Welcome back to fishbowl!
You have three goals today, my friends:
(A) Bring at least one quotation into your responses.
(B) As an outer circle, we need to make sure that at least five different people get into the hotseats today.
(C) Explain your thinking carefully and thoroughly (avoid the one-sentence response).
Enjoy
why did baba and rhaim khan wait until it was absolutely necessary to tell amir about him and hassan being half brothers?
ReplyDeleteI think its because he didn't want Amir to be really scared when Hassan left.
DeleteGood question Phil I think that they didnt really think about him because there was so much going on anyways at home.
DeleteI think that Baba and Rhaim waited so that Baba wouldn't bring shame to his family. I also think they waited so that things between amir and hassan wouldn't be weird since Baba could never treat a hazara they same.
DeleteI agree with you Alex, and I feel that they waited to tell Amir and Hassan about being half brothers because they didnt want Amir to be sad or upset when Hassan left.
DeleteWhy did Hassan cry more about Baba dying than Amir?
ReplyDeleteI think it's because Baba cared so much for Ali and Hassan. Hassan see's Baba as another father.
DeleteBecause they shared a deep bond that bestfreinds and his caretaker could have. he was like his father and it would hurt to ose someone like that.
DeleteI think that Hassan may be more emotional about events like that than Amir and Amir may handle and deal with it better.
DeleteBaba was always SO good to Hassan. As well as Amir but Hassan wasn't really Baba's "responsibility" and whenever he needed something Baba was there like a second father. Amir had a fake relationship with his dad. One forced not one created because they wanted to.
DeleteBecause without Baba, Hassan's life wouldn't be the same and Hassan is also a much more emotional person. And it was sudden for Hassan but it was gradual for Amir he watched his father die and Hassan never knew about his death until Rahim Kahn told him.
DeleteWhy did the Taliban ban kite fightingin the end of chapter 16
ReplyDeleteThey don't want them to have fun and it shows power how they take away something everyone enjoyed.
DeleteBecause the Taliban wanted to bring "peace" and the kite fighting is violent.
DeleteBecause they are mean people who simply want to take away positive things in the lives of people. Just like they massacred the hazaras.
DeleteThey banned kite fighting because the people of Afghanistan saw that the Taliban could clean up the corruption, restore peace, and allow commerce to resume, so this means that they would have to take away kite flying because it is violent.
DeleteHow and why does someone get a bedsore? In the book as Baba is getting sick it says, "And when he became bedridden, she turned him on his side every hour so he wouldn't get a bedsore."
ReplyDeleteI'm not exactly sure, but I think it comes about when people are unable to move for extended periods of time. They come about on the skin due to pressure and friction.
DeleteI'm pretty sure its like the same as a rash but it comes from laying on the same spot over a constant period of time.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOn page 173, when Baba says, "There is no pain tonight," does that mean Baba was ready to die?
ReplyDeleteI think that Baba understood that he was going to die and he had everything there was to live for. And his life had been full of accomplishments.
DeleteI believe that Baba was ready to die because he saw his son grow up and get married. I think Baba was happy with his life that he was fine with going.
DeleteI think that baba was not afraid of death
DeleteI think that baba actually did have pain, but he knew that he was going to die that night and he was ready for it.
DeleteRob,
ReplyDeleteIs the Taliban as bad is it in the book. They say ,"And two years later, in 1998, they massacred the Hazaras in Mazar-i-Sharif" Are they still murdering people in mass?
Sam,
DeleteThe Taliban do kill innocent civilians with their suicide bombings however, they also claim they do not target civilians. They do not kill in the same manner as they did while they were in power, i.e in mass at the Olympic Stadium.
Rob
Why does Hassan not want to stay in Babas house when he moves back?
ReplyDeleteHassan feels too much respect for Amir to take his spot and social statues, but I also think that Hassan still has fait that the war will end and Amir will return home.
DeleteHassan doesn't want to stay in the house because he says on page 208, "Hassan had no intention of moving into the house. "But all these rooms are empty, Hassan jan. No one is going to live in them," I said. But he would not. He said it was a matter of respect."
DeleteAt the end of Chapter 16 on page 213, it says, "A few weeks later, the Taliban banned kite fighting. And two years later, in 1998, they massacred the Hazaras in Mazar-iSharif." Did they kill Hassan and his family or are they okay?
ReplyDeleteOn page 176,Amir says,"for the first time, Baba will be alone." Obviously Baba has been alone in his life before but what is the significance of this? Is he saying Baba will be alone spiritually, physically or both? Can this also be used to describe Amir? Without Baba he has no guidance so he is alone now on his journey through life.
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter 16, Why did the Taliban find it necessary to ban kite fighting?
ReplyDeleteI think it was to show the people that the taliban had power over all of the citizens and the citizens needed to know that.
DeleteBecause it was something that everyone liked to do and if they ban kite fighting it is a way of showing there power over all the people
DeleteBecause they wanted to take away their fun and kind of in a way they felt like they needed to punish them.
DeleteOn page 213 it says the taliban killed all the hazaras. Do you think that Hassan and his family survived?
ReplyDeleteI think so just because in chapter 16, page 209, it says "the three of us, in your father's house, we made our own little haven." I think that this shows that Hassan was untouched by the Taliban, at least for the massacre in 1998.
DeleteI wondered the same thing. I think Hassan lived but his son didn't because Rahim said how he missed him so much.
DeleteI do not think they survived because on page 212 Rahim Kahn says, "Sometimes, I read to him at night, played riddles with him, taught him card tricks. I miss him terribly." He is talking about Sohrab in a way that he was no longer with them. In my mind Hassan and his family did not make it.
DeleteI do not think that Hassan and his family lived because of how Sohrab was telling the story to Amir and talking about Hassan and his family and how that was in the past and he misses them and didnt really tell Amir anything about them that was recent.
DeleteDid the taliabn really have a massacre of hazzaras in 1998 like it said in the book or was that just too add to the book
ReplyDeleteYes. http://www.rawa.org/mazar6.htm
DeleteWhy did Hassan kiss Rahim Khan's hand when Rahim Khan found Hassan?
ReplyDeleteHe was still showing his love and loyalty to this man who was such a big part of his life.
DeleteI think it has something to do with the fact that Hassan has not seen or heard from anybody from his childhood for over 20 years. When Rahim Khan shows up at his door, it brought back both the humbleness of being a servant's son, and the joy of seeing old friends.
DeleteIt had to do with showing him respect and that he missed him and was happy to see him after so long.
DeleteWhen the cab driver was telling Amir about how bad Afghanistan had gotten. Was that really the first news he had heard about it?
ReplyDeleteI think he tried to stay out of it because it brought him to much sorrow. He loves his home and didn't want to hear what had come to it.
DeleteI don't think it was. I think he was trying to kind of deny what was happening and he didn't want to accept what was happening.
DeleteDoes the bad relationship between Soroya's parents symbolize that Amir and Soroya will also turn out like this?
ReplyDeleteIt truly depends on witch path they take my parents are happy and loving for there children while there parents pushed them aside or very strict.
DeleteIts really your call! because there are a lot of people who are vary different from there parents
DeleteWhy do you think that Hassan's mother take more love into Sohrab than Hassan when he was born?
ReplyDeleteShe didn't want to leave this child too like hassan and this was to make up for leaving hassan. She wanted to go back to the time with Hassan and now Soharb is now her Hassan to make up for lost time.
DeleteI think Hassan's mother shows more affection into Sohrab because she didn't want to make the same mistake twice she wanted to care for someone in that kind away instead of pushing them away
DeleteShe was like that because she wasn't like that when Hassan was born and she felt bad that she wasn't there so she didn't want to repeat that with her grandson.
DeleteI think that Sanaubar had run away back then because she was young and didn't know any better, but as she grew old she knew that she had made a mistake "I wouldn't even hold you, Allah forgive me, I wouldn't even hold you" (210). She took to caring for Sohrab so that she could repent for leaving Hassan when he was so young.
DeleteHow come Baba cried a lot when Amir got polio? and Did Baba truly love him because he showed affection?
ReplyDeleteDoes Amir really find true love?
ReplyDeleteI don't know if Amir really finds true love. Afghans do not necessarily believe in true love, but more that women should be married, even if they don't truly love each other. "Now, if you were American, it wouldn't matter. People here marry for love, family name and ancestry never even come into the equation" (188). Although, it is true that Amir is not in Afghanistan, so is it possible that circumstances have changed.
DeleteI always thought of Rahim Khan as a wise man but on page 213 when he says "The war is over Hassan, there is going to be peace, Inshallah, and happieness and calm. No more rockets, no more killing, no more funerals." It seems like he doesn't even realize that the Taliban despise the Hazaras. The person I pictured as Rahim Khan as was wise and all knowing, so his ignorance at the end of chapter 16 surprised me.
ReplyDeleteI always thought of him as a wise man as well but with all that happens in the process of them fleeing Kabul I feel he lied to many people and in a way, screwed many people over. (I apologize for the language but I could not think of a better way to phrase what I was thinking)
DeleteDid Rahim just randomly tart taking care of Baba's house? or did he ask him to do that thinking one day he would return?
ReplyDeleteIs adoption wrong?
ReplyDeleteI think so its just weird to think about it wouldn't be your kid and if Amir adopted I feel like he wouldn't care for the child as much as he would if it was his own child but you never know.
DeleteI think it depend on the reason why you are adopting. Like you should make a family of your own if it is possible for you to do and keep all your family genes in the family.
DeleteAs Ms. Leclaire said it depends on the people. Some don't want to adopt for personal reasons and some do want to adopt because they want to be parents. I don't think giving a child a home and parents is wrong at all.
DeleteWhy did Hassans mother never tell him why she left in the first place?
ReplyDeleteHassan doesn't want to know. It didn't matter because no matter what the reason was no mother should ever leave her child. It didn't have to be said.
DeleteI don't think she needs to tell him. She would only had told him if he had asked her. But I think the topic in general was considered taboo.
DeleteI think that it just never came up. Because Hassan doesn't really need to know but she is a mother who is trying to do as much as she can in the latter parts of her life.
DeleteI think that she didn't tell him because of the fact Hassan's been through emotional times with the death of a baby, his father, and Baba.
DeleteOn page 194 when Amir says that he is "Waited, in vain, for sleep" Do you think that Amir still thinks about hassan and the ally on regularly or do you think he has finally blocked it out?
ReplyDeleteI believe that Amir thinks about it every day because Hassan was a huge part of his life and he will never forget the things he did to Hassan. This shows in chapter 13 when Amir and his wife can not have a child, Amir thinks it is because he is being punished for how he treated Hassan when he was a kid.
DeleteI think Amir tries very hard every day to block out thoughts about Ali and Hassan, but everyday something comes back to remind him of the pain he had caused.
DeleteThroughout the book Baba has cared alot about Hassan and Ali. Were Babas and Alis parents close too.
ReplyDeleteI think maybe something happened to Ali in his childhood that Baba say and Baba is trying to keep Hassan from having something bad happen to him.
DeleteDoes anyone remember the part in page 76 when Amir is having flashbacks of their Holiday when Baba would have a sheep killed? I made the connection that the sheep is like Hasaan as he is getting overtaken by Assef because they give Amir the same look. I don't know if anyone else made that connection. On pages 182 and 183 his step mother wants to kill a sheep in his honor if he gets a book published. I think he denies the offer because he knows the sheep is innocent just as all the other sheep and Hasaan were and he wants to become a hero and save that sheep because he didn't save Hasaan or the other sheep.
ReplyDeleteI think that also that he doesn't want to remember about the rape. That was a huge breaking point in their friendship
DeleteIn chapter 14 why does the story briefly discuss Amir and Soraya having a dog named Aflatoon?
ReplyDeleteI think the author does this to show that there is a void in Amir's relationship with his wife. The dog is a way for they to fill this since they can't have a child together.
DeleteIn chapter 16, Rahim was mentioning how Hassan had been asking many many questions.. One of them was "If I write do you think he will reply" or something alone the lines of that. But if Hassan were to write do you think that Amir would reply?
ReplyDeleteI don't think Amir would reply. I think he would follow suit with how he had been acting throughout their lives and just ignore Hassan.
DeleteWhy was it important for the author of the book to bring Hassan's mother back in? What does it resemble?
ReplyDeleteI think that it was important because it shows that she deserves a second chance and that she wants to be that mother type for once and she does that with Soharb
DeleteWhat could Hassan be hiding?
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's when he got raped.
DeleteHassan might not being hiding anything, he might just miss Amir and Baba a ton.
DeleteI like Austins comment about how why Hassan won't move into the house because he thinks Amir will come back.
ReplyDeleteDo you think Sanaubar is treating Soharb like her own son for leaving Hassan?
ReplyDeleteYes, I think that she feels very guilty for leaving Hassan and wants to make herself feel better by caring for his son so that she can fill in what she missed from Hassans life.
Deleteyes because she missed out on taking care of Hassan and she might feel like she owes him for not being there when he was little.
DeleteI think that she is treating Soharb like a son because she could be trying to replace Hassan and have a figure to take care of.
DeleteI think she was trying to makeup for not being there for Hassan.. Since she missed his childhood, she wanted to see what it was like to witness a child growing up,and what its like to care for them even if it wasn't her own child.
DeleteHow come Hassan did all of the work when they moved back to Babas house?
ReplyDeleteI think Rahim Khan Still did some work but he was getting old so it was getting hard for him. I also think that Hassan working shows that he is still loyal to Amir and still wants to respect them.
DeleteI feel because that's all he did as a child when he lived there so to him he has to clean and be a house sitter.
DeleteI think because when Amir comes back he wants him to feel at home and he might think that when he does comes back that he will finally give him the respect that he gave him.
DeleteWhen Hassan's mother returns, why do you think he ran away when he first discovered who she was?
ReplyDeleteWill Assef reappear?
ReplyDeleteDo you think Hassan will seek revenge on Assef sometime or will Assef come back and beat Hassan?
ReplyDeleteIs Afghanistan currently under Taliban control or do they have new leadership now?
ReplyDeleteJordan,
DeleteThe Taliban left power in 2001/2002 and have been replaced by Hamid Karzai. They are trying to regain control but most likely will have to settle for only a part of the leadership.
Rob
Why did the Taliban kill all of the hazaras and not the rest of the population just the Hazaras?
ReplyDeleteI think the taliban does not like the hazaras just like how hitler did not like the jews. If they did kill the who population the wouldnt rule any one they would just have land.
DeleteThey killed off just the Hazaras because the rest of the population is looked higher than the Hazaras and they probably felt that they were worthless and that they didnt need them.
DeleteDillan,
DeleteThe Hazaras do not look like anyone else in Afghanistan, they are clearly decendents of Genghis Khan. They are also Shia muslim while the rest are Sunni. Radical Sunni, like the Taliban, do not recognize them as Muslim.
Rob
Why do you think Hassan was so open to the idea of moving to Baba's house to take care of it?
ReplyDeleteI think he was more open to the idea because that was his place of life and he still wanted to show respect like he wanted to show the he was still loyal
DeleteWell orginally he wasn't open to it. Remember he declined the offer and than the next day they changed their mind. I think they decided it would provide a better life than in this villiage for his kids.
Deletebecause he wanted to respect baba and his house.
DeleteIf Assef does reapear will he still be a jerk. Will he also like the taliban since they killed the hazaras?
ReplyDeleteWhy would the Taliban want to kill all of the hazzars when they serve the more important people was it just to show power and put fear into the minds of the people living there
ReplyDeletePhillip Barner, you have finished the book. Do we see Assef again in the story?
ReplyDeletedon't you ruin the story for me Phillip!
DeleteDon't answer it!
DeleteWhy is Soraya's father so protective? Did something happen in their past that he is still worrying him?
ReplyDeleteDoes the relationship between Soroya and her mom make Amir's desire to have grown up with a mom less or more strong?
ReplyDeleteMs. Leclaire, who is controlling Afghanistan now? Is it still the Taliban?
ReplyDeleteHow will the fact that Soroya and Amir can not have a child affect their relationship in the future, and how does it change Soroya's parents thoughts about their daughter marrying Amir?
ReplyDeleteWould Baba be disappointed in Amir because he can not have a child?
ReplyDeleteKody Johnson
ReplyDeleteFrom the reading and discussion in Fishbowl #3, Amir finds out that Hassan had been staying with Rahim while Amir and Baba were in the USA. Also Amir is diagnosed with Polio, and Baba actually showed concern and affection towards Amir when he cried. The Taliban had issued a ban on ALL kite fighting, and murdered all of the Hazaras. Hassan and Amir found out that they are half brothers, and that Hassan was able to survive the brutal attack given by the Taliban. Baba has passed away and Hassan was much more visibly heart broken when compared to Amir who seemed to show little to no sign of sorrow or grief.
Zac Parkhill
ReplyDeleteThese (4) chapters have so far been the most eventful. There are many questions that have been answered, such as what has happened in Afghanistan, what happened to Hassan, and who Hassan really was. I think that Hassan died in a very inhumane way that obviously broke Amir's heart. Even though Amir was grieving, he seemed to take the news better than I thought. I also thought that it was horrible for Baba and all the others to keep the information of Hassan being Baba's son secret. When Amir learns of Hassan's death, I can only imagine how he feels. He spent almost all of his childhood with him, watched him get raped (and never apoligized for not doing anything), and knowing that if he had said something, he would have probably moved to America with them and essentially saved his life. He didn't do any of that and now he can't apoligize. But the big question now is will he make it right by adopting Hassan's son from the orphanage?
In these chapters Amir gets a call from Rahim. Amir flys out to visit him. Rahim informs Amir that Hassan has died and his son Sohrab was sent to an orpphanage. Amir was given a picture of Sohrab and Hassan. The major questions I have are why did Amir not keep in contact with Rahim and why did Amir so willing go to Afganhistan.
ReplyDelete