Saturday, September 14, 2013

Fishbowl #1: Chapters 9 and 10 of The Kite Runner




Welcome to your first official fishbowl!


Aiming for an A for the day?  Here's how to get it:
(A) Bring at least one quotation and/or page reference into at least one of your responses.
 
(B) Explain your thinking thoughtfully and thoroughly (try to avoid the one-sentence response).

(C) Keep it professional, including the usage of proper grammar and spelling.

(D) Comment frequently from the beginning of the conversation to the end.

Remember also that you're welcome to get into a hotseat in the inner circle for a little while and earn some of your daily participation points there.

 
 






Enjoy!

149 comments:

  1. lets do this shiznit. team leclaire period 1 FTW.

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  2. "One of us had to go." pg 102. What does this tell us about how Amir feels about Hasaan?

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    1. It shows that Amir doesn't feel that Hassan is his friend anymore.

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    2. It shows the jealousy that Amir has for Hassan, because of how Baba treats Hassan even though he isn't his son.

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  3. Amir could not do anything to help him. What would you do?

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    1. Yes he could he could have stepped up and at least tried to fight them off with Hassan instead of just standing there watching

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    2. Well Danny I personally would assist my friend if he was ever in any sort of situation like this.

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    3. I don't think that he could because if he had tried to stop the same fate may have awaited him.

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    4. I don't agree with you Michael because, Amir could have got raped too, and then they both would've had a bad memory; Or he could have got beat up and hurt really bad.

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    5. Nate: well yes but Hassan would have thanked him for at least trying to help him and Amir would feel better about himself because he knows that he didn't just stand there watching.

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  4. Answering sean, Amir's selfishness might be a part of the heroic journey that he is going through.

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    1. He needs to overcome a journey like all great heroes. For example, Hercules.

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  5. Class: Why do you think Hassan got raped? What was the purpose of it?

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    1. I think Hasaan got raped because Asef and his friends wanted to humiliate Hasaan and they wanted to take away his manhood.

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    2. To make us hate Amir a little bit so he has to earn the reader's trust back.

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    3. I think the purpose was to establish dominants and take away his pride.

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    4. I think it was because Assef wanted to show the dominance his religion has over Hassan's, in a Hitler like way who he worships.

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    5. Because the boys felt threatened from their last encounter. They feel that no "monkey" should be able to do that. It was their way of exploring their bicuriousness and establishing his dominance.

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    6. Good question I think he got raped because Assaf wanted to take away his manly hood or make him feel weak.

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    7. I agree, Eli and Dakota, but why would Asef chose Hassan out of all the people there?

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    8. I think Hassan got raped because Asef wanted to emasculate him, and make him feel powerless.

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  6. i think amir isnt selfish is becuase he just felt like he shouldnt have to help hasaan out for everything in his life.

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  7. I think Amir ignored Hassan because he felt bad that he didn't do anything about Assef RAPING him.

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  8. Like Mrs LeClaire said maybe this is how all heros journies start off like

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  9. Is the price of losing Hassan worth the reward of Baba's attention. #RISKANDREWARD

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    1. I don't think so, because when Amir grows of age he will realize that what he is doing is wrong and his fathers friendship will be there tell the end.

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    2. I think that it's not because you are losing a friend and you could still have Baba's attention if Amir was to just help and defend Hassan, then they would still have their friendship #Xbestfriends:(

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  10. I think Amir is so caught up in his father liking him that he will so anything to get his fathers approval and its clear that in chapter 7 he sits there and watches Hassan get raped so he can get the kite and bring it back to Babba

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  11. On page. 105 when Baba asked Hassan "Did you Steal that money," and Hassan replying with the short answer "Yes," did Hassan do it out of shame or did he do it for Amir's friendship?

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    1. I think it was for Amir's friendship because on page 105 Amir says, "This was Hassan's final sacrifice for me."

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    2. I think that Hasaan does it for the frienship he has between Amir because Hasaan doesn't know that Amir witnessed him getting raped.

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    3. When Hassan saw Amir put the money and watch under his pillow i think he knew that Amir wanted him gone so he just said that he did steal it.

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  12. I think that Amir is selfish because all he wants in life is Baba's love and to make him proud. Amir puts Hassan into trouble because he wants to make Baba happy, Hassan is a sacrifice in his eyes.

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    1. I think in the story that Amir represents a noble cowardly tiger, and Hassan is just a helpless lamb that was born under a bad name. I think Amir knows that and took advantage of the sacrificial lamb and did what he thought was best.

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  14. I agree with Jordan because, yes there friendship was damaged ever since Amir watched him get rapped. Hassan knew that he just stood there and watched. Amir wanted attention from Baba because he wanted to be, "the son he never had"(Baba.

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  15. "... I forgive you." pg 105. Obviously Baba still cares for Hassan and wants to keep him and his dad, right?

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    1. I agree Connor, they may fight but in the end they all get along. Even though Amir watched him get brutally raped, Hassan still has to be nice to Amir. #tkr

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  16. why exsactly did Amir frame hassan?

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    1. Amir framed Hassan because he just didn't know what to do at that point and the only thing that he could think of was to end the situation.

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    2. Amir could not handle having Hassan around the house, because of the guilt of not helping him when he was being raped.

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  17. Dear, Nate
    Hassan got raped by Assef because Assef wanted to feel powerful and he also wanted to get payback.

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    1. Payback for what? When Hassan had the slingshot?

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    2. What did he want payback for though?

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  18. He cant stand to be around him ever since the alley where Hassan got raped and Amir's way of dealing with it is to shut him out of his life.

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    1. I disagree, I think he is ashamed of himself for letting that happen. In reality, if he had stepped in, they might of both got raped. But the way the narritive is moving, I suspect some sort of redemption at some point.

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  19. i think amir framed hassaan becuase he wanted to see if he would take the blame for him one last time as he says on page 105 "then i understood: this was Hassan's final sacrifice for me." by this amir means that this would be the last thing that hassan does for amir and i think that even amir knew that this was the last straw for hassan. #friendship #kites

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  20. ... I forgive you." pg 105. i feel that when baba says this he says it because he is his son not because he cared its his fathers obligation to hassan

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  21. On page 41 Asseff says "how can you call him your friend." Asseff is asking Amir why Hassan is Amirs friend. Asseff sees Amir as a normal guy, but he sees Hassan as an ungrateful Hazara. Asseff is mad at Amir because he is friends with a Hazara. My thinking changed rapidly from Amir. At the beginning of the book, I pictured Amir as a friend who would be with Hassan in any situation. After I read chapter seven, I now see Amir as selfish. I picture Amir as selfish, because he let Hassan get beat up to save his Kite. Hassan would take a bullet for Amir, but Amir wont even take a hit for Hassan.

    Why has Asseff out of all things decided to Rape him.

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  22. So after Amir framed Hassan, and he admitted to it how come Baba forgave Hassan since stealing is,"one unforgivable sin"?

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  23. I think Amir framed Hassan because he couldn't stand looking at him and living with him because he feels so guilty about not doing anything when he was raped. Amir said one of them had to leave.

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    1. Yeah, just seeing him made him think back to it and his guilt was, so bad it had to be done.

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  24. I agree with what Nick said about how his life will change forever. It's at a deeper level than that though. As time goes on Amir will always remember his best friend getting raped in the back of an ally. It will just get worse and worse as time goes on.

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  25. "I was glad that someone knew me for who I really was, I was tired of pretending."pg 106. Why does Amir feel the need to be recognized for his wrongdoings?

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  26. He almost has to act like that and take the blame for everything because he is Amirs servant

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  27. He cant stand to be around him ever since the alley where Hassan got raped and Amir's way of dealing with it is to shut him out of his life. why did he just stand there when it happened?? if he had done something then they would have moved off and not raped amir

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    1. I don't think that Amir could have done anything because he was outnumbered by bigger, stronger teenagers and if he had intervened then he may have gotten raped too.

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  28. Hassan does the thing he does for Amir because he respects him and also Hassan is a good friend.

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  29. I think that hassan is taking all the blame for what amir did because they have been good friends and hes kinda scared of amir

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    1. Why do you think he is scared of him?

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  30. Do you think Hassan knows that Amir just stood watching while he was getting raped? Or does he have no clue?

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    1. I would say yes, because Hassan was with him and he saw him in the alley way watching.

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    2. I think that Hassan didn't know that Amir was watching as Hassan just was down getting raped.

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    3. "Hassan knew. He knew I'd seen everything in that alley, that I'd stood there and done nothing." page 105. I think Hassan knows ever since that moment happened, Amir never talked to him and tried to stay away and get him out of is life. That's when Hassan knew Amir knew what happened.

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  31. What is the significance of it raining in the middle of the summer when Hasaan and Ali go to the bus station?

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    1. When it is raining people tend to be sad and feel down, and when Ali and Hassan leave it is a very sad scene.

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  32. did hassan tell his dad that he was raped?

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    1. No, he didn't tell nobody. The only people who knew were Asef and his crew and Amir because he watched it happen.

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    2. I don't think so because in chapter 8 Assef comes to Amirs 13th birthday party and gives him a Hitler book.

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  33. I believe that the rape was too graphic. On page 75, "Assef knelt behind Hassan, put his hands on his hips and lifted his bare buttox."
    I believe that the graphic content of this scene was brought in the book to show that in the light, how dark someone else's loss can be.

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    1. That is a great point but i also think this scene was put in the book to also show how evil little kids can be and what they are capable of.

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  34. Is Amir a bad person? Hassan sees Amir as a brother, and Amir sees Hassan more as a friend.

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    1. I don't think Amir is a bad person, just a confused person. This is because he is a young boy who is at a confusing point in his life. These are the years where children begin to see the world in a different way (injustices).

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  35. Was Kamel being raped karma or bad timing? P120

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    1. I think Assef did it to him, maybe because he rebelled to him or spoke out about what he did to Hassan.

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  36. Do you think Hassan and Amir are really friends or just that he is just faking it because of some sort of gilt thats why he gave the watch and money to him and then said it was stolen??

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  37. One page 102, Hassan admits to stealing Amir's watch and some money, he didn't do it. It was Amir who tried to frame Hassan. Honestly, I don't know what had happened to Hassan and Amir's friendship. They went from essentially best friends to just wanting no part of each other. I understand that Amir is ashamed of Hassan but Hassan has done so much for him, insisting that he go fetch his kite, Hassan always took the fall and everything changed.

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  38. (on page 115) They spoke. “He says this is war. There is no shame in war.”
    “Tell him he’s wrong. War doesn't negate decency. It demands it, even more than in times of peace.” what exactly does this quote mean

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    1. I think it is saying that in times of trouble we still have have to show "deceny" or a general morality towards others and that we should show this more good times than in bad times.

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    2. I think this quote can symbolize Amir's emotions. As time goes on the more Amir thinks about the past it drives him to be mad at himself. Thinking about all the good days with him makes him feel more and more guilty like it says in the quote.

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  39. who is the hero in all of this??

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  40. Are hassan and Amir really friends at this point?

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  41. on page 107 at the bottom, we see that Baba cries, which is something he rarely does. Why is this such an emotional moment for Baba?

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    1. Ali and Hassan left and Baba started to cry.

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    2. When Amir said,"Then i saw something i had never seen him do before: He cried."

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  42. Will Amir and Hassan friendship ever be restored?

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  43. Class: Do you think Hassan and Amir are some how related?

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  44. Do you think hassan and amir will ever be friends again?

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    1. Yes, because they have a really powerful relationship, they are like brothers and every one has their ups and downs. At the end of the day they know deep down inside that they want to talk to each other again but that one memory stops them from speaking to each other.

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    2. If they are friends, they will become friends again but i think that Hassan has been hurt by Amir to much so he needs sometime to recover.

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  45. I agree with Carter's comment about the leaving Afghanistan from all of the violence.

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  46. Amir is very scared of Asseff. Does Amir care that Hassan is a Hazara? Why didn't Hassan run, or show emotions when Asseff abused him?

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    1. I don't think he ran because he was very loyal to Amir and needed to bring back that kite for Amir. So Amir would do anything to get that kite back to his master.

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  47. The rape will effect both of their whole lives forever.

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  48. on pg 105. "He knew that id seen everything in the ally, that id stood there and done nothing. He knew that I betrayed him and yet he was rescuing me once again, maybe for the last time" So this means if Hassan told Baba he didn't do it Amir would have been in big trouble.

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    1. But why does Hassan cover for Amir after everything that he did?

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    2. It is in the way of his lifestyle because he is his servant for life "Hazzara".

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    3. No, I don't think Hassan told Baba, Hassan is to loyal and respects Amir more than he respects himself and he knows if he told Baba than Amir would have lost all the friendship between one another. He knew all this and I think Hassan wanted the same thing that Amir wanted so he just didn't talk to Amir about it.

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  49. Are hassan and Amir really friends or is it fake and if its not will it be restored to a normal friend ship after his "friend" was raped before his eyes and he did not stop it for a reputation??

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  50. his actions now are defintly going to flow into what happens later especcialyl the rape part.

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  51. if you were in amirs situation would you be able to frame your best friend the way he did?

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  52. I think that in the end of the book Hassan and Amir will end up being related.

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  53. I agree with Jordan comment about thr foreshadowing that took place in the first chapter

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  54. If you were in the same situation Hassan and Amir were in, would you help your friend? or would you watch him take abuse?

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    1. I think anyone would have helped there friend. Amir is just a coward and has had someone stick up for him all his life, which makes him not know how to stand up for others. Also, he's just stupid.

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  55. Page 106 Ali says "We can't live here anymore." Explain the significance of this quote on each of the characters.

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    1. I believe this foreshadows some of the characters leaving Afghanistan.

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  56. I dont think Amir and Hassan will ever have the same relationship for the rest of their lives because after the rape I dont think Amir can look at Hassan without thinking about him being raped

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    1. I agree with you Patrick, but also I think that the image of Hassan reminds Amir how weak of a person he was. How he wasn't able to help the friend that always helps him when he needs it.

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  57. In chapter 10 we see that it is now 1981 and that they are attempting to move to pakistan to escape the Russian Communist force that is occupying Afghanistan. Even though the rape was quite a time earlier, Amir still has flashbacks that portray Hasaan and this shows that he still feels a connection towards Hasaan.

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    1. on page 1 it states that is is 'December 2001" and this whole story is a great big flashback.

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    2. I think that he will probably never forget the memory of watching his only true friend be raped, and not being able to have the nerves to save him.

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  59. I do think Hassan will forgive Amir in a matter of time. I predict that a horrible situation will come up with Hassan, and Amir will save his life.

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  60. what is Baba's response when the men ask him why he isnt praying to god?

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  61. on page 110 "Baba never said so, but i knew he saw my car sickness as yet another array of weakness i saw it on his embarrassed face the couple of times mt stomach had clenched so badly i had moaned." Why do you think Baba didn't say anything to Amir?

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  62. I think that the left because they know how bad things are here for the pashtuns and know it isnt getting any better.

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  63. Cyle Responce: They left because they knew Amir set him up, and watched him get rapped. They could have forgave him but the factis , he is lying about it they are hurt and shocked by it.

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  64. P124 "I'll never forget the echo of the blast. Or the flash of light and the spray of red." How does violence change a young person's view on life, and their perspective on the world around them?

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    1. If a kid grows up around violence rather then peace then it is more likely that they will be used to that violence and maybe even take part in it because that's what they grew up around

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  65. "I was sorry, but I didn't cry and I didn't chase the car." I think that when Amir says this he knows that what he did was wrong but i dont think he knows how to make things better.

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  66. I agree with what Jordan said, Baba will find out somehow what happened between Hassan and Amir.

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  67. On page 106 Ali says " We are leaving, Agha sahib" Why does Ali want to leave even though Babba forgave Hassan?

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    1. I believe that they are leaving because of the violence in the country right now. Nobody is safe.

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    2. Doesn't Hassan tell Ali everything that happened? So Ali now knows that they can't stay there anymore with Amir doing what he is doing and what Assef did to him.

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    3. He disgraced his name and forsakend his master causing him to leave with shame.

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  68. I agree with what Carter said about his life changing for the worse.

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  69. I agree with Carter, that his guilt is his bad luck and the more he doesn't express it to Hassan and try and make things right he just gets more and more guilty by the second.

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  70. Page 106 "We can't live here anymore." How does this quote by Ali effect everyone else?

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  71. what lead amir to separate from his best friends, they have been friends for almost there whole life

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  72. "Sitting in the middle of the room the next morning, I ripped open box after box of presents. I don't know why I even bothered, since I just gave them a joyless glance and pitched them to the corner of the room." Why do you think he did that? Why didn't he want to play or mess around with his brand new presents?

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    1. I think that he doesn't want to use his presents because he doesn't feel worthy enough to recieve them. He says baba only threw this party because I won the kite tournament. The one present we see him caring about is the notebook from Amir khan.

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    2. I believe that he didn't care about his new toys and such because he already has enough toys and he just feeling real bummed at this point

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  73. I think that we should equally focus on Baba as well because he is a significant figure in the story. On page 118, Baba shifts personalities and rescues someone and then tries to kill someone. Why does he do this?

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  74. I agree with what Ryan said about Amir in debt with Hassan.

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  75. i think that he left because he could not take the gilt any more

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  76. I don't think Hassan and Ali will ever see Amir and Baba again because the country is becoming dangerous and because they left each other on bad terms.

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  77. On page 106, Ali told Baba, "Life here is impossible for us." Why was Baba so forgiving toward Hassan and having not mean very much but, Ali is taking it very seriously?

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  78. Cyle response 2: I predict that in the future they will come back together and be friends again. Amir does realizes his mistake and he is trying to forgive himself but he cant witch shows he cares abut him. But I think that Amir will try to find him and make things right again.

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  79. I feel that the fishbowl group inside is repeating the same thing!

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  80. i think that amir will see hassan again but baba and ali will never see each other again. and i think that hassan will be able to forgive amir for what happened

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  81. I agree with Nicks comments about how Hassan, and Amir are best friends, almost brotherly.

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  82. I agree with Ryan, this isnt enough for the guilt shown in adulthood. I dont see him having a pity party for forty years about this, something else is going to happen.

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  83. Do you guys think they will ever meet up again?, and if so how will their relationship be affected by this?

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  84. Amir's action will affect him in the future because next time another situation comes up like the one that did in the alley, maybe the next time Amir will step in and do something about it instead of just watching. For example on pg 116 when Baba is about to get shot by the Russian soldier Amir states, "My mind flashed to that winter day six years ago. Me, peering around the corner in the alley." That affected Amir because he took action and said "Baba, sit down please." Amir took action instead of just watching his dad get killed by the soldier.

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