Literature Analysis #2

Kite Runner

1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read according to the elements of plot you've learned in past courses (exposition, inciting incident, etc.).  Explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).

It’s been awhile since I’ve read such a tantalizing and moving tale with a plot so intense. The exposition must be all the way up to the kite competition. The readers learn all about the relationship between Hassan and Amir and Amir and his father, while getting a sense of history about the Afghan culture and the Russians. The definite inciting incident is when Hassan get’s raped and Amir witnesses it. This changes the whole plot because Amir holds a dark secret that no one knows about but lets it affect his relationship with Hassan, sending his dad (who has been friends with Baba since as long as he could remember) and Hassan out of their life. From there history takes over and those pairs go their separate ways, which disturbs and comes back to Hassan later on in the story. The climax is when Amir is back in Afghanistan finding Hassan's son who is later revealed to be with an old enemy, Assef. Amir than barely rescues Sobhar (Hassan's son) and takes him back to America with him despite his suicide scare. The suicide scare and events after that are the falling action because it ends with Amir back home with his wife and Sobhar even though his life wasn't perfect.

2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.

The theme of the novel would have to be your character as a youthful person dictates how the rest of your life will turn out. This is actually seen through all the main characters, for examples Baba, Hassan and Amir. How they acted when they were younger depicted their decisions as adults. Hassan’s loyalty to Amir for example is illustrated in his older years when he is volunteering to keep Baba’s old house clean for Rahim Khan. Also, Amir is faced with another decision of being a coward or not in his adulthood, compared to when in his teenage years he ran away from his friend’s troubles. The book really focuses on the struggle of the characters and how they choose to face their own demons.

3. Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s). The authors tone throughout the whole story would vary from being blissful and proud to melancholy and intense.

The author’s tone throughout the book stays mainly at a melancholy/ longing type of tone. “The generation of Afghan children whose ears would know nothing butt he sounds of bombs and gunfire was not yet born.” The author threw in this to give the readers a sense of the history going on in Afghanistan. Afghanistan to this day, has never really had a positive history to begin with being an American… but with this book I have a deeper understanding of the culture, which is honestly depressing. “They’d all just go rot in Hazarajat where they belong. You’re a disgrace to Afghanistan.” The intensity and hate behind this dialogue goes to show the melancholy of the book. “The streets glistened with fresh snow and the sky was a blameless blue.” This quote just really shows the setting of the book and what the author was trying to accomplish.

4. Describe a minimum of ten literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the author's purpose, the text's theme and/or your sense of the tone. For each, please include textual support to help illustrate the point for your readers. (Please include edition and page numbers for easy reference.) 

Foreshadowing: With the use of this technique, I was able to infer alot about the point Khaled was trying to get across because he used this technique very often in his text. "So I left the room and went looking for another hotel, unaware that almost a year would pass before I would hear Sohrab speak another word." Pg. 356

Dialogue (Very prominent): The dialogue was very important because it stressed the atmosphere of the scenes. "We're hungry but we're not savages! He is a guest! What was I supposed to do?...I tiptoed away...They hadn't been staring at the watch at all. They'd been staring at my food" Pg. 241

Similes/metaphors: The simile's and metaphors really provided a serious sense of tone through out the book. "... Like a cop showing mug shots of the killer to the victim's family" Pg. 159

Flashbacks: The flashbacks add a sense of time into the story and help develop the sincerity of the moment. "Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years" Pg. 1.

Foil Characters: The foil characters helped me with the author's purpose by showing me how two contrasting characters can share similarities and how the author tried to compare the main character to an enemy. For example Amir and Assef.

Allusion: Creates a strong sense of tone between the characters when they are describing events. "I felt like jean Valjean sitting across from Javert. I reminded myself that I was on American soil now, that this guy on my side." Pg 328

Changing of Settings: The setting has played a big role in the Kite Runner by moving along the plot from Afghanistan to the United States and creating problems which  also helped with getting a theme of the story. 

Suspense: Suspense helps provide a melancholy sense of tone to the story. "Lessen his suffering. And mine too. Either way, this much had become clear: One of us had to go" Pg. 102 

Tragedy: The tragedy is basically Amir living his life with a terrible regret and as that is happening, all his closest family dies. " We closed the door. Baba never woke up" Pg. 173

Imagery: This really develops an impact on the author's purpose because it illustrates the authors purpose clearly. "I only knew the memory lived in me, a perfectly encapsulated morsel of good past, a brushstroke of color on the gray, barren canvas that our lives had become." Pg 123

1. Describe two examples of direct characterization and two examples of indirect characterization.  Why does the author use both approaches, and to what end (i.e., what is your lasting impression of the character as a result)?

Two profound events that happened in the book that were direct characterization are when Amir called himself a coward for watching his friend get raped and when Baba was described by his colleagues by all the amazing accomplishments he achieved. Two indirect characterizations are when Hassan showed his character and loyalty to Amir who was shockingly disappointed that Hassan would not fight back. He was then characterized as a person who would give an arm and leg for Amir, while on the other hand he would not. Another example is when Farid gave off a hostile impression than later changed to a hospitality person after finding out Amir’s real purpose. I think the author uses both approaches to help the readers get different perspectives on the characters between how they see themselves and how they really carry themselves through the book. Honestly though, I have a hate/love relationship with Amir’s character ESPECIALLY when he didn’t save his half-brother from the awful actions of Assef. I really wish he stood up for him, but knowing his character and his thoughts and feelings about Hassan, I had a bad feeling that he wouldn’t come to his rescue.

2. Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character?  How?  Example(s)?

I honestly don’t think the author’s syntax or diction changes from character to character because he kept a constant dialect through out the whole book. Even when using dialogue, Khaled had a way to maintain the same level of intelligent between characters. 

3. Is the protagonist static or dynamic?  Flat or round?  Explain. 

The protagonist is a very dynamic character. Amir has many bits and pieces to him that really shape the plot of the story. For example him finding out that he was HALF-BROTHER to Hassan, the very person he treated like dirt, influenced his decision to staying in Afghanistan for a little longer to find Hassan’s son and rescue him. Hassan is also a very round character. His character develops through out the years he is gone from his home country and through tragic events like his father dying, the marrying of a woman he cannot bare children to, the news of his half-brother dying/ finding out he was his half-brother and seeing his half-brother get raped. He develops a type of courage and ambition that doesn’t follow in the steps of his father.

4. After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character?  Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction. 

I felt like I was in another world but realized that what happens in the book is reality in their country. Hassan felt like a person I’d met but I also felt like a read a character. I mainly did feel like a read a character or a story about someone but not in a negative light. One instant is when it was Amir’s graduation. Amir had always had this longing of love and appreciation from his father his whole life and on his graduation day he finally felt that until his father said “I wish Hassan was here to see this”. Hassan’s heart dropped and he felt all the guilt he didn’t want to feel. At that instant I felt like I could relate and give him sympathy because I understood what he was feeling. Moments like those in the book make me feel like I’m talking to someone I know. Or reading about someone I know. But in the end, this book makes me feel like I’ve read a lifetime about a person.