The Kite Runner Summary

Some stories are too beautiful and capable of questioning your soul, The Kite Runner is one such story. It was written by Afgan American Author Khaled Hosseini. In 2003, the first part of the book was released. The book is based on the story of a young boy named "Amir", who lives in the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul, Afghanistan. The story is an eye-opening backdrop of various painful events which happened in Afghanistan from the fall of the monarchy to the invasions of the Soviets, the mass departure of people to other countries like the United States and Pakistan, and a very painful entry of the Taliban's governance.

In his book, the Author tried to showcase sad but strong father-son relationships, friendship, and many other familial aspects, which is also done in further books and other works. In this book, there is also a mention of sexual assault, how Amir failed to stop that and had to lose his friendship which cause him later live in the same guilt and redemption until he saved the same friend's young son after two long decades.

About the Author

A very popular author "Khaled Hosseini" was born in Kabul, Afghanistan in the year 1965. His Father was a diplomat in the foreign Ministry of Afghan, also his mother was a teacher of Farsi and Kabul, in a Local high school. In 1976, the Hosseini family was sent to Paris by the Foreign Ministry. Later due to bad conditions in Afghanistan, the Hosseini family shifted to the United States.

Hosseini started writing while he was in Medical practice and his first novel was launched in March 2003, "The Kite Runner" by Riverhead Book. It became popular within very less days and become a best seller in the entire world. After The Kite Runner, other books like "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and "And the Mountain Echoed" were also popular and sold a huge number of copies all around the world.

Summary

This story was divided into three main parts.

First Part

Amir a young man once recalled an incident from the past, which happened almost twenty-six years ago, when he used to live in Kabul that was charmed. Amir belonged to a wealthy home, in which he and his father called Baba by him and two servants, Ali and Hassan used to live. just like Amir and his baba, Hassan and Ali was also a father and son and a more common thing was that both kids Amir (mom died while giving birth) and Hassan (Mother ran away)were motherless and were growing up by a single parent. Both children were taken care of with the help of the same wet nurse and a lot of such similarities made them both very close friends. Although they were living in a rich environment still there was some kind of tension in the place, they live. As Ali and Hassan were not very rich or not even from a high caste and were part of the minority (known as Hazaras), they use to face so much hatred from people all around even Ali was abused by people (except from Amir and Baba). On the other hand, the relationship between Baba and Amir wasn't very great as the attention, he used to give to Amir was very rare and less. Amir was a weak and not so sport-loving kid (as the normal boys do) and use to spend much time on poetry which was the major reason for their hatred of Baba, even at some points it may feel like Baba use to love Hassan much more than his son Amir, which is heartbreaking for any kid of such age.

So Amir found a way to get some love from his dad, what it was? It was to win a kite fight (with the help of Hassan) as his dad used to love such aggressive games. As per the story, at that time People never used to fly kites instead they use to fight with them and have various tournaments for it. To win such fights, it consists of long kite strings which were coated with the help of tar and glass (dangerous but helpful in cutting other's kites) and a good strategy with a bit of very good luck. With all such preparation, Amir and Hassan luckily won the fight and now the only thing still left to do is send Hassan to chase the defeated kite and take it to Baba. (here the first sad thing is that a kid is trying to buy love from his father, is it the correct way of Parenting? )

Hassan actually chased the kite and even grabbed it but unfortunately, he runs into three bad and bullying boys of the area named Wali, Kamal, and Assef, As they were also part of such thinking that Ali and Hassan are unfit for society and wanted to take revenge from Amir and Hassan for their defeat. To make things worst for them Assef decided to teach Hassan a lesson and rape him in front of two other boys. At the last minute, Amir reached the spot but due to fear and weakness, He said nothing and took no stand which resulted in the event being done. Although it was very clear that even if said anything, he wasn't enough to stop Assef, still Hassan expected him to do anything.

This incident left three marks on little Hassan's heart which were due to the cowardice of Amir, the cruelty of Assef, and the victimization of young Hassan. It also was a win of this horrific thinking which was saying that the Hazaras have no right to get respect in this traditional and ethnic community of Afganistan.

After all, this which happened the boys never talked about anything as it never happened although they both have a very serious effect on their minds about it. But the guilt of staying their whole life with Hassan after showing such cowardliness is a struggle to it and also the jealousy of Baba's much love for Hassan actually made it hard for Amir to survive and thus he found a very smart plan (according to him at least) without telling anyone the truth. Amir made up his mind to send Ali and Hassan away forever. As soon as Amir's birthday party, he took a wad of cash and a watch and planted them under the mattress of Hassan's bed. Later he went to his baba and said that he is not able to find his stuff. As Hassan loved Amir a lot and knew if Baba came to know the truth, he will never forgive Amir, Hassan agreed to the crime and confessed. The final result was that Ali took his son and left the place, leaving Baba behind heartbroken.

Part-2

At the time when this entire kite fight tournament took place, at the same time it was a war announced within Afghanistan. And thus after some time it started being very difficult for Baba and Amir to survive as the Soviets were all around Kabul and the safety levels for them were almost at the end. So Amir and his baba made the decision to go to America through the border of Pakistan.

As soon as this father and son duo reached America, everything turned for them. Although Baba got a good job still that wasn't enough for both of them and struggled to feed. Sometimes they even have to sell their products in flea markets for some extra income. A positive fact about this was Amir soon fell in love with a beautiful young woman, named Soraya at the same flea market.

Things weren't so happy for Baba as although he owns a huge amount of wealth in Afghanistan but due to bad conditions, he stayed helpless to him. He had to work for more than 10 hours in Gas Stations and sooner he went so ill. As soon as Amir found out about the bad health of his dad, and saw him hacking up blood (he panicked as it was not good) and took him to the doctor. Within no time, the doctor diagnosed Baba with cancer. The condition of the Cancer was so bad and it was in the third stage already (very less chance of recovery), So it was clear that Baba will live not so long. But for the one last time, Baba before death, did a good deed for Amir and arranges a marriage to Soraya. The marriage was very grand and beautiful. The couple was so in love with each other and as soon as they get married but tried their best to have kids, but unfortunately failed. So till mid of 2001, Amir's entire focus was on his career as a writer.

Part-3

Everything went fine until one day when Baba's Old friend Mr Rahim Khan called Amir in America. As Rahim Khan was like a second father to him and he used to respect him a lot, Rahim told him to come back to Afghanistan and also said to him that there was a way to be great again. As soon as he heard this, he came back to meet Rahim with his wife leaving everything in America behind within only a week. While talking to Rahim, he came to know that the condition of Afghanistan went much bad as soon as the Soviets left as now the new rulers are Taliban (Taliban are believed to be violent or non-lawful). Rahim also said that he wants a favour from him but before that, he needs to know a very old secret. Since Amir and Baba Left Rashid was the one to take care of the House. He started telling that because he was so lonely and getting really old, he made a decision to find Hassan. Later he also succeeds in Bringing Hassan back to Kabul to stay with him.

Hassan that time has a beautiful wife Farzana and a little boy Sohrab, which came along with them to live there. After a few years, Rahim went to Pakistan as He wanted to take some medical help but soon, he received a call from the neighbourhood in Kabul. But at that time Kabul was suffering from various cruel events and the violence was all around. In such an event, the Taliban cruelly shot down Hassan and Farzana and sadly left the young boy an orphan. Much bad fact was that they also took him and now Sohrab can be anywhere in Kabul and also may be facing any danger. He deserves family protection and thus Rahim Khan wanted Amir to again visit Kabul and find Sohrab. As Amir is already resistant but still Rahim Khan decided to share a very important detail that Amir and Hassan were half brothers. This simply means that Baba and Sanaubar (Ali's wife) slept together. This means He badly betrayed Ali who was both his servant and friend and this is why he decided not to tell anyone so that things not get much complicated and uncomfortable. Now at this time, Sohrab is the only way to get remorse for Amir and Baba's sin. But this is not easy at all. So Amir started finding him and later he even finds the orphanage home in which Sohrab should be but he hasn't. When he talked to the orphanage director, he told him that a Tabilan Official took him away a few days earlier.

The only way to meet these officials was to find him in the soccer match which was held the next day. So Amir went to the game and waited till half-time. At half-time, Amir saw a Taliban official put a man and a woman in a hole in the ground and asked people to stone them till death. With the help of a guard, Amir finally went successful in setting up the meeting with an official.

Although that official was really rude, Amir still informed him that he is looking for a kid, Sohrab. The official agreed that the kid was there and asked the guard to bring the boy. At the first meet, Sohrab was completely covered in silk and wearing mascara, which made him look much more feminine. Amir also guessed that the young was dealing with sexual harassment and is just a toy to these men. At the same time, the official came to Amir and said something which he already knew, and this hit him the fact that the official is no one other than Assef.

Assef again got an opportunity to take revenge on Amir and said to others that he has to finish some unfinished business, then he beats Amir in very terrible ways that it broke his ribs and split his lips. The young boy Sohrab tries to save him by threatening Assef with his sling slot and when he failed, he actually shoots him in the eye, which obviously gives both Amir and Sohrab time to get away. Amir went to the hospital and while his recovery period, he realized that there was no one who can raise the kid with love in Kabul and thus decided to take the kid with them. As soon as Amir gave the kid this proposal, he accepted it immediately. The sad thing was that it was not possible to adopt the kid officially as there was no proof that Hassan and Farzana were dead. As Amir already made up his mind to take the kid back with them and also made a promise that he will not again ever send that kid to Orphanage but to adopt that kid He sadly has to send him to Orphanage, so that he can legally adopt the kid with the paperwork.

Luckily Amir and Soraya somehow found a way to take that kid to the United States but before even they can inform him, the heartbroken kid tries to suicide. However, he failed but sadly stopped talking to anyone. Even when they successfully took the kid to California, Sohrab remains silent. On One bright day, they all decided to go to a park with other Afghans. They all started flying kites and this took Amir to his childhood. Amir bought a kite and started fighting them with Other kites. As soon as he used a trick of Hassan, they won the match and Sohrab becomes too happy. Sohrab started running to catch the kite and it bring all his childhood and Kabul back. So anyhow Hassan Bought both Amir and Sohrab close to each other and in such a way, a very sad story ends happily.

Conclusion

This Story is a question about Parenting and neglecting kids, how little Amir was trying to get the attention of his dad, and how this need for love turned into hatred and even that turned into lying and betraying. Later that guilt stayed for years in his heart. Fortunately, life gave him a chance to get out of the guilt by helping his friend's son but the question is was Amir actually responsible for the mistake, he made? On the other hand, it also raises questions about the thinking of people like Assef, who are trying to get revenge, but the reason is even unaware by him.

F&Q

1. Who was Soraya ?

Soraya was the daughter of Baba's Friend "General Tehri" and the lady love of Amir, who later became his wife.

2. Why did Assef beat Amir?

Assef who was then the official Taliban, used to believe that the Hazaras don't belong to his community, and as Amir and Baba kept Ali and Hassan (hazaras), he was taking out his revenge and anger on him.

3. Is this story true?

No, this story is based on fiction, Although the author took inspiration from events happening all around him Amir and his pain is fake.