Plot Summary:
- In the first chapter of the novel, we are introduced to the day which changed the narrator's life. However, the novel starts twenty-six years after this event.
- The first character that is named in the novel is Rahim Khan.
- The title of the novel is mentioned which follows the naming of the character Hassan.
- Finally we are introduced to Baba and Ali.
Analysis:
The beginning chapter is written in a first person introspective narrative and this informs us that we are going to be taken on a journey, and we come to realise throughout the novel that this could be seen as a way of atonement for Amir. Instantly we are given a taste of the writer's ability to manipulate time as the chapter is titled 'December 2001' yet the memories of Amir instantly drops us into 'the winter of 1975'. Hosseini tends to do this a lot throughout the novel and it emphasises the informality of the novel and gives it a conversational feel.
Hosseini concentrates a lot on describing setting to the reader; using a variety of locations in the first chapter and also using pathetic fallacy to clarify the tragic nature of the events to come. He sets this up at the beginning of the novel to keep us interested and also aware that we should never become too comfortable when reading.
In just over a page, we are introduced to four characters but not once does he directly mention himself. Amir is left as a mystery to us and it shows that his character has just been shaped by everyone else.
Narrative methods used:
- Foreshadowing
- Perspective
- Narrative voice
- Imagery
- Setting
- Chronology
Hosseini has purposely italicised two important quotes so that the reader can acknowledge the impact they have had on the protagonist's life. These two quotes are:
- 'For you, a thousand times over.'
- 'There is a way to be good again.'
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