Friday, October 24, 2008

The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini Cycle 7 30-45

The beginning of these 15 pages has continued with Amir’s interest, reading and writing. Amir writes his very first story about a man who’s tears turn into pearls and later succumbs to greed, killing his wife. Excited to show Baba, Amir tells him of his accomplishment in his smoking room. Baba grins and shows no interest in reading it. Rahim Khan relives the pressure and accepts the paper from the outstretched arms of Amir. Rahim believes that Amir’s writing is amazing and should hone his skills. These reviews have boosted Amir’s morale and have him wish that Rahim were his father. I believe that the smoke in the smoking room serves as a metaphor that shows that Amir and Baba’s relationship is clouded. The reviews do not stop there. Hassan is also excited to here the story, especially because Amir had written it. He imagines Amir to be a great famous writer one day. Something changes the mood during the chapter; it also changes the way of life for the characters in the book. Gunshots ring out during the night, which frighten Hassan and Amir because they are unfamiliar to the loud noise. They later find that the monarchy has ended in Afghanistan and a republic has begun. Amir and Hassan need to escape reality in the only place they know where to, their tree. The long walk up the hill is interrupted by Assef who is known to be the neighborhood bully. He believes that Afghanistan should be rid of Hassan’s people. He confronts them with his infamous brass knuckles. Hassan pulls out his slingshot and saves them from a brutal beating, for now. These pages weren’t all negative, some positive events occurred.
For Hassan’s birthday, Baba usually got him a toy or cowboy hat, which Hassan was always pleased with. This time Baba receives something not of material, but something that could change his life, surgery that would fix his cleft lip.
I can many connections from the book to my life. When Assef confronted Amir and Hassan is very similar to an experience I had. A group of boys had come up to my friend and I. My friend was much smaller than me so he looked for cover behind me. These boys were taunting us and looking for trouble. Suddenly they had started to back away. I looked for an explanation, turning to find a stick in my little friend’s hand. These connections reflect that even in the face of danger small and innocent figures can stand up for them selves, showing courage and loyalty.
There were words that I somewhat understood, but were still unfamiliar to me. Indecipherable, which means to make out the meaning of (poor or partially obliterated writing, etc.): to decipher a hastily scribbled note. The word staccato, which means shortened and detached when played or sung: staccato notes. The last word is trepidation, which means tremulous fear, alarm, or agitation; perturbation.

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