CORE IDEAS:
1. Relationship between Amir and Hassan {inequality; discrimination – redeemed by
saving sohrab} (ethnicity segregated, unequal; juxtaposition; education; true
friendship able to prosper, loyalty)
2. Unrequited love of Hassan given to Sohrab; sin thievery of home {atonement of sins,
guilt}
3. The use of religion as a rhetoric for violence and anarchy
ANALYSIS:
Themes: Redemption; Guilt; Unrequited Love; Religion; discrimination; loyalty
Motifs: kites (freedom); books (trust); cleft lip (permanent mark of poverty); monster in lake
(all danger and evil)
Quotes/examples:
Guilt & redemption:
“my past of unatoned sins”; “tortured soul”
“I had killed his beloved wife, his beautiful princess”
“deny me fatherhood for the things I have done”
“I planted a fistful of crumpled money under a mattress” (1 – malice; 2 – peace)
“first time since the winter of 1975, I felt peace”
“I am wrestling the bear”
Hassan and Amir:
“for you, a thousand times over”
“the harelipped kite runner”; “a face like a Chinese doll chiseled from hardwood”
“father’s estate”; “modest little mud hut” (juxtaposition ~ master vs servant) [similarity loss
of mother; hired same nursing women “fed from the same breast”] “the unentitled,
unprivileged half”; “pure and noble”
Jealousy: Ghargha Lake (“I lied and told him Hassan had the runs. I wanted Baba all to
myself”; “Even put his arm around the shoulder” – compulsive need, want baba alone +
threatened by Hassan’s affection)
“while I ate and complained about homework, Hassan made my bed, polished my shoes,
ironed my outfit out for the day, packed my books and pencils”
“I would read to Hassan” – illiteracy, learns through Amir; “words were secret doorways and
I held all the keys”; I wrote my first short story” – stemmed from Hassan’s admiration
1. Relationship between Amir and Hassan {inequality; discrimination – redeemed by
saving sohrab} (ethnicity segregated, unequal; juxtaposition; education; true
friendship able to prosper, loyalty)
2. Unrequited love of Hassan given to Sohrab; sin thievery of home {atonement of sins,
guilt}
3. The use of religion as a rhetoric for violence and anarchy
ANALYSIS:
Themes: Redemption; Guilt; Unrequited Love; Religion; discrimination; loyalty
Motifs: kites (freedom); books (trust); cleft lip (permanent mark of poverty); monster in lake
(all danger and evil)
Quotes/examples:
Guilt & redemption:
“my past of unatoned sins”; “tortured soul”
“I had killed his beloved wife, his beautiful princess”
“deny me fatherhood for the things I have done”
“I planted a fistful of crumpled money under a mattress” (1 – malice; 2 – peace)
“first time since the winter of 1975, I felt peace”
“I am wrestling the bear”
Hassan and Amir:
“for you, a thousand times over”
“the harelipped kite runner”; “a face like a Chinese doll chiseled from hardwood”
“father’s estate”; “modest little mud hut” (juxtaposition ~ master vs servant) [similarity loss
of mother; hired same nursing women “fed from the same breast”] “the unentitled,
unprivileged half”; “pure and noble”
Jealousy: Ghargha Lake (“I lied and told him Hassan had the runs. I wanted Baba all to
myself”; “Even put his arm around the shoulder” – compulsive need, want baba alone +
threatened by Hassan’s affection)
“while I ate and complained about homework, Hassan made my bed, polished my shoes,
ironed my outfit out for the day, packed my books and pencils”
“I would read to Hassan” – illiteracy, learns through Amir; “words were secret doorways and
I held all the keys”; I wrote my first short story” – stemmed from Hassan’s admiration
