Focus: What is the climax of The Kite Runner, and what change does it bring about?
1. Warming back up with your in-class writing assessment
2. Enjoying a fishbowl discussion of The Kite Runner, Chapters 22 and 23
3. Wrapping up
HW:
1. Please read and annotate the final chapters of The Kite Runner for our last fishbowl discussion on Thursday; leaders should prepare their syllabus.
2. Start making flashcards for the next vocabulary list, which covers Chapters 15-20.
3. If you are giving your book talk this Friday, please prepare and rehearse it.
What do you feel was Amir's initial reaction when he found out that the Taliban leader was actually Assef?
ReplyDeleteI think he felt shocked, and it made him more nervous.
DeleteI think his first reaction was fear. Amir remembered that Assef still had revenge against Amir, and Amir was very frightened of that.
DeleteI think Amir now sees Assef as just another obstacle rather than another opportunity to "chicken out" as he did before.
DeleteI think he had a lot of memories flood back to him. He thinks about what he has seen Assef do and that really affected him.
DeleteHe was shocked and speechless. On page 281, Amir thinks,"Then he took off his sunglasses and locked his bloodshot blue eyes on mine. I tried to take a breath and couldn't. I tried to blink I couldn't." I think he felt threatened by his past yet again.
DeleteWhat would Baba have done if he was in Amir's spot in chapter 22?
ReplyDeleteBaba is a strong man so he would have fought back against Assef.
DeleteWhy do you think Amir felt a lot better, and at peace when Assef was destroying his body?
ReplyDeleteI think it's because he improved from when he was a kid, I don't think he would ever take a beating like that for someone else as a kid.
DeleteI think he felt a lot better because he felt a certain kinship with Hassan. Hassan was beaten and raped, while Amir was being beaten. This could make him feel more connected to Hassan.
DeleteBecause Amir ran away when Hassan was raped and he didn't get beaten up like Hassan, so getting hit by Aseef allowed Amir to get the beating that he skipped out on when he was a kid.
DeleteYeah, I think he felt better because he was laughing when he was being beat, so some of that guilt is going away.
DeleteWhy do you think Assef wanted to have a fight with Amir and not just let him go or kill him?
ReplyDeleteSince they've had so many un-finished conflicts in the past, this would be their last chance to end those conflicts.
DeleteIf Assef killed Aimir right away, then Assef doesn't get the pleasure of fighting Amir. Assef is a sociopath so he finds pleasure in bring pain to others.
DeleteDid Rahim Kahn know that Amir was getting into that situation? Did he plan all of that out thinking it would help Amir with the problems that he's facing?
ReplyDeleteRahim Kahn probably knew that Amir would have to face some type of power but didn't know what he would get into with the Taliban.
DeleteDo you think their is any significance of Rahim Kahn giving Amir a family for Sohrab that doesn't even exist?
ReplyDeleteI think that Rahim Kahn was planning on Amir getting the child and keeping him because Amir would see how much Sohrab was like his father and want to change his relationship with Hassan by being nice to Sohrab.
DeleteOn page 290, Sohrab shot Assef in the eye with his slingshot, how do you think Sohrab is a young version of his father and can help Amir get over his problems?
ReplyDeleteI think Sohrab will be the figure to replace all of his bad memories in the past. I also think it will help erase all the guilt he used to feel.
Deletei think the author shows many similarities between Hessan and his son to remind the reader that they are very similar. Even the slingshot. it help us accept the fact that if Amir saves Sohrab, he will right his wrong.
DeleteI think it is very unique that Hassan, and now his son has saved Amir both times from Assef. I think Amir will really take this to heart.
DeleteDo you think Amir wishes he would've kept acting like a coward?
ReplyDeleteYes, but at this point there is no turning back and he has a job and he is too far to not complete it.
DeleteNo because he says that he felt alleviated when he got beaten up by Assef. If he had stayed a coward than he would have not gotten to meet the smaller version of Hassan.
DeleteHow do you think that this book will possibly wrap up? It seems that the plot continues to thicken even near the end of the book.
ReplyDeleteI think Sohrab will eventually be adopted by Amir, however it will not be easy because legally you are not allowed to adopt someone until you have proof of both parent's death. The book is also going to end with kite fighting because it would add a very nice ending to a book that did not have all loose ends tied neatly.
DeleteOn page 277, Assef says how liberating it is to "stand in a roomful of targets, let the bullets fly, free of guilt and remorse, knowing you are virtuous, good, and decent". Why do you think that Assef believes this? Has he been lied to for so long that he believes it as truth?
ReplyDeleteon pg. 297 Amir had "The worst laceration was your upper lip." Why does the author bring this to correlation with the harelip that Hassan had?
ReplyDeleteI think he mentioned it because it shows that in everything that will happen in Amir's life can directly relate to Hassan.
DeleteI think it represents that Amir is not equal with Hassan. He has gone through Hassans pain, and is now equal.
DeleteDo you think Amir kind of redeemed himself through this situation?
ReplyDeleteI do not think he will really redeemed himself. But he is really moving forward in a good way.
DeleteAmir redeemed himself because he fought his fear and saved Sohrab from Asseff.
DeleteDefinitely, or he is nearly there. Amir has done so much, it is obvious that he has changed from his younger, cowardly, self. Even if everything doesn't play out perfectly with Sohrab, I think that how he has changed is redemption.
DeleteOn page 284 Amir said, "I knew that he had been a message from God: He was on my side. He wanted me to live for a reason." What do you think this reason is?
ReplyDeleteI think that Assef letting Amir fight him showed how Assef wants more than the power of killing someone he wants to show how much agony he can put on Amir since he is bringing back bad memories of raping Hassan for Amir.
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ReplyDeleteOn page 281 when Amir encounters Assef and he says, "I'm in my element" do you think this is describes the Taliban similar to Assef (a bunch of sociopaths)?
ReplyDeleteDoes Sohrab saving Amir represent something deeper? Does it show that while Hassan has been dead for years, he is still keeping watch over Amir, through the form of his son?
ReplyDeleteYes, I think it was some kind of bond that Hassan had with Amir that was now passed in to Sohrab that wants to help, but I think Amir is going to reverse that and help his nephew.
DeleteEven though Hassan is dead he is still trying to defend him in the afterlife. Also he wanted to make Assef into One-eyed Assef like he said early in the story.
DeleteDo you think Amir might take Hassan's son in because Amir and his wife can't have children... Or do you think he will just find an American family for Hassan's son.
ReplyDeleteI think Amir almost has to. He can't just give him up after all that he's done to rescue Sohrab.
Deleteon pg. 280 "Sohrab danced in a circle until the music stopped." What does this show about the Taliban and how they were raised as children?
ReplyDeleteHow do you think Amir feels after Sorhab standing up for him just as Hassan did back when Assef tried to bully Amir before?
ReplyDeleteIt is a good thing. He learned from his father. That nobody should be able to do that to him. He is just standing up for himself.
DeleteI think that this will bring them closer.
DeleteOn page 291 when it says, "Then Assef was screaming. He put his hand where his left eye had been a moment ago." Do you think that this is a reaction to when Hassan threatened to shoot Assef in the eye when Amir and Hassan were kids? Is this Sohrab finishing what his father started?
ReplyDeleteYes I think it is just another connection of what happened earlier in the book. It kind of symbolizes Hassan. Most of the same things that happened to Sohrab happened to Hassan.
DeleteDo yo think that Assef was bullied as a child? What do you think that he has been through?
ReplyDeleteI think all kids learn things from their parents and how they where raised. I do think Assef was bullied at some point of felt inferior as well he is pampered so little things can get to him.
DeleteDo you think Amir is good again?
ReplyDeleteI think Amir is good again. At the start of the story he was kind of the bad guy, now he is the good guy again, trying to rescue Sohrab from the Taliban.
DeleteI believe his feeling was horror and surprise. Maybe when he saw him he knew that there was unfunished business between him and Assef. On page 281 Amir is standing in front of him his thoughts were fatal, scared, and unbelievable he says " I tried to take a breath and couldn't. I tried to blink and couldn't." Clearly he was extremely frightened, to find that it was the psychopath nemesis of his childhood that was standing in front of him and was the leader of the Taliban.
ReplyDeleteI just think it is insane because abviously the entire time the author was building p assef to become this person. but what really scares me is that if amir would have been stronger against assef, he could have prevented all of this from happening.
DeleteWhy was Amir laughing when he said that he found peace at last when Assef was beating him?
ReplyDeleteBecause he has been thinking about it everyday. He has finally done something that he feels that he has done something right for Hassan.
DeleteAmir was laughing because he was finally feels like his pasts were uplifted and he was good again.
DeleteI think it's because Amir feels almost redeemed, and everything from here out should be peaceful and fine.
DeleteI don't think without the physical fight and him getting abused would not be the same for him just getting Sohrab without any struggle, I think he needed the pain and relief for knowing he doesn't need to feel sorry anymore.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that it would have been easier or harder to get Sohrab if Amir hadn't encountered Assef?
ReplyDeleteI think it would be harder because why would an Taliban Official just give up a kid, but since Assef knew him he would give him the child if he would get out of the room alive.
DeleteI think Amir meeting Assef could benefit him because maybe Assef could turn good for a little and potentially help.
DeleteI think if Amir hadn't suffered the beating from Assef, he would not feel the redemption and pride that he did.
ReplyDeleteThink of it like this too. Sohrab is Hassan's son. Sobrab also seems to act like a substitute for Hassan in the book, for example being sexually abused by Assef just like Hassan was raped. So Amir felt like if he helped Sohrab, he would be redeemed in front of Hassan.
DeleteIn chapter 23, why was Amir's perception of time in the hospital so off? Was it just trauma from the beating?
ReplyDeleteon page 289 when Assef is brutally beating Amir and kicking him and Amir starts to laugh. Assef screams "WHAT'S SO FUNNY?" because he doesn't understand to why is he laughing when he is being beaten severely. It provokes him from understanding that he isn't hurting him but only helping him.
ReplyDeleteOn page 283 and 284 Assef tells the story of him getting beaten and kicked so much that his kidney stones were knocked out. He said that he knew then that God was on his side and wanted him to live for a reason. Do you think this is true?
ReplyDeleteNo he is just crazy an something lucky happened to him, he's a crazy person with problems.
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DeleteI think it is weird how the author mad amir "at peace"but amir didn't die because in most movies or books people die after they are finally at peace. like it was all that was holding them back from leaving this world.
ReplyDeleteHe is showing that he can redeem Assef. That caused him all this trouble. He finally did something to help Hassan.
DeleteIs the "American couple" being fake a surprise?
ReplyDeleteYes and no. While reading I was surprised, but looking back I think that it's not too surprising for this to happen. I don't think that Rahim Khan ever intended for Amir to not return to America without Sohrab.
DeleteWhy do you think that Amir describes his beating from Assef like a weight lifted form his chest?
ReplyDeleteDoes Amir still have inner demons? Or has he gotten rid of them?
ReplyDeleteI think Amir still has inner demons. I mean we all do. We have deep-seeded anger for someone, in Amir's case, probably Assef. But we can't get rid of the demons of our past and inside, all we can do is to learn to live with them and control them.
DeleteHas Amir finished the Hero's Journey?
ReplyDeleteNope, there has got to be more, he just got to the top of the hill for the Hero"s Journey.
DeleteDo you think Amir has lightened up to Assef; maybe he has matured?
ReplyDeleteThe author wouldn't end the story with just Amir defeats Assef because there are so many different aspects that would have to be explained which is why it should not be completed.
ReplyDeleteI think his path in the heros journy wont end until the end of the book
ReplyDeleteIf Sohrab has the choice to leave Afghanistan, do you think he would?
ReplyDeleteIf Amir gets Sorhab, do you think his guilt will be cleared in full or is their something more he must do like make amends with Assef?
ReplyDeleteWhat will happen to sohrab?
ReplyDeleteNo because Assef must keep his word based on being in the Taliban who are Islamic Radicals. He must follow his word, or he will be punished.
ReplyDelete