Opening Questions
Respond to ONE of the following topics. Don't forget to address the prompt in your topic sentence of your post.
Discuss the origins of the ongoing conflict between Pashtuns and Hazaras. What effect might this have on Amir and Hassan’s relationship?
Characterize Amir and Hassan before the kite tournament. What emotions does Amir experience before the kite tournament? What adjectives would you use to characterize him? What is Hassan’s response? What does this response show about Hassan? Refer to the simile, “I felt like a soldier trying to sleep in the trenches the night before a major battle” (50).
Why does Amir compare Hassan to the lamb he saw sacrificed on Eid Al-Adha? (If reading the graphic novel, pages 41-45 will help)
Do you think Hassan knows that Amir witnessed the rape? Explain.
Discuss Amir’s trip to Jalalabad with his father, contrasting his experience with reality. Why does Amir feel as “empty as [an] unkept pool” (85)?
Assess what Assef’s interactions with his parents, Amir, Baba, and Hassan at the party reveal about him. What is the significance of the gift he gives Amir?
What is ironic about the fate that has befallen Kamal since the last time Amir saw him? What is ironic about Baba’s attempt to console Kamal’s father after Kamal dies?
Do you think Hassan knows that Amir witnessed the rape? Explain.
ReplyDeleteHassan does know that Amir has witnessed the rape. Hassan never directly told Amir about the rape after the kite tournament, but he knows that he saw it. He feels betrayed because this was a moment that he was in need and was not helped. Hassan would rather lie about it than disgrace his family and let them know what happened.
The night before the the kite tournament, Amir is extremely nervous. This is because he wants to impress everyone, but most importantly, he wants to impress his father. I would characterize him as anxious, because he has high hopes for himself and seems slightly worried that he will disappoint those around him if he does poorly. Hassan mentions that he thinks Amir will “make Agha sahib very proud tomorrow”(Hosseini 58), godwilling. Hassan and Amir have an interesting relationship dynamic because even though Hassan is Amir’s servant and looks up to him, Amir is sometimes jealous of the attention Hassan gets. Hassan always wishes the best for Amir and hopes he does well in the kite tournament.
ReplyDeleteTyler Baka
DeleteI thought it was interesting how you mentioned Amir being nervous due to the fact that he wants to impress his father during the tournament. I feel like this is for sue the case and I think that Amir is far too invested in trying to gain attention from Baba that he is hindering his ability to do so. He is simply trying too hard. Also, I find it ironic how Amir is so concerned about Hassan and how much Baba likes him considering Hassan is Amir’s servant.
Parker Susil - This type of jealousy could be what leads to more conflict later down the road, as people who are jealous make decisions they wouldn't normally make to get some recognition or attention of their own. This may lead to Hassan feeling hurt or betrayed by his close friend, and maybe looking at him in less than a positive light. I agree that their relationship seems a bit one sided as Amir does not show the same respect to Hassan as Hassan does to him, and maybe this could be something that changes their friendship forever.
DeleteMatthew Moore
ReplyDeleteThe Pashtuns and Hazaras have had a long and troubled history, and their conflicts affect Amir and Hassan’s relationship. Pashtuns and Hazaras are two ethnic groups that exist within Pakistan. The Pashtuns are the upper class and persecute the Hazara who are lower class and act as servants to the upper class Pashtuns. The origins of the conflict between the Pashtuns and Hazaras is shown when Amir reads his mother’s old book that describes how the Pashtuns persecuted the Hazaras mainly because of their difference in religion; the Hazaras were Shi’a Muslim while the Pashtuns were Sunni Muslim. Since the oppression of Hazaras is ongoing, it will likely cause Amir and Hassan to grow further apart as they grow older. I think their close relationship at a young age can be attributed to their naivety of their differences. Their relationship, I feel, will likely mirror the relationship that Baba and Ali had. Similarly to Amir and Hassan, they grew up together even though Ali was Hazara and Baba was Pashtun. However, even though they were close, they never considered each other friends:”But in none of his stories did Baba ever refer to Ali as his friend. The curious thing was, I never thought of Hassan and me as friends either” (Hosseini 19). Even though Hassan and Amir are close, almost like brothers, they do not really consider each other friends. This is likely because they do recognize they are of different classes and will never have equal opportunities in life. Amir and Hassan’s relationship will likely strain as they grow older due to their ethnic differences.
Name: Siddhant Sarkar(reply post)
DeleteI truly find your generalized approach towards Amir and Hassan's relationship extremely accurate, as you manage to connect multiple aspects of their identity to each other. For example, your claim towards religion being one of the contributing factors to the class gap between Amir and Hassan, was well displayed throughout the book, and we see this still occur in the real world where Shi'a muslims are treated poorly in Sunni majority areas. I would also like to make a slight addition towards your religion claim, by stating that the Hazaras were also different to the Pashtuns in terms of race, as the Pashtuns were regarded as Farsi descendants, the "pure" Afghanis, while the Hazaras had a Mongolian ancestry. This also caused the conflict between the two groups due to the internal racial tension, which was displayed by certain terrifying events displayed in the book. In conclusion, I would like to say you're overall view towards the relationship between Amir and Hassan was well stated and has a strong backing towards it.
Name: Siddhant Sarkar
ReplyDeleteDespite having an extremely strong relationship and brotherly love for each other, Amir and Hassan's relationship is divided by an invisible barrier of their origins, due to Amir being a Pashtun, the so-called “superior” race and follower of the religious majority of the Sunni faith, and Hassan belonging to the Hazara race, the inferior mongol descendants who follow the suppressed Shi’a faith in Afghanistan. This very partition causes the main disruptions in the story: from Hassan’s rape to Amir’s betrayal towards his best friend, all of these events are sparked by that superiority complex and guilt created by a trivial racial wall. Being a Hazara in Afghanistan at that time, Hassan faced boulders of oppression on a daily basis: humiliated by the public, bullied by the Pashtun children, looked down upon on a daily basis by his own best friend. The Pashtuns, being the majority, had very little regard for the Hazaras, as they treated them like second class citizens in their own country, and subjugated them towards the status of a servant. Since the Hazaras, also differed by religion, the Pashtun used their devotion to their faith as an excuse to belittle them even further. Although Amir has a daily interaction with Hassan, and shares his entire childhood with him, Amir refuses to ignore the socio-cultural differences between him: “Never mind any of those things. Because history isn’t easy to overcome. Neither is religion. In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I was Sunni and he was Shi’a, and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing.” (Hosseini, 25). This shows how dense the conflict between the two Afghani races affect the lives of innocent children, no matter how close they are. This very clash is the reason why Amir and Hassan’s relationship deteriorated, as it continuously confounded Amir about the validity of his emotions towards Hassan, and due to such confusing thoughts, unforgettable events occurred for both characters, eventually leading to the destruction of their bond with each other.
Morgan Viant
ReplyDeleteDo I think Hassan knows that Amir witnessed the rape? Undoubtedly, Amir could never have been completely certain that Hassan knew Amir witnessed Assef rape Hassan in the alley after the kite tournament. This is because Hassan never directly tells Amir that he knows what Amir did: how he betrayed Hassan and abandoned him in the moment of greatest need: “I stopped watching, turned away from the alley. Something warm was running down my wrist. I blinked, saw I was still biting down on my fist, hard enough to draw blood from the knuckles. I realized something else. I was weeping. From just around the corner, I could hear Assef’s quick, rhythmic grunts. I had one last chance to make a decision. One final opportunity to decide who I was going to be. I could step into that alley, stand up for Hassan—the way he’d stepped up for me all those times in the past—and accept whatever would happen to me. Or I could run” (Hosseini 77). Moreover, I’m not entirely sure why Amir would not have stood up for him or helped him, but in chapter 9 it’s basically confirmed that Hassan knows because this is when Amir attempts to frame him by putting a watch and birthday money under his bed. His father later found out and Hassan told him that he had stolen it. In that moment Hassan had still chosen to protect Amir and this is when Amir realized Hassan knew he knew he’d seen everything in that alley, that he’d stood there and done nothing. He knew that he had betrayed him and yet he was rescuing him once again, maybe for the last time.
Laine Palko. I really liked this response to the question regarding Amir witnessing the rape because it offers true and insightful evidence. I agree that Hassan never did directly tell Amir, and he felt betrayed. I also included the betrayal part in my response because it is important and attests to their friendship. I liked the way that at the end of this response, it is noted that in chapter 9 it was confirmed that he did in fact see it. Their friendship still held strong and they protect each other in different ways, representing the strength of their companionship.
DeleteI agree with many points of this, but I disagree because I think he does know what happened, even if he didn't directly see it. The quote represents a lot and it's very powerful in the message it expresses. When I fully read I see you agree he had to of seem something which is true.
DeleteAva Lovell- I agree that Hassan knows because of the way he acts around Amir. I also do not understand how Amir could sit back and do nothing to help his friend, even though he was just a child. Ultimately, I think Amir never wanted to be close friends again with Hassan afterwards because Hassan never confronted him. As you said, even though Amir betrayed him, Hassan still protected Amir. Amir could not imagine being friends because Hassan never stood up to anything Amir did, making him feel even more guilty.
DeleteI agree with this. I think it is awful that Amir did not help or stand up for Hassan. I think that he definitely had to know that Amir saw. The watch was definitely a give away that Hassan had knew.
Delete
ReplyDeleteTyler Baka
Characterize Amir and Hassan before the kite tournament. What emotions does Amir experience before the kite tournament? What adjectives would you use to characterize him? What is Hassan’s response? What does this response show about Hassan? Refer to the simile, “I felt like a soldier trying to sleep in the trenches the night before a major battle” (50).
Amir and Hassan just like any other kid competing in the kite tournament in Kabul were always extremely excited and thrilled for the kite tournament the night before it took place. Amir altogether was emotional before the kite tournament. He is without a doubt a little nervous about what will take place the next day during the tournament. “In Kabul, fighting kites was a little like going to war” (Hosseini 50). Along with the emotion of nervousness, Amir is extremely excited about the tournament as well. “The day of the tournament was undeniably the highlight of the cold season” Hosseini 49). Amir previously mentions how the winter season is the best season and for him to say that the tournament is the highlight of it goes to show you his feelings towards it. The adjectives that I would use to describe Amir the night before the tournament would be thrilled and a bit anxious. Hassan is a top-notch kite runner who is extremely athletic and very agile which helps him succeed in retrieving cut-down kites. Amir envies his abilities and wishes he could have his skills. The simile about Amir feeling like a soldier trying to sleep in the trenches the night before a major battle shows his nerves and restlessness the night before the big day.
Danny Abbass
DeleteI agree with your description of Amir the night before the tournament. Even though Hassan is technically a servant, Amir is jealous of him because of his athleticism and the attention he gets. Your post was insightful and I think your analysis of their emotions were accurate.
I agree with this and think it is a very deep insight because it shows how Amir feels bout the kite tournament and really reflects him as a character. I also agree that Amir was anxious the night before and that shows who he is as a kite flyer
DeleteI highly agree with the different emotions that Amir and Hassan are characterized with. As they are both very excited to represent, but appear nervous and stressing about wanting to perform well. The quote again proves a lot because it helps represent the situation and setting of the tournament. How real and the meaning behind it is more than kites, it is life for them.
DeleteGabriella duris - I do agree that Amir was nervous for the kite tournament. But he also wanted to make everyone proud, especially his father. He was so nervous that he actually did not want to compete that day. He wanted to go home but Hassan Told him that it's just another beautiful day. I also feel as if Amir doesn't believe in himself but Hassan makes him believe.
DeleteOwen Hilston
ReplyDeleteI think Hassan knows about it because he feels guilty and wants Amir removed from the house so he is not reminded of his wrongdoing. Though, Amir can never be completely certain that Hassan knows Amir witnessed Assef rape Hassan in the alley after the kite tournament. This is because Hassan never directly tells Amir that he knows what Amir did and how he betrayed Hassan and abandoned him in a time of need.
Laine Palko. I responded to the same prompt, but took a different approach. I noticed how you described Amir and Hassan's friendship as weaker and noted the desire to have Amir removed from his house. I felt differently, because later in the book, Amir helps Hassan again, proving his frienship. I did however agree with the fact that Hassan felt betrayed by Amir because he did not help him in a time of need, which was hurtful to Hassan. This was an accurate representation of the trying times in the novel and how they affected the citizens and left them scared and vulnerable.
DeleteMatthew Moore
DeleteI agree with your assertion that Amir can never be completely certain that Hassan knows Amir witnessed the rape. However I think it is reasonable (almost a guarantee) that Hassan knows that Amir witnessed the rape since Hassan admits to stealing the watch/money that Amir planted under Hassan's mattress. I think that Amir feels more guilty than Hassan at this point since Amir recognizes that Hassan is sacrificing himself once more.
Tyler Baka
DeleteI think there is a good chance that Hassan knows Amir witnessed the incident in the alley and if that’s the case then that is not very good for Amir. To be fair, as a young kid Amir can’t do much to help Hassan but I think he would have been much better off letting someone know what was happening at the time. I think Amir may have taken Baba giving attention to Hassan as a terrible thing and he may have wanted to get back at Hassan for that.
Laine Palko. I think Hassan does know that Amir witnessed the rape, and feels betrayed by him. The relationship between Hassan and Amir is somewhat complex and swept under the rug. They are childhood friends, but Hassan is of a much lower social class than Amir, so that always looms over them in a tantalizing manner. Hassan is almost a bodyguard for Amir, who is much smaller and weaker. However, Hassan is aware that Amir saw the rape, and will do nothing about it. He cannot be completely sure, but is almost positive that Amir did in fact witness the assault. Amir is afraid of the shame that his father would feel, as he is deeply intimidated by that. Baba asserts his dominance and power over Amir by saying things like, “‘A boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who won't stand up for anything”’ (Hosseini 22). This quote later emphasizes the guilt that Hassan “should” feel for not standing up for himself like Baba said a true man would. Hassan feels betrayed because Amir is supposed to be his best friend and his true companion, but did not stand up for him or stand by him in this great time of need.
ReplyDeleteName: Siddhant Sarkar(Reply Post)
DeleteThe claim you made regarding how Amir betrayed his best friend was quite interesting, as it introduces an emotional depth to Hassan's nature after the incident. It truly displays the huge amount of respect Hassan has for Amir, and how willing Hassan is to forgive him. However, your perspective towards this situation characterizes Amir as an ill-natured coward, who backs out of all the important decisions in his life and wants other people to fight his own battles. This creates a negative image of Amir, not only in Hassan's eyes, but the eyes of the reader too. The quote you provided about this situation truly sums up the virtues and personality of Amir in this scenario. In general, I believe that your claim provides a really precise, dark, and unique outlook towards this entire situation and opens up a whole new realm of emotional possibilities of the main characters later in the book.
I agree that Hassan knows about it because it doesnt make sense why he would want Amir to leave otherwise, and it wouldnt make sense for him not to stand up for him
DeleteKatarina Cannata
DeleteI agree with you about Hassan knowing about Amir being there. I think it would make sense for Hassan to know that Amir would be following him to get the kite, and I think Amir would have tried to find out more about where Hassan was if he didn’t know what happened to him, leading Hassan to believe that Amir knew what happened.
Gabriella Duris - I do agree that Hassan does know that Amir saw the rape. I feel this way because when he finally went back with Amir after the tournament they were both quiet. If you think about it Amir wouldn't be quiet if he just won a tournament. Now I feel that Hassan won't be really talking much with Amir because he may know.
DeleteSarah
DeleteI agree that Hassan knows that Amir witnessed the rape. Through both of their actions, the tension made it clear that they both knew something was up. I also liked the quote that you used to show that Amir is probably guilty and ashamed of his decision to not stand up for Hassan.
Katarina Cannata Discuss Amir’s trip to Jalalabad with his father, contrasting his experience with reality. Why does Amir feel as “empty as [an] unkept pool” (85)? Amir had expected his trip to Jalalabad with his father to be fun and a time for him to grow closer to his father, but in reality he couldn’t enjoy himself. Amir says it himself: “That should have been fun, spending a day like that with Baba, hearing his stories. I finally had what I’d wanted all those years” (Hosseini 85). Amir highly admired his father, and time alone with him was Amir’s biggest wish. He should have been a lot happier, but he wasn’t. This was because Amir felt guilty because of what he let happen to Hassan, and because of that he couldn’t enjoy the trip and he felt empty.
ReplyDeleteAva Lovell - I agree that Hassan cannot enjoy his trip because of how guilty he feels about Hassan. I think this part of the book makes an interesting point that you will never be happy with what you have if you have if you did wrong things to get there. During this part, I thought it would make Amir realize how important Hassan was to him, and encourage him to make amends, but he didn't which surprised me. The guilt that Amir carried his whole life about what he let happen to Hassan messed up some of his other relationships too, such as the one with his father, because he was unable to enjoy their time together.
DeleteNolan Sullivan
ReplyDeleteDiscuss the origins of the ongoing conflict between Pashtuns and Hazaras. What effect might this have on Amir and Hassan’s relationship?
The root of the ongoing conflict between the Pashtun and Hazaras is that religion, a fight over which religion is to be the dominant of the area. The Hazaras are related to the distant Mongolians and are not even close to the once mighty conquers they once were: ``For years, that was all I Knew About the Hazaras, that they were Mogul descendants ,and that they looked a little like Chinese people. School Textbooks barely mentioned them and referred to their ancestry only in passing.”(Hosseini 5). In fact, they and their government is ruled over by the Pashtuns, who run the government and are most of the time quite wealthy and powerful, due to their control over the government. This social hierarchy based on ancestry is what greatly affects the relationship between Amir and Hassan, as they have more of a “Leader-follower” or “King-peasant” relationship as Amir is Pashtun and rich while on the other hand Hassan is Hazara and has very little to no money in his name. Even though they were raised as brothers, there is certainly a power gap between the two of them simply because of the families they were born to and their ancestral heritage. To summarize, The origins of the conflict are religion, and for this Amir is treated much better by society than Hassan is due to his religion and social hierarchy, and the friendship is much more one sided toward Amir than an actual friendship would be.
Parker Susil - I think it is interesting that a rift has the possibility of forming between such close friends. Especially when a fight could form as a result of cultural confliction when they were so close and brotherlike. I think that because of the cultural differences, they may be forced to make rash decisions concerning one another, which could possibly lead to conflict between them. Maybe Hassan may end up feeling like he's undercut by Amir, or that he doesn't mean anything.
DeleteJordan Demicco- The question of does Hassan know that Amir had witnessed the rape and what happened is huge to the role in the story. Throughout chapters 5-9 things get a little crazy, when Amir takes the belief he does. But the clear answer is Yes, Hassan knows Amir witnessed the rape, and basically let him get raped! The real question is why did he let this happen? Amir is having not only internal conflicts with himself, but with others around him. In chapter 7, it is stated “In the end, I ran. I ran because I was a coward. I was afraid of Assef and what he would do to me… I actually aspired to cowardice, because the alternative, the real reason I was running, was that Assef was right: Nothing was free in this world. Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba” (Hosseini 7). This is Amir’s statement as he is basically saying that he ran away instead of doing something, because he was scared or what he could do. He wanted to prove and win over Baba’s love and thought this was a way to do so. He believed bringing home the kite would help him finally get what he wants. When Amir mentions the lamb slaying, I believe he is referring to the kite he brought to win Baba over. To answer the question of did Hassaon know that Amir had witnessed the rape, the answer is yes. Throughout the chapters things get very intense, and situations happen. Amir, powered by the love he committed actions that he might and I believe regrets.
ReplyDeleteRyan Jensen-
DeleteI agree with your response I also think Amir did see the rape and Hassan knows he did too.I also like how you pointed out that Amir was having internal conflicts because he clearly was if he was scared to help his friend when he needed his help the most. He was afraid of what Assef would do. This shows how Amir was able to conquer his fear at the kite tournament however he was not able to overcome his fear in a real life situation. This goes to shows later in the story that he does regret his choice of running away he was scared and did not know how to help his friend. I also like how you mentioned he must bring the kite home because that is how he feels he must prove himself to his father.
Ava Lovell: I accidentally used a prompt on the 5th/6th period list but not on the 2nd period list. I don’t want to rewrite the whole thing so I hope this one is ok. The pomegranate fight scene symbolizes betrayal because Amir and Hassan have spent so many hours having fun under the pomegranate tree in the past. However, this time is different, because Amir betrays Hassan by pummeling him with the pomegranates relentlessly. Amir begs Hassan to hit him back: “‘Get up! Hit me!’ I said. Hassan did get up, but he just stood there, looking dazed…” (Hosseini 78). The pomegranates represent all the ways in which Amir has hurt or ignored Hassan since he saw what happened in the alley. Hassan always responds to this pain the same way: by leaving Amir alone and not fighting back. Amir needs Hassan to hit him back because he wants them to be friends and equals, but by continuingly sacrificing himself for Amir and not standing up to him, Hassan proves he is his servant first and friend second. Shocked by the attack, Hassan does not understand how Amir feels, he simply does not want to hurt Amir. Hassan does not understand why Amir is acting in this manner, but he will stand up to him because he still tries to protect Amir, and doesn’t think fighting back will change anything. Amir does not think he can be friends with someone who never stands up for the pain that he causes, and it wounds Amir to see Hassan constantly sacrificing himself for him. Amir feels like he was stabbed in the back by Amir’s actions, and it only proves to him how much Amir despises him, and how impossible it is to return to normal.
ReplyDeleteKatarina Cannata
DeleteI agree with how the pomegranate symbolizes the betrayal between Amir and Hassan, I didn’t even think about that until reading your comment. It makes a lot of sense because of how much the pomegranate tree meant to the boys and what occurred there. I think Amir wanted Hassan to hit him back not only because Amir wanted Hassan to treat him as an equal, but also so Amir wouldn’t feel as bad for hitting Hassan in the first place.
Katie Krofcheck. Do you think Hassan knows Amir witnessed the rape? I do think that Hassan knows. Although Amir is not sure if Hassan did see him or not, it seems as if he did, and even if he didn’t Amir was acting very oddly towards him. For a while Hassan did not pay attention to Amir at all and only did his chores and slept. He did not really come around, “He used to wait for me to sit at the breakfast table before he started ironing-that way we could talk. Now only folded clothes greeted me” (Hosseini 80). This is probably just due to his pain and reaction to what had happened to him. Still, they are very close with each other and it is unusual. Amir was also acting strangely towards Hassan leading him to ask Amir what he had done wrong. Amir was coming off as very suspicious and I’m sure Hassan had to know the reason why. The amount of guilt and despair that Amir feels from this event is overwhelming. He does not want to be near Hassan. Ali also asks Amir what is wrong with Hassan. His answer was very snappy and came off suspicious to him as well. In the end I think Hassan has to know, mostly because of the way Amir has been acting.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your analysis. I do think that Hassan knows what Amir saw. There was a real gradual shift in their relationship after that you could only come to the conclusion that her knew and he wanted to avoid seeing him to confront that fact.
DeleteBrianna Foster The Hazaras are Mongol descendants and that in the history between the Pashtuns and the Hazaras, the Pashtuns persecuted and oppressed the Hazaras. “The book said that my people had killed the Hazaras, driven them from their homes, burned their homes, and sold their women”(Hosseini 8). I think that at the point in time of Amir finding out about this history between their people she doesn’t see the big difference between them yet, however that could change the older they get. She could grow up watching her friend be ridiculed and not wanting to be ridiculed too she would avoid him and eventually not talk to him anymore.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Amir and Hassan will grow further apart as they grow older due to their ethnic differences. I think the main reason why their friendship blossomed in the first place was due to their naivety (from their young age) of their ethnic/cultural differences. I think that if they weren't to split ways in the end, their relationship would probably mirror Baba and Ali's relationship where the Pashtun is more successful and the Hazara is thrown under the bus.
DeleteI agree, even if they don't understand the difference now, they definitely will eventually. It could for sure ruin their friendship. They might not care now, but they may learn even more about and realize that it just won't be easy for them.
DeleteSarah
DeleteI agree with you. I think that their differences will only get stronger as they grow older. I also like how you pointed out that Amir probably doesn't want to be ridiculed by his community for hanging out with Hassan, so they will grow apart because of this.
Discuss the origins of the ongoing conflict between Pashtuns and Hazaras. What effect might this have on Amir and Hassan’s relationship?
ReplyDeleteParker Susil - The Pashtuns were the oppressors of the Hazaras. Their conflict results from their cultural differences, as the Pashtuns were Sunni Muslims, while the Hazaras were Shi’a. These differences culturally, and in the way they look may make Amir and Hassan’s relationship stronger, as despite them they both understand each other very well as a result of growing up together so closely. This brotherhood, however, may lead them to make tougher and tougher decisions related to one another, as they may be brothers, but the people on both sides of this conflict do not see things in a similar light. This was even somewhat present when they were younger such as when they took a shortcut through a barracks to go see a movie, and the soldiers insulted Hassan. “You! The Hazara! Look at me when I’m talking to you!” (Hosseini 7) It all leads me to believe that something may happen later on between the two, that causes a separation, or maybe causes their bond to be stronger. Maybe both. Sometimes cultural conflicts on such a wide scale can bleed into personal relationships between people on both sides, so maybe such will happen with these two friends.
Danny Abbass
DeleteI agree with your assessment of the cultural differences causing conflict between the Pashtuns and Hazaras. It feels like it gets in the way of their relationship during certain parts of the novel. Your quote with Hassan getting insulted definitely shows how this impacts Hassan's day-to-day life. It will be interesting to see Hassan and Amir's relationship going forwards.
I agree with you. I believe in any society, with whomever you've grown up with, you find it difficult to avoid those outward influences from other people. Prejudice and hatred is something that can be found all across the world, so I would find it optimistic to believe that there wouldn't be at least a superiority issue between two people with different origins.
DeleteI do think Hassan knows that Amir witnessed the rape, from Amir comment Hassan is pretty sure he witnessed the rape and refused to stop it from happening. Now for Amir he is not completely sure that Hassan saw him in the alley after the kite tournament but Hassan saw what he saw and knows it. Amir felt guilty for it like he should have done something but ended up never stepping in to help Hassan. Assef is the one who was a bully and also raped Hassan after that kite tournament. Years prior Amir said he would shot out Assef eye out and Assef stated he was going to get his revenge. Assef get did his revenge ; “My body was broken just how badly I wouldn’t find out until later but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed" . Assef beat him with brass knuckles however Amir thinks he deserves this because this beaten should've happened years ago when he had a choose to save Hassan or stand there and watch him beg for help. I believe after knowing Assef who raped Hassan beat up Amir to get revenge is proof he saw the rape that night after the kite tournament.
ReplyDeleteryan jensen
DeleteGabriella Duris - Amir's emotions that he felt before the kite tournament was self doubt, and being overwhelmed. I feel as though Amir was feeling self doubt because he wanted to win over Babas approval. (Baba is Amir’s father). Amir was being overwhelmed and he didn't want to fly the kite that day. Amir says in the Kite Runner, “suddenly, I wanted to withdraw. Pack it all in, go back home. What was I thinking? Why was I putting myself through this when I already knew the outcome,” (Hosseini 50). I felt that since he had his friend there, Hassan, Amir felt a little more comfortable because his friend helped him through it. However, I thought that his friend was going to end up flying the kite since Amir didn't want to but instead his friend just helped with everything. I feel as Amir and Hassan are both ambitious and well behaved. I say this because they want to win to show people that the hazaras can win for once. Hassan knows Amir is not feeling the kite tournament but he tells Amir that it's just another nice day like any other time. “ then he stepped toward me, in a low voice, and said something that scared me a little. Remember Amir agha. There's no monster, just a beautiful day,” (Hosseini 51). This response from Hassan to Amir showed that no matter what Hassan has been through he always looks for the great good in everything. He knows there's a chance they might not win but he just wants to try. Try to make his friend feel better and try to make himself accomplish something big. I feel like the simile just means that you are trying your best to be able to prepare for a big fight but somethings are just holding you back. However you can either strive from it or it will take you over.
ReplyDeleteRyan Jensen-
DeleteI agree with your response and really like it. I like how you mentioned his father and how he wants his approval. This shows how he is trying to impress his family and show them he is worth something and capable to achieve things. I like how you mentioned the part how he had he was having bad self talk in the start then how his friend tells him it is just a beautiful day no monster. So this gave Amir some hope that no matter the outcome his friend would not show disapproval to him to his performance in the tournament. Overall I agree with your entire response.
Noah Harrison 3 topic; In Islam a Lamb often refers to the sacrifice of an innocent. In the novel Amir describes Hassan as looking like a lamb waiting to be killed; “Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba.” Amir says this during Hassan’s rape, making reference to the lamb they kill during the Muslim celebration of Eid Al-Adha, which is a ceremony that honors Abraham’s sacrifice of his son to God. In this novel, sacrifice is illustrated as the misuse of an innocent.
ReplyDeleteDiscuss the origins of the ongoing conflict between Pashtuns and Hazaras. What effect might this have on Amir and Hassan’s relationship?
ReplyDeleteSarah
The Pashtuns and the Hazaras have had conflict with each other for a long time. Hazaras have been oppressed by the Pashtuns for years, so this could create tension between Hassan and Amir. The conflict began before Hassan and Amir's time, originating because of their difference in culture. The Hazaras tried to rise against the Pashtuns in the nineteenth century after becoming sick of enduring their terrible treatment. They failed to rise against them, and only made the Pashtuns angrier and more oppressive. The Pashtuns continue to mock the Hazaras, going as far as to call them terrible names: "people called Hazaras mice-eating, flat-nosed, load-carrying donkeys. I had heard some of the kids in the neighborhood yell those names to Hassan" (9). This obviously could have a negative impact the relationship between Amir and Hassan. Amir can never fully see Hassan as his friend because of the embarrassment of being friends with a Hazara. He is afraid of what his peers would do to him if he stood up and accepted a Hazara, so instead he lets Hassan endure the bad treatment in order to save himself. He doesn't want to face disapproval by his fellow Pashtuns, so he will never be able to give 100% in his friendship with Hassan.