“So did Genghis Khan,” Baba said. “But enough about that. You asked about sin and I want to tell you. Are you listening?” “Yes,” I said, pressing my lips together. But a chortle escaped through my nose and made a snorting sound. That got me giggling again. Baba’s stony eyes bore into mine and, just like that, I wasn't laughing anymore.“I mean to speak to you man to man. Do you think you can handle that for once?” “Yes, Baba jan,” I muttered, marveling, not for the first time, at how badly Baba could sting me with so few words. We’d had a fleeting good moment--it wasn’t often Baba talked to me, let alone on his lap--and I’d been a fool to waste it. "Good," Baba said, but his eyes wondered. "No matter what the mullah teaches, there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft. Do you understand that?" "No, Baba jan," I said, desperately wishing I did. I didn't want to disappoint him again.
Close Reading: Symbolism- shown in the story when Amir is talking about Baba “marveling, not for the first time, at how badly Baba could sting me with such few words” This symbolises the distant and cold relationship that Amir and Baba have.
Foreshadow- Baba’s talk of sin in the story such as “there is only one sin and one sin only. And that is theft.” this foreshadows later in the story that theft will happen and affect their lives.
“So did Genghis Khan,” Baba said. “But enough about that. You asked about sin and I want to tell you. Are you listening?” “Yes,” I said, pressing my lips together. But a chortle escaped through my nose and made a snorting sound. That got me giggling again. Baba’s stony eyes bore into mine and, just like that, I wasn't laughing anymore.“I mean to speak to you man to man. Do you think you can handle that for once?” “Yes, Baba jan,” I muttered, marveling, not for the first time, at how badly Baba could sting me with so few words. We’d had a fleeting good moment--it wasn’t often Baba talked to me, let alone on his lap--and I’d been a fool to waste it. "Good," Baba said, but his eyes wondered. "No matter what the mullah teaches, there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft. Do you understand that?" "No, Baba jan," I said, desperately wishing I did. I didn't want to disappoint him again.
Close Reading:
Symbolism- shown in the story when Amir is talking about Baba “marveling, not for the first time, at how badly Baba could sting me with such few words” This symbolises the distant and cold relationship that Amir and Baba have.
Foreshadow- Baba’s talk of sin in the story such as “there is only one sin and one sin only. And that is theft.” this foreshadows later in the story that theft will happen and affect their lives.
Metaphor-