Throughout the novel, there is much internal conflict which is pulling Amir different ways. Most of this conflict is brought about by his regret for not stoping Hassan's rape. His internal conflict begins when he has to decide if he will make up lies to convince Baba to fire Ali as his servant. In the end, his coward side wins and he ends up making up lies which lead to Ali and Hassan quitting the job. He also faces conflict during this excerpt when he isn't sure if he can tell Soraya about his past with Hassan. In the end, he is once again a coward by his standards and is unable to tell Soraya exactly what happened between him and Hassan in the winter of 1975. He realizes that because of his past of sins, he has no right to judge Soraya for her past with another man. He sees his sins of being worse than anything Soraya could have possibly done. The original conflict of his unwillingness to rescue Hassan branches out into all aspects of Amir's life and even in his adult life, this one situation still greatly affects his everyday life.
Showing posts with label "The Kite Runner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label "The Kite Runner. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
"The Kite Runner"- Internal conflict
"I'd betrayed Hassan, lied, driven him out, and destroyed a forty-year relationship between Baba and Ali... I suspected there were many ways in which Soraya Taheri was a better person than me. Courage was just one of them" (page 165).
"The Kite Runner"- Protagonist and Antagonist
"I wanted that, to move on, to forget, to start with a clean slate. I wanted to be able to breath again" (page 105).
While reading, I found the protagonist to be Amir. While he is not exactly a "hero," he is the one who drives the action. It is from him that most of the conflict arises. He creates the action and keeps it going through his cowardice during the rape of Hassan, his regret afterward, and his search for redemption. Although his hubris has not been revealed yet, I see it as being a lack of ability to forgive himself and to ask for forgiveness as well. He holds in his problems from his childhood and this leads to many conflicts in his life with Baba, Ali, Rahim Khan, Soraya, and Hassan.
I found the antagonist to be Hassan throughout the book. It is because of Hassan that Amir faces many problems in his life. The excerpt is evidence of this. It shows that because of Hassan, Amir feels he needs a "clean slate." It begins with internal conflict because of his regret for not helping to save Hassan when he had the chance to stop his rape. This internal conflict progresses into problems with Baba and even holds Amir back in his adult life. Hassan and the guilt Amir feels because of him that he cannot be completely honest with his wife and other friends and family members.
While reading, I found the protagonist to be Amir. While he is not exactly a "hero," he is the one who drives the action. It is from him that most of the conflict arises. He creates the action and keeps it going through his cowardice during the rape of Hassan, his regret afterward, and his search for redemption. Although his hubris has not been revealed yet, I see it as being a lack of ability to forgive himself and to ask for forgiveness as well. He holds in his problems from his childhood and this leads to many conflicts in his life with Baba, Ali, Rahim Khan, Soraya, and Hassan.
I found the antagonist to be Hassan throughout the book. It is because of Hassan that Amir faces many problems in his life. The excerpt is evidence of this. It shows that because of Hassan, Amir feels he needs a "clean slate." It begins with internal conflict because of his regret for not helping to save Hassan when he had the chance to stop his rape. This internal conflict progresses into problems with Baba and even holds Amir back in his adult life. Hassan and the guilt Amir feels because of him that he cannot be completely honest with his wife and other friends and family members.
"The Kite Runner"- Point Of View
"I knew it wasn't just Rahim Khan on the line. It was my past of unatoned sins" (page 1).
This excerpt from the very beginning of the novel sets the tone and the point of view for the entire story. It shows the reader that the story is going to be told from the point of view of Amir, so it will be his opinions and memories which will be shown throughout the story. It sets the POV as first person. Also, it establishes the tone which Amir expresses throughout the majority of the novel. By speaking of his "unatoned sins," he shows that he has something in his past which he regrets. This single sentence causes suspense for the rest of the novel by suggesting that he had a bad past, but by keeping it vague. Also, is establishes his nostalgic tone and shows that the majority of the novel is going to be him looking back at his past. By establishing the point of view and tone at the very beginning, the narrator can give hints to the reader about what is to come without giving away too much. Along with this, he also shows his attitude toward what happened in his past.
This excerpt from the very beginning of the novel sets the tone and the point of view for the entire story. It shows the reader that the story is going to be told from the point of view of Amir, so it will be his opinions and memories which will be shown throughout the story. It sets the POV as first person. Also, it establishes the tone which Amir expresses throughout the majority of the novel. By speaking of his "unatoned sins," he shows that he has something in his past which he regrets. This single sentence causes suspense for the rest of the novel by suggesting that he had a bad past, but by keeping it vague. Also, is establishes his nostalgic tone and shows that the majority of the novel is going to be him looking back at his past. By establishing the point of view and tone at the very beginning, the narrator can give hints to the reader about what is to come without giving away too much. Along with this, he also shows his attitude toward what happened in his past.
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