1. The novel begins with Amir’s memory of peering down an alley, looking for Hassan who is kite running for him. As Amir peers into the alley, he witnesses a tragedy. The novel ends with Amir kite running for Hassan’s son, Sohrab, as he begins a new life with Amir in America. Why do you think the author chooses to frame the novel with these scenes? Refer to the following passage: “Afghans like to say: Life goes on, unmindful of beginning, end…crisis or catharsis, moving forward like a slow, dusty caravan of kochis [nomads].” How is this significant to the framing of the novel?
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In the beginning of the novel Amir is guilty of abandoning Hassan in his time of need. However, at the end of the novel he rectifies this by taking care of Hassan’s son, Sohrab, the roles are now reversed as Amir runs for Sohrab.
The quote emphasises just how slowly time passes in Afghani life. How much their culture is focussed on tradition and ritual. Amir had to redeem himself by rescuing Sohrab, Hassan’s son, the kite running emphasises that, in Afghani culture, although so many things may change, betrayal, death, redemption…somethings don’t ever really change, some things don’t ever move on.
The framing of the novel is significant because of the way at the start of the novel how Hassan, the lower caste boy is running for the kite for Amir and then at the end Amir is running for Hassan’s son, Sohrab. It shows that Afghan life has dveloped since the start of the novel, and that amir and Hassan have forgiven each other as such.
Um, well i havnt read it properly yet but what i gather from everyone else, that person, amir is all guilty about betraying hassan, and yeeaa . . . . i dunno tho. And things change . . . and die. And then they all forgive eachother, awwww!
The novels framing shows Hassan serves Amir but gets betrayed. Amir tries to dig his troubles deep but it keeps eating at him so he seeks redemption. Sohrab is his way to be good again so he rescues him and in the end he runs the kite for him as Hassan did for him. The certain scenes serve as key events in Amir’s changing.
The beginning of the story began with Amir’s memory of the kite running and Hassans rape. We feel that this is the reason for the novel, the whole time Amir is trying to piece his life back together, forget what happened and somehow make Hassan, Ali, Baba and God forgive him for what he did. It’s about atonement and in the end of the novel Amir has atoned. He has forgiven himself for what happened in the past and is pressing on with the future life he has with his wife and his silent son, Sohrab.
This frames the novel well because it shows how loyal to Amir Hassan was and how that loyalty changes through the novel when Amir becomes loyal to Sohrab. It shows how times have changed in Afghanistan and how people prefer to forget things from the past.
The author chose to frame the novel this way because it brings it all together. Amir did wrong but he was able to right his wrong in the end through Hassan’s son. It shows the way that terrible things that have happened, that hang over you for a long time, often have the opportunity to be redeemed, even if it takes along time.
I think that the author (Khaled Hosseini) chose to bookend the novel with the kite running as the scenes show a role reversal and an emotional significance to the book. In the beginning when Hassan runs the kite for Amir is shows his loyalties and love for him. Then Amir abandons him and is guilty throughout his life until at the end of the novel he is redeemed by rescuing Sohrab, Hassans son. He then runs the kite for Sohrab at the end of the novel and this mirrors Hassans love and loyalty for Amir in Amirs love for Sohrab.
The quote emphasises how that although there may be some changes in life- deaths, war some things stay constant throughout.
Hassans life goes on through Sohrabs being (coz theyre father and son). Amir helps Sohrab out so its kinda like what Amir and Hassan had but the other way around. Now Amir is helping Sohrab. As opposed to Hassan helping Amir. So that saying is significant to the framing as Hassans life and friendship with Amir lives in through his son.
They move on. But they can’t leave the past behind.
The Author choose to frame the novel to show the closure that Amir can now feel, because of the almost full circle of events over a generation.
The Author is showing how Amir repents for his mistake, at the beginning with Hassan running for Amir, and Amir witnessing Hassans tradgy, then at the end the feels as though he is making it up to Hassan
I think the author chose to frame this particular scene because it is the breaking point of one major relationship in the novel. That of Hassan and Amir. The rape tears them apart and so it is an important part of the book.
Hence the framing.