Dear Students,

Now that you have finished The Kite Runner I would like you to share your thoughts with your classmates.

What were your favorite parts from the first page to the last? Would you recommend this book to others? Why/why not? What do you think are the benefits to reading a book like The Kite Runner?

Please be specific and react to what your classmates have written.

Thank you,

Judith

Dear students,

In chapters 20-22, Amir returns to his home city of Kabul and is horrified at the changes that have occurred.  There are some horrific descriptions in these chapters of the cruelty and destruction of the Taliban. I would like you to share your knowledge and interest of the Taliban and Afghanistan now compared to before you started reading the novel.

Before you read The Kite Runner, how aware were you of the Taliban? Did you know what they stood for? Did you know what they did? Now that you are learning some things about Afghanistan through the novel, do you pay more attention to the news? How has reading this novel affected you?

Please share your opinions and thoughts.

Thank you,

Judith

Dear Students,

As Amir goes back to Afghanistan, he says “I feel like a tourist in my own country”  pg 231. His driver Farid can not understand how he thinks of Afghanistan as his country after living in the US for over 20 years.

Some of you are recent immigrants while some have lived in the US for a large part of your life. How do you feel when you go back to your native country? Do you feel like you never left, or do you feel like a tourist? How do people treat you or others who left. Are they resentful like Farid?

Please share your opinions and experiences with us.

Thank you,

Judith

Dear Students,

In chapter 13, Amir and Soraya discuss adoption, for they are unable to conceive. Both Amir, Soraya and General Taheri have strong opinions about adoption.

Reflect on their opinions. Do you agree or disagree with their reasons? Do you have different reasons why you would or would not adopt yourself? Discuss your own personal views and the views of your own culture.

See  you on Monday.

Judith

Dear Students,

In chapter 11 Amir and Baba are in the United States. We learn about how different their life is in this country and how each one internalized this country so differently. “Baba loved the idea of America. It was living in America that gave him an ulcer“ (pg 125).  We learn that it is hard for Baba to live  here especially in the incident at the Fast and Easy on page 127-128. From Amir’s explanation we understand that Baba was upset because of the lack of trust that exists in this country.

Do you agree or disagree with Baba? Why/why not? Please share any story of you or someone you know adjusting to life in the United States.

Thank you,

Judith

Dear Students,

Now you finally know the incident that Amir has alluded to since chapter one: “I am what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975″ (pg 1), ” “I thought of the life I had lived until the winter of 1975 came along and changed everything” (pg 2).

Why do you think Hassan let this happen? Why did he not fight for himself? Why was he like a sacrificial lamb?

Also, what do you think Amir regrets most of all? We can understand his character  more after the incident than ever before. What kind of person is he? What is his strongest motivating factor?

Please reflect and respond to these questions and read your classmates responses and respond to their reflections also.

Thank you,

Judith

Dear Students,
I hope you are enjoying reading The Kite Runner so far. As you know, you have to write a character description and analysis of Hassan and Amir and a third character of your choice for Tuesday. Before you get started on that, I want you for this blog post to think about the relationship of Hassan and Amir.

In chapter 5 on page 41, Amir questions his relationship with Hassan when Assef asks “How can you call him (Hassan) your friend?” Amir thinks, “But he is not my friend…He’s my servant!…I treated Hassan well, just like a friend, better even, more like a brother. But if so, then why, when Baba’s friends came to visit with their kids, didn’t I ever include Hassan in our games? Why did I play with Hassan when no one else was around?

Do you think they were in fact best friends? What are the qualities of a best friend? Before you look at the evidence in chapters 1-5 to answer your question, think back to when you were a child with your best friend. Were you loyal to each other? Did you treat each other fairly? Why do you think Hassan is so loyal to Amir? Why do you think Amir is treats Hassan so inconsistently?

Before you answer please read your classmates’ responses.

See you on Monday!

Judith

Dear Students,

Welcome to our class blog. We will be using it for the rest of the semester to discuss the novels that we will be reading. I hope you find using a blog a fun and interesting way to share your thoughts and opinions with your classmates.

Today I would like everyone to respond with their experience with blogging:

Have you ever blogged before? If so- When and why did you do it? If you have not- what do you know about blogging- what are your feelings about this type of assignment?

After you have written your own thoughts and experiences please read and respond to your classmates.

Judith