1. Devon Gallant Evan Fitzimmons Julien Sommerville Brandon Dignam
Loss of Innocence
Devon Gallant
Evan Fitzimmons
Julien Sommerville
Brandon Dignam

2. Thesis
The Kite Runner revolves around the concept of the protagonist’s innocence, and how it is lost throughout the novel.

3. Events and Circumstances (plot)
Hassan getting raped was a loss of innocence because Amir is very wealthy in Afghanistan, he see’s the world from a perspective of a family without any major issues and when he see’s Hassan getting raped, it kind of brings him down to the level of everyone else, and he realizes that the world isn't as innocent as he thought it was.

4. Events and Circumstances (plot) Continued
Before Amir began going to school, his treatment towards Hassan was very brotherly. After he went to school, he subconsciously transitioned to being racist towards the Hazara race, just like everyone else around him.
Another loss of innocence is Baba lying about Amir and Hassan being brother. This betrays Baba’s own morals about stealing and how lying to someone steals their right to know the truth. Baba also stole a brother from Amir and Hassan.

5. Characters affected
Amir – Amir is affected by loss of innocence over the course of the novel. A prime example is one of the main events of the novel, him witnessing the rape of Hassan.
Hassan – Hassan experiences loss of innocence in only one way. It was involuntary and for the most part, Hassan is a static character.
Baba – Baba presented the loss of innocence. He stated that the only crime is theft. He can be considered an instigator of loss of innocence.

6. Setting Afghanistan (Kabul, Khandahar)
– Wealth, but War Amir grows up in a wealthy town and household then everything changes when the war starts and the Taliban take over.
America (San Francisco)
– Poverty, but Peace Although they are no longer wealthy and cannot afford their daily luxuries, they are living without fear of the Taliban and the war.

7. Word Choice
Amir’s narration is very mature for his age. He has an insight of one many years older (although this may be just because he’s retelling it from an older age). Nevertheless, the maturity in which he narrates allows him to use intensely negative words to describe exactly how he feels as his innocence is lost.

8. Literary Devices
Foreshadowing (“Because suddenly Afghanistan changed forever.”)
Metaphor (“The Kite Runner”, Kite Fights, “I felt like a soldier preparing for battle the night before.”)
Symbols (“Kite”, “Pomegranate Tree”, “Slingshot”, “Brass Knuckles”)

9. Chapter Division
The author ends every chapter with an inner reflection or foreshadow by Amir, which relates to loss of innocence because he reflects on what just happened or what is about to happen.

10. Syntax
By using short sentences, the author draws the readers attention with short, snappy phrases to amplify the sudden occurrence in which Amir loses his innocence.

11. Point of View
By using First person point of view, we see everything happening from Amir’s perspective, allowing us to see exactly how everything affects him.

12. Direct References
(Page 39 – (War) Our whole way of life is over; Sidebar)
Page 83- Rape
Page 91 – Rape; Monster in the lake
Page 235 – Finds out his life is a lie

13. Class Assignment
Split into two teams. We will present to you examples from the novel. It is your job to determine whether these examples are a loss of innocence or not. For every correct answer, your team will receive 10 points. Remember, you must explain yourself in order to get points.
The examples are in no particular order from the novel.

14. Sohrab
Amir finds Sohrab in the bathtub, wrists slit. The young boy had tried to kill himself.

15. The answer
Yes, because Amir didn’t see that coming (even though he should have).

16. Assef
When Assef beat up Amir at the end, and Sohrab shot him in the eye with his sling shot.

17. Answer
Yes, It is a loss of innocence for Sohrab, because he had to substantially injure a grown man (despite what they had done to him).

18. Farid
When Farid beat up the man at the orphanage and the children were watching.

19. Answer
No. It was just a fight.

20. Pomegranate Tree
Because of the war, the pomegranate tree that Amir and Hassan used to haunt has withered and has stopped bearing fruit.

21. Answer
Yes, it is a loss of innocence in the sense that the pomegranate tree was something that Amir always had in his life (just in the background) and it’s death came as a shock to him.

22. Amir and Sohrab
Towards the end of the novel, Amir teaches Sohrab to fly a kite. This brings a smile to Sohrab’s face, and brought them closer together.

23. Answer
No. It was just a bonding moment.

24. The End