Vocab:
-Maladies (177): any disorder or disease of the body, esp. one that is chronic or deepseated.
-Wedlock (179): the state of marriage; matrimony.
Figurative Language:
"His shoulder blade felt like a bird's wing under my fingers." (161) This statement is an example of a similie describing the severe amount of weight Baba has lost throughout his illness.
"A blush, red like henna, bloomed on her cheeks." (171) This quote is an example of a similie describing Soraya's feeling of flattery when Amir told her he loved her.
"I could see his internal smile, as wide as the skies of Kabul on nights when the poplars shivered and the sound of crickets swelled in the gardens." (173) This passage is an example of a similie describing the expression on Baba's face.
Quote:
"They filled the parking spots at the mosque in Hayward. On the balding grass field behind the building, cars and SUVs parked in crowded makeshift rows. People had to drive three or four blocks north of the mosque to find a spot." I never realized how well-liked and admired Baba was until I read this quote. I understood that many people liked him, but it never occured to me that it was this many people. I suppose I find this surprising because I only see the side of Baba that Amir sees, which for the most part, is not pleasant. As Baba grew older I was more aware of his nature and I can understand why he was so well-liked.
Theme:
The theme I'm noticing in this passage of the novel relates back to the beginning. Friendship is imperitive. Every person needs someone to rely on.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
The Kite Runner-Week 4, Post B
I find it interesting that Baba had been considered wealthy and was placed high on the social hierarchy back in Kabul, but when he comes to America, he must completely start over. Baba gets a job at a gas station, working minimum wage, and I don't understand why he couldn't use some of his wealth from Kabul to help in America. I understand that if someone has a degree in one country, and then emigrates to another, sometimes that degree is not acknowledged and they must start from the beginning to get back to the job they held back home. I don't remember what Baba did back in Kabul; it seemed like he simply had good blood and came from a wealthy family. I believe this because he always seemed to be attending lavish parties and meeting important people. In America, however, all of that changed. He had to start from the ground up, which was quite difficult for him. Baba appears to be a hard worker though, and it seems like he is able to stay on his feet. It's impressive that he is able to keep his family steady by working at a gas station. Clearly, he understood that he couldn't rely on his previous wealth to get him through life once he arrived in America.
The Kite Runner-Week 4, Post A
Vocab:
-Dissertations (125): A lengthy, formal treatise, especially one written by a candidate for the doctoral degree at a university; a thesis.
-Brash (125): impertinent; impudent; tactless
Figurative Language:
"There are only three real men in this world Amir,' he'd say. He's count them off on his fingers: America the brash savior, Britain, and Israel. 'The rest of them-' he used to wave his hand and make a phht sound '-they're like gossiping old women.'" (125) This quote is an example of a similie describing what Baba thought of the world with the exception of three countries.
"'He's not fit to run this country. It's like putting a boy who can't ride a bike behind the wheel of a brand new Cadillac.'" (126) This quote is an example of a similie describing Baba's views of President Jimmy Carter.
"Baba walked out of the welfare office like a man cured of a tumor." (131) This statement is an example of a similie describing the great sensation Baba felt when he returned the food stamps to his eligibility officer.
Quote:
"'Amir is going to be a great writer,' Baba said. I did a double take at this. 'He has finished his first year of college and earned A's in all of his courses.'" (139) This quote is significant because it shows Baba finally accepting his son for who he is and realizing that he should be quite proud of Amir's talent. This is a big step for Baba and could change the relationship between Baba and Amir forever.
Theme:
I seem to be finding a theme of acceptance throughout this passage of the novel. Baba becoming more accepting of Amir, Amir becoming more accepting of Baba. All in all, their relationship is growing stronger.
-Dissertations (125): A lengthy, formal treatise, especially one written by a candidate for the doctoral degree at a university; a thesis.
-Brash (125): impertinent; impudent; tactless
Figurative Language:
"There are only three real men in this world Amir,' he'd say. He's count them off on his fingers: America the brash savior, Britain, and Israel. 'The rest of them-' he used to wave his hand and make a phht sound '-they're like gossiping old women.'" (125) This quote is an example of a similie describing what Baba thought of the world with the exception of three countries.
"'He's not fit to run this country. It's like putting a boy who can't ride a bike behind the wheel of a brand new Cadillac.'" (126) This quote is an example of a similie describing Baba's views of President Jimmy Carter.
"Baba walked out of the welfare office like a man cured of a tumor." (131) This statement is an example of a similie describing the great sensation Baba felt when he returned the food stamps to his eligibility officer.
Quote:
"'Amir is going to be a great writer,' Baba said. I did a double take at this. 'He has finished his first year of college and earned A's in all of his courses.'" (139) This quote is significant because it shows Baba finally accepting his son for who he is and realizing that he should be quite proud of Amir's talent. This is a big step for Baba and could change the relationship between Baba and Amir forever.
Theme:
I seem to be finding a theme of acceptance throughout this passage of the novel. Baba becoming more accepting of Amir, Amir becoming more accepting of Baba. All in all, their relationship is growing stronger.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
The Kite Runner-Week 3, Post B
Significant Quote:
"If I changed my mind and asked for a bigger and fancier kite, Baba would buy it for me-but then he'd buy it for Hassan too. Sometimes I wished he wouldn't do that. Wished he'd let me be the favorite."(51) This quote demonstrates exactly why I don't like Amir. Amir has a good life, with a less-than-great father and an extremely loyal friend. And yet he still continues to wish for more. Hassan's life is far less fortunate than Amir's and I think it's wonderful that Baba includes Hassan so much in family affairs. Here's my question: If Amir really cared about Hassan as a friend, wouldn't he be content with Baba including him? I understand that Baba wishes Amir were different, more "manly", so to speak, however Amir can still be OK with Baba's helping Hassan. This trait of Amir's has given me a poor outlook on him. I just can't bring myself to like him and I wish he would be more understanding of the people around. He claims Hassan is his friend, which I don't deny to be true, but it wouldn't kill him to show a little more compassion toward Hassan. Does he realize how many times Hassan has stood up for Amir? Compare that to the amount of times Amir has returned the favor and it appears the friendship only truly beneifts Amir.
"If I changed my mind and asked for a bigger and fancier kite, Baba would buy it for me-but then he'd buy it for Hassan too. Sometimes I wished he wouldn't do that. Wished he'd let me be the favorite."(51) This quote demonstrates exactly why I don't like Amir. Amir has a good life, with a less-than-great father and an extremely loyal friend. And yet he still continues to wish for more. Hassan's life is far less fortunate than Amir's and I think it's wonderful that Baba includes Hassan so much in family affairs. Here's my question: If Amir really cared about Hassan as a friend, wouldn't he be content with Baba including him? I understand that Baba wishes Amir were different, more "manly", so to speak, however Amir can still be OK with Baba's helping Hassan. This trait of Amir's has given me a poor outlook on him. I just can't bring myself to like him and I wish he would be more understanding of the people around. He claims Hassan is his friend, which I don't deny to be true, but it wouldn't kill him to show a little more compassion toward Hassan. Does he realize how many times Hassan has stood up for Amir? Compare that to the amount of times Amir has returned the favor and it appears the friendship only truly beneifts Amir.
The Kite Runner-Week 3, Post A
Vocab:
-Bloodletting (36): Bloodshed or slaughter
-Grandiose (40): Affectedly grand or important; pompous
Figurative Language:
"Something roared like thunder." (35) This quote is an example of a similie describing the loud and unexpected sound that came from something unknown.
"The earth shook a little and we heard the rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire." (35) This statement is an example of onomatopoeia describing the sound of the gunshot.
"But when the numbing medicine wore off later that night, it felt like someone had pressed a red hot coal to my loins." (46) This passage is an example of a similie describing the pain Amir felt after his circumcision.
Quote:
"But he's not my friend! I almost blurted. He's my servant! Had I really thought of that? Of course, I hadn't. I hadn't. I treated Hassan well, just like a friend, better even, more like a brother. But if so, then why, when Baba's friends came to visit with their kids, didn't I ever include Hassan in our games? Why did I play with Hassan only when no one else was around?" (41) This quote is significant because it displays Amir's self-reflection that is finally allowing him to see how he treats Hassan. He has become so accustomed to treating Hassan like a friend who is also clearly his servant. Amir doesn't realize how horrible that looks from the outside. I've noticed throughout the novel that Amir treats Hassan this way and it always bothers me. I wonder if this new realization by Amir will cause him to change his ways.
Theme:
The theme that seems to be present in this passage of the novel is realization. There appears to be a lot of realization of poor choices by many of the characters.
-Bloodletting (36): Bloodshed or slaughter
-Grandiose (40): Affectedly grand or important; pompous
Figurative Language:
"Something roared like thunder." (35) This quote is an example of a similie describing the loud and unexpected sound that came from something unknown.
"The earth shook a little and we heard the rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire." (35) This statement is an example of onomatopoeia describing the sound of the gunshot.
"But when the numbing medicine wore off later that night, it felt like someone had pressed a red hot coal to my loins." (46) This passage is an example of a similie describing the pain Amir felt after his circumcision.
Quote:
"But he's not my friend! I almost blurted. He's my servant! Had I really thought of that? Of course, I hadn't. I hadn't. I treated Hassan well, just like a friend, better even, more like a brother. But if so, then why, when Baba's friends came to visit with their kids, didn't I ever include Hassan in our games? Why did I play with Hassan only when no one else was around?" (41) This quote is significant because it displays Amir's self-reflection that is finally allowing him to see how he treats Hassan. He has become so accustomed to treating Hassan like a friend who is also clearly his servant. Amir doesn't realize how horrible that looks from the outside. I've noticed throughout the novel that Amir treats Hassan this way and it always bothers me. I wonder if this new realization by Amir will cause him to change his ways.
Theme:
The theme that seems to be present in this passage of the novel is realization. There appears to be a lot of realization of poor choices by many of the characters.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
The Kite Runner-Week 2, Post B
Significant Quote:
"The curious thing was , I never thought of Hassan and me as friends either. Not in the usual sense, anyhow. Never mind that we taught each other to ride a bicycle with no hands, or to build a fully functional homemade camera out of a cardboard box. Never mind that we spent entire winters flying kites, running kites. Never mind that to me, the face of Afghanistan is that of a boy with a thin-boned frame, a shaved head, and low-set ears, a boy with a Chinese doll face perpetually lit by a harelipped smile." (25) This quote is interesting to me because I never realized that the social barriers in Afghanistan applied to the friendship bewteen Amir and Hassan. I believed they both saw past all that. I now understand where Amir gets this from because as I've read on, Amir seems to take advantage of Hassan quite a bit. I know he values the friendship, but Amir doesn't seem to understand that the benefits of friendship goes both ways. I'm under the impression that Amir would not step up to the plate to help Hassan if Hassan were in a conflict of some sort. On the other hand, I'm 100% sure that Hassan would walk through fire for Amir. This doesn't seem fair and I hope it all evens out before the novel is finished.
"The curious thing was , I never thought of Hassan and me as friends either. Not in the usual sense, anyhow. Never mind that we taught each other to ride a bicycle with no hands, or to build a fully functional homemade camera out of a cardboard box. Never mind that we spent entire winters flying kites, running kites. Never mind that to me, the face of Afghanistan is that of a boy with a thin-boned frame, a shaved head, and low-set ears, a boy with a Chinese doll face perpetually lit by a harelipped smile." (25) This quote is interesting to me because I never realized that the social barriers in Afghanistan applied to the friendship bewteen Amir and Hassan. I believed they both saw past all that. I now understand where Amir gets this from because as I've read on, Amir seems to take advantage of Hassan quite a bit. I know he values the friendship, but Amir doesn't seem to understand that the benefits of friendship goes both ways. I'm under the impression that Amir would not step up to the plate to help Hassan if Hassan were in a conflict of some sort. On the other hand, I'm 100% sure that Hassan would walk through fire for Amir. This doesn't seem fair and I hope it all evens out before the novel is finished.
The Kite Runner-Week 2, Post A
Vocab:
-Melee (20): a confused hand-to-hand fight or struggle among several people.
-Vehemently (24): zealous; ardent; impassioned
Figurative Language:
"Sometimes, my entire childhood seems like one long lazy summer day with Hassan..." (25) This statement represents a similie describing Amir's view of his childhood.
"To him, the words on the page were a scramble of codes, indecipherable, mysterious." (30) This quote is a metaphor describing what it's like for Hassan to look at piece of literature, considering he is illiterate.
"'Fascinating,' I repeated, a little breathless, feeling like a man who discovers a buried treasure in his own backyard." (30) This passage is an example of a similie describing Amir's reaction to hearing news that his made-up story is quite good.
Quote:
"When they left, I sat on my bed and wish Rahim Kahn had been my father. Then I thought of Baba and his great big chest and how good it felt when he held me against it, how he smelled of Brut in the morning, and how his beard tickled my face. I was overcome with such sudden guilt that I bolted to the bathroom and vomited in the sink." (32) I found the passage interesting because it proves that no matter how cold and selfish a parent can be, you can still love them and see past all that. Baba was extremely cold to Amir in this chapter, and yet Amir cannot find it in him to deny that he is glad to be his son.
Theme:
The theme I have noticed so far is the strength of love between a parent and a child. Baba, to say the least, is not the greatest father in the world and has even admitted to being dissapointed in his son for being who he is. While it's extremely unfortunate that Baba feels this way, it does not stop Amir from loving him. Amir loves his father very much, and he knows about how his father feels about him. This love seems to be able to surpass anything.
-Melee (20): a confused hand-to-hand fight or struggle among several people.
-Vehemently (24): zealous; ardent; impassioned
Figurative Language:
"Sometimes, my entire childhood seems like one long lazy summer day with Hassan..." (25) This statement represents a similie describing Amir's view of his childhood.
"To him, the words on the page were a scramble of codes, indecipherable, mysterious." (30) This quote is a metaphor describing what it's like for Hassan to look at piece of literature, considering he is illiterate.
"'Fascinating,' I repeated, a little breathless, feeling like a man who discovers a buried treasure in his own backyard." (30) This passage is an example of a similie describing Amir's reaction to hearing news that his made-up story is quite good.
Quote:
"When they left, I sat on my bed and wish Rahim Kahn had been my father. Then I thought of Baba and his great big chest and how good it felt when he held me against it, how he smelled of Brut in the morning, and how his beard tickled my face. I was overcome with such sudden guilt that I bolted to the bathroom and vomited in the sink." (32) I found the passage interesting because it proves that no matter how cold and selfish a parent can be, you can still love them and see past all that. Baba was extremely cold to Amir in this chapter, and yet Amir cannot find it in him to deny that he is glad to be his son.
Theme:
The theme I have noticed so far is the strength of love between a parent and a child. Baba, to say the least, is not the greatest father in the world and has even admitted to being dissapointed in his son for being who he is. While it's extremely unfortunate that Baba feels this way, it does not stop Amir from loving him. Amir loves his father very much, and he knows about how his father feels about him. This love seems to be able to surpass anything.
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