The Kite Runner - Table & Panel Novel Discussions: Reading 1
Each group is responsible for discussing certain ideas and questions, while finding textual evidence to support their
answers. Answers will be presented to class in the form of a panel discussion. During presentations, group members
should phrase their answers in a way that rephrases their questions to avoid a Q&A format (with the exception of
number six).
Group 1 – Character Study: Amir
1. What is this person’s best character trait? What is this person’s worst character trait? Justify your answer with textual
evidence.
2. Would this person be considered a good guy, bad guy, or both? Why? Justify your answer with textual evidence.
3. How does Baba and Amir’s relationship complicate Amir’s friendship with Hassan? Justify your answer with textual
evidence. Make sure to include a specific example of when this is apparent.
4. Quote Analysis: “With me as the glaring exception, my father molded the world around him to his liking. The
problem, of course, was that Baba saw the world in black and white. And he got to decide what was black and what was
white. You can't love a person who lives that way without fearing him too. Maybe even hating him a little” (Hosseini 15).
5. Quote Analysis: “Because the truth of it was, I always felt like Baba hated me a little. And why not? After all, I had
killed his beloved wife, his beautiful princess, hadn’t I? The least I could have done was to have the decency to have
turned out a little more like him. But I hadn’t turned out like him. Not at all.”
6. Create one open-ended discussion question about Amir for you peers. Remember to answer it yourself with textual
evidence.
The Kite Runner - Table & Panel Novel Discussions: Reading 1
Each group is responsible for discussing certain ideas and questions, while finding textual evidence to support their
answers. Answers will be presented to class in the form of a panel discussion. During presentations, group members
should phrase their answers in a way that rephrases their questions to avoid a Q&A format (with the exception of
number six).
Group 2 – Character Study: Hassan
1. What is this person’s best character trait? What is this person’s worst character trait? Justify your answer with textual
evidence.
2. Would this person be considered a good guy, bad guy, or both? Why? Justify your answer with textual evidence.
3. Would it be difficult to live a life like Hassan’s – one where you live on the outskirts of experiencing wealth (bff,
movies, activities with Amir, weekly allowance from Baba, coke & luxuries when with Amir/from Baba) but knowing that
you will ultimately never fit in there (making Amir’s food, hearing him complain, ironing his clothes, etc.)? Or, should he
just be happy that he’s lucky enough? Why? Justify your answer with textual evidence.
4. Amir subconsciously fears that Hassan is the more intelligent of the two. Using textual evidence, describe an instance
in the text where Amir’s fear could potentially be true, and explain how this affects their friendship.
5. Quote analysis: “And that’s the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too”
(Hosseini 55).
6. Create one open-ended discussion question about Amir for you peers. Remember to answer it yourself with textual
evidence.
The Kite Runner - Table & Panel Novel Discussions: Reading 1
Each group is responsible for discussing certain ideas and questions, while finding textual evidence to support their
answers. Answers will be presented to class in the form of a panel discussion. During presentations, group members
should phrase their answers in a way that rephrases their questions to avoid a Q&A format (with the exception of
number six).
Group 3 – Character Study: Baba
1. What is this person’s best character trait? What is this person’s worst character trait? Justify your answer with textual
evidence.
2. Would this person be considered a good guy, bad guy, or both (or good dad/bad dad)? Why? Justify your answer with
textual evidence.
3. It is apparent that Amir is an insecure boy. Do Amir’s insecurities stem from his relationship with his father? Why or
why not? Is it okay for Amir to blame Baba for his insecurities? Why or why not? If not, who or what is to blame? Justify
your answer with textual evidence.
4. Explain Baba’s beliefs regarding drinking alcohol and religion. What does this information say about Baba? Justify your
answer with textual evidence.
5. Quote Analysis: "Now, no matter what the mullah teaches, there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a
variation of theft. Do you understand that?"
[...]
"When you kill a man, you steal a life," Baba said. "You steal his wife's right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell
a lie, you steal someone's right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness. Do you see?" [...]
"There is no act more wretched than stealing, Amir," Baba said. "A man who takes what's not his to take, be it a life or a loaf
of naan...I spit on such a man."
6. Create one open-ended discussion question about Amir for you peers. Remember to answer it yourself with textual
evidence.
The Kite Runner - Table & Panel Novel Discussions: Reading 1
Each group is responsible for discussing certain ideas and questions, while finding textual evidence to support their
answers. Answers will be presented to class in the form of a panel discussion. During presentations, group members
should phrase their answers in a way that rephrases their questions to avoid a Q&A format (with the exception of
number six).
Group 6 –Study: Literary Analysis
1. Explain how Amir and Hassan’s positions and jobs while kite running could be considered a metaphor for their
friendship. Justify your answer with textual evidence.
2. Analyze Hassan’s dream. What happens? Why does he tell Amir about it? What’s the importance of the dream
during this portion of the text? Justify your answer with textual evidence.
3. The entire story is from Amir’s point of view. How does this affect the story? Justify your answer with textual
evidence.
4. Explain the importance of the memory of the fortune-teller in context of what is occurring during that portion of
the novel (pages 73-73). Use textual evidence.
5. Explain the importance of Dhul-Hijjah and Amir’s memory of the lamb’s sacrifice in context of what is occurring
during that portion of the novel (page 76). Use textual evidence.
6. Create one open-ended discussion question regarding Chapter One. Remember to answer it yourself with
textual evidence.
The Kite Runner - Table & Panel Novel Discussions: Reading 1
Each group is responsible for discussing certain ideas and questions, while finding textual evidence to support their
answers. Answers will be presented to class in the form of a panel discussion. During presentations, group members
should phrase their answers in a way that rephrases their questions to avoid a Q&A format (with the exception of
number six).
Group 4 –Study: Ethnicity - Ethnicity is complicated in The Kite Runner. Amir is Pashtun and Hassan is Hazara. Pashtuns
are Sunni Muslims and Hazaras are Shi'a Muslims. (So, ethnicity and religion intertwine.)
1. Amir talks about how the Hazara people have been pretty much erased from official Afghani schoolbooks. How
does The Kite Runner show this to be true? Justify your answer with textual evidence.
2. What does it say about Amir and is character when he is determined to find out more about Hazaras? Justify
your answer with textual evidence.
3. What does Baba’s treatment about Ali and Hassan say about his character? Justify your answer with textual
evidence.
4. Describe the connection between medicinal care and medical assistance for Hazaras versus Pashtuns. Justify
your answer with textual evidence.
5. Describe Assef’s political vision using textual evidence. Then, connect Assef’s beliefs to another political
vision/figure – one that he would agree with or disagree with (excluding Hilter’s beliefs) and explain.
6. Create one open-ended discussion question about ethnicity and the issues it presents to the text and our
characters. Remember to answer it yourself with textual evidence.
The Kite Runner - Table & Panel Novel Discussions: Reading 1
Each group is responsible for discussing certain ideas and questions, while finding textual evidence to support their
answers. Answers will be presented to class in the form of a panel discussion. During presentations, group members
should phrase their answers in a way that rephrases their questions to avoid a Q&A format (with the exception of
number six).
Group 5 –Study: Relationships
1. Describe Ali and Sanaubar’s relationship. Why did they marry, what were their issues, how were they different,
etc.? Justify your answer with textual evidence.
2. Explain the differences between Amir and Hassan’s emotions regarding the abandonment of their mothers.
Justify your answer with textual evidence.
3. Although Hassan’s mother was never present in his life, he seems to be more secure than Amir. Explain why.
Justify your answer with textual evidence.
4. Who is Rahim Khan? Describe Amir’s conflicting feelings regarding Rahim Khan. Justify your answer with textual
evidence.
5. How could have Hassan and Amir mended their relationship with Assef during their initial encounter? Justify
your answer with textual evidence.
6. Create one open-ended discussion question about any relationship between or among characters within the
text. Remember to answer it yourself with textual evidence.