Chapter 12
Describe your impression of Soraya.
What can you say about her career plans?
Discuss gender issues as presented in the chapter.
What did Amir observe about a double standard?
What aspects of Afghan culture became evident as the relationship between Amir and Sorays developed?
Give some examples of Afghan dating customs and rituals.
Speak about Baba’s illness.
Which of his actions in this period portray him as a strong and proud man?
Do you agree with Amir that Soraya’s sharing of her story was an act of courage?
Do you think that her situation should be viewed as bringing shame upon her family?
Lesson 5
Chapters 13-16
Chapter 13
Describe the engagement party.
What specific rules do we observe here?
Discuss the wedding ceremony.
Was it a traditional Afghan wedding?
Speak about Baba’s death and how Amir felt right after it happened. At the funeral Amir thought about the “bears” that had wrestled his whole life. What were those “bears”?
Amir reflected that “every woman needed a husband, even if he did silence the song in her”. Discuss the quote in light of his marriage and the marriage of Soraya’s parents.
Speak about the family blow Amir and Soraya had to face.
Compare Amir’s, Soraya’s and General’s attitude about adoption.
Amir thought that “perhaps something, someone, somewhere, had decided to deny me fatherhood for the things I had done. Maybe this was my punishment, and perhaps justly so”.
How do you understand such an explanation? Is it sufficient for you?
Do you side with General’s idea about blood being a powerful thing?
Chapter 14
In what way does this short chapter serve as a transition from the past into the near present?
What can you say about Amir and Soraya’s marriage at that point? How long had they been married by the time described in the chapter? Do you think Amir was sincere with Soraya? Was he ready to tell her his painful secret?
What was there in Rahim Khan’s words that brought Amir back to the memories of those shameful events of his childhood?
How did Amir understand Rahim Khan’s last words on the phone?
Chapter 15
Give a brief history of the events taken place in Afghanistan after Amir’s departure and describe the current situation.
Give examples of indiscriminate attacks of the Taliban and the stringencies of their rules.
What was Rahim’s attitude to this group?
What example did he give to support his opinion?
What did Amir say about clichés? Give examples.
Chapter 16
What is the significance of the shirt in the narrative?
Find the following dates in the chapter and build up a brief summary of the key events: 1986, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1998.
What did you learn about Hassan’s life?
What can you say about his attitude to Amir?
Speak about Hassan’s relationship with his mother.
Why do you think he forgave her?
Lesson 6
Chapters 17-19
Chapter 17
What events of Hassan’s life were told in his letter to Amir?
What is the tone of the letter? Can you feel any changes in his attitude to Amir?
What symbolic interpretation can you give of the fruitless pomegranate tree? What did it remind about?
Describe Hassan’s death.
Does it give realistic portrayal of Taliban senseless violence?
What was Rahim’s dying wish?
Do you think it was fair?
What was Amir’s response?
What shocking truth about his family did Amir suddenly find out?
How can you account for his burst of anger?
Comment: “You bastards …You goddamn bastards! … All of you, a bunch of lying goddamn bastards”. To whom did he refer?