Book Club discussion of Kite Runner (Page 2)

Jus grabbed my copy today and started reading it..and intend it finish it in one read... will get back here soon to join the discussion!

OMG so sorry, but I won't be able to participate in this discussion. My book come on hold, but couldn't retrieve it due to lack of time. Will read this over the summer though.

hey i read the book last year and i liked it so much i bought it...if you guys haven't read it, don't read further please...i don't want to spoil it for you guys...but if you have, proceed...lol



what i loved about the book was the smoothness with which it was written...so many of the lines in the book stimulated thought that i would have never thought of before...its such an awesome depiction of some of the things that have happened in Afghanistan...one of my favorite scenes in the book is in Chapter 6...pages 54-55

"Would I ever lie to you, Amir agha?"

Suddenly, I decided to toy with him a little. "I don't know. Would you?"

"I'd sooner eat dirt," he said with a look of indignation.

"Really, you'd do that?"

He threw me a puzzled look. "Do what?"

"Eat dirt if I told you to," I said. I knew I was being cruel like when I'd taunt him if he didn't know some big word. But there was something fascinating- albeit in a sick way- about teasing Hassan.

His eyes searched my face for a long time.

"If you asked, I would," he finally said, looking right at me. I dropped my eyes. To this day, I find it hard to gaze directly at people like Hassan, people who mean every word they say.

"But I wonder," he added. "Would you ever ask me to do such a thing, Amir agha?" And just like that, he had thrown at me his own little test. If I was going to toy with him and challenge his loyalty, then he'd toy with me, test my integrity. I wished I hadn't started this conversation. I forced a smile. "Don't be stupid Hassan. You know I wouldn't."

Hassan returned the smile. Except his didn't look forced. "I know," he said. And that's the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too.


how awesome was this scene? i loved Hassan's character. he was so pure by heart. however, i loved Amir's character too. i admit that in the beginning what he did was horrible, watching his then 'servant' be raped by that beast Assef. however, every step he takes is so realistic. we all aspire to be Hassan but we are in many ways like Amir.

all in all, it's a great book and the symbolism is fascinating.

I agree. This was a well written scene. But, maybe Amir interpreted Hassan's smile wrongly. Perhaps Hassan already knew about his thoughts, but loved him all the same and accepted his apology.

Well I read this book sometime ago and I have to admit it was excellent book..

Amir was always a weak character and he knew that. Just coz he was Pashtun he knew he had to act storng but deep know he very well knew that he doesnt hv courage to stand up if any wrong has been done.

On the other hand Hassan was synonymous to loyalty, courage. He could go any extent to do things for his master.

I think the most weak character was Amir's dad. Amir atleast knew about his shortcomings but his dad showed that he is true Pashtun in every sense. He portrayed an image of a man of integrity. But what kind of man he is if he is ashamed of fathering a Hazara child. If he can go to an extent of sleepin with a low caste woman then accept it. The man who do things that are against the society should also have a courage to accept the wrongdoings.

Very nicely put....but Amir was a child himself. So I'm in two minds about Amir's guilt.At what age are we held accountable? Had Amir bravely stepped forward to interfere- could he really have prevented the attack on Hassan anyway?I dont think so ....though I know on the other hand, if the situation were reversed Hassan would have stood up to him, and Amir know this because he did in the past.

But what Amir did later by setting Hassan up was awful .... unforgiveable perhaps. I think he knew exactly what he was doing, he knew it was bad and he knew why it was bad. But at the same time he was still quite young I think the test here is would the adult Amir ever do anything like this, and I think the answer is no. So although Amir was old enough to understand his own actions and their consequences he was not mature enough to enforce his own moral code .. a code which he later showed he did have by returning to Afghanistan and ultimately adopting Hassan's son. At the end Amir is the better man for the mistakes of his childhood

Edited by angel_wings - 27 February 2007 at 9:54am

I agree!!and also Baba's tells Amir that lying is a form of stealing, but we find out later, he himself was guilty of that very sin (lying as theft)and he was probably warning Amir not to make the same mistake that he regretted. However, that's just what Amir does: Amir lies, thus committing the sin Baba warned him against.

No, I am not holding him responsible for not saving Hassan at that stage. He was naturally afraid and did not really understand what was going on.

I agree.