Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (Anchor Canada, 2003) is an amazing and extraordinary book about culture and history of Afghanistan. This story is about a writer who lives in the U.S.A, and spent his childhood in Afghanistan. He has some memories of the past which bother him. First, Kite Runner shows readers picture of Afghanistan in the last three decades, and the relationship between father and son and their servant who has a son. These two boys grew up together but differently. The book describes some cultural aspects, racism, and wars in Afghanistan that destroyed people’s lives and their country. Most of the people were killed, wounded, or immigrated to the other countries while they lost their real identity. Khaled Hosseini wrote Kite Runner for two major reasons.
Khaled Hosseini wrote about Amir who spent his childhood in Kabul, and he lives in the U.S.A. The novel begins with Rahim Khan’s call in which he says “There is a way to be a good again” (2). It was the last sentence that he told Amir before he hung up. It reminds Amir of the memories of his past and his childhood spent with Hassan, and his father Ali, who were Hazara and worked in Amir’s father, Baba, house. Hassan was an intelligent boy who was one year younger than Amir. He was very good at slingshot and flying kites. Baba loved Hassan the same as Amir, some times more than him so that it made Amir jealous of Hassan, but Rahim Khan was so kind and close to Amir and encourage him in writing. Assef was a half German, half Pashtun boy who was a bully and was called “ear eater”. One day Assef insulted Amir and wanted to hit him, but Hassan protected Amir. There was a kite tournament, that Amir won, but Hassan was raped by Assef. Amir saw that, but he did not do any thing. Amir tired to keep Hassan far away from himself because of his feeling of shame and guilt. After the Russian invasion, Amir and Baba went to the U.S.A. Baba died and Amir married an Afghan girl, Soraya; they could not have any children. Amir went to Pakistan after Rahim Khan’s call. He asked Amir to go to Afghanistan and bring Sohrab, Hassan’s son with him. Amir understood Hassan was his half-brother, and he and his wife had been killed by Taliban. He found Sohrab had been sold and raped. Amir took him to the U.S.A, but Sohrab did not talk again. Amir flew the kite again with Sohrab and remembered his memories of his real friend.
Khaled Hosseini wanted to show how memories of the past can haunt someone’s life. He describes the memories of Amir’s friend ship with Hassan never left him. Baba was so kind to Hassan even more than Amir which made Amir jealous of him. Amir tried to keep Baba for himself and did not share his love and attention with Hassan who had Ali’s devotion. Although Hassan was growing up illiterate like his father, he loved books. Amir read him poems and stories specially “Shahnameh”. Hassan loved all the chapters, but his favorite story was “Rostam and Sohrab”. Amir’s favorite part of reading was when Hassan came across a big word that he did not know. Then, Amir teased him and exposed his ignorance. Also, Hassan was the first person who encouraged Amir to write when Amir wanted to show his knowledge off and humiliate him. Hassan loved Amir so much, and his first word was Amir. He always protected Amir; Hassan rescued his friend, Amir, by his slingshot when Assef and his two friends wanted to hit them. Amir won kite tournament, but Hassan was raped by Assef because of Amir’s kite. Amir was standing in the corner and watching what was happening to Hassan, but he did not do anything even ask for help. Amir felt guilty about Hassan and the silence between them made the situation worse. Amir tried to keep Hassan far from himself, so he plotted against Hassan. He planted his birthday watch under his pillow and accused him. As a result, Ali and Hassan left the house .However, Baba asked them to stay with them. It was the first time that Baba cried. Ali and Hassan got stick in Afghanistan after Russian pillage. Ali was killed by land mine and Hassan and his wife were murdered by Taliban when he was preventing them from entering Baba’s house. Amir relationship with his father affected all his life. After wining kite tournament, Amir had a chance to be closer to Baba, the thing that he always dreamed of. He had tried before by his writing, but Baba just said one sentence:” Well, that’s very good, isn’t it!”(33). Amir felt that he was not the exact person that Baba expected, “An independent courageous boy”.
Khaled is critical of some aspects of afghan culture and beliefs. The
Hazara do not have equal rights and equal opportunities in their lives because they are a minority in Afghanistan. Hazara are distinguished because of their appearance and people insult them. They do not have any opportunities to have a good job or to study like others, so they cannot improve their lives; for example, Amir and Hassan were at the same house and same age. But, Hassan could not go to school like Amir, even though he was clever. The other thing which is mentioned is prejudice and chauvinism in Afghanistan which is against women’s rights. Men have the right to marry more than one woman, and they are free to make a relationship with opposite sex before marriage which is strictly forbidden for women. In this story, Soraya, Amir’s wife, was the victim of this culture. Also, Khaled Hosseini shows his disagreement with Taliban behaviors. They kill, abuse, and insult people under the shadow of Islam which is an unforgettable sin, and strictly forbidden in their holy book”quran”. Two people have been killed by Assef because of their sexual relationship which is banned in Islam, but Assef raped innocent children!
Kite Runner is a painful, unforgettable Afghan history that reminds us people in Afghanistan have been devastated by barbarism and savagery in the twentieth century. Khaled Hosseini has written an interesting mixture of black and white memories of a man who has been carrying them all his life. He has also shown how childhood can affect people’s lives and behavior in the future. Khaled Hosseini describes places, people’s attitude, and their feeling vividly which makes them real and alive for readers. The story touches the heart of the readers, and they contemplate in the story.
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