a very traumatic experience for Amir. In chapter 10, he recalls to this moment when his Baba steps up to the Russian Soldier. "Tell him I 'll take a thousand of his bullets before I let this indecency take place," Baba said. My mind flashed to that winter day six years ago. Me, peering around the corner in the alley. Kamal and Wali holding Hassan down. Assef's buttock muscles clenching and unclenching, his hips thrusting back and forth. Some hero I had been, fretting about the kite. Sometimes, I too wondered if I was really Baba's son(Chapter 10)." It's as if he had developed a PTSD ever since the alley incident.
5. "Told him I just wanted to go back to my room. He looked away and shrugged. We walked back down the way we'd gone up in silence. And for the first time in my life, I couldn't wait for spring(Chapter 8)."
1. Spring is an archetype of renewal, rebirth. Winter is an archetype of death. And he’s in winter right now so he feels that sense of nothingness after not being able to do anything during the alley incident. So Amir seeks for spring, for a sense of renewal.
6. "He was telling me how most people thought it was better to plant tulips in the fall and how that wasn't true, when I came right out and said it. "Baba, have you ever thought about getting new servants?" He dropped the tulip bulb and buried the trowel in the dirt. Took off his gardening gloves. I'd startled him. "Chi? What did you say?" "I was just wondering, that's all." "Why would I ever want to do that?" Baba said curtly(Chapter 8 part 1)."
1. This is significant because it ties into why Baba and Amir first broke that inner closeness they had with each other. "Amir regrets his decision but thinks that even if he hadn’t asked that question, I regretted saying it--I really did--but I think even if I hadn't, our happy little interlude would have come to an end.(Chapter 8 part 1)."
7. "Oh," he said. "Wah wah! So, if I understand, you'll study several years to earn a degree, then you'll get a chatti job like mine, one you could just as easily land today, on the small chance that your degree might someday help you get- discovered." He took a deep breath and sipped his tea. Grunted something about medical school, law school, and "real work(Chapter 11, Page 142)."
1. This quote relates back to our very first chapter early in the semester. In this quote Amir's father asks Amir to find "real work" instead of chasing his passion. Amir developes a passion for creative writing during this time.


  - Roger Xu

Roger's Dicussion Board

1. In the book, The Kite Runner, What did it teach you about Afghanistan? About friendship? About forgiveness, redemption, and love?
2. How does the violence and sexual abuse portrayed in the book tie into real life situations?
3. After reading the book, what is the theme? Explain.

- Roger Xu

Stephanie's Reading Questions:

• Who suffers the most in The Kite Runner?

• What did you like about Baba? 
• Dislike about him? 
• How was he different in the U.S. than in Afghanistan? 
• Did he love Amir?

• Why did Amir act so hatefully toward Hassan after he saw him get rape?
• Why did Hassan still love Amir?

• Did Amir ever redeem himself?
• Why or why not?
• Do you think redemption is ever possible?

• Did the book change your feelings on immigration?
• Why or why not?

• Which parts of the immigrant experience seemed the hardest to you?

• What did you think of the portrayal of women in the book?

• How is sexual violence used in the book?

• Do you think Amir is the only character who feels guilty for their past actions? 

• Do you think Baba had regrets about how he treated his sons?

For you, a thousand times over.

This image references a quote from the book "For you, a thousand times over" which is what Hassan tells Amir when he runs to retrieve the kite which ultimately ends the joyful times of both their childhoods. After not returning for an extended period of time Amir goes to look for Hassan when he discovers him being raped by Assef in an alleyway, instead of  helping his friend, he decides to run because he is scared and doesn't know what to do. Amir will hold guilt for this the rest of his life and this turns their friendship sour because Amir decides to push Hassan away to try and forget the incident and not have to feel guilty for his role in everything. This eventually transpires into Amir being so fed up with Hassan's' presence at his home that he accuses him of stealing his birthday money and watch thinking it will force his Baba to make them leave, the exact opposite happens however and Baba pleads for them to stay but Hassan and his father now know what Amir did and decide to leave without ever revealing the real reason to Baba, thus ending a lifelong friendship and essentially their childhoods.
-Tanner Niemann