- The Role of Women- There are very few women characters in this book, it was written that way because thats how life is for Afghan women. They are inferior, almost as if they are not there.
- Betrayal- Betrayal in this book is closely tied with Jealousy, and how jealousy can make you "betray" someone only for selfishness. Especially when you feel like something is getting "stolen" from you.
- Brothers- on the flip side of Betrayal is the importance of brotherhood, and friendship. How everyone needs someone, or something always no matter what happens and what the people go through, you are still brothers.
- Guilt- Hidden guilt is much more destructable than open guilt, I think that every ounce of guilt starts out hidden and once you "get it off your chest" it won't eat away at you like it would if you keep it hidden. Especially if it is guilt that is held over periods of time. You just need to let go.
- Redemption- Redeeming yourself, whether its for your own sake or someone else's, is one way to relive that "hidden stress." After all these years at the end of the novel, Amir finally redeems not only himself and removes his guilt but he redeems the life of Hassan, by caring for his child.
- Exodus- In this novel, the Exodus was a very big change for Amir, and Baba. They left everything that was familiar to them. their lives changed drastically because of this "journey". For good or bad? All depends on how you look at it. Yes Baba's rank in America was no longer that of what it was, but they were safe, and Amir, able to get an education.
- Father and Son- As society looks at this relationship, minds always seem to go in the same direction. Son's are portrayed to be exactly like their fathers, to impress them, and live up to them. If they did not, the relationship became highly difficult. this happened with Baba and Amir. Amir loved books, and literature and writing, this condused Baba because while he grew up, he played soccer, a love and passion that Amir did not share with him.
- Class Distinction- As much as tehy did not want to admit it, Amir and Hassan are completely different ranks. Amir being the higher one, as a child, did not really consider Hassan to be his friend, because Hassan was that of a Hazzara. As he grew up, and the guilt ate away at him, Amir realized that no matter what Classification you fall under, we are all people.
2. Style
- Parallelism- Throughout the novel, Amir was paralleled with Hassan. Perhaps to symbolize the brotherhood that they actually had with each other, or the subconcious love that Amir had for Hassan and he really wanted to be like him.
- Character Foils- Amir and Hassan. Even though they were brothers, they differed in so many ways. I portray Amir as the protagonist, and Hassan the foil to him. Where Amir is selfish, jealous, and only looking for his father's approval, Hassan is kind and loyal, always to Amir, no matter how much Amir picks on him. Amir see's Hassan as someone who is trying to take him out of his Dad's spotlight, wher Hassan is only trying to be loyal to the family that his father works for.
- Foreshadowing- There is plenty of evidence throughout the novel that Hassan was actually Baba's son. Baba wanted Hassan to go on trips with him and Amir, Baba never missed Hassan's birthday, Baba wanted Hassan in his and Amir's life while they were children even though Hassan was considered to be a lower rank. Another example is when Hassan gets raped by Asef. Asef was obviously going to be a follower of whatever change there was and a bully for the rest of his life. Asef ends up with Hassan's son at the end when Amir comes to save him.
- Flashback- flashbacks in this novel was used to point out evidence of situations that someone may not realize happened at the time, but looking back on it it was very obvious.
- Positive and Negative aspects of writing- The novel, at times was very detailed and visual with the events which made it hard to read, but at the same time put these people in your heart, which made you want to never put it down because you become on with the characters. Everyone can relate to jealousy and betrayal as well as brotherhood and friendship.
3. Settings-
- Hazara vs. Pashtun- this was brought up a lot while Amir and Hassan were children and growing up together, though it was never really a huge problem between them, it was just one major difference in society and culture's eyes.
- Afghanistan vs. America- In Afghanistan Baba was considered to be of high rank, and Amir considered to be an outcast for he loved writing instead of sports like most of the boys. In America Baba's rank was that of lower class, and Amir was considered an Author, nothing wrong with him at all.
- Before the war in Afghanistan vs. After and During the war- This is what cause Baba and Amir to have to leave and come to America. Something of totally different culture.
- Flying kites in Afghanistan vs. flying kites in America- In Afghanistan, Hassan was always the runner and was so loyal when Amir told him to go get the kite he had just cut down Hassan would say "for you, a thousand times over." In America after rescuing Sohrab, and finding out that Sohrab had learned the way to cut down kites from his father, Amir knew it was now his turn to make it up to Hassan through his child and he repeated to Sohrab, "for you, a thousand times over."
4. Minor characters
- Soraya- Amir's love. She became the happiness and fufillment that Amir had lost long ago, as well as the encouragement for his everyday life, and help in raising sohrab.
- Assef- He could actually be considered a major character becasue he was a main reason for Amir and Hassan's falling apart, I look at him as minor. He was only a stepping stone it what was already falling apart. And was tied through out the whole book after he had specifically taken Sohrab from that orphanage after Hassan was killed.
- Rahim Khan- He enjoyed Amir. He was a better father to Amir than Baba was and accepted him for who he really was even if it wasn't Baba's intention for Amir to turn out the way he did. At the end of the novel he noticed that Amir was suffering, he called and told him that he could make it all good again, and thus told him the story of Hassan really being his brother.
- Sanaubar- Hassan's mother, and did not have very much respect in her culture but it did not seem to phase her at all. She left when she noticed that Hassan had a cleft lip. Iknow her type and she would have just made up another reason to leave. She came back to Hassan when she had no one else in the world to care for her. Hassan took her in, because he had a far better heart than anyone i know.
- Ali- Baba's bestfriend, growing up even though like Amir never aknowledged the fact. ali raised Hassan as is own for his loyalty to Baba
5. Symbols
- Kite flying- Competition, war.
- Kite Running- love and compainionship, teamwork, helpfulness
- Pomegranate tree- A feeling of safe and security. where Amir would read to Hassan and they would eat the Pomegranate
- Sin- Was a big discussion between Baba and Amir- where Baba told him that every sin relates back to theft, something that Baba frowned upon more than anything. guilt, lies, victory(at the time).
- Kites- freedom, this was how Hassan and Amir bonded and were free from everything around them, it was just them.
