by Ann Johnstone

Created on: August 06, 2011   Last Updated: August 09, 2011

Khaled Hosseini's novel ‘The Kite Runner’ narrates the story of a young boy, Amir, on his journey from childhood to adulthood in the war-torn country of Afghanistan in the 1970s. It is written in the first person, telling the story from Amir’s perspective. The reader is introduced  to Amir’s loyal  friend and servant Hassan, and the story is largely about the complex relationship between the two boys, and its disintegration following Hassan’s rape and Amir’s cowardly response. Amir’s development is also affected by his father Baba’s often distant attitude towards him, causing the boy to go to great lengths to seek Baba’s approval and affection.

The main characters: 

Amir
With his father Baba, Amir led a life of privilege in Kabul, served by the young boy Hassan, a Hazara (lower caste). Amir’s mother died during childbirth. Amir and Hassan enjoy an innocent friendship as children, despite their different social status. Playing games, climbing trees, catching insects, going to the local picture theatre, and learning to fly kites: life was simple in those early days. Amir read books to Hassan who, in turn, worshipped his friend.

Amir constantly craved his father’s attention, feeling himself to be a failure in Baba’s eyes. He is also puzzled at the high regard with which Baba regards Amir’s friend and servant Hassan. Of course, the reader is unaware until the very end of the book that Amir and Hassan are actually brothers.

One year, during the annual kite-flying contest, Amir wins the coveted first prize. However, in doing so he sacrifices his friendship with Hassan, craving acceptance from his father as a greater reward. What fills him with the greatest joy is the knowledge that his father will be proud of him. It seems to be a turning point in their relationship.

When Hassan is cruelly bullied and raped by the older boy Assef, Amir finds himself incapable of going to his defence. In shame, he withdraws from Hassan, even though Hassan does not blame him. No matter how hard Amir tries to bury the incident, it is there lurking in the back of his mind, reminding him that Hassan is a far better person than he is. He treats his friend harshly to hide his own feelings of shame, even conspiring to have Hassan accused of theft and thus causing the boy and his father Ali to leave Kabul.

As the novel progresses, the reader sees Amir change from a self-centred child to a responsible,

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