He notices kites flying, and thinks of his past, including his friend Hassan, a boy with a cleft lip whom he calls a kite runner. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. He said that Ali and Hassan were their family. General Taheris wife and Sorayas mother. Sohrab is traumatized by his sexual abuse, and so cannot let himself be touched by an adult yet. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! 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. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. Thus, Sohrab travels with Amir to Islamabad. She took care of him until the night he died peacefully in his sleep. 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. "[34], Hosseini was surprised by the extent of the controversy caused by the rape scene and said that Afghan actors would not have been cast had studios known that their lives would be threatened. Why does Rahim Khan lie about the American couple? "[30] Afghan American readers were particularly critical towards the depiction of Pashtuns as oppressors and Hazaras as the oppressed. WebRahim Khan knows an American couple named Thomas and Betty Caldwell that have a good orphanage in Peshawar. Why does Amir want Hassan to hit him with pomegranates? [7], Like Amir, the protagonist of the novel, Hosseini was born in Afghanistan and left the country as a youth, not returning until 2003. As usual, Hassan stood up for Amir; he got Assef to leave by aiming his slingshot at Assef's eye. After the Russians invade Afghanistan and executions become commonplace, Amir and Baba flee the turmoil and danger destroying their home country. Amir's jaw will be wired shut for six weeks. WebWhile traveling in a taxi with an Afghan native named Farid whom Rahim Khan put him in contact with, Amir struggles with his car sickness. Teachers and parents! They are closer than regular friends. Assefs rape of Hassan is a dramatic and explicit example of those This also represents a kind of unity between Pashtun and Hazara, a unity that is necessary if Afghanistan is ever to heal. What is the significance of Alis first wife? Because Baba was so ill, Soraya and Amir decided to forgo the Shirini-kori, the traditional engagement party, as well as the engagement period. Sohrab is being kept at Assef's house as a dancing boy. (including. Now that Assef has split Amirs lip, Amir has symbolically become more like Hassan in that he is willing to stand up for what is right. The book mentions some of the derogatory names they are called, including mice-eating and flat-nosed, and says part of the reason for the animosity is because the Hazara are Shia Muslim while the Pashtuns are Sunni Muslim. Though Sanaubar is infamously immoral in her youth and abandons Hassan just after he is born, she proves herself a caring grandmother to Sohrab when she reappears later in the novel. Assef explained that he was on a mission to kill all the Hazaras in Afghanistan. Luckily, Amir and Baba managed to emigrate to the San Francisco area. WebSohrab sits with Amir, but he does not speak and only looks at his hands. It was voted the Reading Group Book of the Year for 2006 and 2007 and headed a list of 60 titles submitted by entrants to the Penguin/Orange Reading Group prize (UK). Farid drove him there, but Amir went in alone. Amir was horrified to discover that the Talib was Assef. Baba's father took Ali into his house after Ali's parents were killed in an accident. One day, Amir received a call from Rahim Khan. Hassans and Sohrabs rapist and the novels antagonist. One day while the boys are walking, a soldier says to Hassan that he once had sex with Hassans mother, Sanaubar. The way the content is organized. Hassan proves himself a loyal friend to Amir repeatedly, defending Amir when he is attacked and always being ready to listen. When General Taheri finally forced her to come home, she had to cut off all her hair in shame. 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. Chapter 19 Summary While traveling in a taxi with an Afghan native named Farid whom Rahim Khan put him in contact with, When Amir goes after Hassan he finds him in an alley, trapped by Assef, Wali, and Kamal. He is eager to please Baba, whom he views as a role model he can never live up to. More books than SparkNotes. 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. [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. [9], As with Hosseini's subsequent novels, The Kite Runner covers a multigenerational period and focuses on the relationship between parents and their children. Farid brought a letter and a key from Rahim Khan. Jamila plays the part of the typical Afghan wife and mother. Summary and Analysis Children and mothers begged on every street corner, and there were few men to be seen because so many had died fighting. "[3] Indian-American actor Aasif Mandvi agreed that the book was "amazing storytelling. This article is about the novel. Baba, meanwhile, is gruff, hardworking, a little distant from Amir, and very much an independent thinker. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. He is an ethnic Hazara, and is described as having the same eyes as his father. 27. an American couple who leave Afghanistan just before Amir arrives the former royal family of Afghanistan an American couple that Rahim Khan makes up the owners of the convenience store in Fremont Asked by queen m #231489 on 3/17/2012 1:28 AM Last updated by Aslan on 3/17/2012 2:18 AM 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. Rahim Khan, who is dying, asks Amir to visit him in Peshawar. Friend of Baba and Amir. As Rahim Khan explains, It was a shameful situation. Want 100 or more? He may have been trying to break the news to Amir slowly that the way to be good again is to adopt Sohrab himself. He even claims Hitler as a role model. Soon after, the Cold War ended, the Berlin Wall fell, and the riots occurred in Tiananmen Square. [13] Marketing director Melissa Mytinger remarked, "It's simply an excellent story. To his surprise, Baba was furious and threatened to hit Amir for the first time. Hassan runs for the last cut kite, a great trophy, saying to Amir, "For you, a thousand times over." In the letter, Hassan described the terror of living under the Taliban. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! [4] By the publication of Khaled Hosseini's third novel in 2013, over seven million copies had been sold in the United States. from your Reading List will also remove any He cannot see Amir's other strengths. Struggling with distance learning? They have only their fathers and each other. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. It is a story set in a culture that has become of increasing interest to Americans since the September 11, 2001, attacks. Why does Amir ask Baba if he has seen Amirs new watch? Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Amir's closest friend, the harelipped Hassan, was also his servant and a Hazara. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. He told Amir, "There is a way to be good again." The last king of Afghanistan, who rules for 40 years. A doctor diagnosed Baba with terminal cancer and Baba refused palliative treatments. 29. Chapter 8-10 1. One day, Sanaubar collapsed at the gate of the house. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Although Baba believes "there is no act more wretched than stealing", he forgives him. He hates Baba's expectations and culture. Over the phone, Soraya told Amir her shameful secret. 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. Farid suggests moving to Islamabad in order to buy some time and remain hidden from the Taliban. Baba spent almost all his money on the awroussi, the wedding ceremony. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. Father of Amir and Hassan and a wealthy, well-respected businessman. Farid was so enranged at the man that he tried to strangle him to death, but Amir intervened. Neither Amir nor Hassan had a mother. Five years later, during the Soviet occupation, Amir and Baba fled Afghanistan in a truck full of refugees. Why does Hassan lie about stealing Amirs watch? Before he chased it, he shouted, "For you, a thousand times over." Among the refugees were Amir's schoolmate, Kamal, and his father. Amir eventually manages to take him back to the United States with the help of Soraya. Also, in many ways Amir and Hassan act for each other as a kind of substitute parent, looking out for the other and providing companionship. Sohrab is haunted by his past trauma like so many other characters (Hassan, Kamal, and Amir with his guilt), so he is slow to open up and trust Amir. Then he told her he was bringing Sohrab home. PDF downloads of all 1725 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Amir and Sohrab play cards to pass the time. Amirs plot and manipulation of Baba show how devious he is. He notices an old man who enters the room, looks at all the patients, and then exits silently. Furthermore, Baba and Amir embody the Pashtun population, whereas Ali and Hassan are part of the Hazara minority, a group subjected to relentless racism in Afghanistan. Why does Amir want Hassan to leave Babas household? WebThough people said he had no business sense, he became one of the most successful businessmen in the city. Rahim Khan gave Amir a letter that Hassan had written six months earlier along with a snapshot of him and Sohrab. Amirs mother. There, Amir meets fellow refugee Soraya Taheri and her family. Rahim Khan summons Amir to Afghanistan to atone for his betrayal of Hassan, and knows that Amir cannot be trusted to rescue Sohrab unless he believes someone else will take over the responsibility. WebThe Caldwell family doesn't exist. She had traveled a long way to finally make peace with Hassan, who accepted her with open arms. WebThe first half of The Kite Runner focuses on Amir 's relationships with Baba and Hassan. ", "Book Buzz: 'Kite Runner' celebrates 10th anniversary", "A Woman's Lot in Kabul, Lower Than a House Cat's", "Khaled Hosseini: 'If I could go back now, I'd take The Kite Runner apart', "Wrenching Tale by an Afghan Immigrant Strikes a Chord", "The Kite Runner: Is Redemption Truly Free? The next morning, he accused Hassan, who took the blame as usual. Why is it so important for Amir to win the kite tournament? When they arrived, they discovered that Kamal was dead. Sohrab helps Amir out of the house, where he passes out and wakes up in a hospital. At the end of He barely recognized the landscape around him because it was so ravaged by war. He dreamed about Baba fighting the bear, and realized that he was Baba. In the letter, Rahim urged Amir to forgive himself for what he did to Hassan. Finally, Rahim Khan asks Amir not to try to find him. Renews May 8, 2023 [16] Born into a Pashtun family in 1963, his mother died while giving birth to him. She had once run away with an Afghan man. Since Baba likes soccer, Amir tries to like it as well, albeit unsuccessfully. [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. Amir, a well-to-do Pashtun boy, and Hassan, a Hazara boy who is the son of Ali, Amir's father's servant, spend their days kite fighting in the hitherto peaceful city of Kabul. Amir met an old beggar who was once a professor at the university alongside Amir's mother. Baba worked long hours at a gas station and even though he loved "the idea of America," had trouble adjusting to its everyday realities. You can view our. When Hassan did not come home, Amir went out looking for him. [3] Though the book sold well in hardback, "Kite Runner's popularity didn't really begin to soar until [2004] when the paperback edition came out, which is when book clubs began picking it up. He has his own vulnerabilities, however, particularly regarding his mother. Hassan would have done anything for Amir; his first word was even "Amir." They never saw Ali or Hassan again. In terms of plot, little happens. [9][11][19] As a child, Amir fails to save Hassan in an act of cowardice and afterwards suffers from an all-consuming guilt. "[22] A similarly favourable review was printed in Publishers Weekly. Hassan recognizes that such an event would create an irreconcilable break between father and son. Five days after Hassan was born, she ran away with a group of traveling performers. After graduating from high school, Amir takes classes at San Jose State University to develop his writing skills. 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. Afghanistan is a divided country and two childhood friends are about to be 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. Amazingly, Amir won, and Hassan went to run the last kite for him. One day he even suggested to Baba that they get new servants. Shortly after, Baba dies peacefully. After the kite tournament, Amir's relationship with his father improved because Baba was so proud of him. Tempe, AZ 85281. www.asugammage.com. In 1986 he went looking for Hassan and found him living in a small village with his pregnant wife, Farzana. Why does Amir love Baba? The story is set against a backdrop of tumultuous events, from the fall of Afghanistan's monarchy through the Soviet invasion, the exodus of refugees to Pakistan and the United States, and the rise of the Taliban regime. Amir lived with his father, Baba, in a lavish home in Kabul. Many people attended Baba's funeral, each with a story of how Baba had helped them in Afghanistan. Then one day, a miracle happened. Khaled Hosseinis main audience for the book is not Afghan, and he familiarizes his readers with life in Afghanistan by explaining some basic facts. Amir learns only a few random facts about his mother from the man, but this is still more than Baba ever told him. 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. In the hospital waiting for news about Sohrab, Amir prayed for the first time in fifteen years. [24], Meghan O'Rouke, Slate Magazine's culture critic and advisory editor, ultimately found The Kite Runner mediocre, writing that "this is a novel simultaneously striving to deliver a large-scale informative portrait and to stage a small-scale redemptive drama, but its therapeutic allegory of recovery can only undermine its realist ambitions. Amir used to play, It is unclear whether Rahim Khan thought that the American couple was in Pakistan or not. In the wake of what happened, Amir found it strange to hear people on the news and on the street talking about the cities of his childhood. He begged God to let Sohrab live because he did not want his blood on his hands. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. According to one story, he even wrestled a bear once. 12. Amir assimilates far more easily, describing America as a river, roaring along, unmindful of the past. Amir views his American life as an opportunity to start over and free himself from his sins against Hassan in Afghanistan. The devastation in Kabul took Amir's breath away. Amirs died giving birth to him, and Hassans ran away after having him. Amir meets the Taliban leader, who reveals himself as Assef. Why does Amir sometimes treat Hassan badly in childhood? Amirs driver and friend. When Amir refused, Rahim Khan told him a life-changing secret: he and Hassan were half-brothers. Instead, Khaled Hosseini introduces us to the personalities of the characters. He is Babas illegitimate child, though he is not aware of this fact, and he grows up with Ali acting as his father. Want 100 or more? In 1933, the same year Baba was born, two intoxicated young drivers struck and killed a Hazara couple. But things are never so convenient in the world of, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Answer: By severing the strings of all other kites. He is described as a "sociopath" by Amir. Baba begins work at a gas station due to his low social status in America. He was seriously ill and was living in Peshawar. "[9] Having left the country around the time of the Soviet invasion, he felt a certain amount of survivor's guilt: "Whenever I read stories about Afghanistan my reaction was always tinged with guilt. He had broken his ribs and a bone in his face and he had a punctured lung, among other injuries. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. He also promised Sohrab that he would never have to go to another orphanage. Wahid's boys were malnourished and later that night, Amir heard one of his two wives complaining that he had given all the food to their guests. Baba was aloof and did not pay Amir much attention. Hassan lies about stealing Amirs watch because, once again, he is making a sacrifice for Amir. A number of adaptations were created following publication, including a 2007 film of the same name, several stage performances, and a graphic novel. 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. After khastegari came lafz, "the ceremony of giving word." What are Ali and Hassan's distinct physical characteristics? You can view our. Amir realizes this secret he must carry is his new curse, and spends the rest of the novel struggling with his moral failure. To Baba's sorrow, Hassan and Ali leave anyway, because Hassan has told Ali what happened to him. At the American Embassy, an official named Raymond Andrews told Amir that it would be near impossible to get Sohrab a visa. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. When necessary, he is even willing to risk his life for what he believes in. [7] For example, he did not decide to make Amir and Hassan brothers until after he had "doodled it". Khaled Hosseini lived and worked as a medical internist at Kaiser Hospital in Mountain View, California for several years before publishing The Kite Runner. Appropriately, he opens the novel in the present then quickly jumps back in time. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. \"Your friends, this John and Betty Caldwell, they aren't in Peshawar,\" Farid said. During the ride there, Amir dozes. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1725 titles we cover. He follows this recollection by telling us about a call he received last summer from a friend in Pakistan named Rahim Khan. Why did Baba lie about Hassan being his son? Amir and Hassan soon drift apart. 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. [33], Four years after its publication, The Kite Runner was adapted as a motion picture starring Khalid Abdalla as Amir, Homayoun Ershadi as Baba, and Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada as Hassan. We learn that the boy Amir is sensitive, bookish, sometimes selfish, and a little mischievous. Discount, Discount Code How is a kite fighting tournament won? In 1988, Amir published his first novel. Amir's father, a wealthy merchant Amir affectionately refers to as Baba, loves both boys. "[29], The Kite Runner was also an inspiration for the creation of the Kite Runner project in Istanbul, an initiative of the association Diyalog in cooperation with International Media Support (IMS). He and Sohrab stayed at a hotel in Islamabad. Amir tells himself that having Hassan leave Babas household would lessen both Hassans and his own suffering. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Amir mixes his memories of Baba in with this information. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! After thinking things over at a caf, he returned and said he would bring Sohrab to Peshawar. Hosseini has commented that he considers The Kite Runner to be a father-son relationship story, emphasizing the familial aspects of the narrative, an element that he continued to use in his later works. 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. Amir noticed the smallest hint of a smile on Sohrab's face. The final third of the book is full of haunting images: a man, desperate to feed his children, trying to sell his artificial leg in the market; an adulterous couple stoned to death in a stadium during the halftime of a football match; a rouged young boy forced into prostitution, dancing the sort of steps once performed by an organ grinder's monkey. WebAmir usually flew a kite while Hassan ran kites for him. Purchasing One died in a fuel truck trying to escape Afghanistan [an incident that Hosseini fictionalizes in The Kite Runner]. (The difference between Sunni and Shia is something like the difference between Catholic and Protestant Christians. Significantly, both Hassan and Amir have lost their mothers. Please wait while we process your payment. The relationships between fathers and sons, and between the older generation and the new one, are a major theme of the story. Amir's guilt intensified at the lavish thirteenth birthday party that Baba threw for him. Why doesnt Amir help Hassan in the alley? Baba is diagnosed with terminal cancer but is still capable of granting Amir one last favor: he asks Soraya's father's permission for Amir to marry her. [19] Following Hassan's death at the hands of the Taliban, Amir begins to redeem himself through the rescue of Hassan's son, Sohrab. Rahim Khan asked Amir to go to Kabul and bring Sohrab back to Peshawar. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. His father was shot. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Though he had no training as an architect, he designed and built an orphanage. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. That same night, July 17, 1973, there was a coup d'etat in Afghanistan, changing it from a monarchy to a republic. A boy from Amirs and Hassans neighborhood. Farid drove them away and Amir passed out. Hassan is "the all-sacrificing Christ-figure, the one who, even in death, calls Amir to redemption". 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. When he refused, they took him to the street, made him kneel, and shot him in the back of the head. May 1, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 Among other injuries, Amir suffers from a ruptured spleen, seven broken ribs, a punctured lung, lacerations, and a fracture of the eye socket bone. But with word of mouth, book sales have taken off", "Siblings' Separation Haunts In 'Kite Runner' Author's Latest", "COVER STORY: the Afghan story teller Khaled Hosseini", "Khaled Hosseni author of Kite Runner talks about his mistress: Writing", "Is the Arab world ready for a literary revolution? Babas words in Chapter 3 foreshadow the eventual takeover of Afghanistan by the radical Islamic fundamentalists called the Taliban. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. [9] He rediscovered the manuscript in his garage in March 2001 and began to expand it to novel format at the suggestion of a friend. . Why does Amir accept Soraya even after she tells him of her past? 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. Hassans parents were Hazara as well. He was very close to his father, Ali, who was Baba's servant. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. When Hassan refuses to hand over the kite he ran for Amir, Assef pins Hassan to the ground and rapes him. It had taken me ten minutes just to slip into my pirhan tumban. Ace your assignments with our guide to The Kite Runner! The injury to Amir's lip is like a harelip, an obvious parallel to Hassan and the connection between the brothers. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Baba says Amir is not like other boys, and he worries that if Amir cant stand up for himself as a child, he will not be able to do so as an adult. After September 11, General Taheri was called back to Afghanistan. [9][12] It was released on May 29, 2003, and the paperback edition was released a year later. The scar on Amirs upper lipreminiscent of Hassans cleft lipand his joy in running the kite for Sohrab are evidence of Amirs redemption. '"[11] Afghan-Austrian journalist Emran Feroz, however, criticized the novel for oversimplifying ethnic relations in Afghanistan and portraying Pashtuns in general in an overly negative light. Later he found Hassan walking home, kite in hand, with blood dripping from his pants. Baba and Amir, for instance, are rich and live in a large mansion, while Ali and Hassan are poor and live in a small hut on Babas property. 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. Every other sin is a variation of theft. Struggling with distance learning? Amir watches as Kamal and Wali hold Hassan down and Assef rapes him. 30. Instant PDF downloads. $24.99 The theatre adaption premiered in Canada as a co-production between Theatre Calgary and the Citadel Theatre in January 2013. Talk about guilt. 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. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? Purchasing These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Read more about Afghanistan as a setting of the novel. She explained that Sharif would be able to get Sohrab a visa. But he worries his father does not see these as manly pursuits. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. Khaled Hosseini identifies a number of themes that appear in The Kite Runner, but reviewers have focused on guilt and redemption. Even after leaving the country, moving to America, marrying, and becoming a successful writer, he is unable to forget the incident. The letter talks of the need for forgiveness. on 50-99 accounts. 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! Son of Hassan and Farzana. Amir was disgusted to see him teasing Hassan during the party. After the party, Amir decided to betray Hassan a second time and frame him as a thief. Baba also has his own strong moral sense. Why did Baba lie about Hassan being his son? As Amir remains conscious, he realizes where he is and recognizes Farid and Sohrab. Hassan was actually the son of Sanaubar and Baba, making him Amir's half brother. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. by. They spent the night with Farid's brother, Wahid. WebBaba and Amir are in Fremont, California, where they have lived for nearly two years. Historical Context Essay: The Kite Runner and The Taliban, Literary Context Essay: Coming-of-Age Stories, Khaled Hosseini and The Kite Runner Background. stanford swimming recruiting questionnaire,

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