Chapter 7

Chapter 7

1. HASSAN'S DREAM

   • Amir & Hassan swimming in the lake
   • Monster lurking beneath the surface
   • People on the lakes bank are proud of there bravery for finding no monster
   • Positive omen for todays competition
   • Highlights Hassan's positivity & love for Amir
   • "swimming at the bottom, waiting."
     • Foreshadows the something horrid is coming, waiting for him
     • Suggests Hassan is aware of Amir's nasty side, beneath his friendly surface & wishes him to banish it just as the monster is from the lake

2. The day of the kite tournament

   • WINS!
     • Juxtaposition of the attack & winning the tournament. The thrill of winning is immediately contrasted with the act of betraying a friend
   • Hassan runs the defeated blue kite but gets raped by Assef & his friends
   • the key chapter in the novel
     • The rest of the story hangs upon it
       • Amir constantly refers back to it in future chapters
     • The rape of Hassan is the event which Amir has been foreshadowing in earlier chapters

3. CHARACTER

   • Amir
     • Nervous for the kite competition & wants to back out
     • After witnessing the rape, he is forced to choose between his friend & father. By not acting it is clear he has chosen his father over Hasan
     • See's Hassan's expression before the rape, it is the same as that of when Amir has asked him about his friends loyalty to him "would you eat dirt if I asked you to."
       • Draws comparision to what Assef was doing & what Amir had threatened him to do
         • Made him almost as bad a bully
   • Hassan
     • Encourages Amir with his dream "there is no monster"

4. NARRATIVE

   • narrative breaks off at the rape sceane
     • Talks about his memories rather than a recall of the events actually happening
     • Shows Amir's difficulty in in dealing with this part in the story & suggests how he had distance himself from what he thought he was seeing

5. SETTING

   • Alley way
     • This is where the rape took place, which is significant
     • It is a back, dark rarely used alley- representing the secret nature of the act which takes place
       • the sexual act made it more difficult for Amir to admit he had seen because it is something he shouldn't have been watching
         • Makes it easier for him to dismiss because it doe not commonly happing in mainstream life.
   • Clear Winters day
     • Clear blue skies, sun shining- referred to as "blameless"
       • Makes winning more of a glorious event but the rape more dark & disturbing
       • the event of that day dirties the atmosphere