Chapter Two.

Chapter Two.

1. Amir describes Hassan's appearance:

   • "a face like a Chinese doll chiselled from hardwood"
     • "Hardwood" refers to his pigmentation.
   • "and that cleft lip, just left of midline, where the Chinese doll maker's instrument may have slipped"
     • metaphor

2. explains how Hassan wouldn't "deny me"

   • shows the power & authority.

3. Amir's house represents his wealth:

   • "the most beautiful house"
   • "crystal chandelier"
   • "gold-stitched tapestries"
   • "flanked by rosebushes led to the sprawling house of marble floors and wide windows"
   • contrast between Amir & Hassan's wealth: "I went past the rosebushes to Baba's mansion, Hassan to the mud shack."

4. family:

   • "my father dashing in his black suit and my mother a smiling young princess in white"
   • "I'm in his arms, but its Rahim Khan's pinky my fingers are curled around"
     • shows Baba & Amir's relationship - how they were never really close & Amir was always closer to Rahim.
   • "my mother hemorhaged to death during childbirth"
     • Amir feels guilty about this, feels Baba blames him for it.
       • chapter 3 - "I always felt like Baba hated me a little" "I had killed his beloved wife"

5. talks about Hassan's mother.

   • "she ran off with a clan of traveling singers & dancers"
   • "what a tight little sugary cunt she had!"
     • how a solider described her.
     • "tears were sliding down his cheeks" impact she had on Hassan.
   • "Beautiful but notoriously unscrupulous"
     • having or showing no moral principles.
   • "tempted countless men into sin"
     • no blame put on the men, all her fault.
   • "Sanaubar's suggestive stride"
   • "oscillating hips sent men to reveries of infidelity"
   • "now you have your own idiot child to do your smiling for you!"

6. Amir's firs word: "Baba" Hassan's first word "Amir"