Final Post

The Kite Runner Final Post

4.Is there a message or main theme you see emerging? What is it and how is it shown? Are there any other books you have read or movies you have seen that also have this same theme? Explain.

          Throughout the beginning of The Kite Runner and all the way towards the end there is a reoccurring theme of redemption and forgiveness. The protagonist, Amir, during the interlude and middle of the novel struggles with the guilt of breaking the strongest bond he’s ever had with a companion that was nothing but good to him. His guild and regret that he holds, which accounts for his lifetime symptoms of insomniac and anxiety, leads Amir to framing his friend Hassan and Ali away in order to escape his own remorse.  The sin that he created as a young child hangs on to him like heavy baggage even throughout adulthood in California.  The Theme of redemption is especially shown when an old family friend, Rahim Khan, calls Amir telling him “there is a way to be good again.” (Page 202) This begins a journey to a city that he could barely recognize in order to find Hassan’s son. When he is face to face with Assef, who has taken a hold of Sohrab, and is being harshly punished, Amir finally feels the peace that he has been waiting for since the day he had wanted Hassan to pelt him back with the pomegranates- “I hadn’t been happy and I hadn’t felt better, not at all. But I did now. My body was broken- just how badly I wouldn’t find out until later- but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed.” (Page 303) After finally gaining the courage to do the right thing by saving Hassan’s son at the cost of his body, he finally feels free from the guilt and pain that has haunted him for decades.  Another example of redemption that is shown is when the truth is revealed about Hassan being Amir's half brother. Baba too, like Amir, lived with the guilt of not being able to come out and be honest about being Hassan's biological father- "I think everything he did, feeding the poor on the streets, building the orphanage, giving obey to friends in need, it was all his way of redeeming himself. And that, I believe is what true redemption is, Amir Jan, when guilt leads to good." (Page 316) Again you can see that Amir's father, though a great man, had regrets and haunting sins of his own. He redeemed himself by always putting on a kind demeanour and offering a helping hand to those in need. 

The movie 7 Pounds also has a similar emerging theme of redemption. The main character Tim Thomas is unable to live with the fact that he killed seven people, including his fiancé, while absentmindedly sending a text message while driving. He is determined to redeem himself by recreating the lives of seven strangers, even if it comes with the cost of his own life. 

9.Would you recommend this book to another reader? Why/Why not? What kind of person would you recommend it to? What would you tell the person about the book?

        When I first heard of this book and only got the gist of what it was about, I honestly did not have much interest nor was I in a hurry to get it started. The Kite Runner is one of those novels where the cover definitely doesn't do the book justice. After only reading the first chapter, I was so engrossed in the book that I read the whole novel in three days. Some chapters more than once. Though I am more of a romance novel kind of girl, I fell in love with the lessons that I gained and the storytelling tone of voice. I would recommend this novel to anyone that is open to learning about the raging war zone in Afghanistan and also gaining a new perspective and mindset. Though it is about the ethnical, religious, and political tensions in Afghanistan, It is nothing like reading a history book. You are able to truly be emotionally touched while reading the tale of the two boys while learning about Afghanistan's history.  There is a continuous theme of redemption that comes up during the novel and I believe that Redemption is something that everyone of all ages can relate to.The Kite Runner does a magnificent job of showing how the guilt of someone can be redeemed by turning it into good. What I particularly loved about this book is that there were some passages that were unforgettable, especially this short story written by Amir- "It was a dark tale about a man who found a magic cup and learned that if he wept into the cup, his tears turned into pearls. But even though he had always been poor, he was a happy man and rarely shed a tear. So he found ways to make himself sad so that his tears could make him rich. The story ended with the man sitting with a knife in hand, weeping helplessly with his beloved wife's slain body in his arms." (page 33) Like the theme of redemption, this short passage which held a strong lesson of the dangers of greed left remarkable imprint. 

Halfway Post

The Kite Runner Half Way Post

1. What is the setting of the novel? Is the setting important or could the novel happen anywhere? Why? Would it change the plot? In what way?

The major portion of The Kite Runner takes place in Kabul, Afghanistan from the year 1963 to 1981 and also takes place in California When Amir and his Father escapes Afghanistan from the soviet invasion in 1982. This setting is extremely vital because it sets the entire mood for the novel and without this specific setting, the plot would have to undergo a significant change. The first portion of the novel is centred around the ethnic, religious, and political differences of  the Pashtuns (Amir's culture) and the Hazaras (Hassan's culture) which is frowned upon by many of the higher class Pashtuns in Kabul. This political and cultural difference between the two companions brings up countless issues, such as how the neighbourhood bully, Assef, torments and looks down upon Hassan making rude remarks like, " Afghanistan is the land of Pashtuns. It always has been, always will be. We are the true and pure Afghans, not this flat-nose here. They dirty our blood and pollute our land." (page 43) and also despises Amir for accepting Hassan as a friend. As Amir witnesses his friend being physically and mentally abused by Assef and does nothing to save him, his guilt is what breaks the bond that the two friends shared. Many of these issues surrounds the cultural differences in early Afghanistan, which is why if the author was to have the two boys be born somewhere else such as in America where cultural differences and racism isn't as harsh, these issues wouldn't have come up and it would've also changes the entire plot (such as the moving of Hassan and Ali from Kabul) and the solemn mood. Also if the novel didn't begin in Afghanistan, it wouldn't have led to Amir and his father fleeing to America which in turn wouldn't have led to the hardship that caused baba's death and the newly formed life that Amir has created for himself in America. The setting of The Kite Runner is key to the series of events, obstacles, and lessons that Amir encounters. 

   2. Describe a problem faced by the main character. Explain how the main character deals with the problem. Make a personal connection to this (either your own experience or that of someone you know)

        The main character, Amir, faces many inner and mental challenges. His inner problems that he faces are derived from major conflicts such as the guilt that he is forced to live with after he witnesses and does nothing when Hassan is being raped by Assef. He also lives with the regret of framing Hassan for stealing his birthday gift, which drives Hassan and Ali away and breaks the decades of friendship that Baba and Ali shared along with the bond that Hassan and Amir had. His cruel decision and memories haunts him daily- " 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 the monster. That was the night I became an insomniac." (page 91) causing problems such as insomnia, anxiety, guilt, and regret. Amir tried to bury these problems by ignoring and blocking it out completely instead of solving the core of the issue- "I put the kite down and walked into his thick hairy arms. I buried my face in the warmth of his chest and wept. Baba held me close to him, rocking me back and forth. In his arms, I forgot what I'd done. And that was good." (Page 84) I too on many occasions try to bury and forget my problems instead of finding a way to solve it. I had many conflicts growing up between my father, whom was a workaholic and never made time to bond with my sister and I. For years I hid my true feelings and resentment and like the way Amir blamed anyone but himself for driving Hassan and Ali away, I blamed my Father for not contacting me when I clearly could've made the effort myself. I victimized myself and also entombed those problems that I had which only burdened me more and made it hard for me to grow as I wasn't aware of the lesson that had to be learned. 

Introductory Post

The Kite Runner 

By Khaled Hosseini

Synopsis: Set in the early 1970's, Amir whom is the son of a wealthy Kabul and his servant Hassan, though with extreme diverse backgrounds, holds a close bond. Their bond is broken as Amir abandons his closest companion and flees to America with his family in hopes of being free from the soviet invasion and the continuing war zone in Afghanistan. A decade later, a family friend fills Amir in of the devastation that restored their beloved home country. Amir then embarks in a dangerous journey to Afghanistan in hopes of mending the bond he broke against his closest childhood friend. 

• Published in 2003 by Riverhead Books, ISBN 0-385-66007-3
• Book Review: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77203.The_Kite_Runner
• 391 pages

Reason for choosing this book: Though this novel was not much of a choice to read since it was given to us by the English Online 12 course, I found myself very intrigued while reading the synopsis that was writing on the back cover. I mainly was drawn in by how the book seemed to work around the theme of "redemption" which is always something that people, including me, can identify with. I also found the fact that the author's past life is very similar to the story of Amir. I believe that if a story is driven from past experience and passion, it makes it all the better to read since there is that spark of realism. Lastly,I've been always surrounded by stories of the continuing wars and hardships in Afghanistan, but I never truly felt connected to the cause nor was the issue ever close to my heart. I wish to learn from this story and be more aware of what is happening to the world around me. I hope by reading this novel it will give me a better understanding of the life of the civilians in Afghanistan and also open my eyes to the importance of family bonds and friendships that I currently hold.