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Chapter 18-20

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
"How could I have been so blind? The signs had been there for me to see all along." Reflect: This quote emphasizes the theme of realization and regret that permeates the novel. It speaks to the human tendency to overlook the truth when it's inconvenient or painful, showing how we often only see what we want to until reality forces our eyes open.
"There is only one sin. And that is theft... When you tell a lie, you steal someone's right to the truth." Evaluate: This judgment on the nature of sin and the impact of lying underscores the moral backbone of the story. It criticizes deceit and highlights the deep, often overlooked consequences of seemingly simple actions.
"I can't go to Kabul... I have a wife in America, a home, a career, and a family." Your World: This quote resonates with the struggle of balancing personal responsibility with the pull of unresolved past issues. It reflects the universal conflict between moving forward and making amends with the past.
"There is a way to be good again." Reflect: This hopeful statement suggests the possibility of redemption, a central theme of the novel. It suggests that despite past mistakes, it's never too late to make things right, offering a universal message of hope and forgiveness.
"I felt like a tourist in my own country." Your World: This quote captures the feeling of disconnection and alienation many experience when returning to a place that has changed or when they have changed themselves. It's a poignant reflection on identity and belonging, relevant to anyone who has ever felt out of place in a familiar setting.

Narrator's Reliability

Consider the following quotes form various points in the novel. Knowing Baba's great secret, how do they have a different meaning to Amir as an adult? How does Amir's narration influence the significance of each quote?

  • "But in none of his stories did Baba ever refer to Ali as his friend. The curious thing was, I never thought of Amir and me as friends either."

    As an adult, Amir understands this distinction not merely as social or economic, but as a reflection of Baba's guilt and complex feelings towards Ali and Hassan. Baba's failure to acknowledge Ali as a friend mirrors his inability to publicly recognize Hassan as his son, reflecting the societal pressures and personal shame he feels.

  • "It wasn't fair. Hassan hadn't done anything to earn Baba's affections; he'd just been born with that stupid harelip."

    Knowing Baba's secret, this quote reveals Amir's jealousy and misunderstanding of the true nature of Baba's affection for Hassan. Baba's love for Hassan is paternal, not merely pity or favoritism, which Amir only fully comprehends later in life, recognizing his own failings and misinterpretations of his father's actions.

  • "A memory: Did you know Hassan and you fed from the same breast?... They say there is a brotherhood between people who've fed from the same breast. Did you know that?"

    This takes on a deeper significance once Amir learns of their true relationship. It symbolizes the unacknowledged bond between them, not just as milk brothers but as half-brothers. Amir's adult perspective allows him to see the missed opportunities for brotherhood and connection, amplifying his feelings of guilt and longing for redemption.

Consider the quotes above and the book so far. Does Amir qualify as an unreliable narrator? Explain your answer with textual support.