Chapter 21

Amir and Farid cross the river, and Amir is surprised to see that most of the houses in the Wazir Akbar Khan district still have roofs and standing walls, as well as trees. Amir spots his house, remembering the directions Baba gave him as a child. Amir has an analepsis about him and Hassan as children, when they were great explorers. Amir goes up to the house, seeing how it had decayed, how the weeds had grown through. This could highlight the cracks in Amir, how he used to be pure and sinless until he was 12, and then things started going down hill, especially after he left Kabul. Amir asks Farid for 10 minutes, so he can go and explore the hill him and Hassan used to conquer.

He goes up the hill to the cemetery, where Hassan had buried his mother. Kabul is really what links Amir to everyone in his family, he may not really feel like them, but Kabul is what keeps them together, linked in. The pomegranate tree hadn’t bourne fruit in years, and looked lifeless now. Amir searches for the carving in the tree, and sure enough it’s still there, but a little dulled. It still clearly read “Amir and Hassan. The sultans of Kabul.” Amir has another analepsis to back when he and Hassan were children. Farid breaks this silence with a honk of the car horn, breaking Amir from his trance, and it was time to go.

Amir and Farid find a hotel to stay in, but pass several more red pick up trucks before they find it. Amir thinks it is very expensive, being $75, but then again, the money is not going to someone who doesn’t need it, it will probably be spent on food to feed their children. There is a dried bloodstain on the wall, again foreshadowing the danger that Amir is about to come into. Farid goes out with Amir’s money to buy food, and Amir says the only thing that hadn’t changed about Kabul was how tasty and succulent the kabobs were.

They begin to tell jokes at each other, about women, and Amir laughs, mostly at how Afghan humour has not changed. The jokes were called “Mullah Nasruddin” jokes, and Amir knows countless ones. This shows a lot about the Afghan culture, and how it differs from western culture.

 The next day they go to the Ghazi stadium. He goes past a child selling “sexy pictures”, which really shows how desperate the times were, as a child would sell inappropriate material just for some money for food. Amir and Farid find a seat, and just after the half time whistle blew, a pair of red pick up trucks came in. The Talib’s got a man and a woman out of the trucks, and the woman kicked and screamed. Amir says the sound of that scream will never be forgotten, which shows how desperate she was to be set free. Anamorphism is used to describe the sound – “the cry of a wild animal”. They said a prayer, and the cleric yelled out “Brothers and sisters. We are here today to carry out Shari’a”. They begin to throw rocks at the people who are blindfolded and tied up. Amir closed his eyes, trying to block out what was going on around him, just like he did with Hassan, as he tried to pretend it was not happening. After it was over, the corpses were tossed on the back of the red trucks and left, and the second half got underway.

Chapter 20

The chapter begins when Farid and Amir enter Kabul, and Amir cannot believe what he sees. This could make us believe that he is an unreliable narrator, as from what we’ve heard about Kabul, Amir seemed to think it was a lovely place. But now, we hear the total opposite. Amir says that Fahid gave him a look that said, “Hearing is not the same as seeing.”. This really sums up Amir’s pain, as he hasn’t actually experienced it, for example he heard Hassan getting raped, he didn’t see it. He heard Baba’s cancer take over him, he didn’t actually experience it. It says that Amir has a “stupefied” expression, which shows how much Kabul must have changed, if all power was lost from Amir. As he is describing what he sees, he notices that the father’s are lacking because of the war, which is the opposite way round to when he was younger, as mothers were more rare than fathers. The repetition of the word “mud” really shows how dirty the place is, as the children had “mud caked faces”.

As they drive on, Amir notices a sign saying, “Drink coca co-“. This shows the merge of cultures, as this is American, and can symbolise the dream, but it is broken here, as the sign is also broken. He also mentions the kite shop to Fahid, who responds saying, “those days are over”. This could be symbolic of the beginning of Amir’s guilt free life, as when the kite running days are over, so are the days of Hassan’s rape.

Pathetic fallacy is used when describing the area, as it says “a haze of dust hovered over the city”. This could be symbolic of the sadness hanging over the area, and how much it has changed, compared to Amir’s memories, as they are also hazy.

When Fahid pulls over, Amir sees the Taliban for the first time. When they gaze at him, he says “I’ve never felt more naked in my entire life”. This shows that Kabul makes all of his flaws come out, and it seems as if he thinks the Taliban can see straight through him, and all of his flaws and sins. The truck that the Taliban were travelling in was “red”, which again reminds of danger, and the rape of Hassan with the colour of his blood. They are also wearing black, which connotates power and evil.

Amir hears a beggar, and gives him some money out of his good will, which could remind us a bit of Baba’s personality. He starts to speak to the beggar, about the Taliban, the orphanage and eventually come onto the subject of Amir’s mother, Sofia. The beggar knows him, and Amir tries to get as much information out of him as possible, which isn’t much. He learnt more about his mother from a stranger than he ever did from Baba.

They find an orphanage, and show the guard the picture of Sohrab. The guard barely looks at the photo before he says he does not know the child. Amir gives up, but Farid pressures, and eventually says that they are not the Taliban, they are here to rescue the little boy. They are let in, and learn that the orphanages are very poor and do not have enough supplies. This shows the time of Afghanistan, and how they are struggling with basic supplies like blankets and food due to the political status. Zaman, the director, says that Sohrab has already been taken, and Farid does not react well to this. He flings Zaman to the floor in anger that he gives the children away for money. Amir breaks them up and some of the children are crying at the action. Zaman tells them to go to Ghazi Stadium the next day, and they immediately do. When they are on the truck, Amir looks back and sees Fahid “put on his broken glasses”. This could be showing that he wants to see everything correctly, as if everything is all right, but he cannot, everything around him is wrong and broken.

Chapter 15

Amir arrives in Peshawar in Pakistan. He gets in a taxi, and the driver, called Gholam, tells him about the brutality of the Taliban. He begins to describe the area, and we see the contrast between the two cultures, this and the American culture. He also has another the analepsis to the time that him and Baba left Kabul, the last time he saw Rahim Khan. He says that Baba cried softly, which really juxtaposes against the imagery of him being a bear, as he seems a lot weaker here.

When he arrives to the area that Rahim is living in now, it is described as "creaky" and "dim". This could be seen as foreshadowing the meeting of Rahim Khan, and how is now presented. When they first meet, Amir describes it as "Then, a thing made of skin and bones pretending to be Rahim Khan opened the door.". This shows how ill Rahim is, and how much has changed in the past years that they haven't seen each other. It makes him appear weaker, even though Amir always thought of him as being strong as he was older and a close friend of Baba's. They start talking, and Rahim tells Amir how the Taliban is "much worse" than it has been told to be. They continue talking and Amir tells him about life in America, how he has a wife, how he is writing, and how they can unfortunately not have children, to which Rahim Khan does not pester for more details.

There is a lot of political details in this chapter, about how the Northern Alliance took over Kabul between 1992 and 1996, and how you could risk walking from place to place for the risk of getting shot or blown up was high. Amir questions Rahim to why he did not leave. "Kabul is my home. It still is" he replies. Rahim goes onto describe the street from Amir's old house to the Qishla, and Amir remembers the time that him and Hassan had crossed it, and Hassan had got teased about his mother. Amir had comforted him, saying he put his arm around him. This shows the brotherly love, and could be foreshadowing what Amir finds out in a few chapters time.

The Taliban came into Kabul in 1996 and "kicked out the Alliance". Rahim says how people celebrated, and how they thought the constant fighting would be over and done with. Amir also finds out that the Alliance had destroyed the Orphanage that Baba had built, which shows the power of them, as Baba seems to be the most powerful force so far in the novel.

Rahim is dyeing, and it is very obvious, as Amir picks up on the coughing and blood on his handkerchief, with the colour imagery of the red coming in again, and this time possibly foreshadowing the danger. Amir tries to persuade Rahim to come home to America with him, to find new treatments, but Rahim declines, saying he doesn't have long left to live anyway, and it cannot be cured.

Rahim then comes onto the subject of why he brought Amir here, he wants him to do something for him, but first must tell him about Hassan. Amir agrees to listen, and Rahim gets ready to start the story.

Chapter 14

Chapter 14 is set in 2001, and starts of with Amir cradling the phone, staring at it. We learn almost immediately that the couple now have a dog, to possibly compensate for their lack of children. Soraya seems very motherly with the dog, as Amir states it had been lying with it's head on "her chest", as if supporting it. The phone had rung to inform Amir that Rahim Khan was very sick, and this deeply shocked Amir, and he says that he has to go and visit him in Pakistan. The use of the word "twin" to describe Baba and Rahim's relationship also lets us see how close they were.

You can tell that Amir still feels guilt, as when he goes to Golden Gate park to get some head space, he thinks about what Rahim Khan said to him, "there is a way to be good again". His guilt is even shown in his subconscious self, as he states that he dreams about Rahim Khan, and then again Hassan. He says that Hassan is running in the snow. Snow is white, which could symbolise Hassan's purity and innocence from when they were younger, from the time before Hassan's assault. The famous words from Hassan - "for you a thousand times over" are playing in Amir's mind, and it shows that Hassan is brave enough to stand up for Amir, where as Amir has not done the same for Hassan, up until this point at least. He says that Hassan is wearing "black rubber boots", which contrast heavily against the white, which may be put there to bring out the contrast in Amir and Hassan.

The chapter then ends with Amir, one week later, on a flight to Pakistan to meet Rahim Khan.

Chapter 13

The chapter opens with the "lafz", the giving word ceremony. There are a lot of family members there, with shows the Afghan culture again, and they are very close. There are pictures of the family on the wall which Amir notices, and it shows that the family are quite well travelled. Soraya is not present yet as to in keep with "afghan traditions". Baba starts talking, but struggles to complete a sentences without gasping for breath, which shows how desperate he is becoming in his sickness.

When Soraya appears, more colour imagery is used to describe her outfit, "a stunning wine coloured dress", which is showing the deep red imagery, reminding us of Hassan's rape scene. Even the "new chance" for Amir does not let him forget his past. This is also shown on page 49, when their wedding song is being played. Amir says that it is "the same song the Russian soldier at Mahipar checkpoint had sung the night Baba and I left Kabul." This again shows that he cannot let go of his past, and the guilt will always remain, even if he believes he has a new beginning. Later on during the wedding ceremony and party, Amir mind is drawn to Rahim Khan, longing for him to be there. This then draws his mind to Hassan, wondering whether he is married, and if so, who to?

There is another tradition where Amir and Soraya are left to gaze at each other's reflection in mirrors, as they have to be kept pure until they are officially married. But we know this is just an act, as Soraya ran away with an older Afghan man some years before, and her purity has probably already been lost. Her family still abide by the traditions though, as Soraya may be looked down on. Later on, Amir and Soraya get to lay together for the first time, and in privacy. "All my life, I'd been around men. That night I discovered the tenderness of a woman.". This really highlights the time of Afghanistan that Amir was in, due to the Taliban regime being in place and women not having a place in society, they were kept at home and completely covered. Soraya later however, suggests that she moves in with Baba and Amir. Even though Soraya suggests the right thing to do, Amir still questions it, at the time that his father is very sick too. Soraya seems to take dominance over this decision, and she moves in with them. Soraya takes care of Baba, and asks very maternally towards him. This could be showing the mother figure that Amir never had.

Baba dies on page 151, and his death is immediately followed by his funeral, where Amir states that there were so many people at the mosque, people struggled to find a parking spot. People at the funeral speak very highly of him, saying "found me a job" "like a brother to me" "always there". Baba has made the ultimate sacrifice for Amir moving to America. It's what Amir wanted, not what Baba needed, as he had a name in Kabul. As they have started up a new life in America, Amir does not have to live up to this name as much, and can continue living life his own way, not in Baba's shadow.

Amir now learns more about Soraya's family, as he spends more time with them now that he can't with Baba. General Taheri suffers from migraines once a month, and he is not to be disturbed during these. He did not hold down a job, so he would just sit in the afternoons, believing that one day, Afghanistan would be freed.

Soraya over hears something that upsets her, and breaks down to Amir. This is the first time we really see her emotions come flooding out with the tears. Amir comforts her, and she is glad that what she has done in her past hasn't changed Amir's view of her. They move in together, and Amir says that they soon fall into a routine. He sells Baba's VW bus and never goes back to the flea market, as this part of his life is over, he is moving onto another part.

Amir writes his first novel, and Soraya says that if it gets accepted, she will do nazr, having a sheep slaughtered to give to the poor. Amir disagrees, and this could have been because of the memory from when he was younger, seeing a lamb get killed, which he remembers after he sees Hassan get raped. He tells her just to do zakat, giving money to the poor. Sure enough, Amir's novel is published, and Soraya is immeditaley overjoyed. Amir seems happy, but he says he thinks of Baba, wishing he could have been there. He never seems content, as nothing is ever quite perfect. He thinks of Rahim and Hassan again, making him feel the guilt, and says "I wondered whether I deserved any of this". This proves that having the "new beginning" did not remove any of his guilt, and even though he is trying to convince himself, it doesn't seem like this is the right way to forget it.

Soraya and Amir also try for children, but struggle to conceive. They go to the doctors, and there is some important symbolism here of the "trains". The doctor has lots of train books and paintings in his office, and the trains symbolise perseverance, as it is always steadily going along, and this greatly applies to Amir and Soraya with their trouble in conceiving. It can also symbolise the loneliness of the lack of children, as a train is a single object with an echoing sound.

Amir and Soraya under go a series of tests, and in the end the result is an "unexplained fertility". This leaves Amir feeling guilty, as if his past has some how affected his ability to have children. The word "adoption" is mentioned, and Soraya loses hope, as in her culture, it is not customary to do this.

At the end of the chapter, the narrator personifies Soraya's womb, saying it was like a "living, breathing thing." "I'd feel it rising and settling between us. Sleeping between us. Like a newborn child."

Character Analysis: Soraya

We meet Soraya in chapter 11, and she is presented by Amir, which could lead to a partial view of events, as obviously he likes her a lot, and can only see her good qualities at first sight. He describes her as a "beauty" and describes her eyebrows to be like the "arched wings of a flying bird". This could highlight the freedom that Amir thinks he will find in her, as he seems to think that by being with her, all of his past guilt will be forgotten.

She seems quite typical of an Afghan wife in the way which she dresses, as Amir always comments on her "ankle length dresses" or the "veil" that covers her face, which abide by the Afghanistan dress codes for women, as they should always be covered. When they are in the process of marriage, they are also not allowed to go out alone together, due to traditions and it would be considered improper. They both adhere to these rules, but we know from some chapters ago that Soraya has not always been this good at sticking to the rules. She ran away with an older man, which by Afghan traditions is very disrespectful, as the father ultimately has the decision of who the daughter is to be partnered with, and Soraya ignored this by making her own choice. She feels very guilty of this however, and when she admits the event to Amir, she starts crying. She is so conscious of Amir judging her for this, and is really worried that he thinks of her differently and asks, "Does what i told you bother you?".

She does seem quite motherly though, as for one, she looks after Baba when he is very sick, turning him onto his side so he does not get bed sores and making him food, even though he can barely eat more than a spoonful. But she also tells Amir a story in chapter 12 that she taught her housekeeper Ziba to read and write and says that she felt "proud" when Ziba wrote her first letter. "It made me feel like I had done something worth while, you know?". She seemed to care an awful lot about Ziba even though she wasn't related to her.

At the giving word ceremony, Soraya was not present to in keep with tradition. In the "nika", Amir gets to see Soraya, and she is wearing green, which highlights the new beginnings that both of them will have. She also wears a veil, and the dress has long sleeves, so in keeps with the traditional dressing in Afghanistan, as she is not to wear anything too sexually appealing. The green can also tie in with a connotation of fertility, which we find out in a few chapters time that Amir and Soraya are not able to conceive, so could be shown as foreshadowing this event.She also wears white, which shows her purity and innocence, but as we know from the story she told Amir, she is not completely pure, so this could be worn as if she was pretending to be pure and untouched, just so nobody will judge her.

You can tell that she worries quietly, and does not really like to bother anyone with her problems until she absolutely has to. This shown on page 156, where she breaks down after over hearing two women's conversation, and she can't stop crying. Amir is very sympathetic and understanding towards her, and she feels as if she can trust him with her problems.

When both her and Amir are told that they cannot have children, she gets very upset at the word "adoption" being mentioned, as it is not what happens in their culture. As she has shown to be very motherly before, she gets quite emotional and says that "I'd always imagined I'd hold it in my arms and know my blood had fed it for nine months".

Chapter 12

Amir remembers the times when he used to stay up late with Hassan on the first night of winter, and compares it to now, where he stays up late thinking of Soraya. There is some use of pathetic fallacy here, as he is comparing his feelings to nature, but also to time spent with is childhood best friend Hassan. Amir finds excuses to steal a glance at Soraya at the market, and puts up with small talk from Taheri just to see Soraya's face. When Amir asks Baba is he wants a Coke, Baba realises what Amir is up to. He gives Amir a small speech about "nang" and "namoos", which means honour and pride, as Baba's reputation is very high, and does not want any shame brought on his name. This is a cultural thing, as Amir also must not spent too much time talking to Soraya. He does over do it a little by Afghan standards though, but Soraya does not seem to mind. She is wearing a "white ankle length summer dress", which shows that she is being modest, and wearing the correct clothes by Afghan standards. The white also symbolises purity and innocence, which may come into her character. He dares to speak to her, and says it felt like everyone stopped and stared at him, making a bold move on an Afghan girl. She lets him, and soon enough her mother comes along, greets Amir, and seems to think he is very polite, offering for him to come back and speak to them whenever he likes.

Amir takes up this offer, and soon enough the conversations start to flow, and Soraya brings up a story about when she was younger, but needs some coaxing into it by Amir, as she is a little embarrassed. She tells him how she used to teach a woman called Ziba (a woman who used to work around her house) how to read and write. Soraya explains it was such a proud feeling when she had taught her, like she had made a positive difference to Ziba, and this brings back to memories of how Amir had used literature to ridicule Hassan. He completely contrast Soraya's actions, and this story has been used to show how the guilt still is in Amir, and how cruel he had been to him.

Amir notices that Baba has a bit of cold, which turns into a nasty cough that persisted. Amir spots some "bloodstained phlegm" in the toilet. The red again is used as a symbol for the danger, as it was used in Hassan's rape scene. When Amir eventually persuades Baba to go to the hospital, they notice a spot on his right lung. Baba casually questions cancer, and the doctor says this may be possible. This shows Baba's bravery, as he doesn't even flinch, like he suspected it, or is ready for whatever is coming his way. Amir on the other hand, does not understand how he is meant to live with a "suspicious" spot on his father's lung for 2 weeks whilst they get some more results. Even though he isn't the one being affected by it, he is still more panicked than Baba. He uses his religion as a possible source of hope, and it states that Amir "recited half-forgotten verses of the Koran", showing that he hasn't really been paying attention to his religion, and only calls upon it in times of need.

Amir finds it difficult to get a suitable doctor for Baba, as the first doctor he does not approve of, as his name sounds Russian, even though it clearly states that he was American, born in Michigan. The second doctor is approved of though, as he is Iranian. Baba is then diagnosed with lung cancer.

Pathetic fallacy is used when they come out of the hospital, soon after the diagnosis. It is raining, and it seems quite deliberately put at this time, as Amir states that "it was a few weeks late.". This shows the gloomy, melancholic atmosphere, and how Amir is feeling now Baba has been diagnosed, and how he has also said that he does not want any chemotherapy. Amir is horrified that he will no even try the chemo, saying "I wish you'd give the chemo a chance Baba". Baba is disgusted that Amir would test his opinion and choices, and Amir suddenly blurts out "What about me?". Even though Baba has been the one diagnosed, and is the one that would go through with the treatment, Amir still finds a reason for Baba to have to have sympathy for him. This seems very selfish on Amir's behalf, seeing as the chemotherapy is only palliative in Baba's case. Baba is completely the opposite when it comes to sympathy though, and orders Amir not to let anyone find out, as he does not want to be treated any differently now that he has been diagnosed.

Amir explains how worse Baba is getting, again through pathic fallacy, as he is comparing his moods to the different seasons. For autumn, this is the older age stage, where time is moving on, and he compares this to Baba, saying that Baba waited behind the wheel, whilst he got out and bargained for junk. When winter came, Baba stayed in, and winter symbolises the end of life.

After an episode at the flea market, Baba is put into hospital for two days, and thinks that he is being a burden on everyone who is coming to visit him. At home, when Amir hugs him, he said that "his shoulder blade felt like a bird's wing under my fingers", so it's as if Baba is now Amir's responsibility to look after, like he is that vulnerable, being such a small creature even compared to a finger. Baba tells him to ask the General Taheri for his daughters hand in marriage. The general accepts, and Amir is over joyed. Soraya immediately calls him, herself also being extremely happy, but says that there should be no secrets between them, and decides to tell Amir about how she had been a very rebellious young woman, and had not been around when her mother had a stroke, due to being with an Afghan man. She says she feels terrible about it, and expects Amir to too, as running away from her family was a very disrespectful thing to do. Sh feels that this may put Amir off of her, and it may bother him strongly, which it does not. This shows that when Amir leaves her to visit Rahim Khan in a few chapters time, he really has strong trust with her, as she has already left her family once, and may be suspected to do it to Amir.

Amir envies Soraya for having the courage to come out with her story. He then says he opened his mouth and almost came out with the story about Hassan. "Almost", like the time he had almost said something about the rape to Hassan, like he had almost come out about what he had seen to Ali and Baba. But he didn't, he was not brave enough to, and he seems to feel the guilt for not even telling Soraya.

Women in The Kite Runner

In the first 13 chapters of the kite runner, women do not really play a huge role, which ties in with Afghan women at the time, as they were hidden and opinions not heard. They didn't play a huge part in society when the Taliban came into power, as they were not allowed to leave the house without male supervision and had to be covered at all times when they did go out. There is one women in the novel though, that is a contrast to all of these things, Hassan's mother Sanaubar. She is called "beautiful", and we are told that men gravitated toward her. This is going against a rule that the Taliban put in place, as they said that women should be covered at all times, and not be sexually appealing. She also went out without a male in her presence, just 5 days after her son Hassan was born, breaking another rule.

The women on the truck when Baba and Amir are escaping Afghanistan is symbolising the objectification of women. She is used as a trade for getting past the border, it is stated that they will not go any further until a guard has half an hour with her in the truck. She is wearing "an olive green dress and black shawl wrapped tightly around her face", which is abiding by the Taliban dress code, in contrast with Hassan's mother. She also is not given a name, just referred to as "the young woman", which shows that no detail about her is needed, just the use of her. Baba however, stands up for her, which shows that it is only a male which can do this, women are that disrespected in society that they cannot even stand up for themselves. This scene also shows how common it is for sexually acts or rape to be carried out in Afghanistan, as it is only Baba that really stands up for the young woman, nobody else is very shocked or outraged that this is going to happen. I think it's more that Baba feels they are taking advantage of the woman, as they have already paid to be on the truck, and feels it would be unnecessary for the guard to have any time with her.

In chapter 11 we meet Soraya, who is the first female character in the novel that is talked about in detail, and is of great importance to Amir. She is very intelligent and is always there for Amir when he needs her, so this seems quite motherly. She may be acting like the mother figure Amir never had, due to her passing away during childbirth, so Soraya may make up for the fact he did not have a female figure in his childhood. She is also very into Amir's writing, and that's how they really first bond, as she reads one of stories. The two decide to get married, but shortly after this, Baba falls ill with lung cancer. She becomes Baba's carer, and as in Afghan culture women are not allowed to deal with male doctors, she takes on the responsibility. Amir seems very trusting in Soraya, as when he goes to visit Rahim Khan in Pakistan, she is left alone, without a dominant male with her. In Afghanistan culture, the male would have to go out with the woman whenever she left the house, and make sure she was dressed appropriately, so maybe the culture clash of moving to America has brought some western views of female oles into Amir's mind.

Women in Afghanistan

Women have struggled in Afghanistan, as the society is predominantly male. Their education is not as good, for example only around 15% of females can read and write in afghanistan, but this number is increasing due to more girls being allowed to go to school. By 1973 there was an estimated 150,000 girls in school and more women entered professions which used to be seen as only for men. However when the Taliban came into control, women were sent back to stay at home and to be controlled by male figures, the husbands and fathers. During the Taliban regime, some women that had previously been teachers decided to secretly educate girls, teaching them basic literacy and numeracy skills. If they were found by the Taliban to be doing this however, they would be jailed or tortured.

The Taliban came into power in 1996, and immediately after coming into power, it was stated that women were not allowed to leave their house unless accompanied by a male family member meaning that essentially, women were put under house arrest. Women were also refused healthcare, and some could not even go out, due to having no remaining male relatives. If they were to go out, they also were made to wear a burqa which completely covers the woman completely, except for a slight opening in which they can see out of. If women could not afford a burqa, this means that under no circumstances they were allowed to go out.

Afghanistan is a patriarchal society where it is believed that men should make all the decisions for women and arranged marriages are also very common for women, and the girl's father has the ultimate decision to who she marries. Men are allowed to divorce a woman without her consent, however if a woman wants a divorce, she will need her husbands consent.

During the Taliban regime in the 1990's, women were forced to wear burqa's in all public places. A burqa covers the woman completely, except for a slight opening in which they can see out of. It is very hot to wear, and can feel quite enclosed when wearing it.

Chapter 11

Baba and Amir have moved to America, which is an improvement on the war torn Afghanistan, but not plain sailing, as Amir says "Baba loved the idea of America. It was living in America that gave him the ulcer." Baba seems to complain about a lot of things in America, "the fruit was never sweet enough, where were all the trees and open fields?", which shows that the culture change is a bit of a shock to him, as he has lived in Afghanistan for so long. Another culture clash is when Baba visits his local convenience store, and they ask for ID, Baba states that there's something wrong with the country as "No one trusts anybody!".

Baba works in a gas station, and imagery is used here to highlight how tired he feels from his 12 hour shifts, "Baba's face drawn and pale under the bright fluorescent lights". Showing that he his pale seems to indicate that he is weaker, and not as strong as he may used to have been, or as Amir once saw him.

Amir graduates from High school, and Baba's affection seems longer lasting than it did for the kite running tournament win. Amir says that Baba wore his only suit "the one that he wore to wedding's and funerals". These two events are very contrasting, one is very happy and the other mournful, so wearing the same thing may show that Baba's emotions are not fully on display, or he may not feel them as much. He also wears a red tie, that harsh colour coming into play again, and Amir notices this. After they have had a celebratory dinner, they go to a bar and Baba makes more friends by buying rounds of drinks, and people are very grateful. It shows that he can turn a situation to be about him very quickly, as he is powerful with his money.

Baba brings up Hassan's name later, and even though Amir is in one of his best moods yet (after graduating and receiving a car from Baba), he still clams up and panics, saying that "a pair of steel hands closed around my windpipe". His guilt is eating him, and this is shown especially by the use of the "steel hands", as this is a very strong metal. Amir is also to enrol in college, and decides to tell Baba that he'll major in english, much to Baba's disagreement. He doesn't believe that Amir will get discovered, but he has not read Amir stories however, so does not have anything to go by. He feels that Amir should be doing "real work", something like medicine or law.

Amir used to go for a lot of drives, and mentions the pacific ocean in one of them. The "blue" imagery comes in again, and he says that it was a vast expanse, rather like in Hassan dream with the lake. He also compares it to the movies of his childhood, showing an analepsis, but not as detailed as some of his others as he does not give specific examples of films. He feels that America is very pure and simple for him, where he has "no sins, no memories".

Baba purchases an old VW bus for $550, and then every Saturday, he used to wake up Amir and they would go round garage sales, purchasing things that people no longer wanted. Then on Sundays they would go to San Jose flea market, and sell the items for a small profit. At this flea market, is where Amir meets General Taheri, who is going to play a very important part in Amir's future. He meets his daughter, Soraya. He is instantly struck by her, his "heart quickening", and uses a lot of bird imagery to describe her, which connotates freedom. In bed later, he thinks about Soraya, and the way her eyes had met his.