Explain the way in which Hosseini portrays Soraya. Consider language choices and narrative viewpoint

When Soraya is first introduced, she is passing a cup of tea to her father however Hosseini describes her beauty for elegance very poetically, likening her to '[...] a princess from old Persia.' Hosseini uses similes such as 'eyebrows that touched in the middle like the arched wings of a flying bird' to describe her grace. Flight is also used as a metaphor for her looking away.

Hosseini describes every subsequent day following Amir's meeting with Soraya as 'yelda' (the longest night of the year) to convey Amir's longing for Soraya. He portrays her as 'the morning sun to my yelda'. He refers to her as his 'Swap Meet Princess' several times as they met in the flea markets where Amir was working.

Hosseini uses a combination of English and Afghan words which he doesn't necessarily explain, but in the syntax of the rest of the sentence, the reader can work out what he means, for example 'no decent and mohtaram Afghan girl[...]'.

From the time Soraya is introduced the reader Hosseini hints there has been something in her past which has dissuaded potential suitors, 'a whisper here, an insinuation there, and they fled like startled birds' (here again we see the imagery of birds, which is a common motif throughout the book.)

Soraya is described as a kind, demure and gentle person. She smiles and is friendly, despite the risk to her reputation. Hosseini describes her as often looking away or under her eyelashes and with quick, stolen glances. ('Looked shyly', 'her face reddened with a blush', 'her eyes downcast', '[...] a blush, red like henna, bloomed [...]')

The first touch between Soraya and Amir is when Baba is found to be dying and Soraya is consoling Amir. Hosseini uses short sentences to convey the significance of the event and the effect on Amir, for example, 'She put her hand on mine. Our first touch. I took it. Brought it to my face. My eyes. I let it go.'

Hosseini portrays Soraya as a contrasting character to Amir in the way that she handles her guilt. She's honest and wants no secrets to be between herself and Amir. She describes her guilt at her mother's stroke which is a result of her behaviour. This is the opposite of Amir: he cannot express his guilt, he did not feel it at the time of Hassan's rape and only felt revulsion for Hassan. It is Amir's guilt over his past which prevents him from judging Soraya over hers. ('How could I, of all people, chastise someone for their past?')

Soraya is also a selfless character. She suggests they move in with Baba so that she can nurse him. She was attentive to his needs and looked after him as her own father, even turning him regularly to prevent bed sores. She also knew what Amir was thinking without words. She knew how to console him after Baba died ('Soraya pulled me to her and the tears finally came.')

Only when discussing her father does Soraya become angry. He wants her to become a lawyer but she is determined to teach. She points out his double standards; '[...] it's a whole lot better than collecting welfare [...]' referring to his not working, as the jobs are beneath him, however he still takes state hand-outs. This demonstrates her toughness underneath, resilience and determination.

Soraya is deeply wounded by the discovery that she is infertile, but is ambivalent about the prospect of adoption. As with the confession of her past to Amir, following a discussion she announces, 'I don't want to talk about this anymore.' thus drawing a line under the discussion. In fact Hosseini's narrative implies Amir is more affected long term about the 'emptiness in Soraya's womb' rather than Soraya. 

Chapter 8

In this chapter, we get a sense of Amir feeling guilty for not helping Hassan as he was being attacked. Hassan retreats to his bed and when Ali asks Amir if anything has happened to Hassan, Amir suggests that he is just ill. 

Baba and Amir go on a trip to Jalalabad for the weekend. Amir gets car sick in the journey resulting in him causing his father embarrassment. After Amir returns, Hassan tries to patch up their relationship, but Amir rejects him. Amir's treatment of Hassan becomes more cruel and his 'mean streak' becomes more evident. 

Assef attends Amir's birthday party and gives him a biography of Adolf Hitler as a present. At the pary, Rahim Khan tells Amir a story about a girl he wanted to marry as an example of how Amir should not let Hassan being a Hazara be a barrier to their friendship. He gives Amir a notebook in which he can write his stories. 

After the rape, Amir tries to pretend that nothing ever happened. He denies know anything to people like Ali, and avoids seeing Hassan. He convinces Baba to take him away from the house without Hassan, literally distancing himself from his problems. Amir also asks his father to get rid of the servant, this being another example of Amir trying to gain actual distance from his problems. The car sickness and insomnia are other ways in which Amir feels he is seen as weak to Baba. Because Amir refuses to express himself, he is being tortured by his own thoughts. 

When Amir tells his father that Hassan is unwell, Baba look worried. Amir says he 'couldn't help hating the way his brow furrowed with worry.' This demonstrates once again Amir's jealousy over Baba's feelings for Hassan. However later on, it's revealed that Baba is Hassan's father, therefore this expression of worry makes sense to us. 

Amir's use of the word hate can be seen to be associated with his father as well as Hassan as he despises his desire to please Baba. 

When Amir realises he was the monster in Hassan's dream, there is a self-pitying and melodramatic tone to it as he tells us 'he'd been wrong about that. There was a monster in the lake... I was that monster.' 

We begin to see how Amir sees his illness and guilt as punishment for not having helped Hassan, just as he sees his relationship with his father as his punishment for 'killing' his mother.

Assef and his family being at Amir's birthday party causes the occasion to be overshadowed. The character of Hitler is once again raised when Assef gives Amir the book. By giving the book about Hitler to Amir, a symbolic link is made between Assef's bullying and Amir's refusal to help. The final scenario at the party is of Assef bullying Hassan and Amir being unable to bring himself to help, reinforcing this idea. 

At his birthday party, Amir nearly tells Rahim Khan about witnessing the attack on Hassan, but he stops himself. He wonders what Rahim Khan would think of him, concluding 'he'd hate me, and rightfully.' This shows Amir has a fear of other people's reactions and this is what prevents him from telling them what he saw. It also tells us that Amir thinks Rahim Khan's opinion of him is as important as Baba's opinion. However, as readers we can presume that Rahim Khan would not have the reaction Amir fears. This tells us that the hate Amir fears so much comes from within himself rather than from others. 

Amir's and Hassan's return to the pomegranate tree is significant as now Amir has brought his feelings of guilt and regret with him so it's no longer a place they can both go to get away from the world. As a parallel act of the eating dirt scene, Amir begins to throw pomegranates at Hassan, trying to provoke a response from him. Pomegranates used to be a symbol of their bond because they used to share the fruit under the tree, so this attack with the fruit symbolises the breaking of the bond between them. Hassan reacts by picking up a pomegranate and crushing it on his head, showing his acceptance and refusal to let Amir release his guilt by fighting back. It also reinforces the fact that Hassan is a gentle person throughout but is also still a servant and of a lower status than Amir.

Chapter 7

This chapter is key as it provides an event on which the rest of the story hangs. The rape of Hassan is an event which Amir foreshadows in the previous chapters and one he will refer back to in the rest of the novel. It is the central point around which the narrative revolves.
The beginning of the chapter Hassan talks to Amir about his dream. In it he and Amir are seen as heroes. This would seem to be a positive omen for the forthcoming kite-fighting tournament. It also shows the reader Hassan's love for Amir and his willingness to stick by his side. However, the image of the monster 'swimming at the bottom, waiting' could reflect how Amir feels about Hassan, and how he is afraid Hassan has a monster, somewhere below his friendly surface, and he wishes Amir would banish that side of his personality, just as he banishes the monster int he dream.
Amir then says, 'Upstairs, I could hear the water running in Baba's bathroom.' This image of water could reflect Hassan's dream. The 'running water' could also represent the fact that the future is in motion and cannot be stopped.
The words Amir uses to describe Kabul, such as 'blameless blue' and 'blinding white' could reflect how Hassan feels about the even which will occur, suggesting he is blameless for it, and white being a symbol of innocence and you cannot hide anything on white as everything shows up.
Amid adds in 'The immensely popular Ahmad Zahir had revolutionised Afghan music and outraged the purists by adding electric guitars, drums, and horns to the traditional tabla and harmonium' indicating a clash or conflict between western Afghanistan and purist Afghanistan. It emphasises the fact that Afghanistan is moving onto western ways.
Before the kite fight, Amir describes Hassan saying 'Sunlight washed over his face, and, in it, I saw how well the pink scar above his lip had healed.' The image of light reflects Hassan's angelic and innocent character, and the fact that his scar has healed indicates that he is about to be scarred again and he is defenceless.
When Hassan says, 'It's a beautiful day,' this contrasts with the events which are about to occur. There is also juxtaposition of the tournament, where Hassan's rape means that the act of winning is immeadiately contrasted with the act of losing. When Amir decides not to speak up either whilst the attack occurs or after, it tells the reader that he is choosing his father's praise over his friendship with Hassan, thus betraying him.
When Amir is about to win the tournament against the blue kite, he describes how 'the blue kite knew it was in trouble. It was trying desperately to maneuver out of the jam, but I didn't let go.' This could be a metaphor for Hassan and how he acts when he is being attacked. It also personifies the blue kite, as it says it 'knew it was in trouble' however an inanimate object wouldn't think for itself.
When Amir says 'We won! We won!' it shows him sharing the victory with Hassan which is quite unexpected for the reader as we know Amir as a selfish child who is jealous of Hassan.
When Hassan tells Amir 'I'm going to run that blue kite for you,' it's almost as if Hassan is meeting with his fate, as the blue kite is like a metaphor for Hassan.
After Hassan leaves, Amir states, 'The next time I saw him smile unbashedly like that was twenty-six years later, in a faded Polaroid photograph.' This is assuring us something bad is going to happen soon, and tells us the scale of the event, as it stopped Hassan smiling genuinly for the rest of his life. It also indicates that this could be the beginning of the end of Hassan and Amir's relationship.

Chapter 6

Hassan and Amir are both kite-fighters and in the winter, when the schools close, all the children take part in a kite-fighting tournament. When Amir asks for a new kite, Baba buys him one and also buys Hassan the smae one, no matter how big or expensive which causes Amir to grown more jealous. When a kite's string gets cut, kite-runners run after it to catch it and claim it as a prize. Hassan is a gifted kite-runner.
Amir tests Hassan's loyalty when he asks if Hassan would eat dirt if he asked him to. Hassan then challenges Amir's integrity by replying, 'Would you ever ask me to do such a thing, Amir agha?'
The kite-fighting tournament of 1975 is to be held in Amir's district, which makes Amir want to win more because he wants to make his father proud of him. The night before the tournament Amir and Hassan play cards but Amir suspects Hassan is letting him win, showing Amir's lack of confidence in himself, but also Hassan's loyalty to Amir and respect for Amir's feelings.
Kite-fighting is one of the only sports that we know of that both Amir and Hassan enjoy allowing both of them to excel at it. It brings the two of them together more so than the other activities they do as they both have equal roles, Amir as the fighter and Hassan as the runner. It also helps Amir feel closer to Hassan than he sometimes feels. It is also an activity which his father approves of and therefore provides Amir with a way of securing his father's love. He describes kites as 'the one paper-thin slice of intersection' between his and his fathers interests and ways of living.
Kite flying is shown as a symbol of freedom and independence. The idea of one kite against many is portrayed as typical of Afghan attitudes towards life. As well as this, Amir admits that the galss on the string cuts his finger but he doesn't mind, whereas in other activities he avoids getting hurt, which tells us he is willing to risk getting hurt for the things he believes in.
Amir's description of wintertime in Kabul reinforces this feeling of freedom suggested by the kites. He uses poetic imagery to paint a picture of Kabul from his childhood, 'The sky is seamless and blue, the snow so white my eyes burn.' He also describes, 'the soft patting of snow against my window at night' and 'the way fresh snow crunched under my black rubber boots.' By using this language he is able to convey his love for his home city and the beauty it can achieve in a cold winter.
The conversation Amir and Hassan have about Hassan eating dirt is another indicator of the widening gap Amir feels between himself and Hassan. It shows us Amir feels uneasy about placing himself in a superior position to other people and doesn't quite know how to handle this level of power and its responsibilities. Hassan's response shows that he has a better understanding of the balance of power between them than Amir does. This is reinforced when Hassan allows Amir to win at cards.

Chapter 5

In this chapter, Amir and Hassan's conversation is interrupted by a loud roaring noise and the sound of gunfire. This is the coup as they overthrow the king of Afghanistan.
Amir and Hassan retreat to their tree as they try to distract themselves from the events. On the way, they run into the three bullies, Assef, Wali and Kamal, who question Amir about having a Hazara friend. Hassan then scares the bullies off with his slingshot, but Assef promises revenge.
As life returns to normal after the coup, Baba arranges for Hassan's birthday to have his cleft-lip fixed. Amir then foreshadows events by informing us that 'that was the winter that Hassan stopped smiling.'
At the beginning of the chapter the loud noises are a sign that Amir's life is changing along with the rest of Kabul. It could be seen as the true start of Amir's story with chapters 1-4 introducing characters and setting the scene. In this chapter, Amir's older and more mature self fades into the background of the narration and it continues in a somewhat childlike tone of Amir's younger self.
This is also the chapter in which Afghanistan changes from the traditional country Amir has talked about to the modern war-torn country which we as readers are more familiar with. Amir comments as the gunfire and explosions sound outside their house. 'They were foreign sounds to us then [...] Huddled together in the dining room [...] none of us had any notion that a way of life had ended.' The sounds of the coup are the start of a process which leads to three decades of war.
The behavior of Assef and his gang begins to change Amir's relationship with Hassan. The bullies represent the first real outside threat to Amir's previously comfortable life. Assef introduces himself followed by calling Amir a 'fag'. This creates a feeling of sexula threat which always accompanies Assef's role in the novel and foreshadows events to come.
The fact that Amir allows Hassan to stand up for him reinforces the idea that Amir lacks self-confidence and the traditional 'macho' characteristics. It also widens the growing gap in Amir and Hassan's relationship with Amir's thought, 'He's not my friend! [...] He's my servant!' showing the reader how he would willingly sacrifice his friendship for his own good.
Assef's admiration of Adolf Hitler gives us extra information about how the ruling of Pashtun class might view the Hazara people as the Nazi's views the Jewish people. It also is an insight to the extreme character of this bully who Amir refers to as a 'sociopath'. He is representative of the violent and uncaring and self-destructive country which Afghanistan is becoming at this time. The connotations of this reference enable the author to get across a lot of contextual information in just a few words.
Baba displays his love for Hassan by repairing his cleft lip which causes a strong jealous response from Amir. It's symbolic of healing but is eclipsed by Amir stating that Hassan's smile will be one of his last. This statement foreshadows future events and gives the reader a clue to the fact that the story is about to take a dark turn.

Chapter 4

In this chapter, we learn that Ali was an orphan brought up by Baba's father. The two men grew up together like Amir and Hassan, but Amir never hears Baba refer to him as a friend.
As they grew up, Hassan acted as Amir's servent. Despite this, they spent most of their time together, with Amir reading stories to Hassan who was illiterate. Their favourite story was 'Rostam and Sohrab'. Amir reads a story he wrote to Hassan and Hassan encourages Amir to write more.
Baba refuses to read Amir's story, but Rahim Khan reads it and praises Amir for his talent. When Hassan points out a possible hole in the plot (about the onions), Amir gets angry at him.
As Amir tells the story of Ali being his fathers servant, he draws a comparison with his own relationship with Hassan. He provides an explanation of the difference between himself and his father and Ali and Hassan basing it on their different religons. The division between their religions, Amir and Baba being Sunni Muslims, and Hassan and Ali being Shi'a Muslims, makes it hard for them to be true friends.
The films that Amir and Hassan go to see at the cinema are mostly Western movies, which is the first mention of Western culture in young Amir's life and connects us with the older Amir telling us his story from the USA. The motif of Western movies also reflects on Amir's story, with the clear factors such as good guys and bad guys and justice winning out. The actors in the films such as John Wayne can be seen as similar to Baba in Amir's eyes as he looks up to them and sees them both as larger than life figures.
We are given descriptions of Kabul which describes many smells, colours and noises of the city. These not only create a vivid setting for Amir's story and allow the reader to picture it, they also provide a comparison for the reader when we hear about the changed Kabul later in the novel. These settings can be used to reflect mood, plot and character or act as a metaphor themselves within the text.
When Amir reads to Hassan, it could seem an act of compassion and reminicient of his mother being a teacher, however Amir never actually teaches Hassan to read, retaining his power over the servant. He uses this power to tease Hassan and cruely teaches him the wrong meanings to words, for example when Hassan asks what 'imbecile' means, Amir replies 'Imbecile. It means smart, intelligent.'
Amir reads to Hassan in a cemetry under a pomegranate tree. The cemetry represents a place of death, but also, because it's disuses, represents a place beyond both death and life. It can be seen as a hideout, or a place the rest of the world cannot reach them. The pomegranate tree could be symbolic of life and also the sweetness of the bond between Amir and Hassan as they share the fruit before Amir reads to Hassan. The tree and the cemetry are both symbols which return throughout the novel.
Stories are a central motif in the novel. Most of the novel is Amir telling us a story, rather than a third-party narrator. Within this story, we see Amir reading Hassan stories. First he just reads them out, then he begins to ammend them, and before long he is writing his own stories. This shows the reader that there is a bond between Amir and his dead mother due to the fact that she was a teacher of literature. It alos gives him a chance to express his thoughts which otherwise wouldn't have been expressed. In his first storyhe tells a tale that Rahim Khan descibes as 'ironic' but has also a sad and disturbing ending. This provides Hassan with an outlet for his own emotions and a mirror by which the reader can examine them. In response to Amir's story, Hassan finds a plot hole, showing Hassan's ability to see complex things clearly, highlighting Amir's muddled and emotional thinking. Amir's 'mean-streak' shows itself again as he asks himself, 'What does he know, that illiterate Hazara? He'll never be anything but a cook.'

Imagine that Baba keeps a journal in which he comments on important events. Write an entry for this journal just after the kite tournament. In this entry he reflects on the tournament and on his feelings about Amir's victory. You should give careful consideration to your language choices and style, which should achieve a sense of Baba's voice.

December1975

Today wasthe day I have been waiting for. A day I can be a proud father. A day I canfinally say, 'My son Amir, my son, is a winner.'

Amir, thekite-fighter. Not to mention Hassan, the kite-runner.

Althoughit is a children's tournament, it was out of all the worthy children in Kabul. He has provenhimself to me, with everyone to see. And it was an impressive fight to witness.It may not be boxing or soccer, but it's something. None of this poetrynonsense, an actual man's sport. He was able to show off his intelligence andhis physical skill. The way he sliced those kites down one by one wasadmirable. A talent only a handful of people in Kabul have. A talent my son has. A talent myson is best at. My favourite moment, a moment I never wish to forget, was theblue kite, the kite that had cut down a majority of the other kites, fell toit's fate. I was so sure that kite was going to be the end of Amir's streak. Icould see that blue kite, swooping over Amir's and cutting it down. But so muchto my surprise, Amir beat the other kite-fighter to the end. And within a fewseconds, the blue kite was spiralling to the ground, marking my son's success.Marking my success as a father.

Of courseHassan deserves my credit also. I am so proud of Hassan. The greatestkite-runner in all of Kabul.My Hassan. If I was able to, I would reward Hassan with my love. If I thoughtAmir wouldn't be jealous. A weakness I wish he'd get over. If I could talk ofhow proud I was of Hassan, I would tell everyone in Afghanistan. I would tell them ofhow he ran kites like no one else, and how him and Amir managed to take downevery other districts best kite-fighting team. Amir would never have done itwithout Hassan, but Amir's pride and jealousy shadows over that fact. He willnot allow Hassan to take his fair split of the victory, but allow him to tastea short, sweet hint of it, before gathering it all for himself.

I dowonder though, will this be all I have to celebrate. In 20 years time wheneveryone's son is a doctor or a lawyer, will I still be talking of the day Amirwon the tournament?

Hopefully,this will be the beginning of my sons success.  

Narrative Drawing; Chapters 1-8

Chapter 3

Chapter three focuses mainly on the character of Baba, and Amir and Hassan's relationship with Baba. It opens with, 'Lore has it my father once wrestled a black bear [...] with his bare hands.' This tells the reader that Baba is a very strong man, and even though it's a very extravagant claim to make, people believe him which shows us he is a well respected man. Amir goes on to describe how he has dreams about this, stating 'I can never tells Baba from the bear.' This indicates that Amir is fearful of his fathers power, but looks up to him and sees him as being as powerful as a bear. The fact that bears are one of the only animals humans are advised to run from tells us that Baba is courageous and physically powerful.
Baba is also described using pathetic fallacy, for example his nickname is 'Mr. Hurricane' and he is described as a 'force of nature' which suggests that he cannot be stopped. The quote 'hands that looked capable of uprooting a willow tree' provides the reader with a very forceful image and supports the nickname Baba has been given. Amir uses the word 'thundered' to describe how Baba enters a room, which indicates that he catches attention and this is further shown by the quote 'Attention shifted to him like sunflowers turning to the sun.' As Baba is the sun in this image, it suggests that he is 'the centre of the universe' and everything revolves around him.
Amir says 'Baba was impossible to ignore, even in his sleep.' This tells the reader that even at the most vulnerable time when Baba was unaware of his actions, he cannot be ignored. His snoring is described as 'a growling truck engine.' which highlights the fact that he is like a machine with his engine always running and the use of 'truck' as opposed to 'car' supports the fact that he is forceful and unstoppable.
Amir tells the story of how 'Baba decided to build an orphanage.' The use of the word 'decided' in this sentence suggests to the reader that this wasn't a premeditated decision but was a spur of the moment idea. Amir tells us how 'Baba had drawn the blueprints himself despite the fact he had no architectural experience at all.' This shows the reader that Baba is a very proud man who is strong-willed and is full of self belief. Amir also boasts that he 'personally funded the entire project' including 'city officials who's mustaches needed oiling.' This tells the reader that he is a very independent man and probably would be too proud to accept help from anyone. It's also obvious that he has connections and power in the higher society, as he was able to convince or bribe them into agreeing with him.
When Baba asks Amir to fetch Hassan to go to Ghargha Lake, Amir admits 'I lied and told him Hassan had the runs. I wanted Baba all to myself.' This shows us that Amir is a selfish child, however he also feels like he's missing out on quality father-son time due to Hassan's presence. Amir recalls that Baba 'patted Hassan on the back' for skipping his stone eight times. This reveals to the reader that Amir is jealous of Hassan because he feels Baba is proud of Hassan but not of him. When Amir attempts to talk to Baba, the words 'Baba grunted' are repeated. This could be due to the fact that Baba is annoyed with Amir for interrupting his work, or it could be that Baba is too busy to listen to what Amir has to say. Baba does not give Amir the attention that he craves which leads to Amir saying '"I think I have saratan," I said. Cancer.' Baba dismisses this because he is annoyed at Amir for bringing something like this up without reason. Amir has said this as a shock-tactic, to try and gain Baba's attention, but it only leads to disapproval from Baba.
When it comes to the orphanage opening, Amir states 'they ran out of chairs.' This is another indicator of his popularity. At this point, Amir is very proud of and we can see this from the line 'He motioned to me to hold his hat for him and I was glad to because everyone would see that he was my father, my Baba.' After Baba's hat flies he says that 'he hoped the building was sturdier than his hat.' This tells the reader that he has a sense of humor and allows us to see Baba in a more human light.
We are told that 'people were always doubting him (Baba)' and they said he couldn't run a business. 'Baba proved them all wrong.' This indicates that he is a very strong-willed man, and it then goes on to say he had a 'successful carpet-exporting business, two pharmacies and a restaurant.' showing that he didn't stop after proving them wrong, but made a point of his independence and determination.
When Amir says 'With me as the glaring exception, my father moulded the world around him to his liking [...] Baba saw the world in black and white. And he got to decide what was black and what was white.' It gives a clearer view of how he thinks his father sees him, which from the first line, shows he thinks he is not to his father's liking and he feels inadequate to his father's expectations. 'Baba saw the world in black and white' tells us that he is a man to be feared as there is no in between for him, and he has a clear outline of what he thinks is good or bad. Where Amir talks about his father being able to decide what was black and what was white, it again indicates that he is to be feared. It shows us that he is a powerful man and people look up to and respect his opinion because he is a dominant man.
Amir begins to talk about what he learns in class such as 'the virtues of zakat'; 'the duty of hadj' and 'the five daily namaz prayers.' He also states how his teacher mad him 'memorize verses from the Koran' making them pronounce the words properly 'with the help of a stripped willow branch.' This gives the reader an insight to the everyday life of a Shi'a Muslim and shows us how strict their culture was and that corporal punishment was a standard procedure if they did not pronounce the Arabic words correctly. He is also taught that 'drinking is a terrible sin' and it is against their religion, indicating how strict the Muslim culture is.
Later on, Amir talks to Baba about what his school teacher has said, just as Baba is pouring himself a drink. It says 'He listened, nodded, took a sip from his drink.' From this sentence we can see that Baba has no high regard for that particular religious code however he doesn't seem disappointed that Amir has enquired about this, but more like he was expecting Amir to say something. The fact that he 'propped' Amir onto his lap also tells us that this is a discussion Baba is willing and almost happy to have with Amir.
Amir describes 'the air hissing through his mustache' which shows a slow build up with he use of 'hissing' - a sibilant consonant. Later on it also says that 'Baba crushed an ice cube between his teeth.' indicating how forceful and intimidating Baba is through the use of a plosive consonant.
When Amir says 'the ice clincked.' the use of a simple short sentence is very dramatic and tension building up to when he says 'Piss on the beard of those self-righteous monkeys.' which shows his complete disrespect and disregard for Amir's teachers. This also links to the fact that Baba sees the world in black and white, because he thinks that his opinion is the only one worth learning.
When Amir is giggling about what Baba has said, he describes how 'Baba's stony eyes bore into mine' which is a very intimidating image and completely emotionless and cold like a statue.
Baba says to Amir, 'I need to speak to you man to man. Do you think you can handle that for once?' This is degrading and shows us that Amir is a lesser man than Baba, causing him to feel he constantly disappoints Baba.
Baba talks to Amir about his beliefs about sin. He says 'there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft.' He explains this by using the examples of murder being theft of life and lying being theft of truth. When Amir understands this, it makes him believe that he stole the life of his mother by killing her during childbirth, which is why Baba hates Amir.
Amir also describes how Baba designed and built his own orphanage, despite the fact that he had no prior experience. This tells us that Baba is stubborn and doesn't listen to discouraging advice, carrying on regardless. This is significant in terms of Baba and Amir's relationship as Amir identifies himself as the one thing Baba had not 'molded... to his liking.'
When Baba and Amir visit a Buzkashi tournament, it highlights the differences between Amir and Baba, and the person Baba wants Amir to be and who Amir really is. Baba says he can't believe Amir is his son, it forms the foundation of the relationship between Amir and Baba, and makes Amir constantly urge for his father's approval. In the last small section of the chapter, we see how Amir's desire to please Baba turns into a cruelty towards Hassan, that Amir identifies as the 'mean streak' that Rahim Kahn had said Amir didn't possess.
In chapter 3, we are shown clearly the dynamic and  layout of the characters relationships with each other. The relationships that are outlined here define how the characters interact for the rest of the novel.

Chapter 2

The chapter starts with, 'When we were children,' which immediately indicates that this part of the story is an analepsis of Amir's life as a young boy. It goes through Amir's close and mischievous friendship with Hassan, detailing what they used to do and how Hassan looked in acute description. He talks about how they 'pelted each other with them, (mulberries) giggling, laughing.' This gives the reader a sense of innocence and childish playfulness. It's a very relatable image, allowing the reader to empathise with Amir and highlighting the fact that Amir was a typical young boy. 
Amir describes the physical appearance of Hassan, and says he has 'a face like a Chinese doll' which creates an image of flawlessness for the reader, however he goes on to describe Hassan's imperfection, 'the cleft lip [...] where the Chinese doll maker's instrument may have slipped' which is detailed imagery and  helps us to understand how Amir thinks and the fact that he's come up with ideas such as this tells us that he doesn't fully understand the cause of this condition, showing the naivety and ignorance of a child. 
Amir has quite a manipulative personality, shown through the quote, 'I talked Hassan into firing walnuts'. This also tells us that he is the more dominant one in the relationship, while Hassan is the submissive one, wanting to please Amir and possibly gain his respect or make Amir proud of him. This also links to 'if I asked, really asked, he wouldn't deny me.' which tells us that Amir takes advantage of the fact that Hassan can never refuse him which makes the reader feel sorry for Hassan because the friendship is seemingly one-sided. It also says, 'Hassan never wanted to' showing the reader that out of the two, Hassan was more morally aware than Amir and has more of an understanding of the consequences. There is a definite social line between them, as Amir seems to be the rich, spoiled boy who is used to getting his way and Hassan is the poor, humble boy who is nice enough to give in but remains aware of the damaged caused by doing so.
He describes how when they got caught by Ali, Hassan's father, he would get mad 'or as mad as someone as gentle as Ali could ever get.' This tells us about Ali's character and the word 'gentle' suggests Ali is a kind man who is also quite humble. Although he disciplines, the reader can tell he is no threat to Amir and won't stop him from being troublesome. Whilst Hassan is being told off, Amir states 'he never told on me.' which shows how loyal Hassan is to Amir, but Amir's unwillingness to confess makes the reader doubt mutual loyalty between the two boys. Amir refers to his father as 'my Baba' which shows a very possessive attitude and the reader gains a sense of fear because Amir is clingy and scared to lose him to someone or something.
Amir begins to describe his fathers estate and the house which Baba designed and built. Phrases such as 'Intricate mosaic tiles, handpicked by Baba', tells us not only that he is wealthy, but he is a very proud man and has very specific taste. This chapter makes the distance between Baba and Amir obvious, and the fact that Amir desperately craves his fathers attention through quotes like, 'I asked Baba if I could sit with them. [...] "Go on now," he'd say, "This is grown ups time'. This highlights how much Amir craves Baba's approval and furthermore, 'He'd close the door, leave me to wonder why it was always grown ups time with him.' makes us feel sympathy for Amir, as we see how lonely he is. This is the moment where we see that although Amir has it 'all' in terms of lifestyle, he would probably give up his material goods just to spend some quality time with his father. Amir seems like a much more emotional character and in need of emotional attention than Baba is willing to give, as he comes across as a tough-love father. Around the time of the 1960's-70's, mothers were the nurturing and affectionate ones, so Baba may not have acknowledged that because Amir's mother is dead, it's his duty to show his son love and attention. 
As Amir is describing the decoration, he begins to explain the photographs. The first is his 'grandfather and King Nadir Shah', which tells the reader that Amir's family have a history of wealth and have always been quite high up in terms of social status. The last photo Amir describes is one of Amir as a baby in his fathers arms, standing next to Rahim Khan. Amir says, 'Baba is holding me, looking tired and grim. I'm in his arms, but it's Rahim Khan's pinky my fingers are curled around.' This further describes the relationship between Amir and Baba and how even as a baby, Baba gave Amir no affection or attention and shows a distance between father and son.
The chapter continues to describe the luxuries throughout Baba's house from the 'mahogany table that could easily sit thirty guests' to 'a semicircular terrace that overlooked two acres of backyard and rows of cherry trees.' These are building on our idea of how wealthy Baba is and when Amir comes to describe the servants' home, 'a modest little mud hut', the contrast of the two living spaces shocks the reader, especially as with all the space Baba has and the fact there's only two people living there. 
Amir describes how 'When the sun dropped low behind the hills [...] Hassan and I parted ways.' The fact that they don't go back to each other's houses acts as a constant reminder of the difference of social status between the two boys. When it comes to describing the servants' quarters, the lack of detail as opposed to Baba's house may shock the reader, as it is a small living space with only the basic furniture. 'There were two mattresses on opposite sides of the room', this further indicates the separation in class between the two boys.
The chapter then discusses Hassan's mother and how he 'Lost her to a fate most Afghans considered far worse than death: She ran off with a clan of traveling singers and dancers.' This seems to make Hassan even more of an outcast because his mother brought shame upon her family, which is still widely frowned upon, and his mother ran away from him. 
Amir begins to show concern for Hassan's feelings about this by saying, 'I always wondered if he dreamed about her. [...] Did he ache for her the way I ached for the mother I had never met?' This seems like Amir is trying to find similarities to the way Hassan feels about his mother and the way Amir feels about his. It's almost as if he's looking for confirmation for the acceptable way to act about a situation like this. 
When it comes to the point in the book where Hassan gets picked on by the soldiers, it really makes the reader feel sorry for him, because we now know that he is a decent boy and the underdog in the situation through no fault of his own. But at this point, you also get an insight to the close bond between Amir and Hassan, as Hassan doesn't react to the soldier at first, it's Amir who repeats, 'keep walking'.
After this incident  at the cinema, Amir looks at Hassan and tells us that 'Tears were sliding down his cheeks.' This answers the question as to whether or not Hassan thought about his mother, meaning that now Amir has seen this, he feels that his situation is more relate-able to Hassan's and is reassured by the fact that Hassan feels the same way. Amir then comforts Hassan by repeating, 'He took you for someone else,' which is a very consoling and thoughtful this for Amir to have done. 
The next section of the chapter describes Ali, Hassan's father. The first bit of description we get of Ali, is about his 'congenital paralysis of his lower facial muscles,' which instantly reflects Hassan and his cleft-lip, linking the image of the kinder, gentler one to the image of facial deformities. 
We later find out some of the history between the Pashtuns and the Hazaras. Amir talks about how the Pashtuns had 'persecuted and oppressed the Hazaras' and how when the Hazaras tried to fight back, the Pashtuns "quelled them with unspeakable violence." We also find out that this conflict occured because the Pashtuns were Sunni Muslims and the Hazaras were Shi'a Musilims. This gives us an insight as to why the vast majority of Pashtuns and possibly other races, feel they can be racist and abusive towards the Hazaran citizens. It also shows the reader that the relationship between Amir and Hassan is not only to do with wealth, but also to do with race and beliefs, so their relationship was dictated by society and prefigured by history rather than just social class.
As a reader, we learn a little more about Sanaubar's (Hassan's mother) personality. It states 'Sanaubar joined the neighborhood kids in taunting Ali.' which tells us she was childish and spiteful with no care for anyone other than herself and how she appears to other people. We also learn that she was married to Ali in order to 'help restore some honor to his uncle's blemsihed name' even though Ali had 'no worldly possessions or inheritance to speak of.' This tells us that for some reason, Ali's uncle had a very bad reputation.
We are also shown how much love Ali has for Hassan, which led to their close father-son relationship from the quote, 'he had found his antidote (to the torment), the moment Sanaubar had given birth to Hassan.' This is also a contrast to Baba and Amir's relationship, and an indefinite cause for Amir to be jealous of Hassan.
We are also given description of Hassan's character when Amir states, 'Hassan was true to his nature: He was incapable of hurting anyone.' (referring to childbirth) 'Out he came smiling.' Showing us that Hassan has been kind and gentle from the moment he was born, indicating he was 'built' to function that way. 
Sanaubar is described in contrast to both Ali and Hassan, 'Sanaubar had taken one glance at the baby in Ali's arms, seen the cleft lip and barked a bitter laughter.' The use of the word 'barked' is anamorphism and is a very vicious image, and makes the reader see her as a dog or wolf, almost as if she were attacking Ali and Hassan spitefully. The fact that 'she had refused to even hold Hassan' amplifies her feeling of hatred and disgust for both of them. 
When we are told by Amir that 'Baba hired the same nursing woman who had fed me to nurse Hassan.' this shows Baba's compassion and empathy for Ali and Hassan, because he hired the same nurse that he trusted with his own child, indicating that he sees Hassan to be as valuable as Amir. 
Amir begins to talk about the song the nurse used to sing, and how he and Hassan asked Ali to sing it to them, even though they had heard it many times, stating 'We just wanted to hear Ali sing.' This shows us that Amir and Hassan had great respect for Ali, even though he was a Hazara and Amir was a Pashtun. 
The final section of the chapter says how Ali would remind them that 'there was a brotherhood between people who had fed from the same breast, a kinship that not even time could break.' This, although a positive image, sets the path for complication as it is almost a challenge that Amir and Hassan would have to prove the statement correct. 
The last few lines of the chapter, 'And under the same roof, we spoke our first words. Mine was Baba. His was Amir. [...] The foundation for what happened [...] was already laid in those first words.' What Amir is trying to say here, is that their first words reflected who they wanted to feel accepted and respected by, and possibly who they wanted to be their equal. It also tells us that Hassan cares for Amir more than Amir cares for Hassan, so it's a very one-sided relationship and respect. 

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 opens with 'I became what I am today [...]' which tells us immediately that something has happened to change the narrator's (Amir's) life dramatically and, as it says made him the person he now is. It describes the day this happened as being a 'frigid overcast day' which creates a negative atmosphere and gives the day almost a sense of doom, telling the reader that what happened to change Amir was probably something bad. Amir then goes on to describe how he was 'crouching behind a crumbling mud wall'. The word 'crouching' suggests that he was hiding from something or someone, and the fact that it was a 'crumbling mud wall' tells us that this probably took place in an under-developed country. He also describes how he was 'peeking' from behind that wall, which suggests to the reader that Amir was afraid of what he saw. Amir goes on to say how 'the past claws it's way back out' which is quite a desperate and violent image by use of the word 'claw' and also gives the past an animal-like description (anamorphism). 
Amir then goes on to describe how Rahim Khan had called from Pakistan. He follows this with 'I knew it wasn't just Rahim Khan on the line. It was my past of unatoned sins.' This tells the reader that there has been a complication in his life and the narrator has dark secrets that will probably unfold and reveal themselves throughout the course of the story. It also tells us that the thing that changed him and made him what he is today, was most likely something to do with the 'unatoned sins' that he refers to. 
He then describes his walk along the Golden Gate Park, which tells us where the present day is set and shows the reader a contrast of culture and paints an image of Amir running away from whatever happened in Kabul. 
The fact that Amir focused and described the kites in detail shows us that they are somehow relevant to the story that is being told, though we don't yet know why. He uses the word 'soaring' which is quite majestic, and an optimistic description which tells the reader that this has triggered a positive memory for Amir. He says 'They danced high above the trees [...] like a pair of eyes looking down on San Fransisco.' The description 'danced' is again a very joyful image and the use of personification makes it seem as if he feels he is being watched through the memory of the kites. It could be that it reminds him of his more innocent days in Kabul  with him and Hassan, which leads to 'suddenly Hassan's voice whispered in my head: For you, a thousand times over.' The reader now knows that there's a strong bond of some sort between Hassan and Amir, and that Hassan has a loyalty to Amir and a compassion towards him. However, there is no clue yet as to whether these feelings are mutual or not. 
He then goes on to say how Rahim Khan's last words before he hung up were, 'There is a way to be good again.' This supports the theory that whatever happened to change him was an evil action, and somehow pushes the blame onto Amir, suggesting that he has done something to make Rahim Khan think he is a bad person. 
After reflecting on this, Amir states 'I looked up at those twin kites. I thought about Hassan. [...] I thought of the life I had lived until the winter of 1975 came along and changed everything. And made me what I am today.' These few lines gives the reader a summary of the first chapter and some of the knowledge we have gained from this. It also tells us the time that the complication happened and informs us that it was a life defining moment and has stuck with him for 26 years. The line, 'And made me what I am today.' foreshadows the fact that the reader is going to learn what event happened that has stuck in his memory and haunted him so much and sent his life into a tangent, making him a different person to whom he would be had this event not happened. 
As a character, Amir is viewed as a respectable person even though it is obvious he has a secretive past. We can tell this through the fact that he obviously has a guilty conscience and after the phone call from Rahim Khan, he is quite shaken up and very reflective of his actions. There is a sense of guilt and loss when he says 'Hassan the harelipped kite runner.' because of the short sentence and how it sums up how Amir sees him there is also a feeling of admiration and pride.