The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner is written by Khaled Hosseini, which was published in 2003. This novel goes from the feeling from wanting to impress, to guilt and relief. The main character, Amir, goes through various obstacles in life to get where he wants to be, but it won’t be easy.

In the beginning of the story it explains the relationship between everyone in the household and how Amir and Hassan are best friends. Both of their mothers were not in their lives. Amir’s mother died when she is giving birth to him. Hassan’s mother leaves five days after he is born, partly because Hassan has a cleft palate and she does not like Ali’s physical appearance, so she runs away with a group of gypsies. Since Amir’s mother is dead, Baba hires someone to breastfeed

He always provides for Ali and Hassan, but he never educates him. Amir and Hassan go down the road and sit under a pomegranate tree and Amir read to him. For Hassan’s birthday, Baba gets him an Indian surgeon to fix his cleft palate. Amir has never been interested in playing sports, which Baba is known for. Since Amir is seeking approval and kindness that he sees given to Hassan, he wants to compete in the annual kite flying tournament. The kies are class coated, so in order to win the tournament, you have to literally “cut” the other person’s kite to win. Amir ends up winning the tournament, but after that his life changes forever. Hassan goes to fetch Amir’s kite, and he gets into some trouble with some kids that do not like Hazara people. He is sexually assaulted, and Amir watches the whole time and he does not do anything about it. In 1981 the Russians invade Afghanistan, so Baba and Amir flee to the United States and then settled in San Francisco, which Baba had a hard time adapting through changes because he is so used to being wealthy and having power. Their job is to work at a booth in the flea market, Amir soon meets and falls in love with Soraya Taheri. She is the daughter of a former Afghan general and minister. Amir asks the general for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Soon after they are married, Baba gets

Months pass and Sohrab barely says any words until Amir shows Sohrab a kite and tells him that Hassan was the best kite flyer he has known. In the Kite Runner, Hosseini’s writing style is straight up blunt. On occasions where the topic is touchy, such as Hassan being sexually abused, he goes around the topic so you have to put two and two together to piece things up.

“Assef unbuttoned his winter coat…… Hassan lay with his chest pinned to the ground. Kamal and Wali each gripped an arm, twisted and bent at the elbow so that Hassan’s hands were pressed to his back……………. Assef knelt behind Hassan, put his hands on Hassan’s hips and lifted his bare buttocks……. Undid his own belt buckle with his free hand. He unzipped his jeans, dropped his underwear. He positioned himself behind Hassan.”

His style also goes around wanting to fit into their beliefs, or what “seems” right. For example, Hassan and Amir have known each other since they were infants, but Hassan is a Hazara and Amir is not. They always hang out but once Amir gets around kids from his school, he acts like he does not speak to Hassan on