Tuesday 16 October 2012

Chapter 9

Amir is in his bedroom opening his birthday presents from all the guests that came to his party, that Baba had thrown for him. He is very ungrateful, saying he gave them a "joyless" glance, even though any boy at the age of 13 would have been extremely excited to open a mound of birthday presents. The birthday present he received from Baba though, stands out the most, a bike which is described as "the king of all bicycles". Amir goes into great detail describing it but as he describes the body frame, he says it's red "Like a candy apple. Or blood.". He goes from comparing it to something very sweet and happy, to something that is quite disturbing, and the colour obviously brings back memories from what happened to Hassan, with his blood on the snow. He also describes the present's as "blood-money", because if he hadn't won the tournament, Baba would not have thrown him the party, and he also wouldn't have received all these gifts.

Baba asks if he likes the bike, and in his best attempt, Amir says thank you. Baba offers to take him out for a ride, but it's "an invitation, but only a half hearted one". This shows that Baba has possibly lost some interest in Amir, maybe the novelty of him winning the kite tournament has worn off. A few lines later, this is repeated, but through something Amir says. This shows their similarities in how half hearted they both are, and how sometimes they both don't really care about the other's feelings.

The only item that he does not throw onto the pile is the gift he receives from Rahim Khan, a leather notebook, and this seems to be because he knows it isn't "blood money", and Rahim is actually giving it to him out of the kindness of his heart. He also knows that Rahim is quite genuine, because he gave him his opinion on his short story that he wrote, with very positive comments.

Hassan and Ali also give Amir a present, a book called shahnamah, which took some scrimping and saving on their behalf. Amir takes the book, thanks them both, and then "buries" it under the pile of presents, as if he can feel it's burning stare on him. The use of the word bury shows that he is trying to hide it, along with his feeling about the rape of Hassan, making sure they don't come out.

Amir then commits his most unbrotherly gesture yet, hiding his watch from Baba and some money under Hassan's pillow. When they confront each other, which was Baba's decision, Amir states that they had been crying, because their eyes were "red and puffy". The colour imagery has been used again, and the red links in with all the bad stuff that has happened to them. When Baba asks Hassan if he took the watch and the money, Hassan says that he did. This shocks Amir, and he says that he "almost blurted out the truth". He also said the he "almost" did something at the time of the rape, but he did not, so he never follows up his gut feeling. Hassan again sacrifices everything to save Amir, to let Amir get what he wants. But to even more of a surprise, Baba forgives Hassan. We do not know at this point in time, but Hassan is actually Baba's child, so this may be the way a father would forgive his son for something, so long as he learns from his mistake.

An analepsis comes from Amir, of how Baba said to him that stealing was the only sin. How theft is the biggest crime, whether it be of possessions or a life. This highlights his confusion, and adds to ours slightly, of why at this point in time, Baba would forgive Hassan.

Ali has a different idea though, he wants to leave. Baba says that he "forbids this". This highlights his god like status, that he is in control of everything, and if he forbids something, it will not happen. But Ali rightly points out that now they have quit, Baba does not have ownership over them any more, and should do what they ask.

Pathetic Fallacy is used when Baba drives Ali and Hassan to the bus stop. It is raining heavily, even though Amir says it rarely rains in summer, which just shows how sad and melancholic the even of Hassan and Ali leaving it. It makes the scene quite dramatic. Amir is looking through the window at them leaving, which shows that he feels like he's in quite a different would to them, being separated. He talks about how he should run after them, and beg for them to stop, tell them the truth. But he doesn't and instead stays behind the window.

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