Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Practice Kite Runner Fishbowl: Chapters 2-4

Welcome to fishbowl! As you engage in an invigorating conversation on the outer circle, please keep in mind the following:

1. Hit the F5 key to refresh your screen and see new comments.
2. Always address the person (or people) to whom you are responding.
3. Comment consistently throughout the discussion.
4. Proofread for spelling and grammar; avoid using texting language.
5. Bring in examples/quotations from the text when possible.
6. Above all else, keep it profressional.

107 comments:

  1. what does amir mean when he said rahim kahn was wrong about the mean streak? What is about to come?

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  3. 1. Does the story Amir wrote show up again in the book? What is the significance?
    2. Is it normal for Baba to not pay attention to Amir?
    3. Why did Baba decide to build an orphanage? Does he feel that he has to share his wealth between people less fortunate?

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  5. 1. How does Amir keep getting away with hanging out with Hassan?
    2. Are they best friends?
    3. What is the song a symbol of on page 11?

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  6. why doesn't hassan try to somewhat stick up for himself when the men are taking about his mom?

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  7. How does Baba's way of seeing sin change how he sees crime?

    Why doesn't Baba tell Amir about him instead of having others?

    Did Baba seem to be more concerned with building an orphanage instead to talking and interacting with his son?

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  8. 1.) Why is Baba so ignorant to his son?

    2.) On page 29 Amir says that all fathers have a secret desire to kill his sons, why does he think this?

    3.)Why do you think Amir got so offended when Hassan found a plot hole in his short story?(pg. 34) Do you think that it is because Amir thinks less of Hassan?

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  9. why is soccer so important to Baba and that his son had to do it?

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  10. Kite Runner Questions chap.3-4

    1. How would Amir's life be different if he had a mom instead of a dad.

    2. Is Baba happy about how well Amir is doing with his writings.

    3. At the end of chapter 4, in the very last sentence it says "Because suddenly Afghanistan had changed forever" (Hosseini 34). How will Afghanistan change.

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  11. 1. How does Amir make himself feel in charge of Hassan? 2. Why doesn't Hassan know he is doing this?
    3. Does Amirs written story symbolize anything in his life?

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  12. why did Amir lie to Baba about bringing Hassan to the newly built orphanage? What kind of relationship does this show for Amir, Baba, and Hassan?

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  13. Does the quote, "Rahim Khan had been wrong about the mean streak thing" (pg 23). have anything to do with the alley that older Amir was talking about in the beginning of the book?

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  14. Why did Baba build an orphanage?

    Why did Baba's friend not fight back?

    Why doesn't Baba acknowledge Amir?

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  15. 1) In chapter 4, What does Amir say about his and Hassan's relationship? (pg 25)

    2) In chapter 3, what was the game they all played in school? (pg 19)

    3) In Chapter 3, what is said about drinking? (pg 16)

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  16. On page 16, "Baba was pouring himself a whiskey from the bar he had built in the corner of the room" , do you think that his dad is an alcoholic and if so do you think its because of his past?

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  17. 1. What does Baba's size and strength symbolize?
    2.Baba says "There is only one sin...and that is theft"(Hosseini 17.) What do you think this shows about his character?
    3. Why do you think Baba distances himself so much from his son?

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  18. 1. Why do you think Baba built the orphanage?

    2. At the beginning of chapter four, Amir says that he never thought of Hassan as his friend. Why doesn't Amir consider Hassan as his friend?

    3.How do you think Amir was feeling after his father didn't offer to read his story?

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  20. why are the bearded tourists "hippies"?

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  21. 1. On page 25, I don't understand why Baba and Amir don't consider Ali and Hassan their friends?

    2. Why does Amir feel responsible for his mother's death?

    3. Why does Baba think that Amir is not his son?

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  22. 1. Does everyone have a mean side to them?

    2.How can Baba not understand his own son?

    3. In chapter 3, Baba built an orphanage. Normaly he is a up tight proud man, who is fabled for fighting bears and being a straight forward guy, so why did he build the orphanage? Is there a true side of Baba we have not seen? Is he more like Amir than we know?

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  23. Do you think the native game of Afghanistan is weird? Why?

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  24. 1.)Why is the man's father make the devil beg for mercy?
    2.)What is the Farsi teacher, is that History teacher or some other class?
    3.)What does soccer do for Baba and why does he enjoy it so much?

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  25. 1. Why does Baba ignore his son and tell it's "Grown-ups" time.
    2. Is this book a flashback of Amir's life?
    3. What is the significance of this book?

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  26. 1. Why does baba not like Amir?
    2. Why is Amirs and babas father son relationship bad?
    3. Why does Amir change the stories when he reads to hassan?

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  27. Is it wrong that Amir and hassan hang out? is it because of there family history?

    Is Baba admired from all the people around? Amir talks about how he wants people to know baba is his dad and how he wants baba no notice him

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  28. What changes in Afganistan forever? Does a war start or something tragic?

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  29. Chapter 3- Why is drinking considered a major sin?

    Chapter 3- Why does Baba ignore Amir if he is his own son?

    Chapter 4- Why did Baba build an orphanage?

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  30. 1. Why doesn't Amir fight back when he gets picked on?
    2. Who is Rahim Kahn in relation to Amir?
    3. Why didn't Amir's baba read his story? Does he just rely on Rahim Kahn to do things like that?

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  31. how is it that Baba tries so hard to bestow him self in his son?

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  32. 1. Why did teenagers get 1 year in the army for killing 2 people(a couple). (pg.28)

    2. Why are kids decided at birth if they are going to be literate? (pg.28)

    3. Why would Amir read different words instead of the ones in the book to Hassan? (pg.30)

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  33. Why does Baba seem to ignore Amir yet is more attracted to Hassan? How do you think this will all tie back to the first chapter? It seems he is already getting a bit frustrated with Baba, this might be showing some foreshadowing.

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  34. Where did Baba grow up and why is he not proud of his son?

    How did Ali kill his mother?

    Where does he go to school and is he being taught by a minister or monk?

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  35. What does the poem/song at the end of chapter two mean?

    How does Hassan take all of the nasty things people always say about his son?

    Why does Baba care more about building an orphanage than being a good father.

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  36. 1. Why doesn't Baba pay attention to Amir.

    2. Why did he want to build an orphanage.

    3. Why does Baba see the world in balck and white.

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  37. 1. Is it morally right to treat and disregard Hassan the way Amir does because of his religion and culture?
    (PAGE 25)

    2. Does Baba do things to live up to other's expectations and to prove people wrong or because he is living his own life without the influence of others?
    "So Baba proved them all wrong by not only running his own business but becoming one of the richest merchants in Kabul." (Hosseini 15)

    3. Why is religion the true ruler over their country, not only with government, but with morals and finding right from wrong?
    "Because history isn't easy to overcome. Neither is religion. In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I was a Sunni and he was a Shi'a, and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing" (hosseini 25)

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  38. On page 21&22
    Why is Baba arugeing with Rahim Khan in Baba's study?

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  39. Do you think that Amir's dad, Baba, is a good parent and or roll model.

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  40. In chapter three Baba is talked about alot but is he always a nice man?

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  41. Tyler D, in response to your 3rd question, I think baba distances himself from Amir, because he is so different from the way he was when he was Amir's age.

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  42. Zach who do you mean by the person being taught to be a minster or monk.

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  43. Alec-
    I don' think that Hassan is really Amir's friend. Amir says that he's my servant. He can't really be a friend to his master.

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  44. Colton -

    1. Why doesn't Baba pay attention to Amir?

    In response to Colton's first question, Baba doesn't wish to pay much attention to his own son, Amir, because he feels writing and poetry is for the women. Baba is uninterested in Amir for Amir's interests and he feels that since they are two very different people that they cannot relate at all.

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  45. Lane- I don't think Baba is a good role model because he doesn't accept a lot from Amir.

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  46. i agree with what Kiely said, on Tyler Davis's question i think that Baba distances himself from Amir because he is ashamed of him because he is nothing like Baba. All amir does is read and right and Baba is ashamed of it because he wants him to be better

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  47. 1. why is baba portrayed as such a mighty figure for example wrestling a bear down?

    2.When amir and baba go to see a game of buzkashi amir crys when a man is trampled and Baba is very embarresed by amir.

    3.Why did amir get so offensive when hassan said why didnt the man in your short story cry onions and amir calls hassan a hazara in his head.

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  48. Keily- everyone has a mean side it just decides when someone wants to show it or not.

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  49. John N, the answer to your second question, Yes. Baba does not like his son so he chooses to almost just alienate(VOCAB WORD!) him from society.

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  50. Colton-
    I think that Baba does not pay attention to Amir because they don't have many things in common and do not do many things together.

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  51. Tommy S.'s comment was good when he said that everyone does has a little bit of a bad side but some people choose to express it more than others do.

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  52. Michael T
    I think that not many people volunteer to join the military so they have to use it a punishment for people that misbehave.

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  53. Justin, Rahim and Baba are arguing about Amir and why he doesn't have self defense. Baba wants Amir to be tougher and stand up for himself. But Rahim thinks that Amir doesn't have any violence in him.

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  54. Tristin and Keily-
    Baba says in pg. 22 that he doesnt think that Amir is anything like himself. He says there's something missing in Amir.

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  55. In response to Blake's question, I think that Amir feels like hes rich and higher in society so he can do what he wants to Hassan whenever.

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  56. Greg, Baba is seen as a higher figure because of how he treats those around him.

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  57. In response to Yannis question- Rahim is Amirs dads best friend

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  58. Sean i agree with you that Baba chooses to alienate his son because he doesn't really want to be involved with his son. Nice vocab word by the way.

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  59. Ty to answer your first question, I don't think Baba dislikes Amir, but he just ignores him because he thinks he is too big of a person and isn't really proud to be his father.

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  60. I think that is is interesting how Amir gets jealous of Hassan, like when they were going to the lake and Baba asked Hassan to go, but amir didnt want him to go because He wanted "Baba for himself". I think this is because Baba neglects Amir so much, that Amir misses him and wants to be with him.

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  61. In regards to Davids question "1. Is it morally right to treat and disregard Hassan the way Amir does because of his religion and culture?" I think that is a very good question. Mainly because i think Amir should treat hassan like a friend and shouldnt care about his religion and culture.

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  62. Alec W, I agree with you 100%. Baba is ashamed of his son because he is weak in his eyes. He also seems to like Hassan better because he is his best friends son.

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  63. Ty B.
    In response to your third question, I think that Amir changes the words in the book to feel like he is empowered, and to almost make Hassan feel like Amir is in charge.

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  64. In response to Tistins first question
    maybe because baba said the greatest sin is theft and that he despises the people who commit theft, like killing a man you steel there right to a life and maybe he feels like that with amir because he might feel like his moms death was amirs fault. Or maybe baba is ignorant to his son because he is nothing like baba, amir is more like his mom and nothing like baba

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  65. Mike-
    With your first question it is very strange but the thinking behind it is that the kid is not afraid to kill people since he has killed two people. So if he is put in the army and needs to kill someone he will because he has done it before. Also it is a punishment every culture is very different.

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  66. I also agree with Kiley and Tyler's question. Baba is ashamed that amir is his son. One, because baba lost his wife to giving birth with amir, and that Amir he is so different from baba. Baba doesn't seem like a good dad for amir. But Amir looks up to him so much so i think he wants to be like baba and follow in his footsteps so that baba can except him as his son.

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  67. Lane-

    Do you think that Amir's dad, Baba, is a good parent and or role model?

    I strongly believe that Baba is a good role model but not a good parent. I don't know how you would consider him a good father because I don't know much of their culture, maybe this is how they raise their kids, whatever they feel best. I do know that this a bad parenting for American standards but no one really knows, who has the right to say who is a good parent and who is a bad parent? no one. Two different cultures could be as much as two worlds apart but I do believe Baba's actions make him a good role model as a person and businessman but not as a parent.

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  68. Kiely- Everyone has a mean side it's just whether they want to show it.

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  69. Lane, to reply to your question, my answer is no, Baba is not a good parent or role model because throughout what we have read Baba is not a very good father. Starting with calling him weak when talking to Rahim and ending with Baba refusing to read Amir's story.

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  70. Tristin it seems as if Baba is not proud to be Amir's father and he thinks Amir is a nobody

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  71. Ethan, in response to your first question, I too had the same question and I am not too sure why they have thought this about each other.

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  72. Ethans Question: I thought it was intersting how Amir and Baba were so Prejudice to Hassan and Rahim Kahn after all that they have been through and after they had grown up together their whole life.

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  73. in response to Ethan's question-
    I think that Ali and Hassan are more of brothers then friends to Amir and Baba so that is why the say that they are not friends

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  74. Why does Rahim Khan refer to Baba as "Mr.Hurricane"?

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  75. sean thanks for answering my question but in regards to your question the game they played at school was Sherjangi. (pg. 19)

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  76. David-
    I agree with your comment directed toward Lane.
    A good role model but not a good parent describes Baba perfectly. He is a strong and intelligent man, but he doesn't seem to care for his son much.

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  77. I agree with what Kiely said about the way Amir and Hassan interact foreshadows that Hassan might die.

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  78. JD. I like your last comment. Take Lennie for example, his mean side never came out until he hurt Curley in "Of Mice and Men".

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  79. Justin
    Baba was arguing with Rahim Kahn because Rahim was trying to stick up for Amir, and telling Baba to start caring more, and to be a better parent. And Baba was saying it is hard for him to interact because they are so different from eachother and he is ashamed.

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  80. Tyler's comment was good about how for all we know all of the kids are treated like Baba treats his son in Afghanistan but for all we know that is the opposite way they could treat the kids there aswell so we just don't know at all.

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  81. I want to respond to my own question- On page 29 Amir says that all fathers have a secret desire to kill their sons, i did not understand why he though this. My ideas on why he might have thought this were that its because Amir has been neglected his whole life, so he feels like his dad hates him, and maybe wants him to die, when in reality most fathers dont want to secretly kill their sons.

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  82. Tommy-
    I also have a suspicion that Hassan dies. In the first chapter, Amir talks about his past of unattoned sins and he says he thinks about Amir. I think that the forshadowing displayed in chap 1 is a sign of Hassans' death.

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  83. Alec- I'm glad you noticed that. It's like how Baba's friends never fought back when those kids were picking on him.

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  84. I agree with what Blake said to Zach H's question because I think that Amir's mother might support him a little bit more in the things that he is interested in.

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  85. Greg J-

    1. why is baba portrayed as such a mighty figure for example wrestling a bear down?

    I believe Baba is portrayed as more like a hero in many people's eyes because of his success. Since Baba is such a successful person, people look up to him because they don't necessarily know how to get it done like Baba does. Baba is a successful business man and a very wealthy merchant which not many people are in their country. The example of wrestling a bear down, to me is more like a rumor because he is a great man, people tell stories about him that aren't really true but give you an idea of how he is a good man.

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  86. Lane & David,
    I have to agree with David. The Afghani culture is very different from ours. From people who I know who have been to Afghanistan, they said their parenting was different from ours. Because of the reason that the Americans these days have a very high standard of living.

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  87. In response to clintons question-
    Rahim Khan refers to Baba as the "Hurricane" because is such a large figure and he is a great power it seems like. for example it says that Baba killed a bear with his own hands and that is a good example of his nickname

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  88. Does the fact that Amir can't stand up for himself make it harder for him to live in Afghanistan?

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  89. Mike T.
    in response to your first question its a form of punishment. they don't get locked up because its a different culture and thats how they punish killers because with them being in the army they have a chance to get killed them self.

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  90. baba is a good work man and has shown people that he can start businesses up. So he succeeds in that, but he needs to show that his only son needs someone to care for him. From what i have read from the book the life stile of middle east seams really hard. That the men care abut the social class and its a big deal to be better and have the best kid, job, wife, or anything else. Because of this, Baba needs to show amir that he loves him for who he is.

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  91. In response to Lane, I think the girls and women in Afghanistan get treated bad because a long time ago men were "better than women" in their society and it still is today because they don't really get to the outside world and see how it is today, they don't see that women have equal rights today because there not as advanced.

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  92. Tristin, I agree with you. I am sure Baba would not actually want to kill his son, but maybe he feels he would be better off without him. Even though I doubt these are his true intentions, he may be thinking this at some parts throughout the story. In reality, most father's love their sons, even if they have faults. Mos people see past this and love their children for who they are.

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  93. Zach B-
    It seems to me that Amir would have a harder time living in Afghanistan when he can't defend himself. If there was a war in the near future, would Amir be able to fight back to defend health and home?

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  94. In the book I noticed that they always refer to Rahim Khan with his first and last name. Why is he the only one in the book with his first and last name.

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  95. Trevor, it was Hassan's mother that left him, not Amir's because she died.

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  96. I want to respond to Tommy's question- At the end of chapter 4 it said that something would change in afghanistan, i think that Baba and Rahim Khan are you to get shot. This wil change afghanistan and change Amir and Hassan's life forever

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  97. 1. Why does Baba ignore Amir?
    2. Why does Amir not read all the words in the book to Hassan?
    3.Is the poem significant will it come up again?

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  98. Zach B, your last question makes a good point. It must be hard for Amir to live in such a violent country when he doesn't stand up for himself.

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  99. Tristin P-

    "I want to respond to my own question- On page 29 Amir says that all fathers have a secret desire to kill their sons, i did not understand why he though this. My ideas on why he might have thought this were that its because Amir has been neglected his whole life, so he feels like his dad hates him, and maybe wants him to die, when in reality most fathers dont want to secretly kill their sons."

    I agree with this statement except I want to add a few more ideas along with it. I don't think Amir really meant it when he said "all fathers have a secret desire to kill their sons" I think that can be easily taken out of context because it seems to be more of a exaggeration. People say they want to kill someone else but they don't really mean it, in almost all cases. But maybe he feels that since Baba shows such disinterest in himself, Amir, that he probably wouldn't care if he was dead. In some way maybe Baba feels like Amir is dead to him.

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  100. Greg & David,
    In regards to the question David has about Hassan and Amir's relationship with the addition to religion to it, I think again, it traces back to culture. Most areas of the Middle East, you MUST be Muslim. You do not have the freedom of religion. There may have been a deeper meaning within it all

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  102. Colton-
    Why did he want to build an orphanage.
    I want to answer your question. I think baba wanted to build an orphanage because he might have a nicer side to him or he just wanted to show what a great man he is kinda like he is bragging.

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  103. I like kiely's comment on how Baba wants to kill his son and have a new one that was more like him. And i think that is true that Baba is dissapointed in the way his son turned out to be nothing like his dad. But how do you think that makes the kid feel knowing that his dad maybe doesn't like him and that his dad doesn't want to do anything with him and that his dad may want another son and not him.

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  104. Justin, who says that that is true? There are plenty of relationships in the world where one friend has more power than the other. Look around; even though almost all of these relationships have an inclusion of money, some people are much richer and therefore more powerful than their best friend.

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  105. Alec in response to your third question, i don't think Amir considers Hassan a friend for the main fact that Hassan is his servant, and having power over him would ruin the whole theory about friendship. You can not be friends if one has power and control over the other.

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  106. Ethan,
    Amir feels responsible for his mother's death because she died in the process if giving birth to him, so it was pretty much unintentionally caused by Amir, which makes him feel guilty.

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  107. -Logan
    The teenagers accidently killed the couple by driving them over. The teenagers hit them with their car on accident. Also even if the teenagers were use to killing, joining the army would be no punishment.

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