In the novel, The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, there are various situations where both political and historical landscapes affect the characters’ lives. The invasion of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan changed the lives of Baba and Amir, as they were obligated to flee the country and settle in America. Living in America was very hard for Baba as almost everyone did not know the reputation he built up in Kabul. It was easy for Amir to adapt as it was a new country where no one would remind him of his past. The Taliban overtake in Afghanistan changed the lives of people living there, such as Hassan and his family, and Assef. The Taliban killed many Hazaras and used their children for labour work. Assef made the Taliban his home, in which he was able to do anything he wanted. The main political landscape was the caste system. The caste system separated the Pashtuns and Hazara created a rift between them. Amir and Hassan were best friends but sometimes the difference in class got in the way.
To begin with, the Soviet Invasion in Afghanistan caused many people to flee the country and start new life in neighbouring or foreign countries. The invasion were the reason of the formation of the Mujahideen to overthrow the communist government. In the process, large amounts of damage was done to the country due to bombings and many rural areas were depopulated. Baba, Amir and many other people were obligated to flee the country. In Kabul, Baba was a rich and well reputable man, this made the Soviets angry as they do not admire anyone who is rich and speaks against them. The Soviets invaded the country and bombed rural areas and massacred many people, leaving them on the streets.
The generation of Afghan children whose ears would know noth...
... middle of paper ...
...wn by the Afghanistan government, creating conflicts between Pashtuns and Hazaras. Amir knew Hassan was a Hazara and they were still friends but, jealousy made Amir betray Hassan and treated him rudely. Ali was affected by more the caste system, his polio on his leg made everyone call him Babalu, even though he worked for Baba, also his mongoloid features reminded everyone he was a Hazara. Hassan`s son, Sohrab endured a lot of pain when he take to Assef. But he came out to be the strong one as he attacked Assef with his slingshot, saving Amir. Afghanistan changed a lot with different regimes taking over such as the Soviet Union, and the Taliban. They nearly destroyed the country and killed thousands of people. The Hazara genocide affected many people of that class. Khaled Hosseini wrote this novel from his experience, making it very descriptive at certain chapters.
The novel Swallows of Kabul by Yasmine Khadar shows how Kabul is under the control of the Taliban’s and how they treat the people of Kabul. This novel illustrates the Islamic culture, and how Kabul has been affected by the invasion of Taliban’s. This book shows the different perspective from different characters; it shows both female and male versions of what it was like to live in Kabul at that time. This book also goes into depth about how women had no voice, and were treated unfairly with little or barely any respect. This novel is very meaningful and it basically paints you a picture of life in Kabul while the Taliban’s are in charge.
Social and ethnic tensions: The Kite Runner allows us a look at Afghanistan before the Soviet invasion and then after. The peaceful Afghanistan that Amir was born into is no longer in existence; rival groups now fight amongst each other. “There are a lot of children in Afghanistan, but little childhood”. Throughout The Kite Runner, there is tension on account of religious, ethnic, and economic factors. Amir, a privileged Sunni, struggles to understand his relationship with his Shi’a servant, Hassan. The boys grew up together, but “in the end, [Amir] was a Pashtun and [Hassan] was a Hazara, [Amir] was a Sunni and [Hassan] was Shi’a, and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing”(Hosseini 25). Hassan and his father, Ali, are discriminated against because of their religious beliefs and physical features. He is bullied because some believe “Afghanistan is the land of Pashtuns…the pure Afghans, not this Flat-Nose here. His people pollute our homeland, our watan. They dirty our blood”(Hosseini 40). The relationship between Amir and Hassan is complicated because of the social pressures. The boys are as close as brot...
Hassan is a Hazara boy, this being an ethnic group that is looked down upon by Pashtun citizens of Kabul. “In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I was Sunni and he was Shi’a, and nothing was ever going to change that.” (Hosseini 25). Throughout his childhood, Amir is put down regularly by neighborhood kids for befriending Hassan because of his ethnic background. Amir realizes that no matter what he may do, or no matter how Hassan may try to alter the situation, Hassan would always be too different for people to accept.
Firstly, the characters in the novel display bravery as they protect one another from physical harm. This can be seen in patterns between generations in families. Early on the reader learns that Amir’s grandfather protects Ali by, “[adopting] him into his own household, and [telling] the other students to tutor him” (26). Since Ali’s parents were killed and he is a Hazaras he would have most certainly been discriminated against at an orphanage. Ali is Hassan’s father. The reader learns near the end that he is not his biological father but he is the man who raised him. Hassan defends Amir from being beaten by Assef who has a reputation in Kabul of being a psychopath. When Assef threatens them Hassan does not hesitate to respond saying, “You are right, Agha. But perhaps you didn’t notice that I’m the one holding the slingshot. If you make a move, they’ll have to change your nickname from Assef ‘the Ear Eater’ to ‘One-Eyed Assef,’ because I have this rock pointed at your left eye” (45-46). Later on Amir stands up for Sohrab, Hassan’s son, as Hassan stood up for Amir countless times before. He demands to Assef, "All I want is the boy" (298), to take Sohrab to a safe place where he would no longer be sexually abused. In return, Sohrab is bold and prevents Amir from being slain. He points the slingshot at Assef’s face, "‘No more, Agha. Please,’ he [says], his voice husky and trembling. ‘Stop hurting him’" (304). At this point Assef is a grown man while Sohrab is only a boy. It would take plenty of courage to protect this man he did not even know. Sohrab’s action fulfills the idea foreshadowed earlier of "one-eyed Assef" as Sohrab shoots a metal ball in Assef’s eye. All these characters guarded the physical well-being of individuals that were important to them by demonstrating bravery.
Before the civil war in Afghanistan, the people who lived in the country were in some real trouble. Human rights were not seen as a priority at all, so many citizens were unhappy with their quality of life. Other countries, throughout history, have tried to help resolve problems by putting troops in the country to help strengthen it. For example, the British government had tried to back-up Afghanistan troops, and their leader: King Shah Shuja, however this didn't work, and almost all of the troops were slaughtered by the Soviet Union army. After Shah was assassinated suddenly, Emir Amanullah Khan was put in charge of the country. Being the sovereign of the Kingdom of Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929, he was supposed to
Since September 11, 2001, the Western world’s view of the Middle East, specifically countries like Iraq or Afghanistan, has shifted drastically. Whenever the media portrays the Middle East, they manage to spin a story negatively or violently. Due to these extrinsic influences, the youngest generation of Americans has never known an America that did not express at least some hatred toward certain parts of the Eastern world. Novels like The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini strive to encourage a healthy interest in Afghanistan and the Middle East while breaking the stereotypes that westerners have come to accept as fact about the culture and religion of Afghanistan. Hosseini manages to conjure a universal story line with relatable characters that introduce the world to the everyday people of postcolonial Afghanistan. On a grander scale, in The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini utilizes his own life experiences alongside his firsthand account of the contemporary history of Afghanistan to craft a novel that breaks down these negative stereotypes and offers a significant contribution to Afghan American literature.
Although overthrowing Hafizullah Amin was a big reason why the Soviet government invaded Afghanistan, there were many other reasons. The Soviet Union was looking to free the communists in Afghanistan by fighting Islamic fundamentalism. The Soviet Union thought that an ex...
...izens of Kabul. As a result, Hassan’s childhood is much more difficult than Amir’s, allowing him to become stronger, more resilient, and less ignorant. Nonetheless, the two boys grow up together in Afghanistan during a time when it is considered to be a relatively peaceful country. In the late seventies however, this peace is destroyed as a result of the Russian invasion in Afghanistan. Ultimately, the environments from which Amir and Hassan each came from largely influences the people they become in the transitional phase of their lives from boyhood to young adulthood.
Amir’s childhood is quite unusual compared to most children in Afghan. Amir’s father, Baba, is a very rich and successful individual in his lifetime. This success allows Amir to live a wealthy lifestyle with access to western commodity as well as servants. In novel, Amir is risen mostly by his servants Hassan and Ali, as well
Khaled Hosseini, the author of The Kite Runner, grew up in prejudiced Afghanistan during the 1960’s as a middle-class Pashtun living with Hazaras working for his family. His move to America after the Communist Coup proved difficult for his family, especially his father. In his novel, Hosseini writes through a young boy, Amir, very similar to himself, who grows up with his father and two Hazara servants in Afghanistan at the time of the Taliban attacks. Both Amir and his father, Baba, treat their servants, Hassan and Ali, like family. Society, however, does not approve of such relationships between Pashtuns and Hazaras. As Amir hides and watches horrified, another Pashtun boy rapes Hassan. This leads to the continuation of Amir’s internal conflict about the treatment of Hazaras by the public, and also makes him feel guilty and self-conscious throughout his entire life. In addition, Amir strives for affection and attention from his rather indifferent father. Amir’s outward conformity to societal values in his relationships with both Hassan and Baba, as a result of his inner struggle and guilt, contribute greatly to the significance of The Kite Runner.
After Amir wins, he turns back to look at Baba and he sees Baba “pumping both of his fists. Hollering and clapping. And that right there was the single greatest moment of my twelve years of life, seeing Baba on that roof, proud of me at last”(66). Baba now had something to be proud of in Amir. Baba had now accepted his son but Baba’s true transformation would come later when he and Amir leave Kabul and go to America. Baba leaves all his wealth, his power and all the respect he gained in Kabul to escape to America where he would end up working at a gas station and making close to minimum wage. Even though Baba moves to America, he never changed his principles; he just changed the way he acted around Amir. When Baba goes to the social services office, he “dropped the stack of food stamps on her desk. "Thank you but I don 't want," Baba said. "I work always. In Afghanistan I work, in America I work. Thank you very much, Mrs. Dobbins, but I don 't like it free money" (130). Baba acting differently in America was not all contributed to not having his wealth, but rather the way he lived. Baba did not feel as guilty living in America as he did in Kabul. While Baba was in Kabul, he could not share his wealth with his other son, Hassan, but now that Baba was in America with no wealth, he could focus on his relationship with Amir. On Amir’s graduation day, Amir says, “This was his day (Baba) more than mine. He
One aspect of the novel that highlights this struggle is its setting, as it takes place during four time periods, each at a different stage in Afghan history. Throughout these unstable decades, the country’s government went through continuous upheavals with each new government advocating different
Amir, the main character and narrator in the Kite Runner, belongs to a wealthy family in which his father is a powerful businessman. Amir is also a part of the dominant Pashtun ethnic group and Sunni religious group. Amir in the Kite Runner tells the story of his friendship with Hassan. Hassan and his father, Ali, are Amir’s servants. Hassan on the contrary is a low-caste ethnic Hazara and belongs to the minority Shi’it religious faith. This provides many of the Afghan’s who are different such as Sunni’s, who make up 85% of the Muslim faith, to persecute people like Hassan for their religion.
In both of his novels, Hosseini has both protagonists and antagonists originating from Afghanistan. He depicts the flaws of the broad generalizations many people believe due to a lack of information or insight into the concerning situations occurring in Afghanistan. As awareness about the indecencies taking place in Afghanistan increases, hopefully more individuals will take action to aide those being oppressed and help solve the turmoil occurring due to the presence of the Taliban. Works Cited Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner.
Amir and Khaled Hosseini both endured many graphic and life changing historical events that changed Afghanistan from a once peaceful country to one of brutal tyranny and turmoil. In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in order to expand their Communist government which was declining due to lack of support in the 1970’s (Sullivan). The USSR sent a vast army of soldiers with the intentions of instituting Communistic reforms. This led to the mistreatment of many people in Afghanistan because the Soviet Union sought to eliminate all of the civilians and destroy the country. A bombing caused by the Soviets led to the destruction of many households, villages and millions of people (Zhang). In The Kite Runner, Amir describes the changes to Afghan lifestyle after the Soviet invasion by stating: