Chelsea

=Chelsea's Reading Log (Passage Master, Connector, Researcher, Discussion Director)=

In chapters one through four the readers is introduced to three important characters, Amir, his father Baba, and his close friend Hassan. Amir’s mother died just after giving birth to him. This leaves him living with his father, who is very wealthy. Hassan’s mother is also no longer in the picture, she left a week after is birth to join a group of traveling “singers and dancers”. I believe this is referring to prostitution because on page seven, a group of men talk about this to him, making him uncomfortable and upset. Amir tells us how most Afghans find this worse than death itself. Hassan’s family is not nearly as prosperous. Kabul is where they both live. The boy’s friendship demonstrates the differences in class, an example being their living standards.
 * Summary for Chapters 1-4**

“Then I glanced up and saw a pair of kites, red with long blue tails, soaring in the sky. They danced high above the trees on the west end of the park, over the windmills, floating side by side like a pair of eyes looking down on San Francisco, the city I now call home.” (Page 1) I chose this quote because it talks about kites, hinting at the title of the novel. I believe that this is foreshadowing, and we will find out what/who the kite runner is, and why it/they is important. Considering the quote talks about his new home in San Francisco, maybe it will refer back to his old home in Kabul.
 * Passage Master for Chapters 1-4**

“Hassan and I fed from the same breasts. We took our first steps on the same lawn in the same yard. And, under the same roof, we spoke our first words. Mine was //Baba.// His was //Amir.// My name. Looking back on it now, I think the foundation for what happened in the winter of 1975-and all that followed-was already laid in those first words.” (Page 11) This particular quote shows the reader how close that the boys are. This is done by demonstrating how they did important things together even from the time they were babies. Each of their first words was the name of someone important to them. This is significant in itself.

In the beginning of this section, we see the War in Kabul. We are also introduced to a character by the name of Assef. Assef’s father is Afgan, while his mother is German. He is the notorious bully to the boys. He picks on the boys for a multitude of reasons, in Hassan’s case because he is a Hazar. Baba gives Hassan a special present for his birthday, which is the opportunity to have plastic surgery in order to fix his lip. Also in this section we read about the kite tournament. Hassan was the best kite runner that they neighborhood knew of, but he never ran for kites again after his encounter with Assef over the blue kite. The blue kite which Amir wanted so badly, he knew bringing it to his father would make him even more proud of winning the tournament.
 * Summary for Chapters 5-7**

There are many parts of this section that can be connected to events in our lives. In the beginning of chapter 5, the boys hear the sounds of guns and seek shelter in the security of Ali's arms. He tells them not to be scared, that the sounds are simply just people hunting for ducks. As children, parents often tell us things to give us an answer to our questions, though it may not be the whole truth. Just because a young mind is not comprehensive enough to understand such things yet. When we were in the fourth grade, there was the sniper attacks. The teachers covered the big classroom windows with black paper, and we weren't allowed to go outside for recess. The thought of this horrified all of us, obviously the teachers were trying to kill us with lack of sunlight and fresh air. But they simply told us that there were some bad people, and we didn't need them to see us while we were doing our very best to focus on our very important fourth grade work!
 * Connector for Chapters 5-7**

In the beginning of this section, we learn that Hassan and Amir’s relationship has changed drastically after the encounter with Assef. They are much more distant, first by Hassan’s choice, then by Amir’s. After a week of doing only what he is needed for and sleeping often, he returns to his normal habits, trying to rekindle things with Amir. Amir and Baba travel to Jalalabad. His family is talking to him about winning the kite tournament, and they also mention how great of a kite runner Hassan is. This makes him think about their last time spent together, and as Amir thinks about this and his actions, or lack of actions, it horrifies him to the point of making himself sick. Amir celebrates his thirteenth birthday with an extravagant party thrown for him by his father. He personally greets each and every guest, thanking them for their non heartfelt gift. He does appreciate the leather bound notebook from Rahim Khan. Assef gives him a copy of Hitler’s biography, saying much more than happy birthday with such a gift. After all, Assef thought that Hitler was the greatest leader in the world, and also with sufficient time he could have made the world better. At Amir’s party, during a flash from one of the fireworks, he saw Hassan serving Assef and Wali drinks. They were jokingly hitting him, acting as if they had been friends forever. Amir gets to the point where he knows he can no longer be around Hassan. He asks Baba if he ever considered getting new servants, and Baba is fully against this idea, telling him that they are like family and could not and will not be replaced. Amir knows that this is not going to work, so he places the wrist watch that his father gave him, and a significant amount of money under Hassan’s mattress, and claims that he stole them. Hassan says he did in fact steal it, but Baba forgives him; this completely baffles Amir. Hassan and Ali refuse to stay, they ask Baba to take them to the bus station. Catching a cold, stern look from Ali makes Amir realize that Hassan has told his father what happens, and knows that Amir did nothing to stop it. Saying that he stole the watch and money will be Hassan’s last sacrifice for Amir.
 * Summary for Chapters 8-9**

Khaled Hosseini was born in 1965 in Afghanistan. His father was a diplomat with the Afgan Foreign Ministry and his mother taught Farsi in a high school in Kabul (where the novel takes place). His father’s occupation forced them to move to Paris. By 1980, the family was ready to move back to Afghanistan, but the Soviet army had already begun to take its toll the people as well as the land. Instead, they moved to the United States. He now practices medicine in California. Khaled Hosseini wrote another book entitled //A Thousand Splendid Suns.// While I have not read this, the title of the book comes from a poem by Saib-e-Tabrizi.
 * Researcher for Chapters 8-9**

__Jalalabad-__ A city in eastern Afghanistan, at the intersection of the Kabul and Kunar rivers. It is also the capital of the Nangarhar province. The city is continually being rebuilt by NATO and direction from the UN after the many years of war upon it.

Amir and Baba have left Kabul with other people who are needing to escape the dangers of where they live. Kabul had been split into two groups of people, the group that eavesdropped, and those who didn't. Children were being told to spy on their parents to determine who was who. Amir and Baba have safely made it all the way to America. Unfortunately Baba had trouble adjusting to life within America, but with time he becomes more accustomed. Amir is able to go to high school and successfully graduate. Baba presents him with a car, demonstrating how proud he is of Amir. With this car, he will be capable of pursuing his education in college.
 * Summary for Chapters 10-11**


 * Discussion Director for Chapters 10-11 is found on the Kite Runner page**

In this section of reading, we are introduced to a young woman named Soraya Taheri. As the chapter progresses, Amir wishes to take her hand in marriage. Baba has become a victim of cancer, which started out as nothing more than what seemed like a cold. When Amir finds Baba’s pillow stained with blood, and phlegm spotted with blood as well, he knows that Baba must see a doctor. He is sent to multiple doctors, and refuses to see one because he is a Russian. He also refuses to use any chemotherapy or try different treatments. Never the less, Baba’s cancer spreads to his brain, and eventually takes his life. But his life does not end before seeing Amir and Soraya wed. She moves into Amir and Baba’s apartment to help take care of him. One night the three of them and some friends are playing card games, and Baba is happy as can be. He tells Soraya that he does not need his morphine pills tonight, for he feels no pain. He does not wake up from sleeping that night. The funeral is held in the mosque and people from all over come to pay their respects. Soraya tells Amir about her past, how she lived with a man from Virginia and had gone through a rebellious phase with him. Her father, General Sahib, had showed up to where the two where with a gun in hand, two bullets in the chamber. One bullet was for the young man, and the other was for himself if his daughter did not return home tonight. Soyara’s mother, Jamila Taheri, had a stroke previously. She continues to add more and more medical problems to her list, and makes sure to tell Amir every detail of them. Jamila Taheri adores Amir and makes this clear throughout the chapters. Amir has published his first novel, and has become a sort of celebrity in their culture. Soraya and Amir try to have a baby, but are unable to do so. They go to a doctor to see what the problem is, and they can’t seem to find one. The couple considers adoption, but decides against it. Rahim Khan has become very ill, and Amir travels back to his homeland to visit him. Rahim compares Amir to his father multiple times. He also talks about how after Amir and Baba left for America, he was supposed to watch over the house. But he did not live there alone, for Hassan stayed there with him. At the end of chapter 15, Rahim Khan tells Amir that he wants to tell him about Hassan.  “I envied her. Her secret was out. Spoken. Dealt with. I opened my mouth and almost told her how I’d betrayed Hassan, lied, driven him out, and destroyed a forty-year relationship between Baba and Ali. But I didn’t. I suspected there were many ways in which Soraya Taheri was a better person than me. Courage was just one of them.” (Page 165) Even twenty some years later, Amir is still dealing with what happened to Hassan, and how he has not spoken about it yet. He realizes how much courage it takes to talk about one’s past, whether it be a bad choice on your part, or not speaking up for someone else. Soraya is a strong person for being able to do so.  “‘Up to this? It’s the happiest day of my life, Amir,’ he said, smiling tiredly.” (Page 166)  Baba does not often show emotion, especially to Amir, but in this quote he openly says how happy he is. He is happy because his only son, the child he has raised to become this adult, is about to marry a wonderful woman.  “‘Not tonight,’ he said. ‘There is no pain tonight’” (Page 173) At this point in the novel, Baba is joyful for his son and new daughter in law. I think in a way he chooses to die at this part, because he is just so content, and will find it better to go happily rather then painfully.  “I want to tell you about him. I want to tell you everything. You will listen?”  Rahim Khan is about to tell Amir about Baba. Due to Amir moving away, and them not speaking anymore, Rahim Khan obviously knows things about Hassan that Amir does not know.
 * Summary for Chapters 12-15 **
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Passage Master for Chapters 12-15 **

This section of reading reveals a lot about what happened in Kabul while Amir was gone. Rahim Khan begins telling Amir about Hassan’s life the past years. He was married to a young Hazara woman named Farzana. Ali had been killed by a land mine with his cousin. Hassan and Farzana moved to Amir’s old house with Rahim Khan in order to take care of it. The couple had a baby girl, but she was stillborn. They buried her beneath a tree and Hassan placed a flower on top of the mound every day. They eventually had a son named Sohrab. He grew to be like Hassan in many ways, but like Amir in a lot as well. Hassan wanted his son to have a good life, so he made sure that he was able to read, write and become an educated boy. Hassan’s mother, Sanaubar, comes to the house. She lives in the house with Rahim Khan, while Hassan and Farzana live in the shack, where Hassan used to live. She lived until Sohrab turned four years old, then died in her sleep one night. Sohrab and Hassan would kite run together, just like he used to with Amir. The Taliban came into Kabul and everyone thought they would bring peace with them. Unfortunately they were incorrect. Hassan had written letters for Amir and given them to Rahim Khan, for the day that he saw Amir again. Each letter brought Hassan’s good hope for Amir. Sadly, in this section, we learn that a man from the Taliban shot Hassan, and shot Farzana seconds after. We then learn that Baba had slept with Sanaubar, leading to her pregnancy with Hassan. Amir realizes that this is why Baba cared so deeply for Hassan, because he was his other son. Amir is angry and feels like his father has been lying to him all his life. Rahim Khan asks Amir to go to Kabul to find Sohrab, because that would be a way to end the cycle. Rahim Khan knows an American family that will take better care of him than the orphanage can. On the way to Kabul, Farid is very distant and rude to Amir. Once he finds out the reasoning behind his returning, he is much kinder. Amir is shocked and the ruins that Kabul is in. Amir talks to an old man begging on the street, and he learns a few things about his mother from him. Amir’s mother, Sofia Akrami, was very happy about being pregnant, ready to bring a child into the world, but was scared because she felt that she was only this happy because she was going to lose something. Obviously what she lost was her own life. He learns more about his mother through this old man than he did from his own father. Amir finally reaches the over crowded orphanage, and is not at all happy about what he finds inside. The owner, Zaman, tells him how a man from the Taliban comes to the home and gives him money, in exchange for a child. Zaman tells Amir that he has taken Sohrab. He says that sometimes the children come back, but not always. He tells Amir where the man from the Taliban can be found.
 * Summary for Chapters 16-20**

One thing that specifically sticks out in my mind about this section is what occurs at the orphanage. This is child prostitution, which is in our world today. Though it may not be beaming from our city, state or even country, it is still an issue. In fact, it happens to be a problem in Africa. This is not a new issue either, it has been around for a significant amount of time, and continues to be. On a lighter note, Zaman says “He’s inseparable from that thing. He tucks it in the waist of his pants everywhere he goes.” (page 253) This can be connected into an earlier part of the book itself, when Hassan used to do this as a child.
 * Connector for Chapters 16-20**

This section was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve had to read. The beginning of chapter 21 can be summed up in one quote, “Like so much else in Kabul, my father’s house was the picture of fallen splendor.” (p. 262) Amir goes to visit his neighborhood and finds that it is in ruins, except for the especially nice houses which the Taliban’s are occupying. As he enters the yard of his house, Amir is filled with memories from his childhood, all of which include Hassan. Amir and Farid travel to where they can find the man who takes the children from the orphanage. They see him, and he is providing a crowd with a “show”, which consists of him mercilessly pummeling rocks at a man and a woman in a hole. We learn that this man, who has also taken Sohrab, is in fact Assef. Amir demands to take Sohrab with him. Assef tells a story about time he served in prison, in which they would pick a random person, and beat them for entertainment. The one time that Assef was chosen, the men beat him, but he proceeded to laugh. He thought that it was “God’s way of telling him that he was on his side.” Amir and Assef are in a room together, and decide that they will settle everything right then. Assef claims that only one man will leave the room. Sohrab is forced to sit in the corner and witness it all. Assef beats and bloodies Amir until he can hardly breathe or speak. Sohrab puts an end to the fight by using his slingshot against Assef. Sorab learned everything he knew about using a slingshot from his father, so this was a way that Hassan conquered Assef. Strangely enough, while Assef is beating him, he begins to laush…just as Assef did. Amir laughs because he felt that he is better, because his body is broken, like he deserves. He feels that he is “Healed at last.”
 * Summary for Chapters 21-22**

On page 284, Amir tells Assef that what he is doing, in the west is called “ethnic cleansing.” If you remember from earlier this year, we discussed the differences between ethnic cleansing and genocide. Everything we came up with for one, worked for the other. Basically we learned that they are the same thing, but ethnic cleansing sounds better to someone unaware.
 * Researcher for Chapters 21-22**

This section of reading certainly left us with a cliffhanger. The chapter begins with Amir fading in and out of being awake after his surgery. The fight with Assef left his body bruised, broken and bloodied. Among the large amount of surgery done, Amir had stitches put in his upper lip, right down the middle, just like a harelip. Rahim Khan gave a letter to his landlord before leaving, to give to Amir. The letter held a key to a safety deposit box holding all of the rest of his money, and explanation. Hassan had told Rahim what happened to him shortly after the action. Amir sends Farid to find the exact location of Betty and Thomas Caldwell, and Farid returns with news that there were no such people in Peshawar. Amir wakes up in the hotel one morning to find the Sohrab is gone. He moves as quickly as he can to the office, and inquires the man behind the desk. They have a difficult time with each other, but Amir realizes that he must be at the mosque. The man agrees to take him there, because he is a father too. . Sohrab worries that he will go to hell for hurting Assef, but Amir assures him that what he did was not a sin, for some bad people stay bad. Sohrab has a difficult time warming up to Amir, because of the things that Assef did to him. Amir tells him in a fatherly and caring manner that he will not hurt him. He asks Sohrab if he wants to live in America with him and his wife. At first he says nothing, but then becomes curious after a few days. Amir and Soraya decide that they want to adopt they boy and have him as their son. They are finding this to be a difficult process. The lawyer, Omar Faisal, was not much help to Amir, nor was the first man. They both speak of how difficult of an adoption this will be, and how he should just give it up instead. Soraya finds a way to pull some strings and makes the adoption seem more possible. Before Amir learns this, he told Sohrab that he might have to go to an American orphanage for a while. He cries in fear, not wanting to go, and Amir had promised that he would never let him end up in another place like that. But when he knocks on the bathroom door to tell Sohrab the good news he learned for Soraya, he screams…and we will not know why until the next chapter…cliffhanger.
 * Summary for Chapters 23-24**


 * Discussion Director for Chapter 23-24 on the Kite Runner page**

The beginning of this chapter takes place in the hospital. Sohrab had cut himself with Amir’s razor after Amir told him that he might have to go to an orphanage. The doctors and nurses will not let Amir in to see Sohrab, and he is very, very worried. Amir realizes what he has to do, he grabs a white sheets and places it on the floor towards the west, lowering his forehead to the ground. He prays to Allah for Sohrab. Sohrab is alright from this, he had just lost a lot of blood. Now, he no longer speaks. They make it to America and Soraya meets them at the airport. It is during this section of reading that the attacks on the twin towers occur, resulting in America bombing Afghanistan. Amir and Soraya did what they could to help the people in Afghanistan from their homes in America. They go to a festival celebrating the Afghan New Year. There are kites flying in the sky and Soraya directs Amir’s attention to them. Amir asks Sohrab if he wants to help him fly a kite. At first he doesn’t, but then he takes the string. They fly the kite together, and cut down a green kite using Hassan’s favorite old trick. They manage to get the kite down together, and then Amir runs amongst a group of children to get the falling kite for Sohrab.
 * Summary for Chapter 25**

“‘I want father and Mother jan. I want Sasa. I want to play with Rahim Khan sahib in the garden. I want to live in our house again,’ He graded his forearm across his eyes. ‘I want my old life back.’” (Page 354)
 * Passage Master for Chapter 25**

Sohrab misses the life he used to have, because he had no difficulties. He doesn’t understand that things might have to get worse before they get better.

‘“Do you want me to run that kite for you?” His Adam’s apple rose and fell as he swallowed. The wind lifted his hair. I thought I saw him nod. “For you, a thousand times over,” I heard myself say.’ (Page 371)

Hassan used to say, “For you, a thousand times over” to Amir all the time. He said this because he would do anything for Amir, as many times he wanted. Amir says this to Sohrab, because he would now do anything for him.