The End

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading The kite Runner this semester. It was a great book and i found it very interesting.I found that there were a lot of characters all with unfamiliar names, and some that the book could of done without. Although some parts made me rather uncomfortable and I was unsatisfied with the ending it was still an excellent read. I found the ending had a lot of loose ends which made me unhappy. I would of really liked to have known what kind of relationship Amir and Sohrab developed or didn't develop. I can only assume that the author wanted to leave the ending of the book open to interpretation. I'd like to think there was a happy ending and that Amir and Sohrab were able to develop a healthy relationship. I would recommend this book to people who are mature because of the violence and mature content of the novel itself.

Chapters 22 and 23

 Chapter 22 starts with Amir and his meeting with the Taliban in an effort to get Sohrab to safety. Once in this office Amir finds Assef (his old bully) is one of the members of the Taliban. Assef goes into detail about how he and his family had been put in jail and he decides to join the Taliban after his experience. Assef allows Amir to take Sohrab for a price,but he doesn't want any money. Assef says that he and Amir have "unfinished business" and will grant Sohrab's freedom if Amir agrees to fight.When Amir and Hassan were young boys Assef threatens to beat them both up. Hassan stops him by threatening to shoot him with a slingshot in the eye. Assef wants a fight to the death but Sohrab ends up being the real hero in this chapter. While Amir is literally being beaten to death, Sohrab grabs his slingshot and shoot Assef right in the eye. Amir and Sohrab escape, the chapter ends with Amir passing out.
 The chapter ends so quickly I didn't know what to think, so I continued to read in curiosity. I wanted to find out if Amir was dead, or if he was alive and injured. I also wanted to know if Sohrab is safe.
 Chapter 23 starts with Amir blacking in and out. He wakes up in a hospital in Peshawar with some major injuries. He is informed that he suffered from a ruptured spleen, seven broken ribs, a punctured lung and various lacerations. Fraid gives a letter to Amir from Rahim stating not to look for him and that he has left him money in a safe in Kabul. 
 I'm so relieved that Amir is alive and will be able to recover, and that Sohrab is safe for the time being.

Chapter 20 & 21

 Chapter 20 starts with Amir and Farid (man who he is traveling with)arriving in Kabul.Kabul is a whole lot different from when Amir was younger and Amir has his first encounter with the Taliban since arriving back in his home country. While on his travels he encounters a man who knew his mother before she passed away,although he does not remember much of her.They finally arrive at the orphanage where Sohrab should be. The owner of the orphanage,Zaman,admits that a member of the Taliban took Sohrab a month ago.He then tell them that they can find this Taliban officer at the Ghazi Stadium tomorrow. So off they go in a continued search for Sohrab.You can almost sense that something bad is about to happen in the next chapter and it made me a little uneasy.Since the novel has been so graphic in some parts i can only imagine what will happen next.Although the novel has made me uncomfortable in chapters it continues to be a great and interesting novel.

 Chapter 21 starts with Amir and Farid passing through Amir's home town and where he had lived all his life till he fled to America with Baba.Amir asks Farid to stop at his old house so he can recall all the memories from that house and his childhood. He remembers reading Hassan stories,Sitting under their favourite tree in the backyard and kite running.They stop at a run-down motel for the night and continue to Ghazi Stadium.Once they arrive at Ghazi Stadium they find a seat in the over-crowded, unorganized place.Amir has his first encounter with something really unpleasant:

"I closed my eyes and covered my face with my hands."-pg284

  This part in the novel also made me very uncomfortable and it is unfortunate that event like these still take place.
 Amir witnesses a man being stoned to death and he tried to block out the events as much as possible by the above quotation. The person who stones the man also turns out to be the Taliban officer they are looking for. So the chapter ends with Amir arranging to meet him at 3 o'clock that day.

Chapters 14 to 19

These chapters are all pretty short so I've decided to summarize and give my input all at one time.

 Chapter 14 starts in June 2010 with a Call from Rahim Khan telling Amir he is sick and would like to see him.He also tell Amir that he knew everything about the kite, the money and watch he hid and hassan being raped. Amir immediately hops on the fastest flight to Pakistan to see him (he hasn't seen him in a very long time). Amir arrives on Pakistani International Airlines one week later.

 Chapter 15 starts with a taxi ride to Rahim's house.I learn that Amir hasn't seen Rahim since 1981, when Baba was still alive. Amir also feels very awkward since he hasn't seen in a very long time. The chapter ends with Rahim admitting that he is dying and that he doesn't have much more time to live. Amir seems to be upset with this information from Rahim, as he should. Amir was very close to Rahim when he was a young boy and he looked up to him alot more then Baba.
 In Chapter 16 Rahim is telling Amir all about Hassan. Hassan is married to a women named Farzana and Ali Has died due to stepping on a land mine. Rahim asks Hassan and his wife to stay with him because he can no longer take good care of Baba's old house by himself. Hassan's mother shows up one day and ends up staying with them as well, and Hassan becomes very close to his mother.I can only imagine how happy hassan must of been with his mother's return. Find out that she was alive must of made him quite happy.The chapter ends with Rahim telling Amir that Hassan ,and his wife, have a little baby boy in the winter of 1990.
 Chapter 17 starts with a letter from Hassan to Amir that Rahim gives to him. The letter details Hassan's life since being married and having a kid. He tells Amir of what he and his son,named Sohrab. Amir also learns that Hassan and his wife Farzana were shot and killed by the Taliban. This makes Amir very very upset because he was so close to Hassan.I can only imagine if i were to lose a friend that close to me and how upsetting it would be. Rahim's dying wish is to have Amir bring Sohrab back to Peshawar so he can be safe. The chapter ends with Amir learning that Hassan was his half brother. Amir is furious that no one told him early and that Hassan had died not knowing at all and he storms out of Rahim's house. I understand why Amir would be upset about this because maybe this would of been different with him and Hassan. The fact that Baba,Ali and Rahim covered up the lie for 38 years makes him even more furious. As it should because he trusted them and they hid the truth all this time.

 Chapter 18 is all about Amir deciding to go to Kabul to find Sohrab while he continues to be mad.The one quote that stuck with me this chapter was :

"There is only one sin. And that is theft...When you tell a lie, you steal someone's right to the truth"(pg 237). 

This is Amir reflection upon what Baba had told him when he was just a little boy and how Baba had done just that by lying to him.

 Chapter 19 just consist of Amir traveling to Kabul and staying in Jalalabad for the night.

 All these chapters,though mostly short, reveal a lot of hidden truths in the novel and make the novel very interesting. I've really enjoyed reading the novel and i think it can only become more eventful from here on.I only have 5 more chapters and I'm a bit sad it's almost over, I can only hope for a good ending.

Chapter 13

The beginning of the chapters starts with Soraya and Amir's engagement party, and their wedding day soon after. The Wedding is an emotional day for Amir because, not only is he marrying the girl he loves, it is some of the last time he will be able to spend with Baba. Soraya moves in to Baba and Amir's apartment and takes good care of Baba. A month later Baba dies in his sleep leaving Amir very upset. 

It would be a difficult time for Amir. People who have also lost someone can relate to the obvious emotional pain Amir feels during this chapter in the novel. 
You can really feel Amir's emotional pain when he says:

"Baba couldn't show me the way anymore; I'd have to find it on my own. The Thought of that terrified me."(pg 182)

 Amir is accepted into San Jose State and in 1988 he finishes his first novel. He sends it to many different publication places and finally get a reply from new york. Amir is going to be a published novelist and Soraya is very excited. In 1989 his book is published. The chapter ends with Amir and Soraya moving into a new house.

Ch 12

 Chapter 12 starts with Amir finally gathering courage to chat to Soraya, who he is clearly madly in love with.They have a nice conversation about the book Soraya is reading, Wuthering Heights, and Amir is introduced to Soraya`s mother Jamila. Soraya almost tells Amir that she wishes to become a teacher in the future while Amir promises her that he will let her read one of his stories.

Baba becomes really sick in this chapter and Amir takes him to the doctor. Baba really hates the doctor which is understandable because a lot of people do too. After his doctor visit it turns out that Baba has cancer and he refuses to go to chemo,which makes Amir very upset because he really does love his father.

 Learning Baba has cancer made me quite upset because as much as he ignores Amir sometimes, it has helped shape Amir into a such a great person.It also made me sad because there are people who die from cancer all the time, and people who try to fight it and win. So with Baba refusing the treatment that could help him win the fight ,he just flat out refuses.

 The chapter ends with Baba asking Soraya's father if Amir can marry her,And he says yes. This,of course, makes Amir very happy.

Ch 11

 Chapter 11 begins in Fremont California in the 1980's with Baba and Amir walking in the park having a lengthy discussion about politics in America. Baba and Amir currently live in an apartment with Amir attending school and Baba working at a gas station.

 I think the it is obvious that Both Amir and Baba are adjusting to life in America and it must not of been easy. They are refuge's-outsiders. It's always difficult to adjust to new surroundings , very similar to moving houses. It takes time to become comfortable to something new. I look forward to seeing what new adventures will await both characters in America.

  The Year now is 1983,Amir has graduated high school at the age of 20 and has finally received some desired respect and appreciation of Baba. The day after he graduates Baba gets him a car for college. He then tells Baba he wants to enroll in junior college for an English major in creative writing. Baba is not very impressed because he doesn't believe it is a good decision on Amir's part.He thinks that unless Amir gets "discovered" he will not be able to provide for his future family.
 I understand Baba's concern for his son but he has to understand that your children try to please and make you proud but in the end have to follow their own dreams.I admire Amir for trying to make Baba proud but i also really admire his desire to accomplish something he really wants. I think that really shows his personality and how he has developed as a character through the novel.
 The Chapter ends on an early Sunday morning,in July 1984, Baba introduces Amir to General Sahib, Mr.Iqbal Taheri he used to be a general in Kabul.the chapter ends with Amir meeting Sahib's daughter Soraya who he finds rather beautiful.

"It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime,Amir"-Baba pg 150