Ch. 10 – 14 Reading Questions (Answers only)

Ch. 10 – 14 Reading Questions (Answers only)

1. 
   Amir is once again car sick during the ride to Jalalabad.
   
2. 
   Karim is a “people smuggler” who drove people out of Kabul to the safety of Pakistan. He takes people first to Jalalabad, where they can stay with Karim’s brother until riding on to Pakistan.
   
3. 
   The Russian army has taken over in Afghanistan, and it had enforced a strict curfew and used citizens as spies within the city of Kabul. No one felt safe, even in their own house. Russians patrolled the cities and much of the city was under fire.
   
4. 
   The Russian officer wants to have sex with one of the women on the convoy as a “price” to pass into Pakistan. Baba is honorable and will not stand for it.
   
5. 
   Irony/foreshadowing:
   
   1. 
      This is ironic. Amir thinks back on flying kites with Hassan, and their last “fun” time together was when they had won the kite tournament.
      
   2. 
      This is foreshadowing – it’s as if Baba knows that they will soon be leaving this land forever, which is what happens soon after.
      
   3. 
      Foreshadowing – this is indicative of the father-son relationship theme of the novel. Ali dies when he steps on a land mine and Baba dies from cancer; both of these men made sacrifices for their sons.
      
   4. 
      Irony – Kamal now knows the shame and humiliation that he inflicted on Hassan.
      
6. 
   Amir and Baba are now living in Fremont, California, and have been living there for a few years.
   
7. 
   This quote is said by Amir. He feels that he can let go of his guilt for what happened to Hassan and can start over.
   
8. 
   Baba gives Amir an old car for his graduation present so he can drive to and from school. Amir is speechless with gratitude and feels like he and his father finally have the relationship he’s always wanted. Baba is drunk and wishes Hassan were with them.
   
9. 
   Soraya is the daughter of General Taheri, and Amir falls in love with her almost immediately. They meet at the market place, but aren’t allowed to speak to each other as friends.
   
10. 
    They go to garage sales on the weekends and then sell their findings at the flea market for some cash.
    
11. 
    General Taheri worked for the Ministry of Defense in Kabul and wears his uniform to the flea market. He’s intimidating, but he loves Baba and Amir.
    
12. 
    Amir wants to be a writer; he knows it isn’t lucrative and tells Baba he would have to work menial jobs while he tries to get “discovered.” Baba doesn’t believe it is practical.
    
13. 
    Baba is referring to the scandal surrounding Soraya. One mistake she made as a teenager has haunted her for years. He’s also warning Amir of not using the proper routes to “date” a woman of Afghani descent. This quote can also be applied to what happened to Hassan in Ch. 7.
    
14. 
    The double standard is that Afghan men can do what they want – they can speak to women who are not married and their reputations will remain intact. Women, on the other hand, will be gossiped about and seen as desperate if an un-supervised conversation takes place between them and single men.
    
15. 
    The pulmonologist’s last name indicates that he is of Russian descent, and Baba refuses to see him because of his experiences with Russians in Afghanistan.
    
16. 
    Baba is diagnosed with cancer – he has inoperable carcinoma. Baba decides not to treat it with chemo because it would not change the outcome.
    
17. 
    Amir wants Baba to ask General Taheri if Amir can marry his daughter. It’s customary in Afghanistan to have the fathers meet and discuss before any engagement is made.
    
18. 
    Raising a son by himself; losing his wife; leaving his homeland; poverty; indignity; cancer.
    
19. 
    He finds out that his first novel will be published.
    
20. 
    Amir and Soraya cannot have children, and Amir wonders if this is karma for his betrayal of Hassan.
    
21. 
    The Shorawi withdrew from Afghanistan, which should have put an end to the fighting, but they continued to fight with the Soviet government of Najibullah. The Mujahedin are the Afghan citizens, but the government is Soviet-run.
    
22. 
    Rahim Khan wants Amir to come see him in Pakistan because he’s dying.