Chapter 4-5
Quotes
Record at least 5 quotes from your assigned reading. Include page numbers in the next column.
Respond, using a variety of reflection types. Use the codes above to label your responses and try to include a variety of different reflections.
- Question: Pose a question or record something that confuses you so far.
- Understand: Explain how a previous question or uncertainty has been answered for you.
- Evaluate: Make a judgment on the character's actions, the author's message, or another facet of the text.
- Reflect: Apply the quote to a broader theme or universal conflict. What does it tell you about the human condition?
- Your World: Make a connection between the text and your life or experiences.
| Quote | Response |
|---|---|
| "But history isn't easy to overcome. Neither is religion. In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I was Sunni and he was Shi'a, and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing." | Reflect: This quote highlights the deep-seated ethnic and religious divisions in Afghan society. It reflects the universal conflict of identity and the struggle against societal norms and prejudices |
| "That’s the real Afghanistan, Agha sahib. That’s the Afghanistan I know. You? You’ve always been a tourist here, you just didn’t know it." | Evaluate: The character here is being criticized for being out of touch with the realities of their country. This statement challenges the perspective and understanding of one's own culture and place in it. |
| "I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975." | Your World: This quote resonates with the idea that certain events in our childhood significantly shape who we become. It connects to the universal experience of pivotal moments in life that leave a lasting impact. |
| "Afghanistan is the land of Pashtuns. It always has been, always will be." | Question: This quote raises questions about the perception of national identity and the exclusion of minority groups. How does this mindset contribute to the ongoing conflicts and struggles in Afghanistan? |
| "I laughed. A lot of things suddenly made sense to me. Like the reason I'd overheard Baba telling Rahim Khan that he feared for the future of Afghanistan under the rule of these 'uneducated, self-righteous monkeys.' Like why he had all those books about politics and history." | Understand: This quote provides insight into the political and social climate of Afghanistan and the protagonist's growing understanding of his father's concerns about the country's future. |
Diction, Syntax, and Perspective
By analyzing the diction and syntax of a character's speech, we learn more about that character's perspective.
Analyze the selected quotes below. In the space next to each, highlight some words or phrases that have an important significance in the quote. Then, explain what we learn about that character's perspective.
| Quote | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "That Hassan would grow up illiterate like Ali and most Hazaras had been decided the minute he had been born, perhaps even the moment he had been conceived in Sanaubar's unwelcoming womb-after all, what use did a servant have for the written word?" | Phrases like "illiterate like Ali and most Hazaras" and "what use did a servant have for the written word" highlight the entrenched class and ethnic prejudices in Afghan society. It shows the character's acceptance of societal norms that dictate the lives of certain groups based on their birth. |
| "Most days I worshiped Baba with an intensity approaching the religious. But right then, I wished I could open my veins and drain his cursed blood from my body." | The extreme language "worshiped... with an intensity approaching the religious" and "drain his cursed blood" reflects the character's internal conflict and intense emotions towards their father, oscillating between deep admiration and profound resentment. |
| "...the Plot Hole. Taught by Hassan, of all people. Hassan who couldn't read and had never written a single word in his entire life. A voice, cold and dark, suddenly whispered in my ear, What does he know, that illiterate Hazara? He'll never be anything but a cook. How dare he criticize you?' | The phrases "illiterate Hazara" and "He'll never be anything but a cook" show the character's internal struggle with societal prejudices and their own sense of superiority. It also highlights the conflict between personal feelings and ingrained societal beliefs. |
| "The generation of Afghan children whose ears would know nothing but the sounds of bombs and gunfire was not yet born." | This quote, especially the phrase "nothing but the sounds of bombs and gunfire," portrays a sense of impending doom and the inevitability of war. It reflects a perspective of despair and resignation towards the future of Afghanistan. |
| "I wished I too had some kind of scar that would beget Baba's sympathy. It wasn't fair. Hassan hadn't done anything to earn Baba's affections; he'd just been born with that stupid harelip." | Here, "scar that would beget Baba's sympathy" and "Hassan hadn't done anything to earn Baba's affections" illustrate the character's deep yearning for paternal love and recognition. It shows their struggle with feelings of jealousy and inadequacy. |
Respond: Analyzing Perspective
A narrator's or speaker's perspective may influence the details and amount of detail in a text and may reveal biases, motivations, or understandings. Select one quote from above and explain how analyzing Amir's syntax and diction reveals his personal biases, motivations, or understandings. Use details from The Kite Runner to support your answer.
In "The Kite Runner," Amir's use of contrasting diction in the quote about his relationship with Baba—ranging from reverence to disdain—reveals his internal conflict and desire for paternal approval. This language choice underscores the complex dynamics of familial expectations and Amir's struggle with his identity.