Study Guide Questions – The Kite Runner
Identify:
1. Amir
2. Baba
3. Hassan
4. Ali
5. Rahim Khan
6. Assef
7. Sofia
8. Sanaubar
9. Sohrab
10. Farzana
11. Soraya
12. General Taheri and Jamila Taheri
Chapters 1 – 4
13. Where did Amir live during his childhood? Describe Baba’s house in the 1970s.
14. Ali and Hassan are Hazaras. How are Hazaras treated in Kabul?
15. How did Baba make his money?
16. How did Ali come to live with Amir’s family?
17. Describe the two tricks Amir plays on Hassan in Chapter 4.
18. Describe the relationship between Amir and Baba. Use some details from the novel.
19. Describe the relationship between Amir and Hassan. What cements the relationship, yet what divides it?
20. Describe the relationship between Amir and Rahim Khan. What role does Rahim fill for Amir?
Chapters 5 – 9
21. How did Hassan make Assef and his friends leave Amir and him alone?
22. What did Baba get Hassan for his birthday?
23. Give 2 reasons why winter is Amir’s favorite season.
24. What is “tar”?
25. What is a kite runner?
26. Why is it so important for Amir to win the kite tournament?
27. Where does Amir find Hassan and what is the conflict?
28. How does Amir and Hassan’s relationship change after the kite tournament?
29. What does Amir ask his father while they are planting tulips?
30. What does Assef give Amir as a birthday present?
31. What birthday present does Ali give to Amir?
32. What does Amir accuse Hassan of stealing? Why does he turn against Hassan?
33. What does Amir realize when Ali and Hasan come to Baba’s study?
34. How does Baba react to Ali and Hassan’s decision to leave?
Chapters 10 – 14
35. Which country invaded Afghanistan in the 1980s?
36. How do Amir and Baba travel to Pakistan?
37. What happens to Kamal and his father?
38. What does Amir like about America?
39. How does Amir finally stand up to Baba?
40. Where does Amir meet Soraya?
41. What is the scandal surrounding Soraya Taheri?
42. What disease is Baba diagnosed with?
43. What secret does Soraya share with Amir?
44. How much does Baba spend on the wedding?
45. What are Amir and Soraya’s majors in college?
46. Why does General Taheri refuse to allow Amir and Soraya to adopt?
47. Why does Rahim Khan call Amir?
48. Where is Amir going at the end of Chapter 14?
Chapters 15 – 19
49. How did Rahim Khan get the scar of his forehead?
50. Who lived with Rahim Khan at Baba’s house in Kabul?
51. How did Ali die?
52. Name 2 things the Taliban did in Afghanistan between 1996 and 1998.
53. How did Hassan and Fazara die?
54. What does Rahim Khan want Amir to do in Afghanistan?
55. Who are Hassan’s father and mother?
56. Why is Amir so angry at Baba?
57. What does Amir decide at the end of Chapter 18?
58. Why did Farid dislike Amir when they first met?
59. What were Wahid’s sons really staring at?
60. How does Amir begin to redeem himself?
Chapters 20 – 25
61. Who is the beggar Amir meets on the streets of Kabul? What does he tell Amir about his mother?
62. How does Amir eventually gain access to the orphanage?
63. Describe three things about the orphanage.
64. Why does Farid attack Zaman?
65. Where is Sohrab?
66. Why does Amir remember the turtle story while at Baba’s house?
67. Describe Baba’s house in 2001.
68. What is still inscribed on the pomegranate tree? Why does Amir look for it?
69. What happened during half time at the soccer match? Why?
70. Who is Amir meeting at 3:00pm?
71. What is the last solid food Amir will eat for a while?
72. How does Assef recognize Amir?
73. What did Assef do in Mazar?
74. What was Assef’s epiphany?
75. What makes Amir laugh during the fight?
76. How do Amir and Sohrab escape?
77. Name three injuries Amir suffered from the fight with Assef.
78. What is important about Amir’s scar?
79. What does Rahim Khan tell Amir to do?
80. What is important about the card game Amir and Sohrab play while in the hospital?
81. Why did Rahim Khan lie about the Caldwells?
82. How much money does Amir give Farid for his help?
83. Why did Sohrab go to the mosque?
84. What does Amir ask Sohrab while they are at the mosque?
85. What two things does Sohrab know about San Francisco?
86. How does Soraya react to Amir’s news?
87. What does Faisal tell Amir are his options for adoption?
88. After Soraya’s call, how will Sohrab get into the USA?
89. Why does Amir scream at the end of chapter 24?
90. Why does Amir begin to pray?
91. What did Sohrab do in the bathtub and why?
92. What does Sohrab refuse to do in the USA?
93. What happened on September 11th 2001?
94. Why does the general return to Afghanistan?
95. When does Sohrab smile?