Chapter 23 Analysis of Kite Runner
Chapter 23
Summary • Amir is in hospital after his beating • Rahim Khan has left to die in peace and there is no sign of the adoptive parents he promised for Sohrab • Amir decides to take Sohrab with him to Islamabad while he considers what to do with him.
Dreams/blurred images
One dream that represents Amir’s troubled mind "Assef was standing in the doorway of my hospital room, brass ball still in his eye socket.’We're the same, you and I,' he was saying. 'You nursed with him, but you're my twin.'"
It shows that his guilt for never saying anything about Hassan makes him feel that he was as much to blame as Assef.
However, it could also show how Amir thinks that his own darkness is a watered down version of Assef. The hero and the villain can't help but compare themselves to each other. Since in most hero movies, the hero and villain go through similar tragedies. They merely take different roads in reaction to those events.
Amir sees himself as Baba wrestling the bear. Return of memory is symbolic of Assef returning into Amir’s life. Some may argue that he never left but was waiting to be unveiled. For example in the fate-like coincidence of meeting the Taliban official he has to rescue Sohrab from is the same person who raped Hassan years ago. Implies Assef has been sexually abusing Sohrab (living piece of Hassan) Assef continues figurative rape of Hassan. Amir then stops this and as Baba has always wanted him to "A boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up to anything.”
Earlier foreshadowing fulfilled
Hassan threatens to shoot Assef’s eye out & Assef swears on his revenge. He fulfils his revenge by abuse of Sohrab & Sohrab shoots his eye out. This represents the idea of an eye for an eye.
Themes
Redemption - Amir welcomes the beating as he feels he always deserved it – feeling of relief. Amir begins to laugh – establishing parallel between Amir and Assef as characters. Assef tells story of guard
Summary • Amir is in hospital after his beating • Rahim Khan has left to die in peace and there is no sign of the adoptive parents he promised for Sohrab • Amir decides to take Sohrab with him to Islamabad while he considers what to do with him.
Dreams/blurred images
One dream that represents Amir’s troubled mind "Assef was standing in the doorway of my hospital room, brass ball still in his eye socket.’We're the same, you and I,' he was saying. 'You nursed with him, but you're my twin.'"
It shows that his guilt for never saying anything about Hassan makes him feel that he was as much to blame as Assef.
However, it could also show how Amir thinks that his own darkness is a watered down version of Assef. The hero and the villain can't help but compare themselves to each other. Since in most hero movies, the hero and villain go through similar tragedies. They merely take different roads in reaction to those events.
Amir sees himself as Baba wrestling the bear. Return of memory is symbolic of Assef returning into Amir’s life. Some may argue that he never left but was waiting to be unveiled. For example in the fate-like coincidence of meeting the Taliban official he has to rescue Sohrab from is the same person who raped Hassan years ago. Implies Assef has been sexually abusing Sohrab (living piece of Hassan) Assef continues figurative rape of Hassan. Amir then stops this and as Baba has always wanted him to "A boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up to anything.”
Earlier foreshadowing fulfilled
Hassan threatens to shoot Assef’s eye out & Assef swears on his revenge. He fulfils his revenge by abuse of Sohrab & Sohrab shoots his eye out. This represents the idea of an eye for an eye.
Themes
Redemption - Amir welcomes the beating as he feels he always deserved it – feeling of relief. Amir begins to laugh – establishing parallel between Amir and Assef as characters. Assef tells story of guard