Final book review of Kite Runner

WARNING: CONTENT MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS, BE CAUTIOUS WHEN READING THIS POST. THIS IS A BOOK REVIEW FOR "THE KITE RUNNER."

8. Pick a character that interested you and write about them in depth. You can also analze a relationship between two different characters.
The book,written by Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, is a novel that depicts a Afghani man’s life, who lives In Kabul Afghanistan and eventually moves to the United States. This man, Amir, grows up a son of a wealthy and respected Afghani father, Baba, who neglected him. Amir also grows up with the family servant boy, a Hazara named Hassan. These two are best friends, who live the optimal, “picture-perfect” idea of childhood, full of adventure and love. However, the climax is peaked when Hassan gets raped by the childhood bully, Assef, who worships Hitler and believes greatly in “ethnic-cleansing.” As Amir and Hassan grow and develop through their abruptly ending childhood, the differences of class and culture are strengthened and the similarities are left the same, or are even severed.

Hassan and Amir both develop their relationship during their childhood growing in Kabul, Afghanistan. However, their childhood and their relationship is cut short by a life changing event, rape. The rape shook  the boys to their cores and changed everything about their lives. Hassan, being the actual victim of the violent act, fell silent and surrendered to the rape, while Amir, a passive witness to the rape, fell silent and  became emotionally abusive towards Hassan from the guilt. However, before this event, Amir and Hassan were “little” boys with a “childhood” steeped in cultural boundaries and landmines.  It was a childhood spent together, living almost like brothers in the same household, sharing experiences together, but separated by an invisible classicist and racist wall that was so a part of the life in Afghanistan.

The issue of class separates these two boys. Hassan is a poor servant boy who serves his best friend, Amir,  privileged, rich boy who’s father is well-known and respected through out Kabul. 

“But he’s not my friend! I almost blurted. He’s my servant! Had I really thought that? Of course I hadn’t. I treated Hassan well, just like a freind, better even, more like a brother. But if so , then why, when Baba’s freinds came to visit with their kids, didn’t I ever include Hassan in our games? Why did I play with Hassan only when no one else was around?” pg 41.

Here, this quote shows how Amir and Hassan  are separated by a strong and thick class barrier. Amir struggles with the internal conflict of either loving Hassan like a brother or treating him like a servant. His class, his high class, says to treat them like servants, because that is what they are. However, he believes that they are more than servants, they could be friends, or even brothers.

Another way Amir and Hassan are separated is through racism and religious intolerance. In other words, people judge Amir and Baba for taking in Hazaras.

”If idiots like you and your father didn’t take these people in, we’d be rid of them by now” pg 41.

This is a quote from the bully Assef who believes in fascist ideas. I believe that Assef is the way he is is because his parents have most likely told him and neglected him so that the eventual outcome is being a member of the Taliban. However, Assef is not the only ones that make fun the Hazaras. Childhood “friends” also tease Amir and Baba when they walk down the street. They are considered traitors and un-loyal because of their “equality” belief. However, can one be truly equal when one group is serving the other group?    

Amir and Hassan grow up very different but yet very similar childhoods. They both have childhood ambitions that fully show the class issues. For instance, Amir has dreams of becoming a  writer, a fully published author that is successful in what he does. Hassan has dreams of learning how to read and write. Again, the boys are separated, not only through dreams, but the way their parent helps them achieve this dream. Hassan’s dad, Ali, supports Hassan, however there is not a good quote representing this in the book. Amir, on the other hand has no support and is told by Baba that writers do not make a lot of money. Instead of a writer, Baba suggests becoming a lawyer or doctor, something will actually make money to support a family.  Amir has never known love and validation. His only way of obtaining this love would be through is non-existent father figure who is either constantly out of the house or constantly pushing and showing shallow love toward Amir. he shows no validation to Amir, by not asking to read his book or maybe asking him what he really wanted for his birthday. There are countless examples of this theme in the book, thus there are countless chances for him to change things between him and Amir. However, will Baba take this chance up?
The rape of Hassan leds to a new difference to add on the list of differences between Amir and Hassan; the difference of guilt. Or, some can see it as a similarity. Hassan feels guilt for being a Hazara, as if it is his fault (whether it be a “fault” at all is another blog post) he is a Hazara. Amir’s guilt is different because he feels that he should have done something to prevent this from happening to Hassan.

“‘I want you to stop harassing me. I want you to go away,” I snapped. I wished he would give it right back to me, break the door open and tell me off - it would have made things easier, better. But he didn’t do anything like that, and when I opened the door minutes later, he wasn’t there. I fell on my bed, buried my head under the pillow, and cried.” pg 88.

Here, Amir says that his guilt over comes him to the point where he wants to take revenage, on himself.

Amir and Hassan grow and develop through racial and classicist barriers set up by Afghani Culture. They grow and develop, and they try to break and tear down this wall. They are separated but yet they are so close because they are best friends to each other. They both trust and love one another. Hassan said “For you, a thousand times over.” This shows the trust and strong bond they have in each other.