THE KITE RUNNER: Study Guides; Questions; Notes; Visuals . . . and More! Just Add READING!!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Reading Guide to The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Before reading, it would help to listen to the interview with the author at:

NPR interview with Khaled Hosseini – length is roughly 31 min. & there might be an extra credit question on the quiz from this interview

1. Topics in The Kite Runner – to HELP YOURSELF, write a clear statement about what the book says about this topic in the novel; no—I will not take it up, but it will greatly assist YOU as we discuss the book

 • Role of women
• Betrayal
• Brothers
• Guilt – hidden guilt vs. open guilt
• Redemption
• Exodus
• Fathers & sons – patriarchal society
• Class distinction

2. Style – comment on the author’s use of each of the following in the novel:

• Parallelism
• Character foils – look for characters in pairs OR characters who could be placed side by side for comparison/contrast
• Foreshadowing
• Flashback

3. Settings – both time and place and culture – consider five important cultural aspects of setting identified in the novel - e.g., Hazara vs. Pashtun

4. Identify at least 5 minor characters and their role in the novel

Movie Note:  There is a movie on The Kite Runner – I have no idea if it is a good translation of the book or not

A note on Cliff, Spark and the Monkey:

There is NO substitute for reading and studying a novel.  The concepts and connections that one makes, the knowledge one gains, the insight to humanity that is revealed cannot be summarized in the various “Study Aids” on the internet or book stores.  Yet that does not stop these cites from flourishing and providing what they claim is vital information. Listed below are three of these websites on The Kite Runner.  If you need a character list, to help remember who is who, pick one and use it. If you need to place the novel in context and understand the background and setting, pick one and use it. If you need something to do the thinking for you, forget it.  One of the greatest hazards of using a convenient Study Guide like “Spark ,” “Pink Monkey” or “Cliff,” is that by allowing the Study Guide to do the thinking, the student automatically assumes it is correct,  he  cheats himself out of evaluating the novel independently. Do you want something to tell you what to think? When used judiciously, thoughtfully, they can assist the student, but they cannot replace the critical thinking one does while reading and discussing the book.  

Visuals for The Kite Runner



Potential Topics for the final in-class essay over The Kite Runner:

1.  Amir, the narrator of  The Kite Runner,  claims that he became the adult he is when the reader first meets him on a winter day in 1975.  However, while that incident leaves a permanent scar on the psyche of Amir, there are other influences on his childhood and his development as a man of conscience. Identify three additional influences on Amir, other than Hassan, and through plentiful examples and explanation, show how Amir was forever marked by them.
 
2.      The theme of possible redemption echoes through the second half of The Kite Runner. We hear it in the promising words Rahim Khan offers to Amir: “There is a way to be good again.” We follow Amir’s tortured path as it leads to his atonement (or potential for atonement) in the novel’s final pages. In addition to Amir, other characters seek their own redemption as well. Discuss what each of the following characters have done for which they seek forgiveness and redemption, their efforts to attain their own atonement, and whether they achieve it: Baba, Sanaubar, and Rahim Khan.
 
3.      The story of Amir and Hassan could not exist without the class difference between Amir and Hassan.  Defend this argument by using specific plot points and historical facts to ground your argument.
 
4.      Explore the way in which courage is portrayed in the novel. What constitutes true bravery? What are the key moments when characters are brave and who is the bravest character, if any? Use specific examples from the text to support your argument.
 
5.      The novel begins “I became what I am today at the age of twelve.” To what is Amir referring? Is his assertion entirely true? What other factors have helped form his character? How would you describe Amir?
 
6.      Amir had never thought of Hassan as his friend, despite the evident bond between them, just as Baba did not think of Ali as his friend (page 22). What parallels can be drawn between Amir and Hassan’s relationship, and Baba and Ali’s? How would you describe the relationship between the two boys? What makes them so different in the way they behave with each other? What is it that makes Amir inflict small cruelties on Hassan? Had you already guessed at the true relationship between them? If so, at what point and why?

7.  The strong underlying force of this novel is the relationship between Amir and Hassan. Discuss their friendship. Why is Amir afraid to be Hassan’s true friend? Why does Amir constantly test Hassan’s loyalty? Why does he resent Hassan? After the kite fighting tournament, why does Amir no longer want to be Hassan’s friend?

Organize your essay along the following guidelines:
·         first paragraph adequately introduces the book, author and your topic &  has an explicit thesis statement (an obvious main idea). 
·         the body paragraphs support your main idea with many definite, specific details from the novel. 
·         the conclusion brings graceful or memorable closure to your essay; it DOES NOT simply STOP abruptly.