Kite Runner Essay example

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 YEAR 11 ENGLISH

2013-2014

Holiday Homework

Introductory activities to the study of “The Kite Runner”

Read the novel, “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini (note, this can be purchased from a current year 11 or can be ordered early using the Early English Novels order form) Complete the Character Profile activity. You will need to have a good understanding of Character and how they develop and change throughout the text, for analysis.

Complete a dot point summary for each of the 25 chapters Include 5-10 key events or plot points in each.

CHARACTER PROFILES

AMIR
Status- Primary character.
Role- The main character and protagonist who tries to avoid his past but eventually confronts his sins and seeks redemption.
Circumstances- Only son of a wealthy and influential man in Kabul. Overlooked by his father.
Presentation- 12 year old at the beginning, slight and unathletic. 18 years old when he escapes Afghanistan and moves to America, cowardly scholarly young man, Adult, husband, writer, carer and seeking to make things right (eventually)
Personality- Selfish, deceptive, sensitive, cowardly and unloved.
World view- Powerful desire to make his father proud, no matter what the cost to others.
Motivations- To gain his fathers love. To escape his past. To atone for his sins
Behaviour- Focused on trying to win his fathers affection- Kite competition. To be a successful writer. To make up for his treatment of Hassan.
Development- Undergoes a profound transformation throughout the novel as he grows up, becoming an honorable man.

Baba

Status- Primary character.
Role- Amir’s father; a wealthy well-respected, influential man who holds a dark secret and although doesn’t show it has deeply worries about his son.
Circumstances- Single parent who employs help to care for his son, Baba is a very powerful man in Kabul and often can’t find time for his young son.
Presentation- Older man who clearly enjoys the finer things in his life, evident in the materialistic things he buys and somewhat shows off.
Personality- Proud, independent, determined but sometimes emotionally distant and very impatient. Baba may seem to not love Amir but he does he just struggles keeping the secret of his half brother Hassan.
World view- At the beginning of the novel he is entirely focused on business and being superior to others. Towards the end when he moves to America and loses all power he becomes more in touch with his emotions and gets closer to his sons.
Motivations- To be wealthy, one day accept both of his sons, make up for his wrong doings in his past.
Behaviour- Begins to be focused on business and having a good time slowly realises what’s truly important in is life- family.
Development- The move to America really opens Baba’s eyes to the other side of life he had put others through (Hassan). Slowly realises what’s more important in life.

Hassan
Status- Primary Character
Role- Amir’s best friend and little known half brother, who thrives for simple things like acceptance.
Circumstances- Young uneducated child- due to this struggles with basics like reading or writing.
Presentation- Young and does whatever Amir, Baba or Ali says. Quite athletic, Amir thinks he is the best ‘Kite Runner’.
Personality- Extremely loyal, forgiving, tolerant, accepting and good natured.
World view- Strong motivations to have acceptance and please those around him.
Motivations- Looking forward to a bright future with a family; Amir, Baba and Ali give him confidence to push him through.
Behaviour- Very loyal to those who help him, ensures everyone is pleased with him and puts others well before himself
Development- Hassan changes from a very shy child to a brave, heroic and loyal man as the story develops. We continue to learn more and more about him until the day he was shot doing a favor for his ‘family’.

Ali

Status-primary character
Role- family
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