Metacognition: Kite Runner Thesis

When I first saw the questions that Mr. Allen wanted us to think about in order to create a thesis for our upcoming Kite Runner paper, I was pretty confused. Most of them did not seem like questions one could write more than a paragraph or two off of, let alone a full essay. I'm not trying to critize the questions themselves, but I was worried about how much meaning I could actually extract from them. Then I realized that they were meant to be the foundation for a thesis of our own construction, which had to include a precise focus and claim, and rather than being relieved, I still felt rather nervous. I don't pride myself on my extensive essay writing skills; personally, I would much rather write a poem.

Writing a thesis for English is very different (and personally, more nerve-wracking) than other subjects, such as history or science. Unlike English, most evidence can be supported by solid fact, not quotations that can be analyzed fifty different ways; theses are straightforward and by the book. I began writing a few possible theses, and then, once Mr. Allen picked them apart, I found out that they were either too simple, or too complex; I hadn't really hit anywhere in the middle.

Next, I went home and went back to the original questions, and attempted to reword one of my previous failures. I realized that my problem lay deeper: I hadn't found a topic I really wanted to talk about. And then I saw #3 on that page, stating "What does the story tell us about secrets?" A simple question really, one that could be taken in many different directions, yet I suddenly knew what I wanted to write my paper on. I scrapped my old theses and began anew with one about the issues secrets caused in the Kite Runner. Lo and behold, in our conference, Mr. Allen asked me which thesis I felt most strongly about, so he and I discussed that one and elaborated on it. I know it's not a perfect work of art, and I'm fully prepared to edit it and tweak it, but I'm pretty happy with it so far.

Looking back on my process, I probably should have spent more inital time thinking about possible topics, then I might have not had to return and rethink in order to find one I am really passionate about. I like the fact that I didn't just stop and try to be satisfied with a halfhearted topic that I didn't really like, because I know that I would not have enjoyed writing the paper as much. Now that I like my subject, writing this paper will (hopefully) be a much more enjoyable experience.

Best of Week: Margot's Tea Metaphor

During this week, Margot made an extremely interesting observation about symbolism in The Kite Runner. She pointed out how, on page 197, while talking to Rahim Khan after not seeing him for many years, Amir points out how Rahim likes his coffee black and bitter, while Amir himself puts sugar in his. She elaborated and explained how this is a metaphor for their views on life: Rahim sees the truth clearly and does not try to hide anything from himself, while Amir sugarcoats his problems and lies to himself.

Rahim Khan knows what happened back in that winter of 1975, and has never tried to deny it or make up reasons for it, and now that something can be done to rid Amir of some of the guilt he has been carrying his entire life, he wants Amir to take this chance. Amir, on the other hand, has always tried to rationalize the problems in his life and try to forget his past.

Margot mentioned this to me before she discussed it in class, so while I was reading chapter 18, I made a note of the tea metaphor being used again (She also noted this during our discussion) On page 225, Amir says, "I took a gulp of the blackest tea I'd had in years." This occurred right after he finds out that Hassan was his half-brother, and it shows how he is finally coming to terms with his life. He is now understanding why his father was so fond of Hassan and Ali, and he's seeing a completely different side of his father as well.

I thought this was an amazing use of craft by Hosseini. It's something small, something many people casually reading the book may not pick up on, but it enhances the feel of the story so much once the reader sees it. It shows how talented the author is and how he adds meaning on multiple levels. I would love to try to do this in my writing, and once we start working on short stories, I think this would be a good skill to master.

Carry It Forward: The Kite Runner

In the beginning of chapter 13 in The Kite Runner, Amir and Soraya get married. They have a traditional Muslim wedding with a nika (swearing ceremony), and they follow many other cultural traditions as well. For instance, the wedding was paid for by the groom's family, they read from the Koran, said oaths, played a traditional wedding song, hennaed Soraya's hands and ate traditional food. They both seem nervous, but extremely happy as well.

This passage made me begin to think about my future. It's stereotypically every little girl's dream to grow up, meet Prince Charming and have a huge, fluffy white wedding. And, although I try my hardest to not fall into stereotypes in general, somewhere deep down I know I would love that. Maybe this is just my Disney-movie-filled upbringing, but it seems like an amazing wedding leads to a happily ever after.

Also, hearing about their cultural traditions that they are sticking to brings about the realization of how important it is to not forget the past. They could have just had a cookie-cutter generic wedding, but they decided to stick to their roots and old customs. Hopefully someday, when I am the one at the altar, I won't forget this lesson. I will embrace my Jewish heritage and have the ceremony in a synagogue with a rabbi and break a glass. And of course, we'll end up doing the Hora at the party.