Class Differences In The Kite Runner

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Something's Affect Everything; An Essay on The Kite Runner
The novel The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hasseini, is narrated in first person by the protagonist, Amir. Amir grows up in Afghanistan during the 70s. His childhood comes to an abrupt end, shortly after he wins a kite tournament, when he witnesses his friend, Hassan, being attacked by a neighborhood bully. Hassan, Amir’s servant and best friend is a Hazara, whereas Amir is a Pashtun. The class difference between the two is significant to the story because the problems that arise in the novel are based on this difference. The Kite Runner would not exist if there was not a class difference between Hassan and Amir.

The Kite Runner would not have existed without the class differences …show more content…

After the kite tournament that Amir won, Hassan ran across town to pick up Amir’s winning kite. On his way back, Hassan encountered Assef. Assef and his friends pinned and raped Hassan because he was a Hazara. While this was happening, Amir overheard them and instead of coming to Hassan’s rescue, he hid behind a corner watching and allowing it to continue. Despite being best friends with Hassan, Amir didn’t intervene because he didn’t want to expose to Assef the fact that he was really friends with a Hazara. Amir was afraid of people knowing of his friendship with Hassan because he had overheard Assef saying “Friends? You pathetic fool! Some day you'll wake up from your little fantasy and learn just how good a friend he is,”(76) Amir was afraid that if people knew he was friends with a Hazara, he would be disrespected and treated like he was a Hazara even though he was a Pashtun by birth. This event and Amir’s lack of involvement, happened entirely because of the class difference between the two brothers. Had this not happened, the boys’ friendship would not have been torn apart and therefore the novel would not have …show more content…

This guilt weighed on him so much that he asked Baba if they could hire new servants and get rid of Ali and Hassan. Baba became upset with Amir because he knew that Hassan was his son and thought of Ali as family too. Soon after Amir had a birthday party to celebrate turning thirteen. Amir hid his expensive gifts and lied to Baba telling him that Hassan hid the gifts.
Then I took a couple of the envelopes of cash from the pile of gifts and my watch, and tiptoed out… I went downstairs, crossed the yard, and entered Ali and Hassan’s living quarters by the loquat tree. I lifted Hassan's mattress and planted my new watch and a handful of afghani bills under it.
I waited another thirty minutes. Then I Knocked on Baba’s door and told what I hoped would be the last in a long line of shameful lies.

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