The Kite Runner: Small Group Discussion: Andrea, Chisa, Mia, and Summer

Pages 101-225

You will work in groups of four to discuss

The Kite Runner p. 101-225. During this
time, Mrs. Hanthorn will be circulating
throughout the class to review the quality of
the discussion.

Teacher Observations - Did you:

- Share your position on a question
- Reference the text
- Post a relevant and thoughtful
question on the group document
- Use a literary term
- Show IB Learner Profile Attributes: risk-taking, open-mindedness, thinker, communicator

Instructions
1. One group member should SHARE this document with the rest of the group. Each group
member should contribute 2-3 discussion questions on the assigned reading.
2. Discuss the essential questions first, followed by the group member questions in
roundtable order.
3. Assign a notetaker for each question to record responses.
4. Submit the document by the end of class.

Essential Questions:
There are many moments of irony in “The Kite Runner.” One example is on page 116 when
Baba stands up to protect a stranger while Amir couldn’t protect his friend. Discuss the idea of
irony as you see it so far in the book. What other examples can you find?
- Baba & Amir in Kabul vs America
- Contrast of dark, disgusting truck vs bright, beautiful memories
- Baba and Hassan’s mother
- Verbal irony (pg. 189): Soraya not being pregnant, yet it felt like she was

Pages 101-225 covers a huge span of time and several changes in setting. How are the ideas
of guilt and regret interwoven into the text? Discuss each setting covered in this section.
- pg. 109; Amir’s guilt as he watched Hassan leave, foreshadows the events when Rahim
Khan reveals every incident Amir missed (about Hassan and his family).
- pg. 133; Baba and Amir after graduation
- pg. 180; Reason why Amir didn’t care about Soraya’s past
- pg. 183; Amir wonders whether he deserves happiness
 - pg. 188; Amir believes that his and Soraya’s infertility is “payback” in a sense, for him
ignoring Hassan’s rape
- pg. 192; Amir seeing the kites at the Golden Gate Bridge
- pg. 194; Amir dreaming of Hassan
- Amir throws up in the car after everyone’s complimenting him on his kite
running—partially due to car sickness, but also due to guilt
- Shown mainly using narration with Amir reminiscing and remember Hassan or when
Baba brings up Hassan and Amir narrates his tense reactions

On p. 192, the book comes full circle, returning to the lines that are key in this text “There is a
way to be good again.” Why are these lines repeated so often in the book?
- To clear up past sins
- Foreshadows the redemption Amir will work towards
- Starts the redemption “arc” of the novel
- Repetition establishes the theme of redemption
- Shows Rahim Khan’s forgiveness and how the only thing Amir still needs to redeem
himself is to forgive himself.
- Hosseni might be conceptualizing on moral ethics through the lens of an individual
- Italicized statement: puts an emphasis on redemption
- Shows the author’s view of redemption and how he believes there is always a
way to redeem yourself

Discuss the letter from Hassan on p. 217.

- Servant and master relationship is still perpetuated (Agha)
- Shows Hassan’s loyalty for Amir and his forgiveness
- Builds suspense for Hassan’s death on p. 219
- Emphasizes Amir’s self loathing
- Helps set up and give reasons for Amir to go back to Kabul
- Shows that in a way Hassan still protected Amir and sets up a contrast when Amir
cannot save him yet again
- Interesting how the author gives Hassan Amir’s dream life, giving Hassan a child vs Amir
not having a child.
- Hassan having the ability to provide protection vs Amir not having protected, so
he didn’t deserve a child
- Sets up/Foreshadows Amir to pay back Hassan by protecting his child

Discuss the effect of the plot twist that finishes on p. 225.

- Shows Baba and Amir were actually more alike than Amir realized: both of them
betrayed their best friend.
- Amir who denied their brotherhood, now gets a “slap in the face“ via the author since
they were brothers all this time
- Makes Amir regret everything he did even more
Group member questions:

Name Discussion Question Group Response

Summer How does the author portray justice or

injustice—specifically people’s different views
of it—in the novel?

Mia What is the meaning of the change/evolution is

Baba and Amir’s relationship after they move to
America?

Chisa How does the author explore moral ethics and

philosophy through the lens of Amir? And what
makes him “so different from every Afghan guy” as
Soraya has mentioned?(Hosseini180)

Andrea How is the climax of the story being portrayed?

How did Hosseini manage to shift the timeline
to a new perspective of the US?