1. Chapter 14
Skim read this chapter and write your own short summary – one paragraph.
Discuss in pairs and be ready to feedback.
What is important about the structure that is occurring here?
Think about where this chapter is in both the chronological position and the actual physical position in the book.
What echoes can you find from Chapter 1?
Why is there the juxtaposition of the couple’s failed attempts at creating a child and Amir’s dream of Hassan?

2. Chapter 15 A return to Amir’s past and heritage.
He travels first to Pakistan and meets a very ill Rahim Khan.
We learn about the terrible changes in Afghanistan and the brutal regime of the Taliban: “They don’t let you be human”. Can we empathise with this at all? Can we imagine how we would feel if this happened here in Scotland?
How has Amir often viewed Rahim Khan?
Why is it symbolic that here is another father figure dying?
They lead to the change in Amir from being a scared boy into a strong man.
The destruction of Baba’s orphanage is symbolic how?
Symbolic of Baba’s reputation about to be challenged.
Symbolic of Baba’s death.
Symbolic of the vulnerability of children ( a recurring motif).
“Synechdoche” – where a part is used to represent the whole (eg “the pen is mightier than the sword”). The orphanage represents Afghanistan.

3. Chapter 16
Change of narrator – Rahim Khan. The only chapter to be told be someone other than Amir. We can hear his different tone, phrasing and sentence structure. He furthers the narrative of the plot significantly:
Unable to maintain Baba’s house by himself, he seeks out Hassan; Ali has been killed: “A land mine. Is there a more Afghan way of dying?”, but Hassan and his wife, Farzana, agree to come. Farzana gives birth to a son, Sohrab (symbolic as this is the name from the boys’ childhood stories). Hassan’s long-lost mother, Sanaubar, returns. There is forgiveness and acceptance and she returns to their family until her death four years later. The Taliban return to the country and there is violence and upheaval. Kite flying is banned – symbolic destruction of their past. Read the last line….
It is a change to finally have the introduction of females. However, it is a male-orientated book, reinforced by Hassan’s daughter being stillborn, but his son surviving. Sohrab is a mixture of both Amir & Hassan – he loves books and reading, yet is skilled with the slingshot & a talented kite runner.

4. Chapter 17
Although Amir is once again narrating, we hear another voice – Hassan’s voice through his letter. It is important to hear HASSAN’s words himself, not just Amir’s interpretation. Read the letter now and be ready to feedback - what can you infer about Hassan from this letter?
Read the description of Hassan’s death. How does the structure here represent what is occurring?
The structure is broken – emphasising how devastating this news is. Amir has no words, just a repetition of “no”. Why does this news hit him so hard?
Not only has his friend been killed, he has also lost his chance of atonement and forgiveness. However – this is another step in Amir’s metamorphosis.
Rahim asks Amir to go and rescue Sohrab. He also explains that Hassan was Amir’s brother.
Amir reacts angrily and is incredibly hurt. He storms out of the apartment.

5. Chapter 17 – Key Quotations
“Kindness is gone from the land and you cannot escape the killings. Always the killings.”
“I dream that my son will grow up to be a good person, a free person, and an important person.”
“Children are fragile...Kabul is already full of broken children...”
“And why you? I think we both know why it has to be you, don’t we?”
“I felt like a man sliding down a steep cliff, clutching at shrubs and tangles of brambles and coming up empty-handed.”
“It was a shameful situation. People would talk. All that a man had back then, all that he was, was his honor, his name, and if people talked...”
“I’m 38 years old and I’ve just found out my whole life is one big fucking lie! What can you possibly say to make things better? Nothing. Not a goddamn thing!”