Jane Schaffer Paragraph: Related Materials
TS: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens both explore the theme that true friends are willing to sacrifice themselves for their loved ones, no matter the consequence.
CD: In The Kite Runner, Hassan is willing to sacrifice himself to prevent Assef from getting Amir’s kite, “Even from where I was standing, I could see the fear creeping into Hassan’s eyes, but he shook his head. ‘Amir agha won the tournament and I ran this kite for him. I ran it fairly. This is his kite’” (72 Hosseini).
CM 1 & 2: This quote shows Hassan’s devotion and willingness to sacrifice himself for his friend. Despite the immense consequences he is facing, Hassan is willing to bear punishment for someone that he cares about.
CD: In A Tale of Two Cities, lawyer Sydney Carton takes the place of his friend, Charles Darnay, to be executed on the Guillotine during the French Revolution. Carton said, “I see the lives for which I lay down my life, peaceful, useful, prosperous and happy, in that England which I shall see no more” (433 Dickens).
CM: This shows the depth of Sydney Carton’s devotion to Charles Darnay and his family. Despite facing death, Carton is more than willing to lay down his life for the good of Charles and his family.
Conclusion: Both The Kite Runner and A Tale of Two Cities demonstrate the theme of sacrifice for loved ones.