Friday, November 7, 2014

All Boys, All Blogged: November 7, 2014

Focus: What's starting to shift in The Kite Runner, and why are these shifts important?

1. Warming up with a rousing round of book talks!

2. Enjoying an intellectually stimulating discussion of The Kite Runner, Chapters 17 and 18

3. Wrapping up: Reflect on an important shift or make a prediction

HW:
1. Read and annotate Chapters 19 and 20 for Tuesday's fishbowl discussion; leaders should prepare the syllabus.

2. If you have an upcoming book talk, please prepare and rehearse it.  Think about the very first thing you're going to say to us, and try to grab our attention.

3. Bring The Kite Runner, your hero's journey chart, and your sticky notes/blue journals to class on Monday.

98 comments:

  1. How do you think Amir felt when he found out that Hassan was killed? How did this make you feel?

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    1. He probably felt confused and that he never got to make things right with him. And I feel that Hassan was supposed to die to let Amir get the call to do something heroic.

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    2. I think Amir felt very guilty because it was Amir's fault that Hassan was still in Afghanistan.

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    3. On page 219, when Rahim Khan is telling Amir that Hassan was shot and killed, Amir just keeps repeating "No" showing how he was not ready for Hassan to leave him.

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    4. I think Amir is sad because he thought he could meet him and say sorry for what he had done. They could move forward. I felt sad because Hassan was a good person and he never really did anything wrong.

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    5. I think it added onto the guilt that Amir already had, because I think he feels a little responsible for Hassan's death.

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    6. Amir would be filled with much more guilt. I think this way because Amir made Hassan and his father leave because Amir accused Hassan of "stealing." If he did not, they could have taken Hassan with him to America, and thus saved him. My personal feelings is that I am sad because we see Amir ready to approach Hassan but then we see Hassan die even when he represented all that was pure.

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    7. I think Amir felt very guilty and upset because now he couldn't apologize to Hassan, it was kind of his fault he died, and he lost a great friend.

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    8. I think it made Amir feel terrible. Amir had always held that guilt about what happened to Hassan in the alley on that day. Amir wanted to tell Hassan and talk to him about it but he was always to scared. Now Amir will never have the chance to talk to Hassan.

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    9. The way i felt when this happened is the feeling of your heart dropping.

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  2. Why does Amir now start fighting for himself when he could've done this in the alley that day?

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    1. He learned from his past mistakes. Now, Amir is ready to avenge Hassan's death and use it to "become good good again". Unfortunately, Hassan dying is what had to happen to get Amir past the event in the alley.

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  3. What do you think that the picture and letter meant to Amir? Would it make him happy or just uncover old memories?

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    1. I think that the letter opened up some old wounds but in the long run it will come as healing.

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    2. I think it showed Amir that Hassan is still a real person, he is not just a thought, he is a real person with a real life and Amir realizes that he needs to try to heal all the wounds and all the separation that Amir created.

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    3. I think that it made Amir feel more comfortable about him being so mean to Hassan when they were younger because Hassan seemed to forgive Amir for everything.

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  4. If Amir knew that Hassan was his brother would he treat him the same way that he did?

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    1. If Hassan was Amir's brother, Amir would've never let him get raped or harassed by Assef because he would've pictured Hassan as a brother and not a servant.

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    2. I think he would have. They could have been closer and he would have felt bad to see what happend to his brother.

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    3. That is a very hard question to answer, because if it was not a secret that Hassan was related to Amir, Hassan would have lived with Babba and Amir. However, I think if everything was the way it was I think Amir would have had much more respect for him, but I think he would still be the way he was.

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  5. Why would the author decide to show a little bit of hope for Amir and Hassan then utterly destroy it.

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    1. Because it's an interesting twist that will make readers want to keep reading.

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    2. It kind of followers the hero journey in that the hero has a good life then all of sudden the hero's family members get killed.

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  6. After meeting his nephew in Kabul, do you think that Amir will return to America with him? Or will Amir leave him at the orphanage?

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    1. I think that Amir will either stay there with Sohrab or he will take him back to America. This could be the son that Soraya and Amir always wanted. He is still blood but he isn't exactly Amir's son.

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    2. I think Amir will go back to America with him because he still feels guilty about Hassan, and he wants to give Hassan's son a good life.

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    3. I think that Amir will take his nephew back to America because it is the only way that Amir can make it up to Hassan in his mind, this child is the only way he can make things right again. Also Amir has not had a child with his wife. This may be the sun he always wanted.

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  8. When Amir found out that him and Hassan were brothers, it changed the entire book's story. Do you think that Hassan knew they were brothers? Is that why Hassan is so forgiving to Amir or is it because of Hassan just being a very forgiving person?

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    1. No I don't think Hassan knew, I think he was just that loyal caregiver type of person that treated Amir more than a brother.

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  9. What made Amir change his mind and go to Kabul for Rahim Khan after all.

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    1. He knew he had to take care of him because of Hassan.

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  10. I can't even imagine the pain Amir went through when he found out Hassan was shot and killed.

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  11. Why does Ali have custody of Hassan when he isn't the dad?

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    1. I think that Ali was shown as the dad to protect Baba. Baba cheated on his wife which is not something that needed to get out to the public, which is why Ali, whether knowingly or unknowingly, was portrayed as the father of Hassan.

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  12. Why does Amir not want to take care of his nephew?

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    1. I think that Amir is afraid the the boy will remind him too much of Hassan.

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    2. I think Amir's nephew reminds him too much of Hassan, so he has a lot of guilt when he thinks about his nephew.

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    3. He is frustrated, on page 223 Amir quotes,"How could you hide this from me? From him?....and I have just found out my whole life is one big f***ing lie!" He is mad and confused and lost. Also, right here Amir is in transition between being a coward and being a hero. Frustration seems to always be apart of the hero's journey.

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    4. I think part of it is that his nephew looks a lot like Hassan, and Amir might have trouble looking at him all the time because he would be reminded of what he did.

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  13. Going back to chapter 7, when Assef did what he did... Do you think Assef will come back and have a part in any of the upcoming chapters?

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    1. I do not think he will, but I believe there could be another person like Assef that will rape someone, and Amir will finally step up, be a man, and stop the horrible act from happening.

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    2. If Assef did return in the book, I think Amir would encounter him in Kabul. Assef's family knew political figures so there could be a chance that he is a part of the Taliban, but I think that any encounter at all would be unlikely.

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  14. After the events described in chapters 17 and 18, what could be the way to be good again?

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    1. I think that the way to be good again is to rescue Hassan's son from Kabul and help him out, maybe even taking him back to America.

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    2. I think that it is the ability to fight for Sohrab and Amir should take in Sohrab as his so called, "son". The way to be good again is the thought of thinking about Hassan and looking out for Hassan's baby. He needs to take Sohrab as family

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  15. Now that Hassan is dead, where does this put Amir? Also how does this make him better a better person?

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    1. Hassan dying takes away the chance for Amir to make up face to face. It leaves Amir having to make up to Hassan in an indirect way.

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    2. Hassan being dead places Amir in a different position because I feel like he thought that he would go up to Hassan have that great meeting with Hassan like in the movies. But now since Hassan is dead the only way for Amir to be good again is for him to adopt Hassan's kid and raise him as his only blood relative.

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  16. Is raising Hassan's son enough to make up for Amir's actions as a kid?

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    1. I think it is a good start and he could give Hassan's son a good life in America.

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    2. I agree with Joey that it can be a start but I don;t think that it is enough for Amir to feel like he has done right again for Hassan

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  17. Do you think Amir will give Hassan's son a good life, or treat him like Baba treated Amir?

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    1. I think Amir will treat Hassan's son really nicely just like Hassan would of if he was still alive.

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    2. I think he will give him a good life to make up for what he did to Hassan and he knows what it feels like not to have a good relationship with your father so he is going to try to have a good one with Hassan's son.

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  18. Is the kite still a significant symbol in this story? If not what could be a symbol?

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    1. In the chapters the author still mentions kites by saying how kite running was banned in Kabul and how Hassan would take his son out and they would fly kites together before the ban. So yes the kite is still a relevant symbol.

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  19. On page 219, when Rahim says, "Hassan protested again. So they took him to the street-" What does this show about Hassan? Do you think Amir would have done the same thing?

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    1. I think it shows that Hassan truly cares about Amir and Babba, he is standing up for what Amir and Babba had. Hassan still cares about Amir enough to die to try and protect what belonged to Amir.

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    2. I also believe it shows the brotherhood Hassan had with Amir, and if Amir was as he is now, he would have done it for Hassan, but as a child, I think he would not have done it.

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  20. "Rahim Khan Sahib is quite ill" (217) Hassan's nephew is very sick and hard to take care of but Amir knows it is his destiny to take care of him.

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    1. I think Amir is doing all he can because he feels as if he has to pay it to Hassan to take care of his son.

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  21. Do you think Amir wants to heal the wounds so he can make up with Hassan, or do you think he is doing it so that he can live with himself, without feeling guilty?

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    1. I think that once Amir knows that Hassan was his brother her feels guilty for not helping and sacrificing like he knows that Hassan would've done for him.

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    2. Amir can never hide from guilt. From here on out Amir realizes that and he starts to take a stand for himself and what he believes in.

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  22. Does money buy happiness? Or does money solve problems? Think about the place Amir was put in?

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    1. I think money can solve a problem.

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    2. Money buys and solves temporal happiness/problems. It does not fix what has been done, it can and will deceive people that it has fixed the problem or created happiness. But in the end, It doesn't do anything to help. You got to be accountable for what you have done.

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  23. On page 218, in Hassan's letter to Amir, he wrote "If you do, you will find an old faithful friend waiting for you." What do you think this means for Amir?

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  24. Do do you think that Amir will ever fully forgive himself for what happened to Hassan, is there a way he could ever be good again?

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    1. i think we will try. But the guilt I think will always be there. But it is a good start for what happened.

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  25. "What i'm asking for you is to grant an old man his dying wish," (221) Rahim is convincing Amir that he needs to take care of him.

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    1. I think Amir will give him a good life, even though I think it pains him to think about/look at his nephew.

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  26. How do you think Amir can save face after Hassan's death?

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  27. Why does Amir all of a sudden care for Hassan and now he wants to take care of Hassan's kid? Is this a random act of kindness or is he really trying to change the way he lives his life?

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    1. Age has changed Amir and he is more like his father now and not as cowardice as he was as a child. He also want to make his life right now and he thinks that by adopting Hassan's son will help him.

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    2. Amir clearly never stopped caring for Hassan. He loved Hassan, that is why he was unable to face his freind.

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    3. I don't think it's a random act of kindness. I think it is the only way Amir can feel better about himself and have less guilt about never talking to Hassan about that day in the alley.

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  28. Is the talaban shooting hassan in the back of the head a realistic thing that would have actually happened in this event.

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    1. I think that would be a realistic event judged by what the Taliban have done in Pakistan over the past few years.

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    2. I would believe it to be. The Taliban were an Islamic Fundamentalist group that used weapons to force strict policies. So if something was displeasing to them, they would not feel bad about doing any means to get what they want, and they could kill two birds with one stone. By this I mean they could get Amir's old home, and then also break the people's will by showing what will happen to them if they resist them, by shooting Hassan.

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  30. I think now that Hassan is family it brings a little more motivation to Amir and pride involved in Amir possibly avenging Hassan's death and making up for his past.

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  31. Is it possible that Amir will back down from rescuing Hassan's son. He already did it once when he ran away from the alley when Hassan was raped.

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    1. I think that Amir won't back out of this because this is Amir's way to become good again, like Rahim Khan said.

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  32. If Amir didn't know that Hassan was his brother, I think Amir would make some sacrifices to help to try to better himself after he knew Hassan was killed.

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  33. Amir most likely is afraid to take Hassan's son back to America because he thinks that the boy will remind him of Hassan. He also thinks that he owes this to Hassan. What do you think his choice will be?

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    1. I think he will take care of Hassan for those reasons. First he thinks he owes it to Hassan and second, It would remind him of Hassan making him think that Gassan never really left Amir's side.

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  34. If Amir ends up taking care of Hassan's would he take him back toe California or stay in Kabul?

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    1. I think he would take him back to California because he could give him a good life in America.

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  35. Can you make any other connections with other hero's journeys in other texts or movies?

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  36. Could Amir save face by raising Hassan's child and teaching him to fight kites?

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  37. Do you think that Amir is even fit to raise a son if he did take in Sohrab? After being told that Hassan was his brother, he flipped out and stormed out of the apartment. Can he control himself and his emotions?

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  38. Why did the author keep saying "there is a way to be good again?" It has been coming up more and more as we get further in the story. Why?

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  39. What does all of this news tell about Baba? Amir didn't know that Hassan was his brother and Baba never told him. This makes Amir look back at how Baba fixed Hassan's lip, he weeped and cried when Hassan and Ali left them. Does Amir respect Baba more or does he realize that if Baba would've told him earlier he might have made good with Hassan before he died.

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  40. Amir cared a lot about his father, and what his father thought of him. Now that his father has died, will it effect Amir in a posotive or negative way.

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  41. On page 221 Rahim Kahn says, "I think we both know why it has to be you, don't we?" Why does Amir know?

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