The Kite Runner

I must say that my decision to pick The Kite Runner was a random choice. All the books on the summer reading list were checked out. I would have had to wait for quite a while until it was my turn. Luckily this book was one of the many few that were available. I enjoy reading every written word in this novel from the beginning to end. It leaves me with a justification that “what goes around comes around.”

Even though Amir and Hassan got breastfeed from one nurse, and live in the same house, they are each in different worlds. The soul reason that separates these worlds is the social status. Hassan is the son of a servant. Amir is the son of a wealthy business man. Despite the differences, these two boys bonds like brothers. Hassan protects Amir from all danger with his slingshot. Amir reads books to the illiterate Hassan. What is disappointing is the fact that, due to cowardice, Amir abandons his life-long partner, Hassan. The incident at the alleyway could have been prevented. Amir could have stop Assef. But he did not. This betrayal later injects a painful guilt into Amir for the rest of his life.

Karma soon works its way around. Amir feels ashamed of his decision. He is bashful from his own action. Since that day at the alleyway, he never lives peacefully. He does not even dare to face Hassan. There is a constant reminder of his wrongdoings living inside. This is karma’s first waking alarm; it lets the sinner lives through an uncomfortable life with a regrettable mindset.

The second retribution Amir must face is his obligation to save Hassan’s son. He went back to his homeland in Kabul, the place which buried of all his shameful deeds, to rescue Sohrab. Amir relives painful memories of the past as he searches for ways to free Sohrab. Through numerous obstacles, Amir manages to bring Sohrab to America. None of this could have happen if it wasn’t for Rahim Khan. Rahim advises Amir to take Sohrab from the orphanage. Since my religion is Buddhism, we believe that everything happens for a reason. Those who committed evil will always redeem for their crimes. The fact Rahim decided to contact Amir after fifteen years is no coincidence. It is karma that says it is time for Amir to serve the rest of his misdeeds.

The greatest punishment Amir has to endure is finding out the truth that his half-brother is Hassan. This is the person whom he has always take advantage of. It is the person whom he has been jealous of throughout his childhood. It is the person whom he had betrayed. But also, it is the person whom loves Amir more than himself. This is a cruel penance. He must now feels more remorseful for committing sin on his only half-blood brother.

This novel reminds me of an important life lesson which is to treat others the way I wanted to be treated. The actions I make today might not affect me right away, but it can come to haunt me later on. Good things come to those who give and wait. For others, karma will definitely pursue them in life.

Destiny vs. English

I came to the United States at a young age; therefore, I never had the chance to learn much about my root. As I grow older, I become more and more interest in Asian culture. At school, I take full advantage of the chances I get to do research. My presentations, essays, and research paper, are somehow always linked to my heritage. No matter how much I try to broaden my choices of topic, the subject usually ends somewhere around Asia.

As much as I love to read and explore this fascinating topic, I hate to put the thoughts and facts on paper. English is my second language. It is a tricky language. I have been and still am struggling with simple verb tense. Even if I have proofread my paper 3 times, I still managed to leave out minor errors. The second challenge I am working on is sentence structure. When I write, especially long essays, I automatically translate from Vietnamese to English. The bad part is that the Vietnamese sentence structure is reversed from English. I some times switch words around. Despite the obstacles, I will continue to work harder. I might not be able to get perfect English, but I will definitely improve the skill I already have.

Reading is my least favorite activity. I usually read books when it is required for school. I know people can only improve their writing skills by reading. If I do not read often, it is a disadvantage for me. This fact is still not enough for motivation. Yet when I do read, it would have some connection with Asia. One good news is that I recently began to read the newspaper at online and at the library. I not only learn new vocabularies but also am more aware of what is happening around the world. It definitely has been giving me new perspectives of life.

As you can tell, my obsession with Asian culture is seriously major. I hope to continue on this path. But along this trail, I look forward to expand my point of view with Mr. Coon’s insight.

(352)