Gabe's Response to Sharon's Post

I agree with Sharon as I think that Amir took it way too far in framing Hassan. There could have been a thousand different things he could have done to ease the guilt that did not involve more suffering for Hassan,Ali , and Baba. I agree with Sharon as the way that Amir handled the situation with the russian soldier goes to show you the vast differences in personalities between Amir and his father. I have always viewed Baba as an admirable father but I have to agree with Sharon as he really changes in the last 100 pages , becoming more accepting , fulfilling his duties as a father , and undergoing great sacrifices for his son.

Gabe's Reaction to Pages 100-200

The Kite Runner has moved very quickly in only 100 pages. Amir framing Hassan was very difficult to read and  it was actually hard to believe the first time I read it. In retrospect , I feel that although what Amir did was inexcusable , I understand where he was coming from. He was only a kid when he had to endure the traumatic events of Hassan's rape , and all he longs for is all the guilt and regret to end. Baba remains the most admirable character in the Kite Runner. What Baba did for the woman in the truck when he saved her from the Russian soldier was extraordinarily brave and when Amir mentioned that it was a mystery that he was actually his son it really made me wonder considering they are utterly different people in so many ways. Despite Baba's flaws , his staunch adherence to his principles was extremely admirable. One of my favorite parts of the last few chapters was reading about Baba returning his food stamps out of pride. Amir essentially grew up completely in the last few chapters and it was definitely a fun read. Amir's marriage to Soroya was interesting considering the difference in tradition between an afghan marriage and the contemporary image of marriage in american society. It felt fitting that Soroya had a "history" , considering that nothing sorority did or could have done could be as grave as Amir's past sins towards Ali and Hassan. Baba's death was beautiful to read as even though he lost against cancer , he "lost on his own terms".  The anxiety that Amir experiences after Baba's death felt very real as he has always had to live in his shadow. Amir seems to have all his life figured out after his books start getting published when he gets the fateful call  from Rahim Khan. It seems that one can never really escape the sins of their past and the last 100 pages really set the stage for (hopefully) some reconciliation between Amir and Hassan.

Juan's comment on Sharon's post

To begin, I am not reading Sharon’s entire post due to the fact that I don’t want the story to be spoiled for me. Thus, I will only comment on the parts that I have read as well. To begin, I am in complete agreement with her on what I read. As I read, I was also enraged by how selfish Amir’s actions were. Furthermore, the fact that after the rape Amir betrays Hassan further not only angered me even more, but also left me disappointed in Amir. Although I did not think about it as much, now that Sharon points it out, how Baba reacted to Ali and Hassan leaving is very insightful to his character. It does in fact show, “loyalty and trust,” and I agree that Amir should have followed in his father’s footsteps in regards to his relationship with Hassan. Though how Baba reacted to Ali and Hassan’s departure was insightful for Baba’s character, I think the situation with the Russian soldier and the lady was even more insightful as it showed that Baba is a man who is brave and acts according to his own system of beliefs. In other words, he is a man who not only “talks the talk” but he also “walks the walk”. I too am impressed by how Hosseini managed to turn Baba, a harsh and negligent father, into a character that quite frankly I admire. Especially after the Russian soldier event I respect the man all the more, and am ashamed for Amir as he is a selfish coward. 

Juan's 4th reaction to Kite Runner

In this past section of Kite Runner that I read, I decided that this is the protagonist that I have disliked the most of all the stories that I have read. While Hassan remains as loyal as ever, Amir continues to betray him. While I understand that Amir feels guilt, I still cannot believe that he would be selfish enough to betray Hassan once again in an attempt to frame him for stealing his watch. It honestly bothers me as a reader. The event enrages me. I want to punch Amir and take Hassan in as my own friend. I wish my friends were as loyal and goodhearted as Hassan is. I believe Ali does the right thing by leaving the family for it is in the best interest of his own son. At this point in the story, if Baba knew what Amir did, he would have every right to be disappointed in having such a spineless, selfish, cowardly son. At the end of this scene, as Hassan and Ali are leaving with Baba, though cliché, Hosseini makes effective use of the rain to symbolize and emphasize the pain that Hassan and Ali must go through due to Amir’s selfishness. Before this, Hosseini also uses some intensely effective imagery that is effective in showing how much pain Amir causes Ali by stating, “That was when I understood the depth of the pain I had caused, the blackness of the grief I had brought onto everyone, that not even Ali’s paralyzed face could mask his sorrow. This is particularly effective because it implies that the pain is so grave and deep, that it is even able to make Ali’s paralyzed face grimace.

            After that episode, the next part of the story only furthers my negative thoughts on Amir and his character. As a Russian soldier threatens a woman, Baba stands up and does the right thing, defending the young lady and questioning the decency of the soldier. Amir, afraid like a coward that he is, attempts to dissuade Baba from defending the lady because he is afraid the soldier will shoot Baba. He comments on how Baba always has to be the hero. To me, it is almost as if Baba should be the protagonist of the story because he is much more likeable than the squeamish Amir. I am in total agreement with Baba and almost feel shame for Amir that he would not stand up and do something about the situation. I understand it is life or death, regardless, values are something more important, and you must uphold those like Baba did. Baba is honorable, Amir on the other hand, is not.

Sharon's Response to Natalie's Reaction

           Like Natalie, I felt that Amir’s framing of Hassan was unjustifiable. Amir selfishly decided that one of them must go, and to get rid of Hassan and Ali alone is ridiculous, yet to do so by betraying their characters like that was just unacceptable. It also broke my heart how Hassan continued to sacrifice everything for Amir; his body wasn’t enough, so he let Amir have his honor too. I also agree that the time apart will help them, yet I don’t think they should completely forget about what happened. Something I noticed was that anytime Amir was happy such as his wedding night, he would always think of Hassan. I feel this demonstrates that no matter how far the distance or how long the time, Amir will never get over it, and even though his life has continued, he’s still haunted by the past. He is even nervous about having a child because he feels like there will be another person to judge him on the past.
           I also agree with Natalie about the new turn of Baba’s character. He never accepted food stamps, and was strong, proud, and respectable all the way to the end. There were moments I pitied him as despite his hard work and prominence in Afghanistan, it all amounted to nothing when he came to America. What stuck with me the most was that he refused to move back because he knew Amir thrived in the US, and only wanted for Amir to be happy and live a good life.

Isa's comment on Alex's Reaction

Alex,
I agree with the fact that it is amazing to watch Amir's life change so dramatically when he is literally ripped apart from his childhood. Though he is yanked away physically from his homeland, the trauma that he undergoes as he is coming of age is what truly robs him of his youth. Though it could be unbeknownst to him, Amir was never allowed to truly enjoy his years as a child... both due to experience he could not control as well as personal choices that would come to shape the rest of his life.
I too found it nice for a change that Baba instructed his son to visualize that day when he ran his kite. I wonder if it is because he recognized that that was the last time his son was truly happy seeing as this day occurred right before Hassan's rape? Though no deep words have ever been spoken between the two, maybe Baba does have some insight into his son's emotions. But with that, another question is arisen; if Baba does in fact "see" his son's emotions, does he simply choose to ignore them?

Fourth Reaction to P. 100-200

Up to pg. 200:

            Throughout the reading, I saw quite some juxtaposition between Amir and Baba. To begin, I was deeply angered by how selfish Amir was in framing Hassan; it was as if the rape wasn’t painful enough, and Amir needed to hurt Ali too. The worst part, however, was that Hassan and Ali were the heart and soul of Baba; seeing Baba break down and plead them not to leave was heartbreaking, but also incredibly insightful to his loyalty and trust. This strong, supportive relationship between Baba and Ali is the way that of Amir and Hassan should’ve been. With the Russian soldier situation, Baba would’ve willingly died to protect the rape of someone he didn’t even know, while Amir mutely watched and ran away when encountering the rape of the person who loved him the most.
            I’m also honestly blown away by how well Hosseini manages to turn even the ‘worst’ characters into someone I now recognize as having a good character. While Baba once seemed too hard on, and negligent of, Amir, he later becomes the exemplar loving, proud father. There were many incidents of his love for Amir that had me tearing up, such as him buying the car for Amir, accepting Amir’s writing dreams and carrying out his final paternal duty by asking for Soraya’s hand for Amir and spending all his life savings on their wedding so he could see his son happy and content before passing away. But the fact that he refused to gossip about Soraya and waited for her to tell Amir herself about her past made me look up to him and understand why the Afghan community in every country respected him. I was extremely heartbroken when he passed away.
            Even General Taheri had a good heart. It’s true that he did believe himself above mediocre work, preferred to take the food stamps that Baba refused, idly watched time pass and judged people too much on their social position and ancestry. Yet despite the judging and gossip of the community, he went to bring Soraya back home, however harshly, out of his fatherly love, and even bought Amir a typewriter to symbolize his acceptance. I also felt it was significant how, just like Baba, he was upset about his child’s career path, yet the underlying reason for this is because, just like Baba again, he only wanted the best for his daughter.
            I am looking forward to reading the rest of the book, as Amir’s visit to Rahim raises quite a bit of questions about Hassan. I also wonder about Assef and how Hosseini will continue to bring up the complexities of all the characters.

4th Reaction to Kite Runner

It often seems I speak too soon regarding my stance on characters. In my last blog post, I defended Amir's actions. While I still stand by the fact that I empathize with what Amir experienced, I find it almost impossible to defend him for his latest actions. His betrayal of Hassan left me with a bad taste....I found it diffiuclt to continue reading with the knowledge that Hassan and Ali have left for a crime that the innoncent boy did not commit. Not only did Amir betray his one true friend and Ali, but in some ways, he also betrayed himself and his father. When such a break in trust happens, the victim (Hassan) is always pitied and in this case, rightfully so. But such a lapse in judgement also takes a toll on the perpetrator. In double crossing what was essentially his family, Amir has also compromised his own integrity and morals to accomplish what he thought was "right" at the moment. It was painful to read such a crime against Hassan and such a deterioration of loyalty that Amir once had for Hassan.
The scene then immediately jumps to where Amir and Baba are escaping... now as refugees. Gone are the wealthy, lavish parties. The painful and political truth has replaced the "idyllic" childhood that Amir once lived. If I hadn't read the development of Amir as a child, and his relationship with his father, I would characterize Baba as a valiant and kind man. The way he protected Amir and Hassan as well as the woman against the Russians was very admirable to read. It is interesting that he treats other people with both respect and honesty, but his son is a stranger to him.

Alex's Comment on Natalie's Reaction

     Natalie, although I do not agree with Amir’s way of dealing with the situation, I am able to see where he is coming from. He intentionally puts Hassan in situations in which his relationship with Baba is jeopardized. However, his actions are unsuccessful. His messed up actions are cause as a result of his deep envy towards Baba’s deep rooted affection for Hassan. If being together caused jealousy, remembrance of the trauma and tension in the house, then Natalie, I agree that separation will help the both of them. We are able to get the sense that Amir will never move past the trauma, but I am curious to see how Hassan is dealing with this. 

     It is easy to feel bad for Baba because he is not able to adjust, or fit in to this new lifestyle. He maintains his traditional sense of respect and dignity. I think being alone with Amir has helped him gain some affection towards him. However, I don’t think that Amir really recognizes this, probably because Baba’s primary concern is about him making something out of himself. I haven’t read past this section of the novel, but after reading your reaction I’m excited to hear that he’s going back home to face his past, hopefully to confront Hassan. 

Alex's 4th Reaction to the Kite Runner

     After Hassan and Ali’s resignation and departure from the house, Amir’s life changes drastically. With constant reminders of Hassan and the rape, even thousands of miles couldn’t stop him from feeling the deep guilt and shame about having been a coward and allowing a true friend to get hurt. 

     The political transformation in his country propels Amir from a sheltered, comfortable upper-middle class lifestyle where his only preoccupation was his jealousy towards Hassan because of the qualities Hassan possessed and he didn’t. The transformation from childhood to adulthood occurs rapidly in Amir as he is forced to witness rape, death, displacement and a strange new life in a foreign country where they would be considered minorities, impoverished and alienated. I found it interesting that when Baba told Amir to think of something good and happy, he visualized himself with Hassan flying a kite in a field. This illustrates the depth of their friendship even though he never reciprocated the loyalty Hassan had towards him. We are able to get a sense of nostalgia for his rushed childhood. 

     After the move to America, a huge culture clash occurs. Baba’s traditional upholding of values such as honor and respectability contradict America’s progressive liberal ideologies. Amir is able to adapt well in this society because of the flexibility of being young. Throughout his transformation into adulthood, he surprisingly grows apart from Baba and his inflexible mindset. Living as a low class immigrant has humbled Baba to the point where he is able to show long lasting affection towards Amir after graduating high school. I expect to see even more changes throughout the rest of the chapters. However, I hope that Amir and Hassan will reunite. 

Natalie's Response to Ryan C

Like Ryan I believe that this section of the Kite Runner does a lot to advance the plot, within pages 100-200 almost every aspect of Amir’s life changes. He moves the U.S, Baba dies, he grows up and gets married. Similar to Ryan I could not believe what Amir did to Hassan, he basically frames a not only innocent person but a person who unconditionally loves him and would do anything for him. I agree that he did it for selfish reasons, Amir seems to be a very selfish person and I just cannot believe what he did. Similar to Ryan I believe that Amir leaving Afghanistan will help him forget what happened with Hassan and maybe ease his guilt, although I think that Amir should have to face the consequences of everything he has done and learn to deal with it because it was his fault. I also believe that there seems to be a loss of hope and pride, the whole country is currently unstable and many bad things are occurring. For example at the border the Russian guard wants to rape the woman, also when they encounter a kid that Amir knows, Kamal, and it turns out that he had been raped. I agree that Baba has to adapt to a new culture, but he has a lot of pride and therefore he works as hard as he does in order to provide for Amir and support his family.

Natalie's Reaction

Although I can sort of see where Amir is coming from and why he would not want to live constantly seeing Hassan and constantly feeling guilty, his actions were really messed up. He is intentionally and knowingly blaming Hassan for stealing, and hoping that Baba would get mad enough to send them away. Although there is no justification for Amir’s actions I think that Amir and Hassan’s separation will help both of them. Constantly being together and seeing each other just keeps reminding them of the events that occurred and hopefully it will help Hassan live past what occurred. Despite obvious reasons that Amir and Baba need to leave their move also seems like something that will help Amir forget about what occurred with Hassan although I do not know if he will actually ever be able to forget it. I felt bad for Baba in this section of the novel. Despite everything that was occurring he always maintains his respect and dignity. He is a hard worker and although he goes from being a wealthy man to working at a gas station, he is always trying to support his own family and will not take handouts. He even rents a van to go to the flee market and sell items they bought at garage sales. He goes through all this effort in order to benefit Amir, he says he is doing this so that he can go to school and make something out of himself. Initially I had mixed feelings towards Baba he seemed to only care about his job, and little about Amir. But clearly this whole time he has been doing it to help Amir, he is trying to help him “become a man” and live independently. He also puts himself through all these sacrifices to help make Amirs life better. In the end he ended up being a good person, who had pride and self respect and it saddened me that he passed away. I was glad that he was able to see Amir and Sorayas wedding and the fact that he said that it was the happiest day of his life. Also in the end he accepts Amir’s choices and boasts that he will be a great writer one day. At the end of this section Amir is talking to Rahim Khan, which is the  same conversation that occurs in the beginning of the novel. Rahim Khan tells him that he is sick and that he knows how he can stop feeling guilty. Amir’s trip to Afghanistan will make him have to face his past, and hopefully find a way to make things better.

Keri's comment to Ryan C

Ryan,

I agree that this next section advanced the plot as well as the relationship between Amir and Baba. I felt so bad when reading the birthday scene and seeing that Amir continued to open the presents as if nothing had happened with Hassan. I feel as though Amir should have at least addressed the situation with Hassan instead of holding all of the guilt inside. Even though Hassan would probably get angry, I believe that Amir should have apologized to Hassan instead of just going on with life in spite of the fact that a tragic incident has just occurred. Something like that of the situation that has befallen Hassan should be addressed. Amir should work to get Hassan the psychological help he needs.
It takes so much nerve for Amir to frame Hassan. I read this scene and thought to myself "How is this happening right now?" It is absolutely unbelievable. Not only is Amir not helping Hassan deal with this tragedy but he is also making life worse for Hassan. My respect for Amir diminished rapidly. This displayed horrible treatment even though Hassan is Amir's slave. The situation leaves me wondering if Amir's saying about their sense of brotherhood was at all legitimate.

Kaylee's Response to Ryan P.'s Reaction

            I, like Ryan, am starting to like Amir more as the story goes on. I never blamed him solely for his decisions because his upbringing and culture are definitely important factors of how he handed things. He did indeed act like a heartless little b*tch at times, but it is not entirely his fault. I am pleased to see that Amir is growing up into an accomplished young man. It is also clear that Amir is not a bad person because he does feel the guilt and pain from his decisions so far in his past. He is compassionate and sensitive to his surroundings.

            I also thought that Hossenini captured the journey from Kabul extremely well.  It is apparent that it is a pivotal moment for Amir and his father. I see where Ryan is coming from when he explains the death of Kamal and his father as the end of Amir's innocence and childhood. From this point, I think that Amir truly realizes the value of his life and begins the pathway to adulthood.

            I disagree with Ryan’s statement on the duo being very well acclimated to America in such a short transition period because the chapter suggests they have been living there for a year and a half. They are also not on the same page; Amir has completely embraced America, establishing himself as a student. While Baba has not and will never become fully adjusted to American living.

            

Maya's Reaction to Alexa

            Alexa, I understand your relief when it comes to Ali and Hassan. As much as I dislike how Amir treats Hassan, I would be lying if I said I was not sad that the two childhood friends were separating. Obviously, I was sad because it would be Hassan losing his childhood friend who he cares for so dearly.

            In a way, I want to see what happens when Amir and Hassan meet again. For me, I did not have much to react upon after the incident that we both wrote about. The event you describe on the bus ride out of Kabul was very eye-opening. Amir, despite the moments where Baba was not being a very good father, had seen him be kind and generous. So, I do not understand the way Amir chose to act in certain situations while living in Afghanistan. Maybe I wrote my initial reaction too much in the “heat of the moment”, but I still think that Amir had all the power to do the right thing when the opportunity presented itself. 

           I do not know how far you have read so I will keep this as general as possible. Though I mentioned I understood your relief, I actually prefer the story of the two childhood friends over Amir going through what essentially everyone past high school goes through. The story past the bus ride out of Kabul felt empty to me. The story had been so emotional and had so many memorable moments with Hassan as a part of Amir’s life. In short, I am trying to say that I wish Hassan was still in the story. 

4th Reaction

                In the fourth section of this novel, Amir’s life undergoes some major structural changes.  He flees from Afghanistan, to Pakistan, and eventually to America.  He goes from living at the pinnacle of high society in Kabul to borderline poverty in San Francisco, California.  An enormous amount of change hits Amir in a fairly short amount of time.  Luckily Baba is a fighter, and Amir is able to cope with the changes well.  Life continues and eventually they work their way out of poverty without the help of welfare checks.  Even though he is thousands of miles away from his hometown, the thoughts of Hassan constantly torment him.  Amir says that America is the place to bury his past, yet he is unable to.  I believe his inability to forget Hassan is a sign that the two will meet again in the future.  Their paths have to cross again, considering the two were close enough to be called brothers.  Amir’s life goes surprisingly well, and he finally meets his wife.  The parallelism between his wife and himself is profound.  They both have committed acts that they both seriously regret.  Amir betrayed his best friend and ended a 40 year relationship with Ali and Baba.  His wife ruined her families and her own reputation by running away with a drug crazed Afghan teenager.  This is perfect for Amir, because it is easier for him to accept someone who has made a mistake versus someone who has no regret and guilt.  Baba’s death was another huge milestone in the book.  Baba was the man who made Amir who he is today, and made sure throughout their journey that Amir was safe and comfortable.  He is also the man that caused Amir to do anything for his attention, and had an obvious favorite for Hassan.  But Baba was a great man who helped many people in times of need.  His influence is shown at the funeral when hundreds of people Amir didn’t even know showed up to pay their respects. 

It was obvious that Amir was going to have to return to his hometown.  The entire book has foreshadowed his return.  I’m assuming now that Amir will finally be reunited with Hassan, and the two will be able to catch up after years of separation.       

Alexa Ferrer Reaction to Maya

I couldn’t agree more with Maya’s reaction when it comes to feeling sorry for Amir. There is no need to sugar coat anything the plain fact is that Amir’s actions are unforgivable. Any claim to feel empathy for Amir can quickly be dismissed by taking one look at Hassan. Hassan has devoted his entire life to trying to please Amir and receive his love. Hassan truly owes Amir nothing while Amir owes him everything. I can no longer try to put myself in Amir’s shoes after taking into consideration everything Hassan has been through and has swallowed without ever thinking about himself.

The only part of Maya’s reaction I did not agree with was when she wrote about how Hassan’s point of view would perhaps make a better story. Although I do agree that Hassan’s point of view would be an incredible account, I think what makes the Kite Runner so successful is that it is the point of view of the asshole. The fact that we are being told a story from the most hated person is both interesting and frustrating. I feel like as a reader I want to side with the person telling the story, so it is different for me to absolutely despise the narrator.  

Alexa Ferrer Reaction #4

I am absolutely disgusted with Amir. One thing is to be completely traumatized by the rape and ignore Hassan as a lame defense mechanism. Another thing is to completely betray the one person in the world that absolutely adores him more than anything. The way he treated his father and Ali by throwing all his toys to the side made me lose any once of respect I ever had for Amir. I do not tolerate disrespect and found that to be disgusting on Amir’s part.

Although I read the book in 8^th grade I completely forgot the part of Amir’s coldhearted betrayal. I felt stabbed when Amir put the items under Hassan’s bed, but the worst part was when Hassan admitted to doing it. I don’t understand how Amir can single handedly ruin his entire family. Although not directly related Ali and Hassan were the closest people Baba and Amir had to them, and I was surprised Amir didn’t even react to his father’s grief for it all.

            After last week’s reaction, I was able to find sympathy for Amir and try to see the situation from his point of view. Now I don’t even believe he has a conscience. The act he committed by sending Ali and Hassan away is disgusting and unforgivable and I am sitting here as I write this blog trying to find some sort of empathy for him. It scares me that people can be so selfish and cruel, yet it is a sad reality in the world. An interesting aspect of the way this book is written is how every time Amir says or does something mean, he acknowledges how awful he is and never tries to justify his cruelty. I think I would expect most people to defend themselves at all times but he just accepts that what he does is horrific and he happens to suffer the consequences through the guilt that was eating away at him.

            In a way I am relieved that Hassan and Ali are not longer in the story for the time being because my heart would break for every kind act they would do. I am very interested in the situation Kabul is in during Amir and Baba’s exile and I am excited to read more about it. The bus ride out of Kabul showed a very admirable part of Baba and I wish Amir would take after his father in that sense. 

Maya's Fourth Reaction

           This reaction may sound harsh, but I cannot find a way to sugar-coat this. Reading the scene where they are all sitting down discussing what happened with Amir’s birthday money was both disheartening and frustrating. Amir has this sort of “Hamlet complex” where he has this mentality that justifies endless self pitying because x, y and z happened. Hamlet, in my opinion, spends the majority of the play wallowing; I can understand grieving after death, but he was on a whole other level. It felt as though he needed people to tell him, “Oh, poor you. You are definitely the only one being affected by this”. I feel that Amir is the same way. Since he has problems with his father, everyone else has to be at the butt of it or pitying him. 

          Yes, Amir is young, but so is Hassan. However, Hassan is Amir’s age and is essentially living in conditions slightly above what would be considered poverty, working as a servant, and is consistently harassed by the general population of his country just for having a different background. No child should ever have to feel outcasted and made to feel like they are less because of their ethnicity. Hassan was even raped; he was completely stripped of his innocence and whatever scraps of a normal childhood he had were yanked away from him in that moment. All the while, Amir is making faces at the pile of birthday presents in his room.

           I read up to page two hundred and was still unable to shake these thoughts. Honestly, I would love to read the story from Hassan’s perspective. At this point, I am burned out by the current “rich kid with daddy problems” plot. I think that the book through Hassan’s point of view would be a much more dynamic story, even if that sounds like the typical cliché of cheering for the underdog. The author could explore what it is like for him to have such a love for stories even though he is illiterate. It would be nice to know some of Hassan’s inner thoughts on his parents, Amir and his family, and just the world in general. 

          What was saddest about the entire situation, though, was the fact that Hassan just sat there and took it. He did not say a word, he simply accepted that this was happening and allowed it to continue even after he was forgiven for the alleged crime. One could argue that Amir was doing this to “stop his suffering” or whatever it was that he said the lie was for and that it was in good heart. If Amir really wanted to stop Hassan’s suffering, he would have stood up for him in front of Assef both times, in front of the soldiers, and maybe just generally reciprocate. If Amir loves Hassan as much as he said he did while sitting in Baba’s office, accomplishing those things should not be hard. 

Ryan C's Response to Ciara's Reaction

 Like Ciara, I think that Amir framing Hassan reveals Amir’s lack of character, as that is a truly evil act. Ciara makes in interesting point that Amir’s act was for the best. I disagree, Baba forgave Hassan for “stealing”, but it was Ali’s decision to leave with Hassan. Even if Amir did not frame Hassan, I think Hassan will have eventually told his father about what happened and Ali and Hassan would leave. I do agree that if Hassan had not left Amir would continue to hurt Hassan until the only option would be for Hassan to leave. I also agree with Ciara that their move to America work perfectly for Amir. Amir can start a new life in a place where he is not constantly reminded about his own inaction. However, I do think Amir will occasionally be reminded about the incident, but nowhere near the amount as in Kabul. Ciara makes an interesting point that moving to America represents Baba’s love for his own son. Baba leaves his money and status behind in Kabul and moves to America with nothing working a low paying job. I think Baba has accepted Amir as his son, even if he is not the son he envisioned. Baba even goes so far as to say that Amir is going to be a great writer one day.

Ryan C's Fourth Reaction

The next section of The Kite Runner does a lot to advance the plot of the novel as well as Amir’s relationship with the people around him. Amir still feels guilty even during his birthday, as he pays little attention to his gifts and identifies them as  “blood money” because Amir is showered with gifts because he won the tournament and said nothing about what happened to Hassan. I think Amir wants to amend ties with Hassan and his father because the only gift Amir values is the leather-bound book given to him by Hassan’s father. I was disappointed and surprised when Amir framed Hassan for stealing a watch and money. I know that Amir wants to forget about what happened, but that is taking it too far. Maybe Amir is delving into his selfish side and figures it will take an act equally as cruel to get rid of the memories. In the end, irony prevails as Baba forgives Hassan rather easily, Amir does end up getting his wish as Hassan and his father leave. I felt bad for Baba, although he is not the greatest father so far, Amir basically causes Baba’s lifelong friend to leave.

Amir and Baba are forced to flee Afghanistan and seek refuge in Pakistan, because of the political instability in Afghanistan. This comes as a blessing for Amir who can finally escape the place that has yielded him so many bad memories. Afghanistan in general has lost its honor as a nation and is there for anyone to take over as the Russians eventually. Furthermore, the people have lost their honor and hope. For example, a Russian guard says the price to cross the border is a sexual favor from a woman, who’s husband does little to stop the process, had it not been for Baba the women would have been raped.

The novel quickly cuts to Amir and Baba’s life in America. The move represents a fresh start for Amir as he is given the opportunity to basically reinvent himself into someone he would like to be. However, for Baba, the move is unsettling, Baba spent his whole life in Afghanistan and now has to adapt to a new culture and social customs, seen when Baba is insulted when a worker at a store asks to see his ID before accepting a check. I think the novel will continue with Amir and Baba’s life in America as Hosseini alludes to a relationship between Amir and Soraya.