CHAPTER 1 Flashcards
Summary
- Open in California December, 2001, 26 years later after the most important moments of the novel as well as several thousand miles away.
- First person narrator Amir recalls the previous summer, his friend RK called him from Pakistan asking him to visit.
- In his voice Amir hears his “past of unatoned sins”. He realizes that no matter how hard he tries to bury it, “the past still claws its way out”.
- After hanging up, he goes for a walk in Golden gate park, where he sees a pair of kites in the sky and recalls a voice and face from his Childhood.
- He then sits down on a bench, and thinks of RK’s word’s: “there’s a way to be good again”
Analysis
- The opening Chapter sets the reflective tone of the novel, by creating an older narrator who is looking back on his younger years. Hosseini is able to describe events without being limited by a child’s perspective or vocab.
- In the line “past claws its way out” Hosseini drops a clue about about Amir’s part which is somewhat monstrous, alive and capable of hurting him. YET, the 2 quotes don’t suggest that he did something wrong, instead he was not the victim, but rather he did something wrong which he needs to right in order to be a good person.
- The shortness of this chapter urges the reader to turn the page in order to find out what’s. wrong
“I”
First person narrative - intrigues the reader
“Winter of 1975”
GUILT
Flashback/recurring image - Core memory that hunts A eve ad an adult.
“Peeking into that desert alley”
GUILT
Metaphor- Hiding/guilt from childhood
“Past claws it’s way out”
GUILT
Personification - shows he never confronted his mistakes and how they always come back to haunt him.
Mirroring - scenes When Amir is beaten by Assef, he uses this again.
“One Day”
Temporal marker that prepares the audience to witness a story in his life.
“It was my past of unatoned sins”
GUILT
Past still lives rent free in his head and he doesn’t need reminding about it.
“Pair of Kites”
CHILDHOOD INNOCENCE. HOPE AND ABUSE
Symbolism - Amir chose the kite over Hassan and subjected him to child molestation. The kites are also a monumental symbol of friendship/ betrayal.
Recurring symbol - Connotes friendship, but is also a constant reminder of the sexual abuse. But in the end kites still spell hope.
“there’s a way to be good again”
RETRIBUTION
Rahim khans voice adds to the existing intrigue and at the same time offers amir to have a second leasing on life.
“I thought about Hassan”
GUILT, LOVE
Short sentences/ anaphora -Weighed down by the psychological burden/ emotional turmoil or baggage he has been carrying with him and of which he wants to be redeemed. .
“Made me what I am today”
GUILT, RESPONSIBILITY
Self-criticism highlights his inability to forgive himself bc he considers himself a monstrosity
