CHAPTER SUMMARIES Flashcards
(25 cards)
1
Q
Chapter 1
A
- Intro to Narrator Amir
- First instance of foreshadowing (winter of 1975)
- Introduction to Rahim Khan “There is a way to be good again”
- Kite symbolism
- What America symbolises to Amir (Freedom)
- Date: 2001
2
Q
Chapter 2
A
- Amir remembers his childhood with Hassan
- Hassan’s abuse at the hands of the soldiers
- H+A feeding from the same breast + A being H’s first word
- School history books highlight divisions
3
Q
Chapter 3
A
- Baba: The Bear and Mr Hurricane
- Building of Orphanage
- Amir’s childhood relationship with Baba contrasted with Hassan
- Baba’s idea that theft is one only sin
4
Q
Chapter 4
A
- Contrasting lifestyles of the Hazaras and Pashtuns- mirroring Ali and Baba and Amir and Hassan
- Amir reading to Hassan
- Ingrained prejudices
5
Q
Chapter 5
A
- The true start to Amir’s story?
- 1973: Daoud Khan’s bloodless coup (end of monarchy)
-Kabul changes, Afghanistan is now a republic - Introduction to Assef and Hassan’s bravery
- Hassan’s plastic surgery
6
Q
Chapter 6
A
- Moved into Winter 1975
- Intro to kite running
- Sims and diffs between Amir and Hassan
- Amir momentarily realises he and Hassan look alike
7
Q
MOST IMPORTANT CHAPTER
Chapter 7
A
- Hassan’s dream mirrors Amir’s later on
- Amir wins the kite competition + Hassan runs for the kite
- Alley scene: PIVOTAL (significance of setting)
- Fragmented narrative- dreams and memories
8
Q
Chapter 8
A
- Amir’s party + Assef’s parents (specifically his mother) description
- Gift from R.K
- Journey to Jalalabad- haunted by Hassan
- Baba calls Hassan family after Amir asks about new servants
- Amir orders Hassan to throw pomegranate at him
9
Q
Chapter 9
A
- Ali and Hassan leave because of the stolen watch despite being forgiven by Baba
- Amir traumatised by blood
- Further evidence of Amir’s cowardice
10
Q
Chapter 10
A
- 1981: Soviets have occupied Afghanistan- Amir and Baba flee
- Russian soldier- commodification
- Key Quote: decency in war
- Staying in basement: Kamal dies and father kills himself
- Baba critical of religion
11
Q
Chapter 11
A
- Setting shift- east to west
- Kabul vs America- expectation vs reality
- Baba struggling to adjust to American life vs Amir thriving- generational struggles
- First sighting of Soraya Jan
12
Q
Chapter 12
A
- First convo with Soraya but Amir is warned off by General Taheri
- Gender divisions
- Baba has a cold ~~> CANCER
- arranged marriage between soraya and amir
13
Q
Chapter 13
A
- Soraya and Amir wedding (obsessed with sex)
- Baba’s gradual worsening state and eventual death- secretly proud of Amir
- General Taheri treatment of women- soraya’s admittance of her past vs Amir’s inability
- Unable to have bby
14
Q
Chapter 14
A
- Amir’s road to redemption: phone call and visit to Rahim Khan
- Structure: goes back to chap 1- we’ve finished Amir’s retelling of his history
- Date: June 2001 pre 9/11
15
Q
Chapter 15
A
- Visit to Rahim Khan
- Taliban impact on Kabul
- R.K: powerful or powerless
- R.K is #dying
16
Q
Chapter 16
A
- ONLY CHAPTER NOT TOLD BY AMIR
- RK catches Amir up on Hassan and how found he and his wife in Kabul
- Hassan’s mother comes back + Ali killed by landmine
- Baby boy named Sohrab after stillborn baby girl
- Hassan’s mother dies
- Taliban ban kite-running
17
Q
Chapter 17
A
- Epistolary narrative (told in form of letters)
- Letter from Hassan- loyalty prevailed
- Finding out Hassan + wife killed by Taliban
- RK wants Amir to collect Sohrab
- Brother truth bomb
18
Q
Chapter 18
A
- Amir looks back and realises all the signs that Hassan was his bro
- Anger at Baba’s hypocrisy
- Realises his duty to atone for his family’s sins
19
Q
Chapter 19
A
- Intro to Farid
- Tensions between those who left and those who stayed in Afghanistan
- Amir’s nightmare that he killed Hassan
- Leaves money under mattress at Wahid’s house
20
Q
Chapter 20
A
- Kabul: drastically changed, even nature has been altered
- Setting of Orphanage
- Farid- anger at commodification of children
21
Q
Chapter 21
A
- Amir returns to old hood- cemetery and pomegranate tree
- Football match: setting subverted to become a playing field of torture
- 2 people stoned by the man who bought Sohrab- sets up meeting
22
Q
Chapter 22
A
- Amir meets Assef again - confronting childhood fears
- Sohrab forced to dance
- Assef gives Amir Sohrab- price is finishing childhood fight
- Assef + Amir fight, Amir saved by Sohrab and they escape
23
Q
Chapter 23
A
- Amir in hospital
- RK letter
- Sohrab and Amir convo about Hassan and Amir’s friendship
24
Q
Chapter 24
A
- Sohrab goes missing - tells Amir the Taliban men abused him
- Amir asks him to go back to America- says he is his uncle
- Amir tells him he may need to go back to orphanage- breaks promise
- Sohrab attempts suicide
25
Chapter 25
- Sohrab in hospital- Amir prays
- Survives but doesn't speak
- Back in USA: Amir stands up to General- don't call Sohrab Hazara
- 9/11: Amir and Soraya work for charities
- Kite running at end
