The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

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Description

In his debut novel, The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini accomplishes what very few contemporary novelists are able to do. He manages to provide an educational and eye-opening account of a country's political turmoil--in this case, Afghanistan--while also developing characters whose heartbreaking... read more

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Summary

Part I
Amir, a well-to-do Pashtun boy, and Hassan, a Hazara and the son of Amir's father's servant, Ali, spend their days in a peaceful Kabul, kite fighting, roaming through the streets and being boys. Amir’s father (who is generally referred to as Baba, "daddy",... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

Cast of Characters

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Amir: The main protagonist and narrator of the novel.
Hassan: Friend of Amir although Amir looks at him as more of a servant because he is the son of Ali.
Assef: A sadistic teenager from Amir's neighborhood.
Baba: The father of Amir said to be born in 1993. He is both physically strong and has a strong character that many look up too. He is a good man and community leader.
Ali: Baba's servant and unexplained childhood friend. He has polio and his right leg is useless.
Rahim Khan: Baba's business partner and best friend in Afghanistan.
Soraya: Amir's wife.
Sohrab: Hassan's Son
Sanaubar (aka Sasa): Ali's wife.
Farid: Driver in Pakistan/Afghanistan who helps Amir.

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Memorable Quotes

“There is a way to be good again.”
Rahim Khan
“Children aren't coloring books. You don't get to fill them with your favorite colors.”
Rahim Khan
“The rules were simple: No rules. Fly your kite. Cut the opponents. Good luck.”
“In 1980, when we were still in Kabul, the U.S. announced it would be boycotting the Olympic Games in Moscow. “Wah wah!” Baba exclaimed with disgust. “Brezhnev is massacring Afghans and all that peanut eater can say is I won’t come swim in your pool.””
“Every woman needed a husband. Even if he did silence the song in her.”
“If America taught me anything, it’s that quitting is right up there with pissing in the Girl Scouts’ lemonade jar.”
Omar
“Quiet is peace. Tranquility. Quiet is turning down the VOLUME knob on life. Silence is pushing the OFF button. Shutting it down. All of it.”
“We saw our first Western together, Rio Bravo with John Wayne, at the Cinema Park, across the street from my favorite bookstore. I remember begging Baba to take us to Iran so we could meet John Wayne. Baba burst out in gales of his deep throated laughter-a sound not unlike a truck engine revving up-and, when he could talk again, explained to us the concept of voice dubbing. Hassan and I were stunned. Dazed. John Wayne didn't really speak Farsi and he wasn't Iranian! He was American, just like the friendly, longhaired men and women hanging around in Kabul, dressed in their tattered, brightly colored shirts. We saw Rio Bravo three times, but we saw our favorite Western, The Magnificent Seven, thirteen times. With each viewing, we cried at the end when the Mexican kids buried Charles Bronson-who, as it turned out, wasn't Iranian either.”
Amir
“Now, 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?...When you kill a man, you steal a life. You steal his wife's right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone's right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness. Do you see?...There is no act more wretched than stealing,...A man who takes what's not his to take, be it life or a loaf of naan...”
Baba

First Sentence

I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975.

List the chapters of this book.

Glossary

Hazara: A term describing the Hazara people, an ethnic minority originating in the mountainous region of Afghanistan called Hazarajat. Characterized by their mongoloid facial features, adherence to Shi'a Islam, and long history of persecution.
Mujahedin: A term used to describe a group of Muslims engaged in a war or conflict. In this novel, it describes the Afghanistan Mujahedin Freedom Fighters Front, which challenged the Soviet forces and later lost against the PDPA (People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan) government.
Shi'a Islam: The second largest denomination of the Islamic faith. Shi'a Islam believes that the teachings of Muhammad were carried through his descendants and do not accept the caliphate.
Shorawi: The Farsi term for the Soviets, who invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and occupied the country for a decade.
Sunni Islam: The largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam accepts the caliphate, meaning that it considers the Caliph or head of a Muslim state a successor to Muhammad.