These photographs are some of the only possessions that they take with them when they evacuate Afghan.
There is also another VERY important photograph in this novel - the one Amir gives to Sohrab.
The Kite - As I was explaining earlier, the Kite is one of the most monumental images in the whole of the novel. It represents so much:
*Symbol of Afghan pride/freedom (Kite fighting is banned under the Taleban)
*Symbol of Baba's pride for Amir (albeit brief)
*Symbol of Hassan's loyalty to, and love for Amir
*The reason Hassan gets raped (protecting the Kite for his friend Amir)
*Difficult to obtain/collect - but Hassan is an EXPERT at running kites. Shows his worth/skill although he is not valued by Amir.
Trees - Trees are mentioned in almost EVERY chapter of this novel. I'm afraid I haven't been able to find much about what each particular SPECIES of tree represents. Apparently POMEGRANATE TREES have held particular significance for many of the world's religions in the past. You could say that this makes it seem sacred. The main thing you need to say about trees is that they add a sense of nature/goodness to the scenes. Later in the novel, when the landscape had been abused, and the pomegranate tree is wilting, it is a symbol or motif for the invasion and abuse of the land, and the loss of innocence which we empathise with in relation to Amir and Hassan's upbringing and childhood. They have been forced to grow up in unnatural ways, and the trees serve as a reminder of this.
Think about the message carved into the tree - Amir and Hassan, The Sultans of Kabul - Talk about the imagery of this. The unspoken love between the two of them. The irony that A. Hassan was NEVER treated like a Sultan, and B. The message remains long after both families are driven out of Kabul by enemy forces.
Pashtun Dialogue - Right through this novel, the narrator introduces us to Pashtun terms and dialogue. You may well find you want to comment on this if it is relevant. What you need to focus on is how sometimes he EXPLAINS what the words mean, and sometimes not. Possible reaons for this:
*The mood the narrator is in at this particular time in the novel (upset, happy, regretful, angry etc)
*A reflection of the sense of national pride he feels at this stage (does he feel like he needs to explain himself and his nation, or is he quite comfortable with his place in society at this point?)
*Possibly it reflects a trust placed in the reader as we continue along. Later in the book, we know the customs and culture well enough not to need constant translation.
The Slingshot - The ultimate understated (almost peaceful) weapon. Showing how humble Hassan is, but what lengths he is willing to go to to protect Amir. This Motif is made all the more important when we discover that Sohrab (the orphanage scene) has also inherited this skill, and uses a slingshot to blind Assef).
The following are taken from Shmoop...
The Monster in the Lake
The morning of the kite-fighting tournament, Hassan tells Amir about a dream he had: The two of them at Ghargha Lake. However, no one's in the water because apparently there's a monster in there. In Hassan's dream, Amir jumps into the water anyway and Hassan follows. They swim out into the middle of the lake and the people on the shore cheer. The lake is renamed "Lake of Amir and Hassan, Sultans of Kabul." So what does Hassan's dream mean?
It's possible Hassan made up the dream. Amir is very nervous on the morning of the tournament. Hassan could be trying to comfort him through this story. Don't worry, Hassan is saying, a monster isn't waiting for you out in the streets of Kabul. Hassan's truthfulness probably isn't worth too much consideration.
Another fact, however, is worth quite a bit of consideration: later that day, Assef rapes Hassan in the streets of Kabul while Amir stands by and watches. Does this mean Amir is the monster in the lake and that Hassan is horribly wrong? Is Amir's jealousy of Hassan the monster? Or is Assef the monster? Much like the people on the shore, Baba and Rahim Khan cheer for Amir when he wins the kite tournament. Does this mean Baba and Rahim Khan are oblivious of the monster?
This is a complicated little dream. There's probably no one way to interpret it. We can't even say for sure if Hassan is wrong about the monster. If Amir redeems himself later in the novel and overcomes his past, doesn't that mean he and Hassan scare away the monster? That Amir gets rid of the monster inside himself? We can say one thing for sure: even Shmoop's Department of Parapsychology and Dreams had a tough time with this one.
It's possible Hassan made up the dream. Amir is very nervous on the morning of the tournament. Hassan could be trying to comfort him through this story. Don't worry, Hassan is saying, a monster isn't waiting for you out in the streets of Kabul. Hassan's truthfulness probably isn't worth too much consideration.
Another fact, however, is worth quite a bit of consideration: later that day, Assef rapes Hassan in the streets of Kabul while Amir stands by and watches. Does this mean Amir is the monster in the lake and that Hassan is horribly wrong? Is Amir's jealousy of Hassan the monster? Or is Assef the monster? Much like the people on the shore, Baba and Rahim Khan cheer for Amir when he wins the kite tournament. Does this mean Baba and Rahim Khan are oblivious of the monster?
This is a complicated little dream. There's probably no one way to interpret it. We can't even say for sure if Hassan is wrong about the monster. If Amir redeems himself later in the novel and overcomes his past, doesn't that mean he and Hassan scare away the monster? That Amir gets rid of the monster inside himself? We can say one thing for sure: even Shmoop's Department of Parapsychology and Dreams had a tough time with this one.
Baba and the Black Bear
Early in the novel, as we're getting to know Baba, Amir relates one of the legends about his father. Apparently Baba wrestled a black bear in Baluchistan and has the scars to prove it. Now, we know what you're thinking: no one could wrestle a bear and live to tell the tale. But Amir reassures us this story isn't typical Afghan laaf (exaggeration). The story has obviously affected Amir because he imagines it "countless times" and even dreams about it (3.1). And here's the interesting part. In his dreams, Amir can't tell Baba apart from the bear.
On one level, you can interpret the bear story fairly simply: it tells us just how towering of a figure Baba is to Amir. This guy is no joke – he wrestles bears. The fact that Amir believes the story, too, tells us a little about their relationship. It's one of distant awe. But there's also the oddity of the bear and Baba morphing into each other. Perhaps Baba becomes a fearful beast to Amir? Or perhaps Baba, in wrestling with his sins, merges with them? We're not totally sure. But Baba and Amir both wrestle with major betrayals in the book. At one point Amir explicitly compares the troubles and hardships of Baba's life to a bear Baba couldn't beat (see 13.51).
Later in the novel, when he's in the hospital in Peshawar, Amir has a hallucination. In the hallucination, Baba is in Baluchistan fighting the bear. It's a rip-roaring fight. Fur flying and all that. When the dust clears, Amir gets a good look at the person wrestling the bear. It's not Baba – it's Amir. Now Amir has taken on the fight with the bear. Does this mean Amir achieves some sort of manhood – or only that he's taken on his father's sins? (They could be the same thing.) If we keep in mind the earlier dream in which Amir can't tell his father apart from the bear, an interesting interpretation pops up. Perhaps when Amir wrestles with the bear he is really wrestling with his father. We'll say this for Amir and Baba – Hosseini has them wrestling with one of the most dangerous animals on the planet. We would choose a cuddly kitten or maybe a lame gerbil.
On one level, you can interpret the bear story fairly simply: it tells us just how towering of a figure Baba is to Amir. This guy is no joke – he wrestles bears. The fact that Amir believes the story, too, tells us a little about their relationship. It's one of distant awe. But there's also the oddity of the bear and Baba morphing into each other. Perhaps Baba becomes a fearful beast to Amir? Or perhaps Baba, in wrestling with his sins, merges with them? We're not totally sure. But Baba and Amir both wrestle with major betrayals in the book. At one point Amir explicitly compares the troubles and hardships of Baba's life to a bear Baba couldn't beat (see 13.51).
Later in the novel, when he's in the hospital in Peshawar, Amir has a hallucination. In the hallucination, Baba is in Baluchistan fighting the bear. It's a rip-roaring fight. Fur flying and all that. When the dust clears, Amir gets a good look at the person wrestling the bear. It's not Baba – it's Amir. Now Amir has taken on the fight with the bear. Does this mean Amir achieves some sort of manhood – or only that he's taken on his father's sins? (They could be the same thing.) If we keep in mind the earlier dream in which Amir can't tell his father apart from the bear, an interesting interpretation pops up. Perhaps when Amir wrestles with the bear he is really wrestling with his father. We'll say this for Amir and Baba – Hosseini has them wrestling with one of the most dangerous animals on the planet. We would choose a cuddly kitten or maybe a lame gerbil.
No comments:
Post a Comment