The MovieTo the right is a trailer for a film based on the novel. I did not watch this movie for I could not legally find it, however if i do get a chance to see it, I would be very interested.
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Self Sacrifice Made by Hassan
When Amir and Hassan take part in their ritualistic neighborhood game of kite fighting many key moments take place. According to Amir, the game is played between the neighborhood boys with kites that are made with glass or other sharp objects in their string.The object of the game is to cut everyone else's kite down and be the last one flying. This game is particularly important to Amir because his father Baba always watches the kite fights and Amir want to impress him. Amir and Hassan work as a team, Amir flying the kite and Hassan retrieving the cut kites of their opponents. On one particular day, Amir and Hassan had been doing very well and managed to win the entire tournament, when Hassan went to retrieve the kite he said to Amir "for you, a thousand times over." which is a very important phrase and will be seen again later in the novel. When Hassan does triumphantly retrieve the kite, he is encountered by Assef, the bully from the last entry who swore to get revenge on Hassan and Amir for what they did. Assef tells Hassan to give him the kite that they had won, Hassan, being loyal to Amir, refuses. This angers Assef and proves Hassans loyalty to Amir. Hassan, now alone and without defense, is beaten and raped by Assef. Amir hears commotion and witnesses the act however, does nothing about it. After the incident Amir and Hassan begin to grow apart, both affected by what had happened like predicted in the last post, Hassan has sacrificed himself again in the place of Amir. Although rape may not be considered as large of a crime where they live, it still casts large emotional tolls on Hassan but he still manages to be loyal to his friend.
Possible Theme
One possible them of the novel is loyalty or devotion. Hassan makes this extremely evident through his relationship with Amir, even though Hassan is really Amirs half brother. Baba and Ali are the only two that know that Hassan is actually the second son of Baba. Although Baba could come clean with the truth at any moment, he does not for Hassan has proved loyal even without being pampered like Amir. This is why Baba takes so kindly to Hassan and gives him chances and why he was so devastated when he and Ali left.
Neigborhood Bullies
In the "Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini, Amir, the main character and narrator
of the story has a servant named Hassan. Hassan is more than just a servant to
Amir and acts more as his best friend. the problem with this friendship is that
Hassan is a Hazara which is not what most around where they live are. On one
occasion when Amir and Hassan go to their favorite tree to climb, they are met
by the neighborhood bully Assef. Assef is notorious for his brass knuckles and
how he pummels anyone who is not one of his followers with them. His mother,
being Russian, caused him to be blonde haired and look nothing like anyone else
in the area. Amir and Hassan were outnumbered two to three by Assef and his
goons however, Hassan stood up for them both using his slingshot to threaten
assef to the point that he would leave. Hassan was able to look past all of the
name calling from Assef and his friends to do what he knew needed to to be done,
which was to protect himself and more importantly Amir. This act may foreshadow
more serious acts of self sacrifice executed my Hassan for Amir's well being.
Hassan knew that he was going t o be beaten up eventually for what he did,
however in his eyes he was doing right by protecting his friend Amir.
of the story has a servant named Hassan. Hassan is more than just a servant to
Amir and acts more as his best friend. the problem with this friendship is that
Hassan is a Hazara which is not what most around where they live are. On one
occasion when Amir and Hassan go to their favorite tree to climb, they are met
by the neighborhood bully Assef. Assef is notorious for his brass knuckles and
how he pummels anyone who is not one of his followers with them. His mother,
being Russian, caused him to be blonde haired and look nothing like anyone else
in the area. Amir and Hassan were outnumbered two to three by Assef and his
goons however, Hassan stood up for them both using his slingshot to threaten
assef to the point that he would leave. Hassan was able to look past all of the
name calling from Assef and his friends to do what he knew needed to to be done,
which was to protect himself and more importantly Amir. This act may foreshadow
more serious acts of self sacrifice executed my Hassan for Amir's well being.
Hassan knew that he was going t o be beaten up eventually for what he did,
however in his eyes he was doing right by protecting his friend Amir.
boys kite fighting
Amirs Cowardly Act
Soon after the incident involving Amirs kite, the boys grow apart. Amir begins to fear that Baba, his father, knew about how bravely Hassan acted in comparison to Amirs cowardly reaction. Amir worried that Baba finding this would grow his love for Hassan even more so he devises a plan to make him leave. Amir knew that in the past his father had always said that "there is no act more wretched than stealing" so he stages a situation in which it seemed as if Hassan had stolen something. Hassan once again through his loyalty, falsely confesses to the crime however, Baba does not react as Amir had expected, instead he forgives him. Hassan and Ali decide to leave anyway which causes Baba to become extremely sad. Amir is temporarily comforted by the departure of Hassan however I feel he will continue to regret what he did and live in guilt of his actions. Baba reacted particularly rash to the leaving of Hassan and his father i feel as if there is more of a connection between the Baba and the two of them because to me it seems a wealthy business man would not be that distraught from losing a housekeeper. If anyone is to be upset I would think it would be Amir who in the process lost probably his best friend. In short, i feel that the reaction of Baba foreshadows a deeper connection between him and Ali or him and Hassan.
Penance
About five years after Hassan and Ali leave, Afghanistan is invaded by the Russians. Amir and Baba, who had previously lived in a luxurious mansion, now reside in a cheap apartment in California. Baba acquires work at a gas station and on weekends they sell used goods in flea markets. Amir meets a girl named Soraya here, whom he later marries. Baba is diagnosed with a rare terminal disease known as oat cell carcinoma, however he still is able to give his blessing to Amir and Soraya before he passes. soon after Amir and Soraya marry they find they cannot have children which I believe may be symbolic of Amirs cowardliness The title of this entry is "Penance" and that is exactly what I believe Amir is paying during this period away from Afghanistan After all the times blaming things on Hassan and eventually driving him out, Amir is paying the price for his actions by experiencing the way of life Hassan lived. the death of his father, his inability to have children of his own and the conditions he has transferred to living in all are part of his penance for his cowardly actions of his childhood. Although it is probably not possible, I hope that in the rest of the novel Amir can repay Hassan completely and their friendship can be reborn.
A SongThe video on the right contains a short song about a mans prayer to his god Allah. The song was featured in the Kite Runner film and I feel speaks of the hardships Amir faces. The song at one points says that " my sins are like the highest mountain" meaning that his sins stand above everything else. This can relate to Amir in that his sins he has committed against Hassan tower over him and shadow him for his entire life.
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Homecoming
Soon after the death of his father, Amir is informed by an old friend of his father that he must go back to Afghanistan in order to rescue the son of Hassan. Amir is also informed that Hassan was killed by the Taliban for refusing to leave the home that Amir and his father once lived in so many years ago. Amir travels to Afghanistan and is forced to use a false beard so that the Taliban do not harass him for having a clean shaven face. Amir finally finds the orphanage that Hassans son is supposed to be at however, he is not their, Amir is informed that sometimes men of the Taliban will take girls and sometimes boys and Hassans son had been taken. Eventually Amir manages to secure a meeting with this Taliban official. Upon meeting him he realizes that it is his childhood nemesis Assef, who had raped Hassan so many years ago. Assef only agrees to release Hassans son, Sohrab after he beats Amir, Amir agrees however Sohrab comes to his rescue by shooting Assef in the eye with his sling shot, fulfilling the work of his father from so many years ago, Sohrab acts as a second chance for Amir, a chance to do right and make the right decisions that he did not make with Hassan. By raising Hassans son, Amir can finally mend the wound that he caused between him and his brother.