The Kite Runner

So What?

Important Characters-

• Amir- The protagonist and narrator of the novel. He is always striving the best son for Baba, but often feels he fails. He also spends the majority of the novel trying to atone for neglecting to save Hassan and then betraying him. He is sensitive and intelligent and always trying to please Baba. He and Hassan are best friends and half brothers. Amir becomes a writer and novelist. Later in the novel, Amir returns to Afghanistan and redeems himself by saving Hassan's son, Sohrab, and runs his kite.
• Hassan- Amir's half brother and best friend even though he is Hazara. Hassan is always standing up for Amir and saving him from the neighborhood bullies. When he and Amir fight kites, Hassan runs the kite they beat out for Amir. After he retrieves the kite he is raped by Assef for being a Hazara and also as payback for standing up for Amir. He and his wife are later killed by the Taliban and Amir adopts their son which serves as atonement.
• Baba- Amir 's father. He is the actual father of Hassan even though most believe it was his friend and servant Ali. His is a wealthy and well respected business man in Kabul. Baba has a string personality and strong beliefs and is not afraid to stand up for what he believes in.
• Ali- Hassan's father even though he was technically Baba's son. He is a servant in Amir and Baba's house and Baba regards him as a friend.
• Sohrab- Hassan's son who is saved and adopted by Amir after his parents are murdered and he is sent to an orphanage where he is taken by Assef and it is assumed he has been repeatedly sexually abused by him. Sohrab saves amirs life and they leave. When he learns he may have to return to an orphanage he attempts suicide and stops talking all together.
• Assef- Hassan's rapist and Sohrab's abuser. As a child he is a bully and terrorizes Amir and Hassan is always saving him. Since Hassan is always protecting Amir Assef rapes him. Hassan later becomes a leader of the Taliban and is responsible for killing Hassan and his wife and abusing Sohrab.

Essential Plot Elements-

• The novel begins in Kabul, Afghanistan prior to the Soviet invasion. After the king is overthrown, things change and Assef and his bully friends make fun of Amir for being friends with Hassan, a Hazara. Hassan saves Amir with his slingshot.
• The story then skips to winter where Amir and Hassan fight kites and when Amir cuts the final competitors kite and Hassan runs the kite.
• After Hassan successfully runs the kite, Assef wants the kite and threatens Hassan and when he refuses to give it up, Assef rapes Hassan while Assef's "friends" hold him down.
• Amir witnesses the rape and does nothing.
• Amir is racked with guilt and decides either he or Hassan must leave so he puts a watch and money under Hassan's pillow and tells Baba he stole it. HAssan admits to it and then Hassan and Ali move away.
• Amir and Baba then flee to America after the Soviet invasion. Amir finishes high school, college, and begins writing. Amir and Baba sell things at the flea market for extra money. And this is where AMir meets his wife, Soyara, the daughter of General Taheri, an old friend of Baba's. Baba is diagnosed with lung cancer and dies shortly after the wedding. Amir and Soyara try unsuccessfully to have a child while he works on his writing career.
• Amir receives a call from Rahim Khan. He returns to Kabul where Rahim Khan tells Amir what has happened since he left and explains that Hassan and his wife were killed by the Taliban and that their son is still alive and in an orphanage.
• Amir goes to look for Sohrab and learns he is no longer in an orphanage, but instead with Assef. Sohrab is a sexual servant to Assef and Assef attacks Amir and Sohrab saves him with a slingshot.
• Amir then takes Sohrab and tells him he will be taken to America. When it becomes clear this will be very difficult to accomplish since he cannot prove his parents are dead and Amir tells Sohrab he may have to return to an orphanage Sohrab slits his wrists. He lives but stops speaking.
• When they finally reach California Sohrab still does not speak and at the end of the novel when Sohrab fights kites and cuts his final opponents string he smiles and Amir sets off to run the kite.

Setting-

• The novel begins in Kabul, Afghanistan in a time of relative peace prior to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. There is some racism towards the Hazara people who were generally poorer and considered inferior to other Afghanis. Kabul is described as beautiful. However, the Soviets invade Afghanistan and the mood changes there. The setting then moves to California where Amir and Baba flee to and they live within an Afghani community even in the United States. At the end of the novel the action returns to Afghanistan which is in turmoil and destroyed since the Taliban has taken over. There is a fearful tone and Amir does not even recognize most of the country.

Central Conflicts-

• The central conflict in the novel is Amir's guilt and desire for atonement after he fails to intervene in Hassan's rape. This desire for atonement drives the entire novel forward, after witnessing the attack and betraying Hassan, Amir cannot forgive himself, even as an adult.

Major Themes-

• The Past- The story is told from the point of view of reflecting on the past. Characters and events from the past are repeated and characters are given second chances. The effects of the past on characters constantly drives their actions.
• The Search for Redemption- After Baba and Amir flee to America, Amir spends his entire life trying to atone for what betraying Hassan. Baba is also on the search for redemption. He treats Hassan very well for a servant because Hassan is his son and he vetrayed his friend and servant Ali through his adultery.

How?

• Structure/Function- The way the novel is written, the narrator is telling a story. This allows the affect of the events on the characters to be witnessed by the reader. The novel is a story of the past. It is Amir's road to redemption from betraying his friend and brother.
• Motifs- Motifs in the novel such as rape and irony create conflict and tension in the story. Rape is the biggest thing that Amir must atone for. He did not stop Hassan's rape ad e has to save Sohrab from continued rape. Irony also is very important because often the characters make choices that would seem to be the correct choice to them but often result in the opposite reaction. For example, Amir wants to give Baba the kite to prove he is not a coward, but in not preventing Hassan's rape he is even more of a coward.

Heart of Darkness

So What?

Important Characters-

• Marlow- Marlow is the protagonist of the novel. He is a master story teller who spent a portion of his life navigating the interior of Africa. Marlow shares some racism with his fellow white men but has seen enough to be opposed to imperialism. During his trip into the heart of Africa Marlow is obsessed with meeting Kurtz from the moment he hears about him.
• Kurtz- Kurtz is a mysterious character and is not present except for mentions by other characters until the end of the novel and even then he remains very mysterious. He also has a large amount of influence over the people around him. He has gained the support of the native people and has taken a native mistress. He even keeps the heads of his enemies on stakes in front of his station. The other traders are envious of Kurtz and the amount he trades. Kurtz is very sick when Marlow finally reaches him and he dies on the way out of the heart of Africa.
• The Intended- The intended is Kurtz fiance who lives in Europe, completely ignorant of Kurtz' life in Africa. She is naive and believes that Kurtz loves her and planned to return to her. She gives a generally negative view toward women in the novel. After his experience with the intended, Marlow believes women live in a dream world and are insulated from reality.
• The Harlequin- A Russian trader who is characterized by his colorfully patched clothing and personality. He was the only other European person in the interior with Kurtz and he was deeply devoted to Kurtz. He lived for thrill of adventure and the glamour of youth.

Essential Plot Elements-

• The story begins on the banks of the Thames where Marlow is telling the story of his trip to the interior of Africa
• Marlow first goes to Brussels and riverboat captain with a Dutch company to the Congo, which was a Dutch territory. The trip to Africa is only very briefly described, but picks up again as soon as Marlow reaches the coast of Africa.
• When he reaches the station in Africa he finds the stem ship sunken and ends up spending months at the station waiting for repairs. Marlow's interest in Kurtz grows as he hears about him, Kurtz is rumored to be ill, from the spiteful general manager and the brickmaker, who fear Kurtz will take their positions.
• When the steam ship is finally fixed Marlow, the manager, the "pilgrims," and a crew of cannibals set off up the river towards Kurtz.
• Marlow and his crew come across an abandoned hut with a note saying to approach with caution and a stack of firewood. They take the firewood and continue up the river.
• Then a dense fog set in and they are forced to halt progress.
• When the fog clears Marlow and his crew are attacked with arrows by a band of native and Marlow scares them away with the steamship whistle.
• Shortly after the ship is attacked they arrive at Kurtz inner station, expecting to find him dead but are instead greeted by the harlequin who says Kurtz is perfectly fine
• The harlequin tells Marlow and the crew Kurtz has established himself as a god with the native people and has gone on brutal raid to find ivory, the heads on stakes attest to the brutal methods.
• Kurtz is brought aboard the steamer by the pilgrims and is quite ill. The natices try to protect him but he dismisses them and as they leave Kurtz native mistress sees them off.
• Going back down the river Kurtz is very ill and trusts Marlow with a folder of personal documents. Kurtz dies and his last words are "the horror, the horror."
• Marlow then return to Europe and visits the intended.

Setting-

• Opens on the Thames river where Marlow is telling the story of his journey into the heart of Africa in the late 19th century. The story then moves to Brussels then from there to Congo, which was a Belgian territory at the time, first on the coast and then the story moves into the interior of Africa. There is a backdrop of imperialism and racism in the novel.

Central Conflict-

• The central conflict of the novel arises from the difference in the social civility of European culture and culture of the natives and traders in Africa and Marlow and Kurtz's reactions. There is also conflict in Marlow's constant quest for Kurtz as soon as he hears the stories of him.

Major Themes-

• Imperialism- Imperialism is a major theme in Heart of Darkness. Marlow witnesses the miserable natives at the outer station who have been forced to work for the imperialist Dutch. This mistreatment as well as Kurtz mistreatment of the natives at the inner station illustrate the brutality and forcefulness of imperialism.

Emotion-

• This book is very difficult to get through but offers an interesting look at imperialism and the mistreatment of human being. I thought it was very interesting to witness discrimination at this level, especially in the imperialistic form it is introduced as.

How?

Figurative Language-

• Symbols- Women are symbols in Heart of Darkness. To Marlo they often symbolize a blank slates where the ideas of their respective cultures can be displayed. Women are always illustrated as naive and almost dumb. Women are needed to illustrate social structures and women are intended to be the objects of men.

Structure/Function-

• Point of View- the story begins from the point of view of a passenger on a ship hearing Marlow's story then jumps to Marlow's point of view as the journey to Africa begins in Europe. Marlow could be considered an unreliable narrator because of his obsession with Kurtz.

The Bluest Eye

So What?

Characters-

• Pecola Breedlove- The protagonist of the novel, who is black and believes she is ugly and that having blue eyes would make her beautiful, like Shirley Temple. She endures the abuse of everyone around her including her family and other children and she is raped by her own father. She is fragile and innocent when the novel begins but is completely destroyed by violence in the end of the novel.
• Cholly Breedlove- Pecola's father and Pauline's husband. He is very violent towards the women in his life and rapes Pecola because he doesn't know another way to show affection. He was left by both his father and mother and raised by an aunt. As a child he was humiliated by many people, including two white men and his own father.
• Pauline Breedlove- Pecola's mother who also believes she is ugly and this makes her cold and lonely. She has a crippled foot and can be as violent as her husband. She finds relief in her work and movies.
• Claudia MacTeer- The narrator of parts of the novel. She is not afraid to stand up for herself and does not have the self hatred that Pecola experiences. She is strong minded and does not submit to the white standard of beauty.
• Freida MacTeer- Claudia's older sister who allows the standards of beauty to effect her more, but is sometimes braver and more knowledgeable about the adult world.
• China, Poland, Miss Marie- The neighborhood prostitutes. They are the only people who show any real affection toward Pecola. They live in the apartment above the Breedlove's storefront.

Essential Plot Elements-

• The novel opens with Pecola living with Claudia and Freida because she was removed from her home. Pecola is then returned to her home where you first witness the abuse that occurs within the home mostly between Cholly and Polly. Pecola closes her eyes and pretends she has blue eyes and is not in the current situation. We also learn that her brother, Sammy, frequently runs away.
• People continually make fun of Pecola and confirm her belief she is ugly. Maureen, a light-skinned girl, temporarily befriends Pecola then makes fun of her family
• Pecola is then invited inside a "perfect" woman's home by her son who kills the family cat and blames Pecola when his mother returns home.
• Then we flashback to when Pauline was much younger. We learn about her lame foot, her previous love for Cholly, her obsession with the movies which confirms her self hatred, she loves her work in a white woman's house more than she like her own life.
• Then the story flashes back to Cholly's past. We learn his parents abandoned him and his great aunt raised him. After his aunt's death, two white men find him and a girl while they are having sex and make him continue while they watch, he then finds his father and is rejected by him. He loved Pauline at one point but in the current time feels trapped in his marriage.
• Cholly then, with mixed motives, rapes Pecola. When Pauline finds Pecola and hears her story and beats her.
• Pecola is impregnated by her father and begins to go crazy.
• Cholly dies in a work related accident.
• Pecola visits Soaphead Church and asks for blue eyes, and believes she receives them.
• Pecola loses the baby and goes mad believing she has blue eyes.

Setting-

• Takes place in Lorain, Ohio in 1940-1941. Occurs in a lower class, mostly black neighborhood. There is constant mention of a white standard of beauty and a desire for that beauty from many of the characters. There is also a violent background to the novel that drives much of the conflict forward.

Central Conflicts-

• Pecola desperately needs love and approval, but she does not receive it from anyone. Her parents have their own deep rooted issues in violence and lack of self confidence. Claudia and Frieda try to support Pecola, but, as children, they are not fully capable. Everyone in the story has been damaged in someway and Pecola seeks but does not receive love from these people.

Major Themes-

• Beauty- Beauty is a constant theme driving the novel forward. The Breedloves all believe they are ugly, and there is a constant focus on beauty. There is also a standard of white as beautiful, the lighter skinned people such as Maureen are considered beautiful, Shirley Temple and other movie stars are also seen as the ideal for beauty throughout the novel. The children learn from their mothers that white is the standard of beauty and there are constant pressures for conformity to this standard of beauty. It is an obsession of Pecola's as well as others.
• Abuse- Abuse is seen throughout The Bluest Eye. Pecola is the subject of the abuse of her family, peers, and adults in her community. Cholly was abused and neglected by his parents and white people during his youth. Pauline and Cholly abuse each other and their family. Sexual abuse is also present several time during the novel. Cholly is forced to perform sexual acts in front of two white men, Cholly rapes Pecola, Soaphead Church is attracted to little girls, and Claudia is fondled by the male boarder in her house. Abuse is a trend in this novel passed from one generation to the next.

Emotion-

• This story is moving because Toni Morrison takes the reader inside a story that most people would never see or want to see. It is a story of violence and abuse and the endless and fruitless search for beauty. However, Morrison brings a different light on abuse and makes it almost understandable. She illustrates that abuse comes from abuse and that some people are bad people because of what has happened in their lives, and that some people, like Soaphead Church are just evil. You almost understand why Cholly rapes his daughter even though you can't excuse it. Morrison forces the reader to look deeper into eac character and their motivations.

How?

Organization/Structure-

• Flash backs- Toni Morrison uses flashbacks to explain why adults in The Bluest Eye act the way they do. She brings a different view to the causes of abuse. She gives and explanation for abuse but not an excuse. The flashback to Cholly's past offers an explanation for the way he treats Polly and why he rapes Pecola. The abuse he endured as a younger person has taught him nothing but abuse and he doesn't know how to show Pecola love any way but sexually.

Figurative Language-

• Motifs in novel- The Dick-and-Jane narrative that occurs throughout the novel offers a contrast between the more ideal world of Dick and Jane and the reality of Lorain, Ohio. Before Pecola is introduced there is a repetition of Jane's character. Jane is not better than Pecola, just different.
• Symbols- the blue eyes are constantly a symbol of beauty for Pecola. She believes that if she had blue eyes she would be beautiful.

Othello

"So What?"

Characters-

• Othello- The Moor and the war hero of Venice. He is generally well respected, eloquent, and powerful. However, because of his age, race and life as a soldier he has some insecurities which Iago easily exploits.
• Cassio- Othello's lieutenant, an attractive young man and inexperienced soldier, and a friend to both Desdemona and Othello. He is eager to please and is very ashamed when he is stripped of his title. Iago uses his age, friendship with Desdemona, and his appearance to make Othello jealous.
• Iago- Adviser to Othello. He drives the play forward by trying to bring about the demise of Othello. He is always rationalizing his actions. He begins by saying he wants revenge for Othello passing him over for the lieutenant and then for allegedly for cheating with Emilia, his motives become less and less clear.
• Emilia- Iago's wife and Desdemona's attendant,
• Desdemona- Othello's wife ad the daughter of a senator of Venice. She is very innocent and pure, but is not afraid to joke with Iago and stand up for herself against Othello's jealousy.
• Roderigo- A jealous and wealthy suitor of Desdemona. Iago is able to convince him to do anything, including giving Iago his money and killing Cassio, in response to the promise of Desdemona's hand.
• Barbantio- Desdemona's father and a senator of Venice.
• Bianca- a prostitute in Cyprus and Cassio's lover.

Essential Plot Elements-

• Iago explains his treacherous plans to expose Othello and Desdemona's secret marriage to Barbantio and eventually ruin their marriage and also to embarrass Cassio so he will lose his position as Commander. He manipulates Roderigo into helping by telling him he can have Desdemona.
• The action is then transfered to Cyprus where there is an imminent Turkish invasion. However, there is a storm that defeats the Turks and separates the two ships carrying Othello, Desdemona, and the other characters.
• Iago then arranges for Cassio to get drunk and Roderigo to begin a fight with him. Cassio takes the bait and when he gets unruly and "starts a fight" Othello strips him of his title.
• Soon after the fight Iago begins to insinuate that Desdemona has been unfaithful with Cassio and Othello begins to believe.
• Emilia then steals the handkerchief and Iago plants it so Othello believes that Desdemona was unfaithful.
• Othello then vows to kill Desdemona.
• Othello then smothers Desdemona after she and Emilia had discussed adultery and death and Desdemona made it clear she had never been unfaithful.
• Iago plans to have Roderigo and Cassio kill each other but Cassio is only injured and Iago kills Roderigo.
• Emilia then exposes Iago's treachery, he kills her, Othello kills himself, and Iago is taken away presumably to be tortured.

Setting-

• Othello occurs during a time of war in Shakespearean Venice and Cyprus. On the way to Cyprus the characters experience a massive storm which eliminates the threat of invasion and separates the characters. There is an element of racism aimed at Othello. The story generally has a suspicious and tragic mood.

Central Conflicts-

• Othello and Desdemona find a lot of conflict in their marriage because of differences in age, race, social background, and life experience. Also, Iago works throughout the play to destroy their marriage and others' lives, including his wife's) for his own self-interest.

Major Themes-

• Danger of Isolation- Isolation is key in the story because without isolation Iago's plans would have been unsuccessful. The isolation allows jealousy to occur and grow. Isolation leads to all the death and injury at the end of the play.
• Incompatibility of Military Heroism and Love- is Othello actually capable of loving Desdemona, does Desdemona love Othello for his fantastical war stories?

Emotion-

• This story is moving because there is such a wide range of characters and character flaws. Desdemona's absolute trust, Othello's jealousy, and Iago's treachery. The range makes an emotional impact on how being to extreme in any emotion can be very dangerous.

"How?"

• Organization/Structure- In Othello, Shakespeare uses free verse and iambic pentameter at different times to illustrate the characters' state of mind. For example, Othello always spoke in iambic pentameter until he began to lose his mind and then he used more and more free verse. Also, when Desdemon and Emilia are speaking about adultery they speak in free verse until the very end when Desdemona switches to iambic pentamer and this illustrates her understanding, or lack there f of the topic. Iago also switches between free verse and iambic pentameter.
• Imagery- Shakespeare uses imagery in several situations to make a point or exaggerate a situation. For example, Iago uses animal imagery when talking to Barbantio to make Othello seem inhuman and unworthy of Desdemona and he uses this imagery repeatedly to drive the point home. Also, the images of the storm and separation could be interpreted as foreshadowing for the events that play out as Iago's plan unfolds.