Thursday, October 28, 2010

Kite Runner Fishbowl #6: Chapter 21

Hello, class! Be sure to take the time to read Rob's responses to your questions. You might also take the time to thank him and share with him what you've learned from his detailed posts.

As always, bring at least one quote into your own posts, and get yourself into a hot seat!

Enjoy!

62 comments:

  1. Rob:
    Not being in the army or a part of the military do you need escorts to be able to drive around Afghanistan? Also what exactly do you do for the army?

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  2. Rob-
    I saw the pictures that you sent us and was wondering if those are the types of houses that you have to live in? If you do what is life like in one of those houses how do you live?

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  3. Does amir regret treating hassan the way he did?

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  4. To reply to the inner circles first question:
    I think this means that coming back to Afghanistan has made him think about his childhood and what he and Hassan did together.

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  5. What do you think about the taliban dragging the people into the middle of the stadium and killing them

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  6. Nick C-
    I think Amir deeply regrets the way he treated Hassan. He feels regret for watching him get raped and for planting the money and watch under his bed. I think its even worse now that he knows Hassan is his brother.

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  7. Nick-
    I do think that Amir regrets a lot of the things that he did to Hassan. He thinks about him a lot and has dreams of him so he always wants to be with him and wish he would had been nicer to him.

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  8. Why do you think Fraid tells Amir, "Kabul is not the way you remember it." What do you think has changed since Amir was last in Kabul?

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  9. Nick C-
    Yes i think Amir does regret it, that is partially the reason that he is back in Afghanistan, to make up for it.

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  10. nick-
    Yes i think amir does regret it now that he knows they are brothers he is starting to regret a lot of things he did to him.

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  12. Rob,
    Why do you think they killed the man and the women during halftime at the soccer game? And do they still do that today?

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  13. Greg-
    I think that the Taliban dragging the people into the stadium shows there true colors. They are ruthless people that do not care about anyone else but themselves. I think that the level of disrespect is very high and they have no respect for anything they just want to rule.

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  14. Rob-
    Is there like a type of underground railroad to get Afghanis to Pakistan or other surrounding countries? That is to say, do the Taliban allow people o leave the country if they want? Or do they seal the borders against everyone? What happens if your a Hazara trying to flee?

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  15. Nick,
    I think that Amir regrets treating Hassan bad because now that he figured out that he was his half brother, maybe he wouldn't have done some of the things that he did to him.

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  16. Nick
    I think he does because now that he has grown older and after living in America and for once in his life not being the rich he realizes that he shouldn't have treated Hassan the way he did.

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  17. Nick,

    I think Amir totally regrets treating Hassan the way he did. This is because of the guilt, he is thinking to himself, "What would have happened if i had treated Hassan like a brother?" and so he is wondering what his and Hasssan's lives would be like if he had done something differet.

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  18. Greg-
    What do you think about the taliban dragging the people into the middle of the stadium and killing them?

    I think that it is an inhumane thing to do in any type of crime. I understand the death penalty here in America because that is for people who have killed other people for no reason at all or for many unknown reasons. I don't understand the stoning of people for the pettiest personal crime. I believe that cheating on someone does not deserve death from the government.

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  19. Greg,

    What do you think about the taliban dragging the people into the middle of the stadium and killing them

    I think that that was really just to show that they will kill anybody who disrespects there beliefs. no matter how small and that they will do it publicly.

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  20. kiely do you think Amir feels more obligated to find Hassans kind now that he knows they are related.

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  21. Why do you think it is not a good idea for Amir to go back to Kabul and see his old life?

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  22. Rob -

    In Afghanistan, are any of the people friends? Do they protect one another and stand up against wrong or does everyone turn their backs on one another? Is your own life in-danger as well as every other citizen in Afghanistan? Can anyone trust anyone? I have a quote from page 216 in the Kite Runner and it reads, "...She asked louder and suddenly a young Talib ran over and hit her on the thighs with his wooden stick. He struck her so hard she fell down... what could I do except stand and watch my wife get beaten? If I fought, that dog would have surely put a bullet in me, and gladly!"

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  23. Logan,

    The Taliban are very different from what you think. They are very disiplined and do care about something other than themselves, they care about the future of Afghanistan, and that is why they are stoning and killing people publicly so the citizens will follow their rule and the whole situation would be much easier.

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  24. Why does Amir only think of Hassan and Ali leaving when he sees his old room window?

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  25. Yanni,
    Almost everything has changed since Amir was last in Kabul. I mean all of the buildings were destroyed, almost everyone lives in a mud hut, and there are more homeless people on every corner asking for money and food.

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  26. Response to inner circle-
    I think amir wants to go back because he had everything so easy and he had more fun and his life was a lot better than most others. I feel like amir doesn't like how he is living now. He feels his life has turned a lot.

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  27. When Farid asks Amir why he came back, he replies, "For the boy." Do you think that is really the only reason Amir came back to Kabul?

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  28. Ty B-
    I agree, there are just showing everyone that they are serious, and if you dont listen to them, they will kill you. They did it to intimidate everyone.

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  29. I think amir misses hassan the most. one because that was his brother and he grew up with him

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  30. When Hassan moves into the hotel room, he sees a dried blood stain on the wall. What does this say about the violence of Afghanistan?

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  31. Greg,

    Yes i think that is one of the main reasons he is going on the journey to find Hassan's son in the first place. It seems he feels guilty, about everything he did to Hassan and how he was killed, so he wants to somehow make it up to him by finding his son and bringing him to saftey and giving him the life his father never had.

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  32. Greg,
    I think that Amir feels obligated to find Hassan's son because he is Hassan's half brother and he's also Sohrab's Uncle. Do you think that Amir and his wife will adopt Sohrab?

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  33. alec- I think this means that people will just get killed all over and they will just leave the mess there and wont clean it up. Alot of people also don't get proper burriels they are just left on the streets.

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  34. I agree with Ethan about Nick's comment about how if Amir would have known that Hassan was his half brother that he would have treated him differently and he would have treated like a brother. And I think that now that Hassan has passed away that Amir feels guilty about how he treated him when he was alive and now he has major regrets now that Hassan is dead.

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  35. Yanni,

    I dont think that is the only reason that Amir came back to Kabul. I think that he wants to go to face his inner demons that lie back in Kabul, he wants the guilt he feels to go away, and also he wants to see what it is like after all these years.

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  36. Yanni-
    I think Amir didn't only come back to Kabul for Hassans son. I also think he wants to prove that he isn't a coward.I think he is coming back to his homeland to make Baba and Rahim Kahn proud.

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  37. Responding to the inner circle's question:

    I think that Hassan's death hurt Amir more than Baba's because during his childhood Hassan was his only real friend and after his death he realized that owed him an apology. Baba was sick and dieing and when he finally passed away and Amir knew that it was going to happen.

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  38. Ethan- I do think they will adopt hassans son because Rahim khan is very sick and he is dieing so after that there will be noone to take care of him except for foster homes and they dont want that.

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  39. JD H,

    Why does Amir only think of Hassan and Ali leaving when he sees his old room window?

    The truth is Amir misses Hassan and Ali. The last time the narrator mentions Amir looks out the window is when Ali and Hassan are leaving, this is like a lasting impression and memory for Amir. Everything reminds Amir of Hassan and all Amir can think about is how he could never make amends with his brother. The window in his old bedroom is just a reminder of all of that.

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  40. Yanni,

    When Farid asks Amir why he came back, he replies, "For the boy." Do you think that is really the only reason Amir came back to Kabul?

    I dont think it was the only reason. He went back to see Rham Khan and when he told Amir about Hassans death and how he left the boy, i think then his reasons changed from seeing a old, dying friend to finding his half brothers son to make sure he grows up in a good place.

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  41. In response to the leaders question, "Who do you think Amir misses the most, Hassan and Ali, or Baba?" I think at this point he misses Hassan the most, because a lot of his memories about Hassan are coming back when he is in Kabul. Also he didn't really get to say goodbye to Hassan and the last time they were really together, was the kite tournament.

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  42. Rob-
    In The Kite Runner when Farid takes Amir to the soccer game and the Taliban kill the man and the woman at half time. Do the Taliban really do these kind of stonings during soccer games still?

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  43. Rob:
    Do they still have mass killings in the soccer stadium.

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  44. Alec,

    The blood stain on the wall shows that violence is everwhere, and no one is safe, and it also shows how they cant do anything about it, and how the citizens have just come to accept the violence as a part of their lives.

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  45. David H- Wouldn't you think that he would remember some of the good memories that him and Hassan had at his house or outside like he did with the trees?

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  46. Alec w,

    I think that Hassan sees the blood and he has to except the fact that the world he lives in is now changing and i think that the Hassan sees the blood and thinks to himself that the violence has gotten out of control and so has this whole situation.

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  47. David,
    Answering your question to JD. The only reason why I think he thinks of that moment is because Hassan was a true friend to him and Ali was there for him too. Also, that is when Baba took Ali and Hassan away. I also think that Amir felt sad, because he put the money under Hassan's bed so that Hassan would leave.

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  48. KielyO said...

    Logan,

    The Taliban are very different from what you think. They are very disiplined and do care about something other than themselves, they care about the future of Afghanistan, and that is why they are stoning and killing people publicly so the citizens will follow their rule and the whole situation would be much easier.


    Kiely,

    That doesn't make the Taliban heroes anywhere. They are doing it as a last resort and violence seems to get things done the fastest. They are not good people and you could argue they are concerned for the future of Afghanistan but maybe not in the right way. The Taliban massacre Hazara's and you can't say thats the way a group should rule a country and you can't say thats for the best and greater good right?

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  49. I think that Amir is growing up and realizing that e needs to step up and be a hero. He is going through the steps of the hero's journey, and now that his home is being destroyed, it upsets him and he feels like he needs to help.

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  50. Kiely, I like how you answered my question, "violence is everywhere". We can link this back to when Hassan saw a dead man hanging from a beam in front of a restaurant.

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  51. Do you think that Amir will adopt hassans son because he wont have anyone do go to after Rahim khan dies.

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  52. Yanni,

    Why do you think Fraid tells Amir, "Kabul is not the way you remember it." What do you think has changed since Amir was last in Kabul?

    I think it has changed because of the war that is going on. It has been a long time since he has been there and a lot can go on in that amount of time.

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  53. Greg-
    yes, i think he will, it will kind of make up for what happened with him and Hassan, he feels. So if he does this he will feel better and not as guilty.

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  54. JDH2013 said...

    " David H- Wouldn't you think that he would remember some of the good memories that him and Hassan had at his house or outside like he did with the trees? "

    JD,

    I believe he does remember some of the good memories but it's easier to remember the more depressing and haunting moments in any circumstance right?

    This was a life-changing moment and after that day his whole world was flipped upside down. That moment right there when Amir was watching Hassan and Ali leave was the start of a horrible beginning. I think that is why he remembers that so well, better than any of the other memories created with Hassan.

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  55. David,

    I agree, i wasnt saying they were heros at all, i was just saying how they are a lot more virtous then you think.

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  56. Greg J, I think it would be good for Amir to adopt Sohrab because Amir could connect to Hassan through Sohrab.

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  57. Rob,
    Do they still seriously treat people like they did at the soccer game today?

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  58. Greg-
    I think that is a good question. I think that Amir should adopt Hassans child because ya when Rahim Khan dies Hassan's son will be the only one left to remember his childhood and it would be a good dead to Hassan to adopt his child.

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  59. Kiely,

    I think virtuous is a rough term to use when talking about the Taliban. They are fighting for a common goal of power over the Afghani people but probably not in a very virtuous way.

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  60. Yanni, i think that it isnt the only reason but he just doesnt know it yet

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  61. Rob
    Have you ever seen someone get stoned? If so, is it similar to the stoning at the soccer stadium in the book?

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  62. Zachary,
    No, we ride around in a regular van, one commonly used here as a small bus. We do not attract much attention and most people don't even notice us. The military on the other hand travel in groups of three as a minimum and are very easily spotted.

    Logan,
    No I live in a house just like the one Amir lived in. They are similar to ours in the States.

    Ty,
    They were most likely killed for committing adultery. It does not happen today in Kabul, although there are reports that in Kandahar Province the Taliban have killed females for adultery.

    John,
    It is very easy to go between Afghanistan and Pakistan, there are many trails between the two. The border is not sealed and people move back and forth daily. During the non-winter months the shepherds move their sheep between the two countries. The Hazara are mainly located in the center of the country in Bamyain Province. They can move to Iran fairly easily as they are Shia Muslim. Most do not however, they are still treated poorly in Iran because they are descendants of Genghis Khan's army.

    David,
    People are very much friends here today. In the past it was within the tribe. People do stand up to some violence, however, in the case you site, that was probably the result of a religious infraction. The Afghan Government does have an office called the Ministry of Virtue and Vice, its job is to make sure that the people obey the Koran. The major role is to make sure that nobody converts from Islam to Christianity or any other religion. That remains punishable by death, although in most cases it only results in expulsion from the country.

    LucC,
    No they don't. Most of the killing done for infractions of the Shiria Law are done locally, sometimes at night (especially for spies).

    Zachary and Ethan,
    No they don't treat people that way as soccer games. I have asked about how many times the killings happened during the Taliban period, most of the people I asked said it was not too often.

    Tommy,
    No I haven't seen anyone stoned. It still happens once and a while, but that is generally in the rural areas where the religious leaders have the ability to influence the population.

    Thanks for the questions, they were all very good.

    Rob

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