Intermission: Watching and Discussing House of Sand and Fog

As we continue to view the film House of Sand and Fog we have had many opportunities to discuss characters, particular events, and themes. We noted the similarities between the Colonel and Baba from Kite Runner. We couldn't miss the obvious cultural conflicts that escalated the tension between Lester and the Colonel or the pride that contributed to the destruction of three families. However, we haven't really talked about the imagery - the trees, the birds, or all the fog and sand that seamlessly link the story events together. Why are they there? What do they mean? In today's blog response select just one of those repeating images and tell us what you think it might mean and how it figures into the story. (Oh, you cannot say a tree is just a tree here.)

You've Always Been a Tourist

After successfully escaping Afghanistan and building a new life for himself in America, Amir is forced to confront his past and the truth about himself, his father, and Hassan. When Rahim Kahn telephones asking for his help, Amir has no choice but to get on a plane to Pakistan. Once he arrives, he learns the truth about the ties that bind he and Hassan together. Of course, now he has no choice. He must agree to Rahim Kahn's request that he return to Afghanistan, find Hassan's son Sohrab, and smuggle him out of the country. Although he realizes the danger involved, Amir soon finds himself sitting in the back of an old car wearing a carefully woven beard and some traditional Afghan clothing. His driver Farid is taking him through the Khyber Pass and into Afghanistan. Amir is sick and Farid treats him with contempt. He resents Amir and soon exclaims, "You've alwaysbeen a tourist here, you just didn't know it." What distinction does Farid draw between the life Amir lived in Afghanistan and the life most Afghans lived? Based on what you know and what you're reading about life for the typical Afghan, do you agree with Farid's accusation? (Please support your response with some textual evidence and even extend it with a connection to real life.)

Now Why Did He Do That?: The Author, Not the Character

As you probably noticed, there are many similarities between Kite Runner and Things Fall Apart. Both authors are telling stories that involve fathers and sons, are set in countries/culture seemingly different than our own, and confront cultural conflicts within a culture and between cultures. Of course, in order to tell these stories in an engaging and interesting way, the authors have made some similar "storytelling" choices. What are some of the techniques both authors use to help you as readers better understand what's going on in the story? (Don't be afraid to consider some of the choices we discussed in class with Things Fall Apart.)