My Enemy, My Brother/Kite Runner Part III

Summary

Chapter 6

Amir loves wintertime, like most other Afghan kids because it's pretty, there's snow, no school, and, most importantly, kite flying. Baba loves kite fighting, too, so it's a rare connection for them. Amir tells us a little about kite fighting. There's also kite running, which seems just as important as kite fighting. Once a kite is cut, the kite runners chase after the released kite and try to run it down. As it turns out Hassan is an expert kite runner. One winter day, Hassan and Amir run a kite. Hassan is a better kite runner than Amir – and Amir struggles to keep up. Hassan runs away from the kite that's just been cut. Amir follows, and they rest on a field by a middle school. Four days before the kite-fighting tournament, Baba casually tells Amir he thinks Amir is going to win this year. Amir starts to imagine all the wonderful things he and Baba will do together and how the two of them will grow closer. Now, Amir really wants to win this tournament.The chapter ends with Hassan and Amir playing cards the night before the tournament. There's some talk about Daoud Khan, on the televisions. Hassan thinks Amir will win the tournament the next day. Amir wins the card game but has the distinct feeling Hassan let him win.

Chapter 7 Hassan recounts a dream he just has the night before, where him and Amir are at Ghargha Lake along with Pahim Khan, Baba, Ali and and a ton of other people. No one is swimming, because theres a monster at the bottom, but Amir jumps into the lake and Hassan follows and swims behind him. Theres no monster and the crowd on the shore cheers. Hassan and Amir walk out into the street for the kite-fighting tournament. Amir suddenly gets cold feet, but Hassan encourages him.The number of kites in the sky dwindles. Soon Amirs kite and a blue kite are left. Amir gets a lucky gust if wind and cuts the blue kite. He wins the tournament. Baba cheers from the rooftop. Hassan runs off after the blue kite. Amir takes his kite back home and heads of to find Hassan. He spots Hassan in an alley where Assef, Wali and Kamal are staring Hassan down. Amir is not seen by them. He notices Hassan has the blue kite. Hassan tries to defend himself by throwing a rock at Assef, he does hit Assef, but the three boys throw Hassan to the ground.Amir has a few memories and dreams. Then he cuts back to what is actually going on and sees that Wali and Kamal don't want to participate in whatever Assef has planned. Assef pulls down his pants and rapes Hassan. Amir has a chance to intervene, but instead runs away. Amir meets Hassan in a ravine near the alley. Amir doesnt tell Hassan that he saw. Hassan is about to tell Amir what happened, but instead hands him the blue kite. Both boys return home and Baba gathers Amir up in his arms and Amir starts to weep.

Chapter 8 This chapter folllows the kite-fighting tournament. Amir rarely sees Hassan- he wakes to find his breakfast already cooked, his clothes folded. Ali asks Amir if anythings wrong with Hassan, but Amir treats Ali pretty poorly and doesnt tell about the alley. Amir asks Baba if they an go to Jalalabad on Friday. Baba asks if Hassan wants to come along. Amir says Hassan is sick because he wants Baba all to himself. Although Baba invites a ton of relatives to travel with them. One of Amirs cousins congratulates him on wining the tournament. That night everyone was eating and drinking. A poker game was also going on. After everyone was sleeping, Amir blurt out "I watched Hassan get raped." No one wakes up or hears him.

Back in Kabul there more silence and distance between Amir and Hassan. This continues for the rest of the winter. Amir hangs with Baba occasionally. At one point, Hassan asks Amir if hes done anything wrong. Amir tells Hassan he justs wants to be alone. When school starts Amir asks Baba if they can get new servants. The chapter ends with Amir's 13th birthday party. Baba invites a bunch of people.people. Assef shows up with a gift for Amir. Rahim Khan gives Amir his gift which is a leather-bound writing journal.

Predictions

I think that later on in the book, Amir will admit to what he saw. I think that the guilt will eat him away until he breaks apart. I also think that Hassan will also open up more and tell Ali what had happened to him. I also think that when Hassan and Amir both start to talk to each other again it will be awkward or not the same.

Opinions with Evidence

This book holds one of the most dramatic stories. When reading the novel in one paragraph I was very happy and fascinated, but within the next paragraph I was very sad or angry. The book has an excellent rhythm because it contains a lot of information about the situation in Afghanistan. The novel describes and shows the sad events and the different problems in Afghanistan. With these events I could imagine how they lived and knew how their customs, traditions, culture, religion and ethnic groups are like.Like most high quality books, Kite Runner shows a lot of symbolism. For example as the trophy of the kite-flying tournament, the kite can explain the unique characteristics of each individual in relation to itself. For instance Amir, especially as a child, covets Baba’s affections. Since he doesn't have a mother, Amir only has Baba to look up to as a role model. On the other hand, the kite to Hassan symbolizes the friendship and loyalty he feels towards Amir.

Prompt

The quote, "A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.”, relates to "My Enemy, My Brother" because Zahed saved Najah's life. Even though they are from different countries, something made Zahed want to save Najah. Most people usually would not save someone from a different team or country but Zahed did. I think that Zahed is generous and someone who puts others first. When Zahed saw the picture of Najah's girlfriend and son in the holy book, it made him want to save Najah. Zahed is definitely considered a hero because he put his life on the line to save Najah. He ended up getting caught at the end and was a prisoner for two years in Iraq.

At the end of the story, there was a miracle. Najah and Zahed somehow met in VAST. I am pretty sure that Najah felt very thankful for Zahed after saving his life. It is not often that people put others first before themselves so Zahed made a very brave move. It must have been tough saving someone's life. Zahed succesfully saved Najah's life by giving him painkillers and hiding him.

Connections

In the Kite Runner, Hassan who is a Hazaran saves Amir who is a Pashtun. This is like Zahed saving Najah. Zahed was Iranian and Najah was Iraqian. In both stories people who were once enemies are who still sort of are, saved the other guy. Zahed and Hassan both had the heart to save Najah and Amir. When Najah decided to save Zahed, he was enlightened by the fact that Zahed had a family and he was just a regular person. He knew how his family would feel. Just like how Hassan knew Baba would feel if anything happened to his son.

In the beginning of the Kite Runner, the two main characters, Amir and Hassan, were like brothers. They were from different ethnic groups, but Hassan would save Amir and be loyal to him. In "My Enemy, My Brother", Zahed saved Najah. After when they met again in Vancouver, they became really close like brothers. They were the best of friends in the end. This is like the Kite Runner but in opposite order. In the Kite Runner you can sort of predict that Hassan and Amir will not be as close. In both stories the relation that each pair had in the beginning both changed in the end, for better or worse.