I really enjoyed seeing you all this week! Great job discussing Kite Runner and reviewing all the books we have read so far.
Please post your Kite Runner essay here in the comments section. Tyler, please read Kevin's essay, and Kevin read Daniel's essay, and Daniel read Tyler's essay. Of course keep in mind that Kevin and Daniel had only 25 minutes to write their essays!
6 comments:
Kite Runner:
Question: Why is Amir afraid to be Hassan's true friend? Why does he resent Hassan?
Answer:
In the Kite Runner, Amir is a young 12 year old with Hassan, his servant. Hassan has the most character and is an extremely honest, loyal, little boy, and in the end will even lie about himself to save Amir from guilt. Amir is more or less your average kid, he has his faults and isn’t the best friend you could have. More than once Hassan has stood up to bullies for Amir. Because of this, Hassan was hurt very badly because once Amir failed to do anything when he could have saved him. Amir’s failure to do anything basically caused Hassan to be sent away. With that thought, we will ask and answer these two questions. First, why is Amir afraid to be Hassan’s true friend? And, why does he resent Hassan?
Why is Amir afraid to be Hassan's true friend? Mainly because he is afraid of what people will say. Amir, in his heart, is a very selfish kid. Even though Hassan is the most loyal friend someone could ask for, Amir worried more about what others thought about him. Since Amir felt this way, he choose not to play with Hassan when other people were around. He choose to not help Hassan when he was getting beaten up by bullies. He choose to hide thirty-some dollars under Hassan’s mattress in order to be rid of his own guilty conscience. In the end, after Hassan had grown up and Amir had gone back to America, Hassan was shot in the back of the head for his loyalty.
Why does Amir resent Hassan? Amir resents Hassan because every time he sees him after the alley, it reminds him of his own cowardice. He is just about driven insane with his own guilt that he takes some birthday money, and hides it under Hassan’s mattress to get to look like Hassan had stolen it. He also knew/thought that by not having to look, speak, or hear of Hassan, his secret would eventually just wash away and be forgotten. Amir is counting on Hassan’s loyalty for this to work. Of course Hassan lies for Amir because he is to loyal and all the wrongs Amir has committed Hassan is still his only true friend.
The second reason why Amir resents Hassan is that he knows Hassan is a model of everything that he isn’t. Amir, in blunt terms, is a cowardly, selfish, and mean little kid.
Hassan will stand up for himself; he is way too loyal to Amir, and even lies just to cover up for him. After the incident in the alley, Amir tries to get Hassan to retaliate because Amir knew Hassan had seen him run away. Amir throws pomegranates at Hassan and commands Hassan to throw them at himself, just to get some kind of pain, some kind of anger out of Hassan so he can feel better. Instead, Hassan crushes a pomegranate on his own head. Afterword, Amir sends Hassan and his father, Ali away.
To sum it up, Amir is afraid to be Hassan’s true friend because he is afraid of what other people will say and think. He resents Hassan because he feels guilty when he sees him. Also he resents him because Hassan is everything that he should be but isn’t. Amir is not the best friend in the world, but Hassan certainly seems like he is. Hassan in this book proves that you don’t have to be educated or even free to be virtues. We should all strive to be more like Hassan.
Essay Question: What are some respectable character traits that Baba and the General have, what are the downfalls in their thinking?
Baba and General Taheri both viewed the world in different ways. Baba was the harder worker and loved by all those who knew him. General Taheri was a patient and kind man. Yet they had noticeable downfalls. Although many friends of Baba felt loved, his son Amir was the only exception to his love. General Taheri refused to work in the United States considering it below him to work. We can learn many lessons by observing these two different characters.
Baba was everything the General was not. His charisma and generous personality quickly made those around him feel appreciated. He was not only a good partier, but a hard worker. His unconventional methods often shocked people. Baba was that kind of person. He molded the world around him rather than the world mold him. Although he loved his friends and family, he had a difficult tie loving his only son –Amir. Amir had the exact opposite character traits than his father. This was his downfall in life.
General Taheri was a respected military officer. His approach to life was quite different than Baba’s. While living in the United States, he patiently waited for Afghanistan to call him back for duty. He was so sure of this, he even dressed every day in his military dress. The General was the type of person that let life come to him. He was not the “go getter” type person like Baba. Unlike Baba, who worked at a gas station daily, General Taheri collected welfare preferring not to work. He considered it below his dignity.
In conclusion, Baba was the harder working of the two. His work ethic, and generous acts are admirable qualities. His only downfall was his failure to accept his son for who he was. General Taheri preferred to collect welfare and wait rather than work. It is important to observe the lives of others and see ways in which we can improve our outlook on life.
Great job Tyler!
Your essay is well organized and thoroughly written. My favorite part is the conclusion because you directly answer the essay questions. You didn't stray into random ideas but stuck with the essay questions.
Unpleasant Necessities
The challenges we are given in life are not punishments; they are gifts. This statement rings true in many aspects of life. In the novel The Kite Runner, Amir was faced with numerous challenges. Although these obstacles were difficult overcome, he emerged a changed man. I am faced with many challenges, such as my education. When my grandpa died, my grandma took his death very hard. But hope was able to come out of her pain.
Amir was faced with so many obstacles in his life. When he was young, he witnessed a horrible event that put immense stress on his relationship with is best friend. Although this situation could not get worse, Amir learned from it and was forever changed for the good. He reconciled with many relationships that had been affected. He also found a way to redeem himself and did so with courage. The struggles that Amir faced shaped him into a man of great character.
As I struggle through my education, I am often tempted to give up. But the idea of a good job that I can use to support my future family keeps me pushing towards the goal of a degree. The pain that my education sometimes causes is necessary for me to become a well-rounded individual. It also gives me the edge in finding a job that will meet my interests and provide adequate funding to support a family and own a home.
My grandpa died last year. My family and grandma grieved for his death, but through this incredibly trying experience my grandma emerged deeply saddened, but even closer to her Lord. She has taken every spare moment to devote herself to many outreaches including the People’s Kitchen, and caring for the elderly. Her relationship with God has been strengthened, and He has used her to reach many hurting people in her church as well as those who she cares for.
It is up to us to fight through these struggles in life. Fortunately, we have God on our side who will aid us in our many challenges. We need to keep in mind that every tough and unpleasant thing that we must do in life is for our benefit. We may not reap the fruit of our labor right away, but the future will look and be much brighter. The challenges we are given in life are what turn us into courageous, well-off, and happy people.
good job daniel.
you did well analyzing the characters and the way they thought. you stuck to your topic and supported your ideas/
great job kevin
very well balanced and i liked the topics you picked. great job with 25 min.!
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