Kite Runner
By Khaled Hosseini
Setting
 Kabul,
Afghanistan
 Late 1970s-Early
1980s
 Fremont,
California
 1980s-Early 2000s
Historical Background
 The
nation of
Afghanistan
emerged in
1747.
 Monarchy
was
established.
Hist. Background Cont.
 By
the twentieth
century,
Afghanistan
attempted to
become a
more “modern”
nation to
strengthen its
position in the
world.
Hist. Background Cont.
The Cold War
 United
States vs. Soviet Union
 Democracy vs. Communism
Hist. Background Cont.
The Taliban
 Origins
 Political
reforms
 Social reforms
 Opposition
 September 11,
2001
Regional
Conflicts
 Political
 Ethnic
 Religious
Islam
 Muhammad
 Qu’ran
(Koran)
 Allah
 Religions
book
of the
Divisions
of Islam
Ethnic Diversity
Pashtun




Majority
Sunni
Middle Eastern
attributes
Upper class
Hazara



Minority
Shia
Mongolian attributes
 “Servant”
class
The Kite Runner: Title’s
Significance
Kite Fighting
Kite Running
Introduction to
the Novel
Synopsis

A story of strained
family relationships
between a father
and son as well as
two “brothers” and
how they weather
the political and
social transformation
of Afghanistan from
the 1970s-2001.
Characters
 Amir, the narrator and protagonist
 Baba
 Ali
 Hassan
 Rahim
 Assef
Khan
Style
Coming-of-Age
Novel
 Physical
growth
 Psychological
growth
 Moral growth
Literary Devices







Flashback
Foreshadowing
Interior Monologue
Imagery
Motifs (Rape & Irony)
Symbolism
Themes
Symbolism
 Kites
 Books
 The
lamb
 The
cleft lip
Themes








Identity and self-discovery
Guilt and redemption
Father and son relationships
Influence of political events on personal lives
Persistence of the past
Personal honor
Abuse of power
Assimilation and acculturation