 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||
|
by Khaled Hosseini. Pages 321 - 340. Go to the Beginning (Brought to you by jat impatientreader.com) Sohrab says he's seen San Francisco and asks Amir about it. Amir tells him about it, and tells him that he was Hassan's brother. Sohrab finally tells Amir that he'd like to go to San Francisco with him. Amir finally calls Soraya and tells her what's happened, and tells her what he's hidden for all the time they've been married. He tells her about Sohrab, and she wants him to bring the boy home. Amir and Sohrab go to the American Embassy, where they meet a man named Raymond Andrews. Andrews is the only one who can facilitate Amir adopting Sohrab and taking him to America, but there's a problem. Sohrab does not have any living relative that can vouch for the fact that Amir is his half-uncle, as well as confirm that his parents are really dead. Amir is enraged, but there's nothing much he can do. Andrews gives him a card with the name of an immigration lawyer on it. Amir talks to Soraya later and tells her about what happened. She tells him that she has gotten in touch with someone who knows people at the INS. He gets off the phone and puts Sohrab, who has gotten into the habit of taking long baths, to bed. Amir meets with the lawyer that Raymond Andrews recommended, Omar Faisal. Omar tells Amir that he has talked with Raymond and knows Amir's situation. Unfortunately, he tells Amir much the same story as Andrews did, that's its very hard for Americans to adopt children from Afghanistan. He tells Amir his best option may be to put Sohrab in an orphanage while they file the paperwork and permit an adoption agency to audit them to make sure he and Soraya are good parents. Amir is very reluctant, but he realizes, it may be the best thing to do. He goes back and tells Sohrab it may be a while before they can go to America, and Sohrab compares it to eating a sour apple. Characters introduced: Raymond Andrews (American embassy officer in Peshawar) Omar Faisal (immigration lawyer in Peshawar) The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Amir asks Sohrab if he wouldn't mind staying in an orphanage while they did the paperwork to get him to America. But Sohrab refuses, and pleads with Amir not to send him to one. Later on after Amir falls asleep he gets a call from Soraya telling him that they won't have to take Sohrab to the orphanage after all. He goes to tell Sohrab, who he thinks is taking a bath, but when he opens the door to the bathroom he finds that Sohrab has tried to kill himself in the bathtub. Amir rushes him to the hospital, but the doctors won't let him see Sohrab. He makes himself a makeshift prayer rug and prays to Allah and Muhammad to save Sohrab. He falls asleep in the waiting room but is awakened by the doctor, who tells him that Sohrab has nearly died but will pull through. He stays in the hospital for the next few days, and even dreams about Raymond Andrews. Sohrab gets taken out of the ICU and to a regular hospital bed. Amir finds out he's been kicked out of his hotel room, but he doesn't care. He goes back to the hospital and goes to visit Sohrab. Sohrab is very cold to him and won't talk to him at first, but then says he wants to go back to his life the way it was before Hassan was killed. Amir says he can't give that to him but he can give him a better life in America. Sohrab is completely withdrawn, so Amir takes that as a yes and takes him back to America. Soraya is there to greet them at the airport but Sohrab doesn't say a word to her or Amir. A day after they arrive, Soraya's parents come to visit. Her father refers to him as the "Hazara boy", but Amir speaks up and says that they will never refer to him in that way ever again. They continue to live with Sohrab in silence for several months, through the attacks of September 11th, and Amir and Soraya become active in the Afghan community, partially to make up for the lack of involvement in Sohrab's life. But one day in 2002, they are out in the park and Amir sees a group of children flying kites. Amir goes to a kite seller and buys one, just like he and Hassan used to do. He takes the kite to Sohrab and tries to engage him. It doesn't work at first, but when Amir goes running with the kite, Sohrab follows him. Amir finally convinces him to take control of the kite and teaches him to cut another kite's string just like he and Hassan used to do, and Amir finally sees some light returning to Sohrab's eyes. He asks Sohrab if he can run the kite for him, and Sohrab nods yes. The End. Characters introduced: |
