Monday, November 10, 2014

All Boys, All Blogged: November 11, 2014

Focus: How is the will to act/answer the call essential to Amir's journey?

1. Warming up by applying the call to action to Amir's journey in The Kite Runner:

Hello, students!  I've got a sick little Henry at home, so I won't have the pleasure of joining you today.  On the hero's journey document you started yesterday, please take a full 15 minutes to individually freewrite on the questions below. Make sure the document is properly shared with me, because I will be giving you credit for your in-class work today.
  • Whose fault is the rape of Hassan? Try to come up with as many possibilities as you can and explain each one.
  • What is Amir's blue pill, and what is his red pill?
    • What misconceptions does Amir hold in the world of the blue pill?
    • What does Amir have to believe in order to enter the world of the red pill?
    • What does he have to lose on this journey? 
    • What does he have to gain?
  • Reread the last two pages of Chapter 18 (p.226-227).  What has specifically given him the will to act/to answer the call to action?  Offer at least one specific quotation to support your thoughts.
2. Enjoying an enlightening fishbowl discussion of Chapters 19 and 20

3. Wrapping up

HW:
1. Please read and annotate Chapter 21 for Thursday's fishbowl discussion; leaders should prepare their syllabus.

2. Start making flashcards for Kite Runner, Chapters 11-14; we will have our next vocabulary quiz this Friday, along with any make-up grammar quizzes from the past seven weeks.

3. Continue preparing your book talk if you have not delivered yours yet.

104 comments:

  1. Do you think Amir will be able to save Hassan? Will saving him help him be good again?

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    1. It won't be Hassan he saves. It will be Hassan's son he saves.

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    2. Sorry, yes I meant Hassan's son.

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  2. What separates hospitable, and ridiculous.

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  3. What symbolism could Amir's watch still hold?

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    1. The times of change, every time a watch is mentioned, things happen.

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    2. I think his watch symbolizes the bad he has done in the past by hiding his watch under Hassan's pillow which led to them leaving and changing Amir's life forever.

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  4. Why is afghan culture so focused on the idea of respect?

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    1. Maybe because of the lack of law and order and the lack of a strong government. I say this because without a well established law, respect would take its place and would be the natives form of law and order.

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    2. Afghanistan was a very traditional country, such as women don't have as many rights. But also, they try to do things the way it was before the Taliban.

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  5. How do you think Farid feels now that he assumed that Amir was just back in Kabul to sell off his land?

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    1. Americans have most likly earned a reputation for being wealthy and selfish.

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    2. I think it was bad because he was going to go to Kabul to help Sohrab and do good but he probably thinks he is selfish.

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  6. Why do you think that in Amir's dream, Amir is the one who shoots Hassan?

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    1. It is a symbolic form of guilt, its his way of saying "If i would have intervened, that never would have happened."

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    2. Amir feels like he was the one who shot Hassan, not with a gun but Amir shot Hassan back in the alley way. When he chickened out and let that happen to Hassan he shot Hassan, and disabling him to live without the shame waying him down.

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    3. Because he feels that he was the one that ruined Hassan's life and is the reason why Hassan was killed and his son put in a terrible position.

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    4. In the book it says that in a way he killed Hassan because if he hadn't got Hassan and Ali kicked out of the house then Baba would've tried to bring them to America so in a way Hassan was killed by Amir.

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  7. Do you think that sinceAmir stuffed money under the families pillow will it make up for what he did to Hassan?

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    1. I don't think it will totally make up for it but it will show that Amir truly cares.

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    2. Yes--I think there are a number of symbols that come full circle in this novel (as well as some that are left open ended). The question that I always grapple with is whether or not Amir's actions truly atone for his mistakes.

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    3. It is almost impossible to decipher what certain action could make up for what Amir did to Hassan. I think it is all in Amir's head that he has to search for that action that will clear his name in his mind. I think that it takes a series of actions to make up for something like what Amir did.

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    4. I don't actually think that Amir did this to just make up for Hassan. I've noticed that since Amir has grown up he has become a better person and I am starting to forgive him for what he did. I think Amir knows that to fully forgive himself he needs to find Hassan's son.

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    5. I don't think that it will make it up, but Amir is having a change of heart from when he was little. I believe this is a representation of Amir's change of heart from when he put money to hurt Hassan when they were little, rather than now when he put money under the pillow to help someone.

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  8. I like how they brought up about how people in Afghanistan treat their guests with lots of respect and its OK for the children to skip a meal just to be polite to the guests.

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    1. It's also a little sad to think that they would miss that meal and with the living conditions that they have with landlines and war, they wouldn't of gotten to eat one last meal.

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  9. Why does Amir think that he will always be a tourist in his own country, and what do you think suddenly makes this land seem so forign to him?

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    1. I think it was because he lived a different life than many did when he grew up, he was wealthy. But now with the Taliban, it is even more poor and even more foreign to him.

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  10. on pg. 229 Farid said "Its not fancy like American medicine." What does this show about what the afghans like of the Americans.

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  11. Reminder: I hope the guest teacher already asked you guys this, but are Chase, Zach, and Cris taking notes on who is speaking and what is being said? I will need those to grade this fishbowl.

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  12. If you notice the line of events since Amir came back, he is repeating his old life in Afghanistan, the watch, the money, the car sickness, is it possible that the old Amir is coming back?

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    1. Great observation! I think that the author is showing that Amir doesn't have to change his identity entirely to make up for his past. He is still himself, but a better, more loyal version of himself. Perhaps the fears and weaknesses that stopped him in the past will no longer hinder him.

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    2. I do think that these are similar events to what he did but on the other side of them. I feel he is making up for those bad actions he took.

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    3. Yes, I think life is like doing a "re-do" for him so he can make the right choice this time around.

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  13. on pg. 231 "From the past that had come calling, and from this one last chance at redemption." What does this truly mean for Amir and how does redemption help his fear and guilt of knowing what happened to Hassan.

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    1. Amir knows that he can no longer redeem himself through Hassan. However, he believes if he helps Sohrab, he will redeem himself due to the fact that Sohrab is Hassan's son and Amir's nephew. Amir knows that this is his last chance.

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    2. I love that quotation. It reminds of a question that one of you posed last week: this "last chance" ... is it for Amir, or for the now deceased Hassan, or both?

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    3. Amir doesn't really know who this is for exactly. He wants to clear his "sins" but at the same time feels he owes Hassan. In the end, Amir is helping himself as well as trying to keep Hassan's name alive.

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  14. On page 257, Zaman says, "Go to Ghazi Stadium tomorrow. You'll see him at halftime. He'll be the one wearing black sunglasses." What do you think the Taliban did with Hassan? Will Amir be able to rescue him from this disaster? How will Amir overcome his fears and "cowardliness" to save Hassan?

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    1. Hassan is dead, he was shot in the back of the head so he can't save Hassan but he can save Sohrab

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    2. My mistake. I meant to say, What do you think the Taliban did with Hassan's son Sohrab. How will Amir overcome his fears and "cowardliness" to save Sohrab?

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  15. I think that amir is having crazy strong emotions when going back to afghanistan is what caused him being sick.

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    1. I like your interpretation of what the sickness represents; I'd never thought of it that way. Also, it would make my day if you would capitalize your proper nouns.

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    3. I think that the strong emotions are what are causing him to be carsick because he was able to drive all the time in America, and was able to fly on an airplane and he was fine. It would be different if he was carsick all the time.

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  16. I agree with max that It's also a little sad to think that they would miss that meal and with the living conditions that they have with landlines and war, they wouldn't of gotten to eat one last meal.

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  17. How do you think Amir feels about Farid? How do you think Farid feels about Amir?

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    1. There is a mutual kinship between two afghans, but as people they don't see eye to eye.

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    2. I think Amir likes Farid because he is willing to help him and he is risking so much. I think Farid respects and likes Amir now hat he knows what his motive is. He did not like Amir when he thought he was just coming back for money, but when he found out that he was going for Amir's nephew Farid gained much more respect for Amir.

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  18. Why does the author say that Amir has been a tourist his whole life? Is it because he left his country for a better life?

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    1. He says this because Amir has grown up in an affluent household his whole life. Afghanistan is relatively a poor country and to grow up like he did you don't get the full experience of Afghanistan.

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  19. The story wouldn't be suspenseful if Sorahb wasn't taken by the Taliban because they were able to get to the orphanage way to easily and usually it takes more to accomplish a huge goal, the author is somewhat giving hints on whats going to happen in the future.

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  20. Many flashbacks are happening with Amir. Will this come back to haunt him?

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  21. Replies
    1. Good fluent conversations, and great questions are being asked.

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    2. Just kidding good

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    3. They are having a great conversation!

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    4. Thanks. I like this class. Keep it up.

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  22. At the end of 20 they find out that Sohrab is at the stadium. Is this the final leap to redeem himself and will it succeed?

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    1. This is the final chance for Amir to finally stand up and fight for himself. If he gets Sohrab then everything will be forgiven between Hassan and Amir.

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    2. Yes, he will redeem himself and I think he will succeed and make things right with Hassan. He will do more than what Hassan ever expected of him.

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  23. On page 232, "You've always been a tourist here, you just didn't know it" Does this quote affect Amir and could help him on his hero's journey?

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    1. This affects Amir because he can now see his country for what it is, this effects the hero's journey because it is a shell shock from where he didn't expect.

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    2. Also on page 232, Farid says,"That's the real Afghanistan, Agha sahib." Amir lived his whole life in a wealthier part of the country. Most of the country did not have it as good as Amir did. Now Amir is being exposed to the real Afghanistan and it is making Amir have a realization. Usually this results in a heroic action.

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  24. In my opinion I don't believe they had a choice, when the Taliban wants something you cant refuse because it could be a worse disaster if the leader of the orphanage said no to the money. The Taliban could have killed all the children instead of just taking one child at a time.

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  25. Finding Sohrab will definitely help redeem Amir but it will not redeem himself fully. In my opinion Amir will never fully forgive himself.

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    1. I agree, I think that Amir will always have the guilt of allowing his brother to be raped.

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  26. My question for foreshadowing what is going to happen to Amir? Will he be able to capture Hassan's child or will something tragic to Amir and he wont be able to return to his family and wife?

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  27. Sarehb got taken away by the Taliban and may be "brainwashed" by the time Amir arrives. Do you think that Hassan's son will even want to leave?

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  28. Does Amir’s guilt over the way he treated Hassan earlier in the book play a role in why he returned to Kabul? Does Amir return to Kabul for Hassan, or for himself and out of the goodness of his heart to save Sohrab?

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    1. I think it's a little of each, Amir thinks that if he helps Hassan it may in turn help to give himself a better life. Along with that Amir came back to make up with Hassan and be on good terms with Hassan, thus taking away Amir's guilt and he would be able to forgive himself.

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    2. I think that Amir came back to Afghanistan because of Rahim Kahn but I think he went to Kabul because he needs to fight for his brother for once instead of just letting things fall through the roof in his life.

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  29. Hassan's son will most likly be saved by Amir because the Taliban did bad things to people and Amir will step up instead of running away. This is the way that Amir "will be good again."

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  30. If Assef is to return to the story, what will that mean for amir?

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    1. Assef could've changed and become a better person but I think that Amir would be so mad at what he did that he would react in ways he never did.

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    2. He will have to face him. Not necessarily with violence.

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    3. I think Amir would finally have to stand up to what he believes in but I don't know what that looks like.

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    4. It is like his ultimate fear kind of, the person that wronged Hassan and made his life terrible. So Amir gets to face the person and possibly avenge his friend.

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  31. On page 251, Amir says, "I had just learned more about my mother from this old man than I ever did from Baba." Do you think that Baba ever hid information about Amir's mother? Could he have chosen to "forget"?

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  32. I feel like Amir in the end is going to redeem himself and redeem Hassan and the fact that what he did was wrong and somewhat redeem himself by saving someone he sees getting raped or something that can describe the same pain that Hassan had to go through.

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  33. Why do you think that the Taliban keep taking a child every month? Why just one at a time?

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  34. What do you think the Taliban do with the babies they take from the orphanage? Do they kill them?

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    1. No Reid that would be awful. The Taliban men have wife's back home that are lonely so I think they bring them back to them.

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  35. on pg. 229 Farid said "Its not fancy like American medicine." What does this say about how Afghan people think of Americans?

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    1. I think it shows the disgust Afghans have for Americans and how they view America in a different way.

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  36. I believe that this book was written to entertain, but is there an even deeper message here about kinship?

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    1. I have to disagree. I feel this book was written to tell a story. To show the world that there is more than meets the eye with Afghanistan. This book shows that blood is everything. However, it also shows that sometimes one has to go above and beyond for family in times of need.

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  37. I feel like Assef might somewhat be sorry and apologize for what he did but then again maybe he wont have regret for raping Hassan.

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    1. No I don't think Assef will apologize at all, he will probably brag about it and taunt Amir with it. Assef is a crazy guy with issues, so Amir will have to defeat Assef somehow.

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  38. Would adopting Hassan's son be Amir's only realistic outcome of Amir going to find him?

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  39. so what does it symbolize when Baba never said anything to Amir about his mom?

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  40. knowing that this book is based on a true story i wonder how much is actually accurate and how much was made so that the book would be more entertaining.

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  41. Did Baba's guilt come from the death of his wife, or his affair and kid with Ali's wife?

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  42. How do you think Soraya would feel if Amir made Sohrab part of the family instead of giving Sohrab to the other couple to take care of?

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  43. "Farid was strangling him" (256) Farid has a violent side to but he is helping out a lot.

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  44. on pg. 247 Amir said "Remember what the streets smelled like in the old days." What does this show about how Kabul has changed? It seems that Amir is starting to remember about how Kabul used to be, is this bad or good?

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    1. I think it is a good thing that he is remembering Kabul. I think it would be good for Amir if he thought of some good memories instead of thinking about the bad side of his past and how he watched Hassan get raped.

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  45. I personally believe they take them because they want to hurt them and rape them, because they said they almost always take girls.

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