The Kite Runner by: Khaled Hosseni Sources:

Story Setting: Afghanistan (Kabul) in the 1970’s –Takes place after the Soviet Union invasion and during the time when the Taliban took over Kabul. –The setting changes to the United States (California) in the 1980’s. Plot: –A friendship between two young boys sparks a betrayal. The Taliban takes over Kabul and forces the characters to take drastic action. The main character, Amir, spends his life trying to find peace and forgiveness for his betrayal of his best friend. –As children, Amir and Hassan were great kite competitors.

Khaled Hosseini Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan in He and his family moved to San Jose, California in 1980 and he went on to graduate with a Doctorate degree. He still lives in California and practices medicine. Kite Runner was his first novel, and it sold 3 million copies worldwide so far.

Kite Running An Afghan custom of competing with kites. Flying kites is a complicated sport involving strings with glass embedded in them. The idea is to cut another kite’s string to send the kite flying freely. The winner of the tournament is the person with the last kite flying in the sky. Also, the winner is the person who ‘runs’ the kite. The ‘kite runner’ chases the last kite that was cut and it’s seen as a great honor and skill to catch the loose kite.

Taliban Religious students of Islamic Knowledge Movement. Ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 They came to power during the Afghanistan Civil War and were ousted from power in 2001 by the United States. The Taliban replaced Soviet forces and had some success in eliminating corruption and restoring peace.

Sharia The Sharia was the Islamic law, and the Taliban had very strict orders to follow these laws from the leader of the Taliban, Mullah Muhammad Omar. Mullah Omar is reportedly married to Osama Bin Laden’s daughter, and works in conjunction with al-Qaeda. Under the Sharia, public executions and punishments became regular events at soccer stadiums. Frivolous activities, like kite flying, were banned. To weed out ‘non-islamic’ influences, TV, music, and internet were banned.

Women and the Taliban When the Taliban took over Kabul, women were forbidden to get an education. They were not allowed to work outside the home. Women were forbidden to leave the house without a male relative with consequences of being beaten or shot. Women caught with nail polish may have had their fingertips cut off. Under “The ministry for the protection of virtue and protection of vice,” the Taliban thought they were safeguarding the women and their honor.

End of the Taliban Although the Taliban managed to re-unite most of Afghanistan, they couldn’t end the civil war. They didn’t improve conditions of the cities where access to food, clean water, and employment declined during their rule. Many Afghans fled to Pakistan.

End of the Taliban In response to the September 11th terrorist attacks, The United Stated pressured the Taliban to turn over Bin Laden and al-Qaeda. When the Taliban refused, the United States bombed Taliban military sites. By November 2001, Taliban lost power of Kabul and by December 2001, they were completely routed of their power.

Facts about Afghanistan Landlocked, it’s a bit smaller than Texas.

Facts about Afghanistan 30 million people live in Afghanistan, compared to 23 million in Texas. The life expectancy is low, 43 years. In the US, the average life expectancy is 78. The official languages of Afghanistan are Dari and Pashto. The literacy rate is 51% for males and 21% for females. (US- 97% for both men and women) The government is Islamic republic.

Facts about Afghanistan People from Afghanistan are called ‘Afghans’ NOT ‘Afghanis!’ The main religion is Islamic –80% are Sunni Muslims while 19% are Shi’a Muslims –There was hostility between the people who practiced different religions. –Amir, the main character was a Sunni Muslim (Pashtun) and Hassan, his best friend and servant, was a Shi’a Muslim (A Hazara).

Main Characters Amir: Protagonist, An adult re-telling the story of his childhood and growing up in Kabul. Baba: Amir’s father Hassan: Amir’s ‘hazara’ servant. Also Amir’s best friend. Ali: Hassan’s father and Baba’s long time friend. Rahim Khan: Baba’s friend whom Amir looks up to. Sanaubar: Hassan’s mother, Ali’s Ex-wife.