The Kite Runner Study Guide
What image does the narrator show at the beginning of the novel and what does it
mean? correct answers The image at the very beginning of The Kite Runner is the
narrator remembering when he "came of age", describing himself kneeling next to a
crumbling brick wall. I remember the precise moment, crouching behind a crumbling
mud wall, peeking into the alley near the frozen creek. (ch 1). Amir reflects that he has
learned that you can't bury the past.
What literary tool or tools does Khaled Hosseini use in Chapter 1 of The Kite Runner,
and how does this usage frame the story? correct answers Author Khaled Hosseini
uses exposition in the first chapter of The Kite Runner for background information to
introduce many of his important characters, such as Baba, Ali, Rahim Khan and
Hassan, as well as the novel's primary locales of Kabul, Pakistan and San Francisco.
Several themes are introduced, including that of the redemption that Amir seeks
throughout the novel--
Why does Hassan always do what Amir wants and never tells on Amir? correct
answers The theme of loyalty is central to the novel. Amir's lack of loyalty to Hassan is
what keeps him rooted to that one moment in the winter of 1975. Hassan's unflinching
loyalty to Amir is what results in his rape, his leaving Wazir Akhbar Khan, and one could
argue, his death many years later. We learn the basics of Amir and Hassan's
relationship early on, as embodied in their mischief making. Amir is a child of privilege
who wants attention, so he feels safe and even entitled to getting into trouble. Yet his
insecurity and fear of Baba makes him unable to stand up for himself or take credit for
his mistakes. In contrast, Hassan is a servant who has a very close and constant
relationship with his father, Ali. Ali has taught Hassan to be so righteous and loyal that
he would not dream of starting trouble and does not hesitate to cover up for Amir. As we
learn, Hassan is so determined to protect Amir and not to cause anyone grief that he
keeps his rape a secret. The difference between Amir and Hassan underscores the
connection between loyalty and family. Hassan is loyal and long-suffering just like Ali,
who kept the secret that Baba had an affair with Sanaubar and that Hassan was not his
biological son. Amir betrays Hassan just as Baba betrayed Ali, and like Baba, Amir must
suffer for what he did and pay retribution.
The theme of loyalty is connected to the theme of silence and secrets. Remaining silent
about injustice is Ali and Hassan's way of showing loyalty to Baba and Amir. The story
of The Kite Runner is filled with things untold or unspoken. Baba's adultery, Hassan's
rape, and Amir's betrayal of Ali and Hassan are examples of things untold. One major
unspoken thing in the boys' household is the difference between Pashtuns and
Hazaras. Amir does not even know why the Pashtuns demean the Hazaras until he
secretly reads
,What does it mean that, in the picture of Baba and Rahim Khan, Amir is holding onto
Rahim Khan? correct answers Amir tells of a picture of his father holding him as a baby
"looking tired and grim" but although Amir's Baba is the one holding him, Amir is holding
on to Rahim Khan's ( his father's best friend) finger. This shows that the distancing
between father and son began at birth.
Why did Amir go into Hassan's home "only a handful of times"? correct answers
possibly because the reminder that Hassan was his servant and lived in a shack, was
not something he wanted to think about
Why is Sanaubar's leaving "far worse than death"? correct answers In Afghanistan,
which is the setting in which The Kite Runner(Hosseini) begins, the culture places great
constraints upon women, and for a woman to run away from her husband was
unthinkable, a disgrace which is probably difficult for most of us today in the western
world to understand. It is perhaps akin to the disgrace of a woman doing something like
this 150 years ago in the United States.
Why does Amir recount the story about the nursing woman and Ali's belief that feeding
from the same
breast leads to a kinship stronger than time? correct answers Amir is Hassan's half
brother and friend. Although aware that Hassan is a dreaded Hazara, Amir feels a
strong kinship and bond with him. Amir, in his own childish way, explains this bond
through the breast milk analogy.
Amir's first word was "Baba." Hassan's was "Amir." How does this frame the rest of the
story? correct answers Consider that Amir never feels loved and accepted by his
father. In turn, Hassan never truly feels loved and accepted by Amir. This dynamic is in
play for the entire story.
What does Amir mean when he says, "I can never tell Baba from the bear"? correct
answers Amir probably means that Baba is so much like an unknown animal to him than
a loving fatherly figure which he wishes for.
How does Baba's snoring affect Amir? correct answers Baba's snoring affects Amir
because it reminds him of his mom and how he used to think about how she could ever
stand it. This makes Amir sad about his mom's death.
Why does Amir tell Baba he thinks he has cancer? correct answers He was just saying
it to see if he could get Baba's attention, not that he actually thought he did have it.
Why does Amir hate the orphans? correct answers probably because he wishes for
more attention from his father, and Baba is constantly taking care of the kids at his
orphanage
Amir says, "... I had killed his beloved wife, his beautiful princess, hadn't I? The least I
could have done
, was to have had the decency to have turned out a little more like him." What does this
mean and how does it
affect Amir's relationship with Baba? correct answers This probably means that Amir
feels like it is his fault that his mother passed away, because she was giving birth to
him. This puts a strain on Amir's relationship with Baba, as he feels like a strain and
disappointment to his father.
What is Afghanistan's national passion, and what does it say about the country? correct
answers it is probably Buzkashi, which is where riders compete to grab a dead goat or
calf from the ground while riding a horse at full gallop. This probably says that
Afghanistan is bold and fierce if Buzkashi is their national passion.
Why did Baba never call Ali his "friend"? correct answers probably because Ali and
Baba grew up together, but they have ethnic and religious differences, and Ali served as
Baba's servant
Why were "most Hazaras" illiterate? correct answers probably because they were
looked down upon in the Afghani society, and it wasn't deemed important for servants to
get an education or to know how to read
Why do the boys react differently to the story of Rostam and Sohrab? correct answers
Amir and Hassan share a favorite story: "Rostam and Sohrab" from the Shahnamah. It's
a story about a father who kills his nemesis, who actually turns out to be his son. Amir,
being the favoured son, sees the story in a different context than Hassan who perhaps
defines himself as the son who is killed.
What is the significance of Hassan's question about Amir's story? correct answers it is
probably significant because it is a metaphor for Amir's own life in that, in his desperate
longing for his father's love, Amir effectively destroys the safe and comfortable life of
Hassan along with their relationship with each other
Why would Amir be envious of Hassan during the gun fire? correct answers He was
envious because of Ali's calming presence during the gunfire.
What does Assef mean when he says, "Too late for Hitler...[b]ut not for us"? correct
answers Assef is a socio-path. He is impressed by Hitler. Although Hitler was unable to
eradicate the Jews, Assef thinks he can eradicate Hazaras
Why are the boys and their fathers so affected by the gift Baba gives to Hassan?
correct answers Baba usually gets Hassan something special, like a Clint Eastwood
cowboy hat or train set. This year, Baba finds Dr. Kumar, from New Delhi. THe doctor
will perform surgery on Hassan's harelip. This is an especially expensive gift. It also tells
us that although Hassan is a Hazara, Baba still respects him. Baba respects Hassan's
courage and strength which he finds lacking in Amir.
