I just finished reading a novel entitled The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It is an amazing book with stories that open up my mind, especially about relationship, love and hatred, friendship, survival and history :)
With the background of Afghanistan, or to be more specific the city of Kabul, the writer managed to portray how was the life of Afghans once upon a time before the country became unstable like today. Okay, let me share roughly what the book is all about.
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| Amir, Hassan |
There is a Pashtun boy named Amir who spend his childhood with Hassan, a Hazara boy. They are always together although in Afghanistan, Pashtun groups consider Hazara as low class people. They live in a house together with Baba (Amir's father) and Ali (Hassan's father). Amir's mother died when delivering him while Ali's wife was nowhere to be found. In the novel, it is nicely described how and why Amir felt his father dislike him.
Baba has a good friend, Rahim Khan who was also kind of his business partner. Amir feels that Rahim Khan know him better than his own father.
Baba has a good friend, Rahim Khan who was also kind of his business partner. Amir feels that Rahim Khan know him better than his own father.
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| Rahim Khan, Baba |
Back to the title of the novel.
I thought flying a kite is merely a hobby, but not in Afghanistan where it is more like a national sport. I learned that the fallen kites are like a bag of gold, where the kids would wait for the falling of kites and if they manage to catch any fallen kites - they are awesome. :)
There is a kite tournament in which Amir wins the battle. However, something happens to Hassan after that.
Why Amir behaves like that?
There is a kite tournament in which Amir wins the battle. However, something happens to Hassan after that.
"And that led to another understanding: Hassan knew. He knew I'd seen everything in that alley, that I'd stood there and done nothing." - The Kite Runner, page 98
Why Amir behaves like that?
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| Hassan |
Amir does something as well after the incident, trying to kick Hassan and Ali from the house - he was successful. However, Hassan admits the crime he didn't even commit. Why Hassan is willing to do anything for Amir? :(
5 years later, the Soviet Union (Russia basically) intervenes into Afghanistan. Amir and Baba leaves the house to Peshawar, Pakistan, and then to California. Baba works at the petrol station while Amir manages to pursue his study in writing. Then, Baba is diagnosed with a lung cancer - the invasive one. Before his death, Baba fulfills Amir's last favor - to ask Soraya's hands from her father. Who is Soraya and how they know each other?
After 15 years of happy marriage (without any children) and Amir already becomes a great novelist, suddenly there is a phone call from dying Rahim Khan. He asks Amir to come back to Peshawar.
Why Rahim Khan asks him to return? What kind of news he wants to tell Amir?
Amir learns a lot of new things in Peshawar. His mission now is to find a child, named Sohrab. Who is Sohrab and what is the relationship between Sohrab and Amir? What happens to Hassan? If Amir manages to find Sohrab, what would he do then?
The novel ends with a scene where Sohrab is already in America as a very quiet, depressed boy. He does not want to interact with anyone. What happens that make him to be like that?
Amir tries to interact with him - through a kite-flying moment. Some other boys try to challenge them but Amir and Sohrab wins!
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| Hassan |
5 years later, the Soviet Union (Russia basically) intervenes into Afghanistan. Amir and Baba leaves the house to Peshawar, Pakistan, and then to California. Baba works at the petrol station while Amir manages to pursue his study in writing. Then, Baba is diagnosed with a lung cancer - the invasive one. Before his death, Baba fulfills Amir's last favor - to ask Soraya's hands from her father. Who is Soraya and how they know each other?
After 15 years of happy marriage (without any children) and Amir already becomes a great novelist, suddenly there is a phone call from dying Rahim Khan. He asks Amir to come back to Peshawar.
"Come. There is a way to be good again." - The Kite Runner, page 177
Why Rahim Khan asks him to return? What kind of news he wants to tell Amir?
Amir learns a lot of new things in Peshawar. His mission now is to find a child, named Sohrab. Who is Sohrab and what is the relationship between Sohrab and Amir? What happens to Hassan? If Amir manages to find Sohrab, what would he do then?
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| Amir, Sohrab, Soraya |
The novel ends with a scene where Sohrab is already in America as a very quiet, depressed boy. He does not want to interact with anyone. What happens that make him to be like that?
Amir tries to interact with him - through a kite-flying moment. Some other boys try to challenge them but Amir and Sohrab wins!
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| Amir |
[Amir] "Do you want me to run that kite for you?"
[Sohrab] *nod*
"For you a thousand times over!"
:) :) :)
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The story is not typical, totally a fresh one. No cheesy man-woman love, it is more to friendship and humanity.
I learned a lot about differences between Pashtun and Hazara. Check here if you want to know as well :)
Oh yea, I just found out the novel was adapted into a movie! You can watch it here, but I think the book itself carries more values and deep lessons.
p/s - all pictures credit to the movie.
HK, Czech
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