Social Class In The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is a powerful novel that often has the ability to appeal to the reader's emotions. Hosseini tells a tale of childhood friends, Amir and Hassan, who grow up in the same house but lead completely different lives due to their different backgrounds. Hassan faces many struggles due to his status as a Hazara, his cleft lip, and his absent mother. His best friend Amir is privileged in many ways because of Baba, his influential father, and his position as a Pashtun. To fully experience Hosseini’s powerful narrative, the reader must be able to grasp the way of life in Kabul by educating themselves about the significance of Hazara v Pashtun, and the importance of honor and loyalty.

The significance of social class in Kabul is crucial to the storyline of The Kite Runner because it impacts the lives of both Amir and Hassan. Hassan

The morals of people vary based on what they interpret to be a sin. To some, smoking and drinking is a sin. However, Baba teacher Amir that the only sin is theft. His reasoning being, “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” (Hosseini, 2004, p.18) Hassan faces many struggles because of the life his mother lead. While walking in town, Hassan was harassed by soldiers who were once involved with Sanaubar. Sanubar is looked down on by many because of her selfish behavior. Kabul considers it disrespectful for women to have relations with men who aren’t their husband since it shows a lack of loyalty. Amir’s mother died during childbirth however Hassan “Lost her to a fate much worse than death: She ran off with a clan of traveling singers and dancers”(Hosseini, 2004, p.6). It is frowned upon to abandon your child and husband because it shows a lack of