Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
afghanistan in the kite runner
a conclusion of afghanistan culture
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: afghanistan in the kite runner
The Kite Runner
In Khaled Hossenini’s novel The Kite Runner, one of the main themes is separation. Separation is an important theme in this book in order to capture life in Afghanistan and how it reflects the characters’ lives. Afghanistan is a land with many values when it comes to class, gender, religion, race, and political climate. Their culture isn’t based on equity for the people, but the traditions that they’ve had for thousands of years and the teachings from the Quran. Since their traditions are so valued; Afghanistan reflects some of the values of the characters. As the book progresses, you can see Afghanistan separating and effected negatively by terrorism throughout the land. This affects the characters, especially Amir’s relationship with Hassan. Separation is an important factor to this book in order to express the elements of class, religion, and political climate and how it effects to the characters.
In the book, Hassan and Amir’s social statues are different. Amir is a Pashtun, which is the majority group of Kabul. Amir is well respected because of his father and he doesn’t get verbally abused due to his race. However, Hassan is a Hazara, which is the minority group in Kabul. Hazaras are looked down upon and used as servants. Hassan is verbally and physically abused due to his race. Assef is the antagonist of the book and he tortures Hassan by calling him “flat-nose” and raping him. Race is one of the main themes of separation that shows how social classes are separated due to race. Amir also looks down on Hassan for being a Hazara. In the book, Amir never shows his friendship with Hassan when in public. Hassan is ridiculed thought out the book but remains loyal and friendly to Amir.
As the ...
... middle of paper ...
...made fun of him and treated him badly. This may have been an example of separation in Afghanistan and how society was divided. But when Amir moved to America he buried his past until he got a call from Rahim Khan to come back home. Amir agreed and went back to find out Hassan has died and the Taliban took Hassan’s son Sohrab. Amir agrees to rescue him because he feels like it’s his obligation to Hassan because of all the wrong he has done to him. This may be an example of friendship goes above all and that separation within class, race, religion, or political climate doesn’t matter to Amir. Amir takes Sohrab back home and at the end of the book he flies a kite with Sohrab. When they cut another person’s kite, Amir runs to get the kite and yells to Sohrab “For you, a thousand times over” to reflect Hassan’s memory and how Amir appreciates Hassan’s friendship.
Amir is, to be put bluntly, a coward. He is led by his unstable emotions towards what he thinks will plug his emotional holes and steps over his friends and family in the process. When he sought after Baba’s invisible love, Amir allowed Hassan to be raped in an alleyway just so that the blue kite, his trophy that would win his father’s heart, could be left untouched. In the end, he felt empty and unfulfilled with the weight of his conscience on his shoulders comparable to Atlas’ burden. Unable to get over his fruitless betrayal, he lashes out and throws pomegranates at Hassan before stuffing money and a watch under his loyal friend’s pathetic excuse for a bed, framing Hassan for theft and directly causing the departure of both servants from his household. Even after moving to America, finding a loving wife, and creating a career for himself in writing, he still feels hollow when thinking of his childhood in Afghanistan. Many years later, he is alerted of Hassan’s death and sets out on a frenzied chase to find his friend’s orphaned son. He feels that he can somehow ease his regrets from all of those years ago if he takes in Hassan’s son, Sohrab. He finds Sohrab as a child sex slave for Assef, who coincidentally was the one to rape Hassan all of those years ago. After nearly dying in his attempt to take back Sohrab, he learns that he can take the damaged child back to the states with him. Sadly, Hassan’s son is so
Hosseini’s purpose of writing the Kite Runner was to teach the readers the different ethnic groups in Afghanistan. The main character, Amir, is a Pashtun and Pashtuns are Sunni Muslims, then there are Hazara’s that the Pashtuns do not get along with. Hazara’s are not welcomed by the Pashtuns because they are different social classes.
Book of Genesis in the Old Testament or from the Hebrew Torah. What may be less familiar to
In English class, I read a book called The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Overall a splendid book, I enjoyed it quite a lot and I highly recommend reading it for those who haven’t because it really is a powerful story that grasps readers attention. Anyways, there are these 2 boys in this book, Amir who comes from a privileged background in Kabul and has a wealthy dad whom he calls Baba, although he is not a completely sympathetic character. Hassan is a hazara, which is the most disrespected and the lowest status group in
The Kite Runner focuses on the relationship between two Afghan boys Amir and Hassan. Amir is a Pashtun and Sunni Muslim, while Hassan is a Hazara and a Shi’a. Despite their ethnic and religious differences, Amir and Hassan grow to be friends, although Amir is troubled by Hassan, and his relationship with his companion, one year his junior, is complex. Amir and Hassan seem to have a "best friend" type relationship. The two boys, Hassan and Amir, are main characters in the book titled, The Kite Runner. The two boys have a relationship that is significantly different compared to most. There are many different facets that distinguish the relationship the boys possess. The boys do write their names in a pomegranate tree as the "sultans of Kabul" (Kite Runner 27) but, their friendship is not strong and it is one sided. Hassan has love for Amir. He loves him like a brother. Hassan is exceedingly loyal to Amir. The relationship between the two boys is emotionally wearing and rather gloomy for the most part. The main reason for their complicated relationship is the fact that Amir is Pashtun, and Hassan is Hazara. The Afghan society places Hassan lower than Amir. Hassan is Amir's servant. The placement of Hassan in the Afghan society disenables Amir from becoming Hassan's true friend. Amir sees Hassan as lower than human. Amir ruins the chance for friendship between himself and Hassan because he is jealous of Hassan, he thinks of Hassan as a lower human, and because Amir possesses such extreme guilt for what he has done to Hassan. Amir is an unforgivable person overall.
...ffect children like Hassan in Afghanistan. Racism continued when they went to America, where they will judge Americans and Americans will judge them. This shows that Amir is embarrassed to be Hassan’s friend. He believes Hassan is a lower class citizen because of his race and the fact that he is a “servant”. He only plays with Hassan when no ones around because he is afraid someone else will judge him for talking to a Hazara. The next quote is when Amir and Baba visit the doctor in America to get a CAT scan for Baba’s cancer. In the Kite Runner, Assef the bully treats Hassan very differently than Amir and the other boys in the town. Hassan is a Pashtun “Flat-Nose” who Assef believes is race that is a threat to the purity of Afghanistan. He expresses hatred towards anyone that has that same background. Especially Hassan. Amir also treats Hassan differently.
Even when Amir was nasty and cruel to him, he had always been a faithful, kind soul. He never doubted that Amir was his friend and that he held a special place in his heart. When Hassan got raped, Amir did not help Hassan. There were ultimately two options: step up to the bullies and rescue Hassan, or run away. Even after hearing Assef say how Amir would never do the same for him, about how he would never stand up for him, he still chose to run away and pretend like he did not just witnessed what had happend. There is also scene where Amir is feeling guilty and both the boys are around a pomegranate tree. Amir just starts pelting Hassan with pomegranates and threatens to him to throw one back. He exclaims, “You’re a coward,” (...). And what does Hassan do? He picks up a pomegranate, but instead of hurling it in Amir’s direction, he smashes it on himself and says, “are you satisfied?” (....). There is this constant pressure on Hassan and Amir’s relationship. The Afghan society would not approve of such “friendship.” Both of the boys were good, but Amir was so young when he made the mistakes that it made the reader question whether there was a way for Amir to be morally good again.
Honor, religion, and poetry are the most important parts of Afghanistan’s culture. Stereotypes are used to cover up all of the culture and goodness that once was and still can be seen all over the nation. Headlines all over the world focus on all the things that have created the war-torn country that it is today. Khaled Hosseini illustrates the goodness and cultures of Afghanistan before the Soviet take over. He also shows all that has happened to the country and the hope that remains. Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, uses the character Amir, conflicts between characters, and the theme of redemption in order to show Afghanistan’s downfall and the ability to rebuild.
Throughout time individuals have progressed through the collaboration of diverse ethnic groups by developing significant relationships. Although, regardless of exchanging knowledge as well as foreign goods, distinct regions seldom undergo cultural diffusion, as they believe that their cultures may conflict with one another leading to certain tribulations. Plus, many foreign regions do not desire to even interact with other certain regions because they consider them to be barbaric. Likewise, within the novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, one is able to determine that one’s social class within society as well as their religion, ultimately conflict with their affiliation with another individual. Nonetheless, although, the protagonists Amir
Bullied and ridiculed for playing alongside a Hazara, Amir devolves even greater into complacency and adjusting his views to match that of his society. When Assef declares intensely racist views, “‘Afghanistan is the land of Pashtuns. It always has been, always will be...not this Flat-nose here. His people pollute our homeland’”, followed by a baffled “‘How can you call him your ‘friend’?”, Amir internally becomes ashamed of his close relationship with Hassan and reflects on the need to hide his friendship “I play with Hassan only when no one else was around” (40-41). This shows how willing Amir is to conform to avoid rejection and disdain for his actions, such as striving to please Baba and rejecting Hassan to paradoxically evade rejection. Consequentially, Amir’s repetitive shame associates Hassan with it, showing that Amir’s gradual devaluing of Hazaras is driven by societal norms. Amir becomes a citizen, perhaps out of many, that take the stable and peaceful monarchy of King Zahir Shah for granted. Hosseini portrays the exposition of the book in pre-war so “that the
As implied by the title, kites play a major role in the novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. They appear numerous times within the text and prove to be surprisingly versatile in their literary function. They provide common ground for characters whose interests do not normally intersect. They are also present as a very powerful symbol, which adds an extra dimension to this already literary rich novel. Reversing the roles transcending generations, it shows itself to be a multifaceted medium.
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.
...h him; another part to this is because he believes Hassan is just a dirty Hazara boy. “I'd chase the car, screaming for it to stop. I'd pull Hassan out of the backseat and tell him I was sorry, so sorry, my tears mixing with rainwater. We'd hug in the downpour (Hosseini 109).” After Amir causes Hassan to leave, he laments about letting, more like making, his best friend leave him. He sees the dirty Hazara boy as his best friend at that moment. In both of these stories, the main character realizes how similar they are to the other social or religious group.
He illustrates that in many example, such as, Baba, however, never calls Ali, Hassan’s father, his friend, because of their ethnic and religious differences. Also the culture can play an important part in this novel. For an example, when Hassan is getting raped by Assef and hi friends, Amir refers to the sacrificial act of the lamb because Amir is Pashtun and Hassan is Hazara (Pashtan is Sunni Muslim, but Hazzara is Shi’a Muslim). At that time, Assef says Amir is part of the problem for being friend with Hazara. For another example, when Amir and baba moves to America, they communicate with the Afghan group there because the search about people look like them, and behave with the same
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is a very interesting novel that has a very bold and challenging theme. This theme is seen early on in the novel, but becomes increasingly more and more intricate throughout the reading. The Kite Runner is a novel based on a man named Amir, who grew up in Afghanistan and lives his whole life dealing with betrayal and redemption. Throughout this book, Amir has a gigantic flashback describing his whole intoxicatingly sad life. Hosseini creeps into a dark emotional depth as he talks about all the struggles of an Afghani child during the 1970’s who’s father treated him like less of a child than his servant. He talks about the struggles of a boy that betrays his best friend, only later finding