Baba gave Amir a wristwatch. Cowardly and conformist, Kamal helps Assef rape Hassan. Rahim Khan is dying and wishes to spend his last days alone, not raise Sohrab or explain his actions to Amir. When he finally came to, he found out that he had almost died of a ruptured spleen. More books than SparkNotes. They have only their fathers and each other. In each generation, the boys could never truly consider themselves friends because of their class differences. It appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for over two years,[4] with over seven million copies sold in the United States. Amir used to play, It is unclear whether Rahim Khan thought that the American couple was in Pakistan or not. Read more about Afghanistan as a setting of the novel. After thinking things over at a caf, he returned and said he would bring Sohrab to Peshawar. Baba viewed Amir, the legitimate son, as a physical manifestation of the ability of the upper class to act without retribution. Luckily, Amir and Baba managed to emigrate to the San Francisco area. [28] He believed that the scene was necessary to "maintain the integrity" of the story, as a physical assault by itself would not have affected the audience as much. The story is narrated from the year 2002. Amir managed to make an appointment with this Talib for the same day. Discount, Discount Code How did Ali become a part of baba's family? How is a kite fighting tournament won? Khaled Hosseinis main audience for the book is not Afghan, and he familiarizes his readers with life in Afghanistan by explaining some basic facts. He agrees and the two marry. Unbeknownst to the boys or anyone else, it was the first of many political changes that would eventually ruin Afghanistan as they knew it. Amir did feel like a foreigner because he had to wear a fake beard and was dressed in traditional Afghan clothing for the first time. Baba did all the things people said he could not do. The first three chapters set out the basic facts of the story, including who the major characters are, their backgrounds, and what their relationships with each other are like. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. It's about human beings. The Kite Runner is a novel by Khaled Hosseini. At the end of In terms of plot, little happens. [9][12] It was released on May 29, 2003, and the paperback edition was released a year later. 9. Amir watches as Kamal and Wali hold Hassan down and Assef rapes him. Amir accepts Soraya even after she tells him of her past because he, too, has done something seriously wrong and doesnt feel he can judge others. In a rare moment, when Amir is sitting on Baba's lap rather than being shooed away as a bother, he asks why his father drinks alcohol, which is forbidden by Islam. Sohrab was shy, but he followed Amir as he launched the kite into the air. Their beef is, 'Why do you have to talk about these things and embarrass us? Poor and an ethnic Hazara, he suffers from partial paralysis of his face and walks with a limp caused by polio. As children, Amir and Hassan would climb trees and use mirrors to reflect sunlight into a neighbors window, or they would shoot walnuts at the neighbors dog with a slingshot. To his chagrin, Ali and Hassan gave him a copy of his and Hassan's favorite book. A boy from Amirs and Hassans neighborhood. Sorayas uncle. Feroz further expressed concern that works by Hosseini, who was raised in a culturally Tajik context rather than Pashtun, would prevent western readers from developing a more nuanced view of Afghanistan. Hassan runs for the last cut kite, a great trophy, saying to Amir, "For you, a thousand times over." ", "Word-of-mouth success gets reading group vote", "Kite Runner is reading group favourite for second year running", "GeekDad Interview: Khaled Hosseini, Author of, "Top ten most frequently challenged books of 2008, by ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom", "Hollywood Foreign Press Association 2008 Golden Globe Awards", "Review: The Kite Runner/Liverpool Playhouse", Official website of author Khaled Hosseini, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Kite_Runner&oldid=1151733995, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2022, Articles with MusicBrainz release group identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 25 April 2023, at 22:41. One day while the boys are walking, a soldier says to Hassan that he once had sex with Hassans mother, Sanaubar. [9] In response, he said, "When I say some of it is me, then people look unsatisfied. Rahim Khan, who is dying, asks Amir to visit him in Peshawar. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! Amir takes us back to his childhood, in the final decades of the monarchy in Afghanistan. In 198, the Taliban massacred the Hazaras in Mazar-i-Sharif. The way the content is organized. They are closer than regular friends. A racist who wishes to rid Afghanistan of Hazaras, he is incapable of remorse and enjoys inflicting violence and sexual abuse on those who are powerless. Renews May 8, 2023 Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. He says this because he sees Hassan standing up for Amir in fights while Amir appears to back down. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. Hassan did not want to come to Wazir Akbar Khan until Rahim Khan told him about Baba's death. Despite their differences, Amir and Hassan were inseparable. For the film, see, "Before 'The Kite Runner,' Khaled Hosseini had never written a novel. He knows that if he fails to bring home the kite, Baba would be less proud of him, so he runs away. But he becomes a valuable and loyal friend to Amir in Amirs search to find and rescue Sohrab. A number of adaptations were created following publication, including a 2007 film of the same name, several stage performances, and a graphic novel. Baba was a large man, six feet and five inches tall with a thick beard and wild, curly hair. He is also an ethnic Hazara and is great with a slingshot. One day, Amir received a call from Rahim Khan. Why does Amir ask Baba if he has seen Amirs new watch? Mixed in with his periods of consciousness is the dream of Baba wrestling a bear; the dream changes and Baba merges with Amir. Wed love to have you back! Find more similar flip PDFs like The Kite Runner. WebTold him to call the Caldwells in the morning (227). Yet he feels Baba does not love him because he is not like Baba and because it was during his birth that his mother died. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! One additional divide hinted at in this section is that between Islamic fundamentalists, such as Amirs teacher, Mullah Fatiullah Khan, and more liberal Afghans like Baba. WebThe Kite Runner s ending offers the first glimmer of hope for Amir and Sohrab. Baba's father took Ali into his house after Ali's parents were killed in an accident. Thats because, for Amir, the past is not over. He is disguised, dressed in a pakola traditional Afghan capand fake beard to protect himself from Taliban persecution. Amir, who is thus far a nameless protagonist, tells us that an event in the winter of 1975 changed his life forever. His graduation gave Baba a reason to celebrate, but he said he wished Hassan were with them. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. More importantly, Ali and Hassans physical differences symbolize how both men suffer marginalized existences through no fault of their own. 26. Hassans and Sohrabs rapist and the novels antagonist. [2] Themes of guilt and redemption feature prominently in the novel,[3] with a pivotal scene depicting an act of sexual assault inflicted upon Amir's friend Hassan, which Amir fails to prevent, and which ends their friendship. Assef agrees to relinquish him if Amir can escape the room alive. Where does Amir find Hassan and what is the conflict? Hassan is "the all-sacrificing Christ-figure, the one who, even in death, calls Amir to redemption". Though Sofia died during childbirth, Amir knows she loved literature as he does. 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. Then one day Baba collapsed with seizures in the flea market; the cancer had spread to his brain and he did not have long to live. Then he explained that Sohrab was his illegitimate half-nephew. LitCharts Teacher Editions. He enigmatically tells Amir, "There is a way to be good again.". We learn that the boy Amir is sensitive, bookish, sometimes selfish, and a little mischievous. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% [29] Amelia Hill of The Observer opined, "The Kite Runner is the shattering first novel by Khaled Hosseini" that "is simultaneously devastating and inspiring. He dreamed about Baba fighting the bear, and realized that he was Baba. When he refused, they took him to the street, made him kneel, and shot him in the back of the head. Farid drove Amir to Baba's house, which had become decrepit and was occupied by the Taliban. Purchasing Amir's closest friend, the harelipped Hassan, was also his servant and a Hazara. He puts his safe, comfortable life in America on the line to return to Afghanistan and rescue Hassans son, Sohrab. The theme is introduced primarily through Baba, who worries that if Amir cant stand up for himself as a young boy, he may not be able to stand up for what is right as an adult. He has a chance to be forgiving of Farid and Amir went to a soccer game at Ghazi Stadium. However, American authorities demand evidence of Sohrab's orphan status. Acting father to Hassan and a servant of Babas. Baba lied about Hassan being his son because if he didnt, he would have had to admit that he had sex with Sanaubar, Alis wife and a Hazara woman. They were called "kite runners." He follows this recollection by telling us about a call he received last summer from a friend in Pakistan named Rahim Khan. He may have been trying to break the news to Amir slowly that the way to be good again is to adopt Sohrab himself. In order to save both Sohrab and Amir, Rahim Khan lies to Amir about the Caldwells, a supposed American couple, who will take care of Sohrab if Amir can get him out of Kabul. PDF downloads of all 1725 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Amir finds a kinder fatherly figure in Rahim Khan, Baba's closest friend, who understands him and supports his interest in writing, whereas Baba considers that interest to be worthy only of females. Rahim Khans revelation adds gravity to his request: in saving Sohrab, Amir would not only be atoning for his past, but he would be rescuing his own nephew. Riverhead Books published The Kite Runner, ordering an initial printing of 50,000 copies in hardback. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. "[2][11] Regardless, he maintains that the plot is fictional. Why? Eventually, he received the good news that Sohrab was alive. Significantly, both Hassan and Amir have lost their mothers. To Amir's disgust, he told him to give up. The project is planned in a way that every person in the globe can take part in the workshops, social events and network building through online participation. Hassans parents were Hazara as well. Please wait while we process your payment. Baba's father was How does Baba see the world in Black and White Use examples from the book. Instant PDF downloads. This article is about the novel. Amir tries to please Baba by being more like him but rarely feels he is successful. Hassans mother and Alis wife for a time. The image of Baba and the bear returns, but this time it is Amir who is wrestling the bear this means that Amir has become the kind of man Baba always wanted him to be, and he can face obstacles head-on and fight to overcome them. When defeated kites fell out of the sky, boys chased them to try to bring them home as trophies. Assef backs off but swears to take revenge one day. While he sleeps, he remembers various incidents and events from his life. The repetition of "clean down the middle" followed by the fragment "like a harelip" seems to indicate that readers will not or cannot make the connection on their own. When Amir is threatened, Hassan intervenes. Amir tells Sohrab that he may have to go back to an orphanage for a little while as they have encountered a problem in the adoption process, and Sohrab, terrified about returning to an orphanage, attempts suicide via cutting his wrists. Amirs driver and friend. I left a few things ambiguous because I wanted to drive the book clubs crazy. Amir searches for Sohrab, accompanied by Farid, an Afghan taxi driver and veteran of the war with the Soviets. Why does Hassan lie about stealing Amirs watch? Then a kind lawyer named Omar Faisal told Amir that he might have a chance of adopting Sohrab if he put him in an orphanage temporarily. In many ways, Sohrab acts as a substitute for Hassan in the novel, and he is a central focus of the plot in the later sections of the book. What are Ali and Hassan's distinct physical characteristics? The protagonist and narrator of the novel, a wealthy boy who grows up in Kabul, Afghanistan along with his father, The antagonist of the novel, a blue-eyed, sadistic boy who idolizes Hitler, torments children with his brass knuckles, and later rapes, The director of the makeshift orphanage in Kabul, who occasionally sells a child to, An adoption official in the American embassy in Pakistan, who discourages. Amir embarks on a successful career as a novelist. Amir meets the Taliban leader, who reveals himself as Assef. 12. Hassan was the best kite runner anyone had ever seen. Assef came to the party and gave Amir a book about Hitler. While the characters find safety in California, Baba becomes frustrated by his misunderstandings of American customs and takes great insult at his lower social status. Murdering a man, for instance, is stealing his life. Because its themes of friendship, betrayal, guilt, redemption and the uneasy love between fathers and sons are universal, and not specifically Afghan, the book has been able to reach across cultural, racial, religious and gender gaps to resonate with readers of varying backgrounds. How can Amir really be good again? Sohrab revealed that he was afraid God would punish him for what he did to Assef. Amir was too ashamed of what he had done to face Hassan and avoided him at all costs. Chapter 19 Summary While traveling in a taxi with an Afghan native named Farid whom Rahim Khan put him in contact with, Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. In 1986 he went looking for Hassan and found him living in a small village with his pregnant wife, Farzana. He is the son of a Pashtun father and a German mother, and believes that Pashtuns are superior to Hazaras, although he himself is not a full Pashtun. This would cure some of Amirs guilt for betraying Hassan, and also help with the emptiness he feels for being unable to have a child. Possibly, Hosseini intended these qualitiesto be a misdirect, making Ali and Hassan seem physically similar althoughas Rahim Khan later revealsthey are not biologically related. [34] Hangama Anwari, the child rights commissioner for the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, commented, "They should not play around with the lives and security of people. Amir tells himself that having Hassan leave Babas household would lessen both Hassans and his own suffering. As Amir is recovering, Farid encourages him to leave Peshawar as soon as possible; this triggers Amir's memory of the silent old man, who may be a spy for the Taliban. God help us all if Afghanistan ever falls into their hands, he says, after calling Mullah Fatiullah Khan and those like him self-righteous monkeys.. Hed also have to reveal that the encounter occurred soon after Amirs mother had died. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Soraya is steady, intelligent, and always there for Amir when he needs her. The inner turmoil Amir wrestles with after betraying Hassan drives the entire plot of The Kite Runner. At the orphanage in Karteh-Seh, Farid and Amir discovered that a Talib official who was a pedophile had taken Sohrab a month before. Ace your assignments with our guide to The Kite Runner! Why does Hassan lie about stealing Amirs watch? Sanaubar openly detested Alis physical appearance. Why does Amir love Baba? My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. [22] The relationship between parents and their children features prominently in the novel, and in an interview, Hosseini elaborated: Both [The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns] are multigenerational, and so the relationship between parent and child, with all of its manifest complexities and contradictions, is a prominent theme. Finally, Rahim Khan tells Amir that the reason he has called Amir to Pakistan is to ask him to find and rescue Hassan's son, Sohrab, from an orphanage in Kabul. What are Ali and Hassan's distinct physical characteristics? Farid has become a loyal friend on Amirs journey. Amir lived with his father, Baba, in a lavish home in Kabul. You'll also receive an email with the link. Occasionally he chooses a boy, recently Sohrab. Don't you love your country? Rahim Khan tells Amir that Alis first wife was never able to conceive a child with Ali, but became pregnant multiple times once she remarried. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. 11. WebSohrab sits with Amir, but he does not speak and only looks at his hands. (one code per order). The novel's canvas turns dark when Hosseini describes the suffering of his country under the tyranny of the Taliban, whom Amir encounters when he finally returns home, hoping to help Hassan and his family. The devastation in Kabul took Amir's breath away. Hassan refuses to give up the kite, and Assef humiliates him by assaulting him both physically and sexually. Amir runs away, and later both he and Hassan pretend nothing has happened. Amir met an old beggar who was once a professor at the university alongside Amir's mother. You can view our. Baba tells him that there is only one sin: theft. Amir feels incredibly guilty but knows his cowardice would destroy any hopes for Baba's affections, so he keeps quiet about the incident. What is the significance of Alis first wife? Then the Talib official came out and stoned them to death. His father, Baba, was one of the wealthiest and most charitable Pashtun men in Kabul, where they lived in the Wazir Akbar Khan neighborhood. The good to which Rahim Khan refers initially seems to be Amir's rescuing Sohrab from the orphanage. The images flash quickly from one to another, and the final image is the memory of Rahim Khan saying "A way to be good again.". WebRahim Khan knows an American couple named Thomas and Betty Caldwell that have a good orphanage in Peshawar. Its an old-fashioned kind of novel that really sweeps you away. San Francisco Chronicle By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. Hassan lies about stealing Amirs watch because, once again, he is making a sacrifice for Amir. Well-written, published at the 'right time' by an author who is both charming and thoughtful in his personal appearances for the book. Web25. Chapter four opens with the story of how Ali became a part of Baba's family. Struggling with distance learning? And just as Amir longed for physical punishment from Hassan under the pomegranate tree, Baba longed for his own punishment, something he would never receive. In the letter, Hassan described the terror of living under the Taliban. Complete your free account to request a guide. For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! Assef is himself only half Pashtun, having a German mother. [26][27], Critically, the book was well-received, albeit controversial. [2] He later divulged that he frequently came up with pieces of the plot by drawing pictures of it. His character arc takes him from being a normal little boy to the traumatized victim of sexual and physical abuse, and he goes from speaking very little to not at all. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. One day, Sanaubar collapsed at the gate of the house. Instead, Khaled Hosseini introduces us to the personalities of the characters. Kamal's father put a gun in his mouth and shot himself. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. He doesnt always listen to religious authorities either, evidenced by the fact that he disregarded Mullah Fatiullah Khan saying it is a sin to drink alcohol. (including. Renews May 8, 2023 Teachers and parents! Amir tells Baba his watch is missing, knowing that later he is going to frame Hassan for stealing it. Even after leaving the country, moving to America, marrying, and becoming a successful writer, he is unable to forget the incident. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. These were Amirs ideas, but Hassan never blamed Amir if they were caught. The History of Afghanistan during the Time of The Kite Runner, Read the Study Guide for The Kite Runner, Amirs Quest for Salvation in The Kite Runner, A Journey for Redemption in The Kite Runner, Redemption in Kahled Hosseini's The Kite Runner, Emotional Intertextuality Between Death of a Salesman and The Kite Runner, View the lesson plan for The Kite Runner, View Wikipedia Entries for The Kite Runner. Please wait while we process your payment. Sometimes it can end up there. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. . "a husband and wife named Thomas and Betty Caldwell". The Kite Runner became a bestseller after being printed in paperback and was popularized in book clubs. Assef, an older boy with a sadistic taste for violence, regularly mocks Amir for socializing with a Hazara, whose members, according to him, belong only in Hazarajat. Baba was aloof and did not pay Amir much attention. Baba tells him that the Mullahs are hypocrites and the only real sin is theft which takes many forms, the worst being having an affair. Amir rocked him to sleep and fell asleep as well. Baba wished Amir was athletic and brave like him instead of cowardly and bookish. At halftime, the Talibs brought two accused adulterers out to the field and made them stand in pits in the ground. The Talib had his men rip off Amir's fake beard. 29. May 1, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 Why doesnt Amir help Hassan in the alley? The section additionally introduces the reader to Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, and the location of the events. As usual, Hassan stood up for Amir; he got Assef to leave by aiming his slingshot at Assef's eye.