......Cliffhanger....

"Some day, Inshallah, you will be a great writer... and people all over the world will read your stories." Hosseini is a strong believer in the use of foreshadowing. Chapter end after chapter end, there is a cliffhanger. While these do make the reading a bit more enjoyable, I find them to be a little tiresome after the thirteenth go-round. Considering the fast-paced nature of the story, the foreshadowing does play a significant role. It serves to set up the next segment of the story. The narrator led the reader down a suspicious path when he or she alluded to the last time he would ever see Hassan truly smile. Clearly, this lets the reader know that the next part will not be a positive experience for the young Hassan. That does seem to be the theme of the first quarter of the book, though, so the narrator could really just say, "And then Amir did it again. Get the tissues."

Probably A Daddy Issue

"Hassan never denied me anything." Throughout the first fourteen chapters of the novel, it is clear that Amir's relationship with Hassan is anything but rosy. Until Ali and Hasan leave, Amir treats Hassan like a servant. Really, he is his servant, but he is also his brother, in a non-strict sense of the word. They suckled from the same breast, as is mentioned many times. As bad as a brother might treat his brother, Amir takes this to a whole new level. He tries to get Hassan and his father fired, which is horrible because they are quite poor. While they leave on their own, it is not a pretty departure. Still, time after time, even in the last seconds of Hassan's time in the house, he looks out for Amir. He lies to Baba to protect Amir. Would Amir ever do this for Hassan. Clearly not. Amir watched Hassan get raped, all the while very concerned about his kite. Because of his bad relationship with his father growing up, it is clear that Amir has great trouble relating to others and caring for another person.

Women: Here and There

" Every woman needed a husband. Even if he did silence the song in her." One aspect of the book that really shocked me was the women's roles in the culture. Essentially, it is as if the woman's role is to play sidekick for the man. I don't know about other women, but I am no one's sidekick, so reading this is somewhat upsetting. In this modern age, with men and women attending the same schools and being treated nearly equally, the book's culture seems like it must take place light years away. This is not the case, but it is nearly impossible to relate to the plight of these women. Also, the humble way in which the women accept their place is unsettling. When Soraya speaks about wanting to live her own life of being a teacher regardless of how that would make her father feel, the first hint of independence is there, but the overall feel of the book is oppresive towards women. The stark contrast of the two cultures' norms makes it difficult to relate to every aspect of the novel, but it is very informative.

Antagonizing With Love

“A boy who won’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything.” This quote from Baba is one that attributed to the common view of Baba. People say he is a terrible father and he expects too much from Amir, but that viewpoint is making his character far too one-dimensional. Baba, the antagonist in many parts of the novel, has many sides to his personality. He grew up with the view that a man was supposed to be a man from an early age. Weakness was simply unacceptable. Because he was raised in this way, he came to raise his son in the same way. It just so happens that Amir has a far from typical childhood full of things that forced him to grow up far before he should have. Once the duo reaches America, it is clear that all Baba wants for Amir is the best, and he is more than willing to sacrifice himself for Amir to have it.

Regret

“That was a long time ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years.” One theme of this book that seems extremely apparent is regret. In many ways, regret runs Amir's life. Even while he did many of the acts he would one day regret, he was regretting having to do it. In his mind, there was no other plausible option. Many try to blame his mistakes on his father's behavior earlier in Amir's life. While this could be a factor in his terrible behavior, it cannot be the main reason. As Amir knows quite well, he is responsible for the things he did. He realizes that everyday. Every time something good happens to him, he wonders if Hassan had experienced it or if he was having a good life. Amir's guilt gnaws at his ability to live in the present.

Raisins Are Even Drier in the Sun

The title A Raisin in the Sun is mysterious when looked at one-dimensionally. When really pondered over, the title could mean a lot of things. The reasoning that I have best come to identify with is that the characters in the play are like the raisin and their bad circumstances are the sun. While the characters are left to squirm under the harsh rays of the sun, they shrivel up and become unappetizing to those wanting to eat a raisin. Similarly, as the characters are in their bad situation for longer and longer, they become angry and they turn on eachother, making themselves unappealing to eachother. The void it causes takes an extreme toll on the family unit as a whole when they each begin to snap at eachother more and more frequently. When the family moves into the house, they are symbolically removing themselves from the rays of the sun.

Characterization Station

The characterization of each character in A Raisin in the Sun is meticulously planned. With Beneatha, the reader originally sees her as an adolescent looking to ruffle a few feathers, but it becomes clear through her character development that she is a young woman looking for her identity. At first, she believes she is meant to be a doctor, but her blossoming relationship with the mysterious man from Africa leads to her reconsidering this path. She comes to realize that she wants to go to Africa with him and make changes for her paople. While it is unclear as to whether or not this plan comes to fruition, it represents another step at which she is yet to find her true identity. With Walter, character development is everything. The reader initially thinks he is an angry middle-aged man with little to show for his life. He, like Beneatha, is really just searching, but he is searching for validation. He thinks that, by becoming a businessman, he will earn respect and change the fate of his people. At the end when he stands up to Mr. Lindler, the family believes that he has become a man. WhileI am unsure as to whether or not I agree with this, I certainly hope he has as he has a 10 year old son.