Chapters 1-10 Reading guides

Question 1

When does chapter 1 take place? How old is Amir? Where is he living?

Answer 1

Chapter 1 takes place in December of 2001, Amir is 38 years old, and he is living in San Fransisco

Question 2

Who is the first person Amir mentions in chapter 2

Answer 2

Hassan

Question 3

What are the three things Baba and his friends constantly talk about?

Answer 3

Soccer, politics, buisiness

Question 4

What does Amir think about after Rahim Khan’s phone call?

Answer 4

Hassan, Baba, Ali, then Kabul. all symbols of his home that he later describes more in depth.

Question 5

What does Hassan never denying Amir anything say about their relationship?

Answer 5

This phrase highlights the inequality between the two boys because of their different positions in society, and shows that even if Hassan wants to say no, he can’t because he’s Amir’s servant.

Question 6

What does the stress on the word “always” suggest about Amir’s relationship with his father? why it was “always” grown-ups time with him?

Answer 6

Word leads us to believe that Amir is ever longing for the love and approval of his father, but he’s not going to get it until he makes his father proud. Until then, his father will never have time in his life for Amir, and he will continue to have to long for his love.

Question 7

Describe the three photographs on the mantle.

Answer 7

The first is of Amir’s grand-father with the president, standing over a deer that they killed, in hunting uniform
The second is of Baba and Amir’s mother, Baba in a suit and mother described as “a smiling young princess in white”
Third photo is of Baba and Rahim Khan holding Amir as a baby, both without smiles, standing in front of their house, with Amir gripping Rahim Khan’s hand.

Question 8

Hassan’s first words? Amir’s first words? Connection to the first sentence in chapter one (I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975) and last sentence in chapter two (the foundation for what happened in … was already laid in those first words)

Answer 8

Hassan’s first word was Amir, Amir’s first word was Baba. This shows the inequality between their relationships, and how Hassan will always been on a lower level because of his heritage, religion, and socio-economic status in the world, and how Amir will never truly understand Hassan and his actions because they are so different. These words also symbolize what the two boys want more than anything in their lives, the love of this person, and this will shape all of their future decisions, making their futures set in stone as soon as they said those first words.

Question 9

What is Baba’s famous nickname? Who gave it to him?

Answer 9

Toophan agha or “Mr. Huricane” given to him by Rhim Khan

Question 10

What do Amir and Baba see while they are fishing

Answer 10

Two tourists/hippies with yellow hair on the opposite side of the pond, fishing

Question 11

What is the only sin according to Baba

Answer 11

Theft, any other sin is a version of theft

Question 12

Who has surgery? Who is the first person they speak to and what do they say?

Answer 12

Hassan. First talks to Amir, says Tashakor/Thank you

Question 13

Who was one of Baba’s childhood playmates?

Answer 13

Ali, Hassans father. Ali was adopted by Baba’s father, the judge, so they grew up together

Question 14

What is the first western Hassan and Amir see together? Who stars in it?

Answer 14

Rio Bravo, John Wayne

Question 15

At the beginning of Chapter 5, what roared like thunder, and what happened because of it?

Answer 15

Gunfire roared, and the president was assassinated, although Ali made it seem like people were just out late hunting ducks

Question 16

What clinical term does Amir refer to Assef as? What does it mean?

Answer 16

He calls him a sociopath, it means that they behave abnormally in society, without moral responseability or social conscience.

Question 17

Summarize the story of Rostam and Sohrab? Who is the character Sohrab?

Answer 17

Rostam was a famous warrior and Sohrab was his arch-nemesis. One day on the battle field, Rostam fatally injures Sohrab, and as he is dying, Sohrab tells Rostam that he is his son, and all that he wanted was his fathers love. Rostam can’t stop Sohrab from dying, and is consumed by grief. Sohrab is a representation of Amir, but a romanticized version, because right now it doesn’t seem like Baba cares enough to feel grief if his son dies, but this is what Amir would like his fathers reaction to be to him being wounded.

Question 18

In chapter six what event happens in the winter that thaw the chill between Amir and Baba

Answer 18

Flying kites and then running them afterwards.

Question 19

In Chapter eight what book does Assef give Amir for his birthday?

Answer 19

A biography of Hitler

Question 20

Breifly describe the kite flying competition and the act of kite running.

Answer 20

The kite flying competition is a competition between children in the neighborhood to see who can cut down all of the other kites and be the last one standing. The act of kite running is running after the kites that have been cut down and getting to them before the others can steal it from you.

Question 21

Who are the three boys in the alley that trap Hassan?

Answer 21

Assef, Wali and Kamal

Question 22

What is the first word of Chapter six what is the significance of this word?

Answer 22

The first word is Winter. The significance is foreshadowing the tragic events that are to come in the chapter because winter symbolizes cold, despair, loneliness, or emptiness as well as the hero’s literal or symbolic death.

Question 23

What does Amir like about winter?

Answer 23

Amir likes not having to go to school in the winter, being able to play cards with Hassan by the fire, playing in the snow, the free Russian movies on Tuesdays at Cinema Park, qurma (sweet turnip) over rice, as well as kite flying and kite running.

Question 24

How has Hassan changed and how does Amir react to this change?

Answer 24

Hassan has become more reserved than before, doesn’t show up as much in Amir’s life and always finishes his chores, but immediately after goes back to bed. Amir reacts by not accepting Hassans request to go the bakery, telling him to stop harassing him. Amir plans his day out so he has to encounter Hassan as little as possible. Amir asked his father if they could ever get new servants. Finally he threw pomegranates at Hassan, then begged him to hit him back.

Amir is really the one avoiding Hassan.

Question 25

In chapter 9, what two gifts does Amir recieve from Baba?

Answer 25

A brand new bicycle and a new watch

Question 26

When Amir says “One of us has to go,” what does he mean?

Answer 26

he means that Hassan or him has to leave

Question 27

What does Amir do to Hassan to get one of them to go?

Answer 27

Amir frames Hassan for stealing his watch and money from his birthday

Question 28

What birthday gift does Hassan give Amir?

Answer 28

Hassan (and Ali) gives Amir a new copy of the Shahnamah, the story of Rostam and Sohrab.

Question 29

What does Baba say to Hassan’s theft

Answer 29

I forgive you

Question 30

In Chapter 10 how old is Hassan?

Answer 30

18

Question 31

Where are Baba and Amir going in Ch 10?

Answer 31

Jalalabad, then to Peshawar, in Pakistan

Question 32

Where do Amir and Baba stay while the truck is being fixed

Answer 32

In a one story house at the intersection of two dirt roads in Jalalabad

Question 33

What does Kamal’s father do when his son dies?

Answer 33

He shoots himself in the head after stealing a gun from Kamir

Question 34

What does Amir think of when Baba tells him to think of something good?

Answer 34

He thinks about Hassan and him in a field in Paghman, flying a kite in sunny weather on a Friday, with knee high grass surrounding them, no talking except for background noise, like birds chirping, and someone calling them for tea and cake.

Question 35

What does Baba standing up to the Russian soldier symbolize? Contrast this to Amir and Hassan when Assef violates Hassan

Answer 35

Baba standing up to the soldier shows that he is the opposite of Amir, not scared of the physical harm that may come to him, as long as he does something right. He has no one to desire love from, so he can act on whatever moral compass he thinks is right, leading him to defend the people that cannot defend themselves.

Question 36

What is the significance of Baba taking dirt from the middle of the paved road?

Answer 36

This shows that Baba knows he’s not coming back to this spot, or his previous home, signaling that he may die, or the country may not be safe to come back to as long as he lives. He’s not typically a sentimental man, so this moment marks the last moment that he will ever see the home he grew up in, before fleeing to another place.