Chapter 10

Chapter 10

1. TIME

   • Moves to March 1981
   • abruptly moves forward 5years
     • Amir is now 18
     • country now occupied by Russian troops, many people are choosing to emougrate, leaving everything behind rather than continue to live in the dangerous country

2. SETTING

   • Cramped together with a dozen strangers in the back of a Russian truck
   • Leaving Kabul & escaping Afghanistan
     • Abandoning everything
   • Arrive in Jalabad but the truck that was there escape is broken
     • Brought them here over false pretences
       • Others have been being kept in the basement of the house, brought in the same situation
     • The live in the basement for a week
       • Vivid description of the basement
         • "Shapes huddled around the room, their silhouettes thrown on the walls by the dim light of a pair of kerosene lamps"
         • I discovered the source of the scratching sounds. Rats.
         • Claustrophobic environment- contrast to Baba's house
           • Shows their change of status- caused from leaving Afghanistan
   • Smuggled in a fuel tanker
     • Amir panics & is unable to breath through the fumes in the dark
       • Encouraged to think of something good
         • He thinks about kite flying with Hassan
     • Finally reach Afghanistan
       • Kamal dies on the journey
         • His father kills him self with a gun because of this
         • Symbolic of a chance for Amir to escape his problems & the potential he now has to move on in life in the US, without any 'baggage' of his past

3. CHARACTER

   • Amir
     • Car sick in the truck
       • Baba apologises for his sons weakness
     • Tries to protect his father from the Russian guard
       • Father slaps him off, & complains of Amir's cowardice- another of his weaknesses
         • again an embarrassment to his father
   • Baba
     • Stands up & confronts the Russian officer
       • Protecting the woman & daring the guard to shoot him
         • her husband kisses Baba &thanks him for what he did for them as the truck moves on
           • Everybody highly regards Baba
       • Contrasting with Amir's weakness- Baba shows his strengths & bravery
         • Also contrasts Amir's cowardice in the alley way in 1975 where he chose to not prevent the rape
       • The Russian guard singd an Afghan wedding song on approach
         • Shows how involved they are not with Afghan life-
         • Shows how they have little respect for Afghans- singing such a happy song but attempting such an action
   • Kamal
     • One of the bullies
     • Living in the basement with them
     • Looks awful
       • Has been raped by many men

4. Stopped at a Russian roadblock

   • Want 1/2 an hour with one of the female passengers