Saturday, September 14, 2013

Fishbowl #1: Chapters 9 and 10 of The Kite Runner

Welcome to your first official fishbowl!


Aiming for an A for the day?  Here's how to get it:
(A) Bring at least one quotation and/or page reference into at least one of your responses.

(B) Explain your thinking thoughtfully and thoroughly (try to avoid the one-sentence response).

(C) Keep it professional, including the usage of proper grammar and spelling.

(D) Comment frequently from the beginning of the conversation to the end.

Remember also that you're welcome to get into a hotseat in the inner circle for a little while and earn some of your daily participation points there.

 



Enjoy!

130 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. What happened to Kamal's son?

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    1. You mean Kamal himself?

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    2. On the bottom of page 120 Kamal's father was talking to Baba about Kamal. It sounded like Kamal's issues may have come from witnessing what happened to Hassan.

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    3. But on 124. His son suddenly stopped breathing. And then Kamal shoots himself. What happened to his son?

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  3. I think he is secretly jealous and envious of Hassan.

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    1. Amir is jelous of Hassan

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    2. Why would Amir be Jealous of Hassan. Amir can have anything he want and he didn't get raped by Assef

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    3. I agree. And honestly, I don't really blame him. His father treats him like he's the servent and Hassan is his son.
      *still mad at Amir though*

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    4. Amirs dad treats Hassan better and he isn't even his son

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    5. Hassan is athletic and a better person then Amir. Hassan is more like the son Baba wants then Amir. Baba said it himself ""If I hadn't seen the doctor pull him out of my wife with my own eyes, I'd never believe he's my son."

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    6. Brett I disagree because Hassan is still a servant.

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    7. Ya Amir has the ability to get anything he wants whenever he wants it but, Hassan has always caught Baba's attention and Baba has treated Hassan more like a son compared to Amir (affection wise)

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    8. Baba says "You're the brother I never had, Ali, you know that." I think Baba loves Hassan like a son because Hassan is his "brother's" son and I think Amir is jealous that he is not the only son that Baba cares for.

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  4. How long does it take for sins to be absolved?

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    1. I don't think your sins can ever be absolved, they can only be forgiven.

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    1. Kamal watched his son stop breathing, therefor his son died

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  6. What exactly happened in Afghanistan that made Baba and Amir leave?

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    1. Baba and Amir left because Russians are invading.

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    2. What do you think was going through Amir's head when Baba said come to my office?

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  7. Does Amir regret winning the tournament after everything that had happened after that?

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    1. I don't think that he regrets getting his father's respect but he regrets what he witnessed in the alley.

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    2. Yes I think Amir regrets winning the kite tournament. If he didnt win Hassan never would of been raped and Amir wouldnt feel guilty for not saying anything

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    3. No because he regrets not saying anything when it was happening he thinks he should of sad something.

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    4. I think he regrets not standing up for Hassan more then winning the tournament. He could have still won the tournament and still saved Hassan.

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    5. Amir doesn't necessarily regret winning the tournament because he didn't know about what would happen after he won the tournament. He does regret the fact that he did nothing when Assef rapes him.

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  8. Why did Kamal's father shoot himself

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    1. his son stopped breathing

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    2. Kamal's father just lost his wife because someone shot her and since his son had just died somehow, he probably didn't want to be without them so he decided to kill himself.

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    3. so the father killed himself just so he didn't have to watch his son suffer?

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  9. What the heck happened when the Russian was holding up the gun to Baba's face and then a gun went off but neither one of them were dead? "The gun roared" Pg 116

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    1. I think he shot in another direction so he won't hit Baba. Or someone hit the gun to it won't hit anyone.

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    2. What happened was that the second officer shot a warning shot to let the first officer know to stop his fire. "But the whirlwind of half thoughts spinning in my head came to a halt when I cracked my eyelids, found Baba still standing. I saw a second Russian officer with the others. It was from the muzzle of his upturned gun that smoke swirled. The soldier who had meant to shoot Baba had already holstered his weapon."page 117

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  10. Amir framed Hassan so that Hassan and his father would be fired

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    1. He felt so much shame about not saving Hassan, that he couldn't bear to be around him anymore. Amir wanted Hassan to be mad at him, but Hassan continued to care for Amir. Amir just had so much guilt that's why he wanted them gone.

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  11. I think he framed Hassan because he wanted to get rid of him so that he wouldn't have to see him.

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    1. Why wouldn't he want to see him?

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  12. He framed Hassan so that he would get in trouble with Baba, and then Amir might get some attention from Baba.

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    1. I disagree. He just wanted to have Hassan and his father leave.

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  13. Amir realized that even though Hassan is not in the same social class as himself, he can have a good heart and can make good decisions.

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  14. I think that Amir wishes he had more love in his life and that he got more presents. Both Amir and Hassan have differences and they dont always get along.

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  15. How will they make a new life in Pakistan

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  17. I think why Amir framed Hassan is to get him out of the house because he couldn't live with the guilt of what he saw and it was tearing him down. So he had to frame him to get rid of the guilt.

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  18. Why are they moving to Pakistan?

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    1. The are moving to Pakistan because of the Russians.

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  19. I was very surprised that Amir did not confess to putting the items under his mattress.

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    1. Why would he confess?

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    2. He says if he told the truth "Baba would never, ever forgive me." I think that he wants his father's respect more than he wants Hassan to be innocent.

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  20. The question about why Amir framed Hassan brought a couple questions to mind.
    In the very beginning of Chapter nine, Amir uses the term "blood money" to describe his presents. What significance does this term have in the overall theme of the novel? How about after Amir saw what happened to Hassan? Do you think his thought process is skewed since he framed Amir?

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    1. I think that the term blood money is money that was earned in a bad way, for example killing someone and taking all their money or belongings.

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  21. Looking at Kamal's father's reaction to Kamal's death on the bottom of page 124, what do you think Baba would do if Amir died?

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    1. I think that if Amir died then he would realize what he had lost. Even though Amir is nothing like Baba he is still his son and Baba would defenitely miss him.

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    2. I think he would be devastated. Amir is still his son and I think that Baba knows that Amir is sometimes full of himself but he still loves him no matter what, and cares about him deeply.

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    3. I think Baba would be upset but not to the point that he would kill himself. I mean he loves his life how it is. I mean he would miss his son and remember him because he lost one of his own family members, but he would probably find other wife or something.

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  22. How come Kamals father shoots himself in the mouth? "But before they could say anything Kamal's father shoved the barrel in his own mouth." Pg 124
    -Didn't they make it to Pakistan where they wanted to go?

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    1. Well Kamal's father had jut lost his wife and his son had stopped breathing so maybe he found no reason to live without his family?

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    2. Kamals son stopped breathing and he got angry. On page 124 "He wont breath! my boy won't breath!" He was crying. Kamal's lifeless body lay on his fathers lap." They had not made it to Pakistan yet.

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  23. Going back to chapter 8, why do you think Assef beat up Hassan, even though he has already raped him and done horrid things to him? Why doesn't he stop?
    What do you think it will take for him to stop?

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    1. I think he had a lot of built up anger and he just let it all out.

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    2. Well he is mentally ill and so it will take a lot because he needs to go away. He is really hurting Hussan and so he neeeds to be taken somewhere

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    3. Assef was still angry from before and he still did not like Hassan at all. I think that it will take him to get caught and be in trouble for him to stop.

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    4. He is just crazy. He can't get over that fact that Hassan didn't summit to him and he probably likes to see people in pain (Creepily enough). So mostly Assef is just crazy.

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  24. I think Amir framed Hassan because he wanted to relieve him from the pain of what happened. Amir felt that it was his fault that Hassan was raped and framing him would get rid of his guilt.

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  25. I think Baba was ashamed of Amir because Amir doesn't always act like a man and he does things to embarrass Baba like getting car sick.

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  26. Why did Kamal's father shoot himself?

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    1. His wife had just died and his son had stopped breathing so I think he killed himself because he didn't want to live a life without the people he loved.

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  27. Amir realized that Hassan would do absolutely anything for Him.

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    1. But he wouldn't do the same or Hussan because He is lower thean him and doesn't really think anything of it.

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  28. why did Hassan lie about stealing the stuff? Hassan has already been through a lot of trouble

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    1. Maybe he was trying to protect someone

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    2. In the book they said Hassan never lies. He is honest and would do anything to protect Amir.

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  29. "Someone was screaming. No, not screaming. Wailing, I saw the passengers huddled around in a circle, he heard their urgent voices. Someone said the word 'fumes'. Someone else said it too. The wail turned into a throat-ripping screech." I'm still pretty lost on what happened here. I guess it was pretty bad but I'm not completely sure.

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    1. Kamal had just died because of the fumes in the gas tank and so Kamal's father is crying because of the loss and everyone is gathered around him

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  30. Did Amir truly have a duty to Hassan when Hassan was getting raped? I am surprised that Amir didn't do anything, but as we discuss, it makes the point more clear. Would Amir really have lost? Did he have a chance?

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    1. I don't think he would have, but he still would have been doing the right thing.

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  31. I think Amir wasn't really Hassan's friend in his mind, but more of a "puppet" he can play with and manipulate, but not be on the same level as it.

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    1. Yeah I think he was kind of more of a glorified servant in his mind.

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  32. Pg #102- "Either way, this much had become clear: One of us had to go." This quote shows the point at which Amir had decided either he or Hassan had to leave so the tension would be over with.

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  33. Why doesn't Baba force Hassan and Ali to leave immediately after Hassan was guilty of stealing?

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    1. He might have wanted to say something to him.

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    2. On page 106 Baba says to Ali "You're the brother I never had, Ali, you know that." I think that Baba loves both Ali and Hassan like family and he is willing to forgive Hassan because he loves him as his own son.

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    3. It says on page 105 on the bottom Baba says "I forgive you" He also says "You're the brother I never had, Ali" And that right there is why Baba wants Ali and Hassan to stay.

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  34. I believe Amir realized that Hassan would do anything for him. Amir just wanted Hassan to be angry at him.

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  35. Pg 118 "I'll tell you why," Baba snapped. "Because he got paid for his leg of the trip. That's all he cared about."

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    1. What is your question?

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    2. Baba did not like the bus driver Karim because he only did the job for money and nothing else.

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    3. "Karim as making gutural choking sounds. spittle dripped from the corner of his mouth."

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  36. why didn't the boy's father kill the russians?

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    1. I think it is because there are more Russians than himself.

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    2. What do you mean by that?

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  37. Why is Hassan so against hurting Amir? When Amir was throwing apples *or whatever it was* at him, why didn't he fight back?

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    1. Amir threw pomegranates at Hassan and he didn't have anything to do back to Amir.

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    2. Probably, because he is a servant's son so if he goes against Amir and Amir tells on Baba. Hassan and Ali may not be able to work there.

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  38. Amir realized that Hassan had realized he saw him get raped.

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  39. How does Amir feel no guilt after framing Hassan for stealing? And isn't he upset when Ali and Hassan leave the house even though Baba insists them to stay?

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    1. Amir was probably something that was necessary to go back to enjoying life with Baba, and still thought of Hassan as a slave deep down inside and considered it okay to blame him.

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  40. Why was Baba risking his life so dangerously against the Russian soldier with the gun? He could have easily been killed so why risk it?

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    1. Baba was standing up for the married woman and, in his mind, it wouldn't be honorable to let the soldier rape her without objecting. I think that Baba always got what he wanted back in Kabul and still held that mindset when confronting the soldier.

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  41. "Haven't I taught you anything" Baba is trying to teach Amir that no matter what happens you have to stand up for whats right.

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    1. I agree very strongly with you.

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    2. But he Wants to get Baba's attention by doing it.

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  42. Does Hassan want to leave?

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  43. Did Hassan really want to leave with Ali to go to Pakistan or was he forced?

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    1. I think he did, because he realized that he and Amir couldn't be friends anymore and had to get rid of the tension between them.

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  44. On pg 103 when Ali gave Amir the Shahnamah, did he feel guilty about not telling the truth about what happened to Hassan?

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  45. What I'm wondering is why does Amir want Hassan to leave? Is he really that much of a wimp to not confront Hassan and talk out whatever they need to talk out? Pg 104 where Amir frames Hassan

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  46. "I waited another thirty minutes. Then i knocked on Baba's door and told what i hoped would be the last in a long line of shameful lies"(hosseini 104)

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  47. I don't think he really has sins, but the scene will haunt him forever.

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    1. If that was me and my best friend watched me get raped then i think he would be sinning because he is not stand up for others.

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  48. I think sins can be forgiven, but once you commit it, 'it's in the book'. What matters most is if you can forgive yourself.

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  49. I personally feel that Baba is embarrassed of Amir. He thinks that Amir is still a young child. Like when they were going to Peshawar on the truck and Amir was getting car sick and he asked the driver to stop. "We are too close to Kabul" pg 111. Baba was very embarrassed by this. Which I don't understand why, Amir couldnt help himself.

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  50. "Tell him I'll take a thousand of his bullets before I let this indecency take place." This is what a real man would say. Baba said this to the guard when the guard was going to shoot him. This really hit Amir because he just let Hassan get raped and didn't do anything. If Amir would have acted like Baba did in this situation, none of this would have happened.

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  51. Do you think that Hassan left his toys behind to rid himself of his past?

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    1. "He'd left all his toys behind in the empty shack" page 108

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    2. Maybe because he wanted to leave a piece of himself behind. So Amir would remember Hassan.

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  52. In chapter 8 page 107, Ali says that he and Hassan will leave and go to Hazarajat, where is Hazarajat, is it in Pakistan?

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  53. "He said he'll enjoy putting a bullet in you almost as much as..."

    -Karim

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  54. Amir is really only out for himself. He feels bad what happens but he wont risk anything of his to protect them.

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  55. Why did Amir treat Hassan so much differently and treat him like a peasant after what happened?

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    1. I think he felt Hassan was less of a person because of the rape. He felt that he can't talk to someone who was raped. He alienated Hassan because he thought he would have gotten hurt if he played with Hassan any longer.

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  56. "His mouth twitched, and for a moment, I thought I saw a grimace. That was when U understood the depth of the pain I had cause..." I dont understand why Amir knew how much pain he cause but didnt say anything.

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