Lesson's 20.10.10

Though in some ways the worst chapter in the book, I reckon chapter 7 is the best chapter in the book. Although the actual act of the rape is not graphically detailed, the description of the actions leading up to it are so detailed 'unzipped his belt buckle..undid his jeans', you can imagine what it will be like without the graphic details of the rape itself. This shows Hosseini's amazing ability to tell the story without actually describing everything that happens. 

This chapter is so well written that even though Hosseini is constantly hinting and building up to a big event, the reader is almost unconscious of this on first reading (or I was anyway.) His use of referring back to chapter 1, particularly with the phrase 'for you a thousand times over' sets off alarm bells that something significant is going to happen. The frequent use of foreshdowing also gives this effect.

'Assef jan'

I enjoyed reading this chapter and looking at the character of Assef very much. I hadn't noticed the link Hosseini makes between Assef and Hitler when I first read the book, but when you analyse this chapter, particularly pages 33 and 35, it is clear there is a similarity between the two. They are both an 'embodiment of evil'. Hosseini's audience for this book are Western people and therefore they are likely to have preconceptions of Hitler and be prejudiced against him. Making Assef seem akin to Hitler in both his views and the fact that he a hypocrite, this is because he is of dual-heritage yet thinks 'Afghanistan is the land of Pashtuns..we are the true aghans, the pure afghans', when actually he is only half afghan and half german, again the german heritage linking him to hitler.These strong, and obvious links to a unanimously prejudice's the audience against him. 

Baba in ch.3

I find it very interesting looking at how characters personalities are portrayed without the writer having to actually say 'he was kind.' or 'Baba was judgemental.' Instead it is done subtly, and can be picked apart and worked out by looking at what he says, and how Amir sees and describes him from his point of view.

I love the descriptions of Baba, how he is a 'towering Pashtun specimen' and how his hands could 'uproot a willow tree'. These words build up a clear image of Baba in my head and by describing him in quite a lot of detail within the first few chapters, allows the reader to make their own picture of Baba in their heads for the rest of the story.

Lesson 8.10.10

I reaaaaaaally enjoyed analysing the kite runner today. This is what english lit's all about! I loved how literally every sentence was put in there for a reason, totally understanding the whole 'piece of paper on the floor' lesson now! I think it is amazing how everything in the kite runner links up with something else like Amir saying 'eyes are the window to the soul' just pages after he has described Hassan's eyes as 'gold, green and sapphire' suggesting they are beautiful and therefore that he is a beautiful person. Excellent!

Pashtun's and Hazara's

The Hazara people are an ethnic group originally from the Hazarajat region in central Afghanistan. In their modern history, Hazara's have faced several wars and forced displacements. Hazaras have faced persecution from the Pashtuns and have been forced to flee from many parts of today's Afghanistan to Hazarajat.

Hassan is a Hazara boy and his lower position in society compared to Amir who is Pashtun is clearly defined in 'The Kite Runner'. 

The Pashtuns live mainly in Afghanistan and Western Pakistan and are intimately tied to the history of modern Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pashtuns played a vital role during the Great Game from the 19th century to the 20th century as they were caught between the imperialist designs of the British and the Russian Empires. For over 300 years, they reigned as the dominant ethnic group in Afghanistan with nearly all rulers being Pashtun.

The Russians are a big part of 'The Kite Runner' and it is shown in detail how they brutally murdered many Hazara families. The difference between Hazaras and Pashtuns is also clearly defined in the book as most wealthy Pashtun families have Hazara slaves.

Lesson 1.10.2010

This lesson I found it interesting learning about direct speech - speech marks, indirect speech - no speech marks, attributed speech - e.g. he said and unattributed speech - 'free' speech, indirect. I found this interesting because although I knew there were different ways to write what someone is saying and who they're saying it to, I was never able to give the different ways names. I also liked looking at how this affected the reader, for example when something is not described as a thought straight away, we assume it to be  'fact'. This encourages the reader to see things from the person with the thought's point of view.