The Kite Runner

Chapter Six

1. Amir means that he and his father has completely different interests in life and that kites are the only common interest between them. This is evident when Amir shows no interest in soccer while Baba adores the sport.

2. Baba is a fair and just man and he may give Hassan special treatment because of his relationship with Ali: Baba and Ali were childhood playmates, just as Amir and Hassan.

3. “Kite runner” is a person who retrieves the kites that are cut during the kite flying tournaments and the “most coveted prize” is the second place kite that is cut during the final kite battle in the tournament.

4. Custom is traditional way of behaving while rules are written or spoken laws that are enforced by an authority. An example of this is how in the novel the kite runner who first touches the kite gets to keep the kite. This is a custom not an enforced rule.

5. Amir finds it hard because he sees in Hassan what he wants to be, but Amir has no way of achieving this goal so he doesn’t understand the way Hassan thinks. This also helps the reader understand what Amir thinks about himself. Amir believes that he is a liar and by seeing Hassan who is a kind and honest person he feels guilt and thus he finds it hard to look at honest people like Hassan.

6. Hassan understood that Amir was feeling bad about the mud hut where Hassan lived and so Hassan, in order to ease Amir’s mind, tells him the “[he] likes where [he] lives.” Furthermore the kite tournament is very important to Amir. Amir believes that he needs to win the tournament to gets Baba’s attention and Hassan understands this and so before the tournament starts he tells Amir that “Agha sahib [is going to be] very proud tomorrow.” Hassan gives words of encourageme...

... middle of paper ...

...t of irony in this novel Kamal is attacked and raped. Kamal was virtually unrecognizable: withered and catatonic, he had no recognition of the scene unfolding around him. Kamal was beaten and victimized, just like Hassan.

6. Amir comforts himself with the memory of a spring afternoon he spent kite-fighting with Hassan. The memory reminded Amir of his childhood and innocence. Amir’s childhood was better than his young adulthood, and the implication is that it was better than most of his adult life, as well.

7. Kamal has suffocated on the fumes from the truck and died. In a rage, Kamal’s father put the barrel of Karim’s gun in his mouth and shoots himself. This scene is significant in that it shows how much Kamal’s father cared about Kamal and it also begs the question if Baba feels the same way about Amir. Scene helps Baba and Amir question their relationship.