1. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Historical, Political and Cultural Contexts A presentation by N. Shamnad Department of Arabic University College Thiruvananthapuram E mail:

2. The Kite Runner By the Afghan-American writer Khaled Hosseini
First novel to be written in English by an Afghan National
By the Afghan-American writer Khaled Hosseini
Published in 2003, USA
Sold over 3 million copies worldwide
South African Boeke Prize in 2004
A No. 1 New York Times Best seller for 2005
Voted the Penguin Reading Group Book of the year for 2007
Adapted in to a highly acclaimed feature film in 2007 by Marc Forster
American Library Association: one of its most challenged books of 2008

3. Khaled Hosseini Afghan-American writer
Born in 1965 in Kabul, Afghanistan
His father was an Afghan diplomat in Iran and France
Following the 1979 Russian invasion, the family emmigrated to the
United States
Political asylum in 1980, Settled in California, US
Hosseini is now a physician
Novels: The Kite Runner (2003), A Thousand Splendid Suns (2007)

4. The Kite Runner
The story takes place in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the United States from 1975 to 2003
The novel maps the journey of Amir, the narrator
Amir belongs to a wealthy family whose father is a businessman
Amir tells the story of his friendship with Hassan.
Hassan and his father, Ali, are Amir’s servants
Hassan is the victim of discrimination due to his ethnic identity
Ironically, Hassan is also Amir’s half brother

5. The Separation
Amir desires his father’s approval, and with the help of Hassan,
enters a kite running tournament
Violent events occur after the tournament, which have an
impact upon the lives of Hassan and Amir
Amir overwhelms with guilt when allows Hassan to be beaten
by the neighborhood boys and Watch him being assaulted
Hassan and his father leave Kabul
After Russian invasion Amir and his father flee Afghanistan
for Pakistan and then end up in the US

6. AMIR PAYS HIS DEBT TO HASSAN
Amir continues his education, marries and becomes a writer
He returns to Afghanistan in search of Hassan
While in Pakistan, Amir finds out that Hassan and his wife
were killed by the Taliban regime
They left a son, Sohrab
Amir arrives at Kabul to rescue Sohrab from Assef, a Taliban
leader
Assef was the boy who molested Hassan during their childhood
Amir must defeat Assef in a physical battle in order to take
Sohrab out of Afghanistan and try to help repair his spirit.

7. The Kite Runner (Film) A 2007 Hollywood film directed by .
Marc Forster
Based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini.
A DreamWorks and Paramount Vintage
production
Mostly shot in China, Pakistan and US
Dialogue is in Afghan Persian (Dari) and
English
Nomination for the Golden Globe award
for the best foreign language film in 2007
5th best film of 2007: Chicago Sun-Times
Banned in Afghanistan from theatres and
DVD stores .

8. The Kite Runner (2007) : a Marc Forster film “ …
The Kite Runner (2007) : a Marc Forster film “ ….and there is a way to be good again !”

9. The Kite Runner : Historical and Political Contexts
The story takes place in Afghanistan, Pakistan and America
Tells the collapse of Afghan civil society and violations of fundamental
human rights
1.5 Million people lost their lives
5 Million people went in exile
Picturisation of the Soviet invasion of 1979 and the tyranny of Taliban
War crimes and the plight of refugees
Novel leaves one feeling, a terrible Sadness for the Afghan people.
The power game between the U.S.A. and the former Soviet Union
brought death and utter destruction to the country.

10. The Kite Runner : Soviet Invasion of 1979 and Refugees

11. The Kite Runner : Plight of Refugees

12. The Kite Runner : Cultural Contexts
The Novel shows
Ethnic and religious diversities in Afghanistan and
cultural clash / prejudice
Racial discrimination, religious intolerance, oppression of
women and persecution of children
Influence of tribalism and disintegration of society
Friction between Pashtuns and Hazaras: various ethnic groups
Religious extremism and secularism
Friendship, between childhood friends / brothers
Parent/child relationships, paternal expectations and the need for
approval
Kite running

13. Afghan Ethnicity ► Hazaras consists of about10 to 15 percent
► Uzbaks consists of about 9 percent
► Others (Turkmen, Aimaq, Baluch, Nuristani)
Tajik
Pashtun
Hazara

14. Baluch
Uzbak
Pashtun

15. The Kite Runner : desperate children