Influences of Afghani Culture in Khaled Hosseini's, The Kite Runner
Influences of the Afghani Culture Imagine living in a country which is completely different from Canada. The lifestyle of this country will be very different from what you are accustomed to. And the culture will be more different. There are many cultures around the world. Each culture has different beliefs and expectations. The lifestyles of people in these cultures are all influenced by the culture. Based on the novel, The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, the Afghani culture imposes restrictions on the characters in the novel, consequently resulting in a negative impact on their lives. The Afghani culture inflicts restrictions on relationships, career choices, and household activities.
Relationships are an aspect of the characters lives which is restricted by the Afghani Culture. In the Afghani culture, people believe that people should only marry within their own status: “People scoffed that [he] would never marry well- after all, he was not of royal blood” (Hosseini 16). Thus, due to the cultural influence, marriages between others of a different status are often forbidden. Royalty only weds royalty, poor only weds poor, and people in merchant families only wed people in other merchant families. Henceforth, a negative impact is imposed upon the characters, Baba and Rahim Khan, as they are not allowed to marry whoever they want. Even if marriage with a person of lower status occurred, the spouse “‘would have suffered, [the] family would have never accepted them an equal. You don’t order someone to polish your shoes one day, then call them ‘sister’ [or ‘brother’] the next’” (Hosseini 105). Furthermore, the relationship between the two castes, the Hazaras and the Pashtuns, are influenced by the Afghani culture, as the Hazaras are considered a lower caste by the Pashtuns: “[T]he reason Pashtuns had oppresse[d] the Hazaras, was that Pashtuns were Sunni Muslims, while Hazaras were Shi’a” (Hosseini 9). The cultural belief of the Hazaras being an unworthy caste
Relationships are an aspect of the characters lives which is restricted by the Afghani Culture. In the Afghani culture, people believe that people should only marry within their own status: “People scoffed that [he] would never marry well- after all, he was not of royal blood” (Hosseini 16). Thus, due to the cultural influence, marriages between others of a different status are often forbidden. Royalty only weds royalty, poor only weds poor, and people in merchant families only wed people in other merchant families. Henceforth, a negative impact is imposed upon the characters, Baba and Rahim Khan, as they are not allowed to marry whoever they want. Even if marriage with a person of lower status occurred, the spouse “‘would have suffered, [the] family would have never accepted them an equal. You don’t order someone to polish your shoes one day, then call them ‘sister’ [or ‘brother’] the next’” (Hosseini 105). Furthermore, the relationship between the two castes, the Hazaras and the Pashtuns, are influenced by the Afghani culture, as the Hazaras are considered a lower caste by the Pashtuns: “[T]he reason Pashtuns had oppresse[d] the Hazaras, was that Pashtuns were Sunni Muslims, while Hazaras were Shi’a” (Hosseini 9). The cultural belief of the Hazaras being an unworthy caste
Cited: Bacon, Elizabeth E. "Hazara." Encyclopedia Americana. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 1 Apr. 2012. "Hazara." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Online, 2012. Web. 1 Apr. 2012. Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. Anchor Canada, 2004. Print. Monsutti, Alessandro. "Culture of Afghanistan." Countries and Their Cultures. Advameg, Inc, n.d. Web. 28 Mar 2012. <http://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Afghanistan.html>.