Kite Runner

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, follows the maturation of Amir, a male from Afghanistan who needs to find his way in the world as he realizes that his own belief system is not that of his dominant culture. Set in Afghanistan and the United States, The Kite Runner is abildungsroman that illustrates the similarities as well as the differences between the two countries and the two vastly different cultures. It is the story of both fathers and sons and friends and brothers, and it is a novel about right and wrong and the nature of evil. Published in 2003 to great critical and popular acclaim, The Kite Runner is considered a contemporary classic.Written by: Khaled HosseiniType of Work: novelGenres: bildungsroman (coming of age novel); historical novelFirst Published: June 2003 by Riverhead Books (hardcover edition)Setting: Opens in San Francisco, and then flashes back to Afghanistan and PakistanMain Characters: Amir; Baba; Hassan; Ali; Sohrab; Rahim KhanMajor Thematic Topics: alienation; betrayal; class issues (both cultural and socioeconomic); the emotional intensity of childhood affections; fear serving as a motivator; forgiveness; friendship; the inherent nature of human evil; jealousy; lost innocence; love; manipulation; redemption; the role of religion; revengeMotifs: death; desires; doubling; dreams; education; fears; passion; resentment; revenge; violenceMajor Symbols: kites, kite fighting, kite running; myths; pomegranate tree; scar; slingshotMovie Version(s): The Kite Runner (2007)The three most important aspects of The Kite Runner:This is an historical novel about the pre-Russian invasion and pre-Taliban rule of Afghanistan, as well life in Afghanistan under Taliban rule and life in a post-Taliban Afghanistan. Although the story is fictitious, the information about the political, social, and cultural systems of this Middle Eastern country provides a contrast to the contemporary headlines about Afghanistan primarily being home to terrorist cells. The Kite