Plot Summary
The Kite Runner is an inspiring book about the life of a young Pashtun boy named Amir as he copes with his childhood decisions 26 years prior. Living in a lavish house in the richest district of Kabul, Afghanistan, Amir has everything he could ever wish for, except the loving attention and acceptance of his father, Baba. Ali and his son Hassan are their servants, both being of the Hazara minority ethnicity. Throughout his childhood, Hassan was always by Amir’s side as a loyal and dedicated best friend; they did everything together including Kite running.
Each year it was a tradition for the Afghan community to hold a festival of kites during the winter and each year a single victor would arise amongst hundreds, being the only kite left in the sky after a long day of cutting. There were those who ran and fought the kites and then those who were the kite runners. Amir was an incredible kite flyer and Hassan was the best kite runner there was. Promising to fetch the prized blue kite that Amir defeated to win the festival, Hassan ran off into the streets of Kabul. When he did not return, Amir went looking for Hassan and discovered him cornered by Assef, a sociopathic bully, and his two followers. It was there that Amir hit an all time low and cowardice as he watched his best friend get beaten and raped and did nothing. It was the guilt of this decision that made him the man that he is.
Years later after Hassan and Ali leave, the Roussi army attacked, forcing Baba and an 18 year old Amir to flee the country to California, America. It is here where he is still haunted by Hassan’s rape each day while attended high school and college to become a writer. When Baba becomes very ill with cancer, Amir asks Soraya, a fellow Afghan refugee to marry him and she becomes his rock of stability. Shortly after they get married Baba dies. Soraya and Amir try having kids but fail and it is then when Amir receives a call from a man who was more of a father to him than his own, Rahim Khan. Rahim tells Amir of the unfortunate shooting of Hassan and his wife but that their son is now in an orphanage. This is a chance for Amir to make amends and atone his “sin”… you will have to read the book to find out what happens next…
Each year it was a tradition for the Afghan community to hold a festival of kites during the winter and each year a single victor would arise amongst hundreds, being the only kite left in the sky after a long day of cutting. There were those who ran and fought the kites and then those who were the kite runners. Amir was an incredible kite flyer and Hassan was the best kite runner there was. Promising to fetch the prized blue kite that Amir defeated to win the festival, Hassan ran off into the streets of Kabul. When he did not return, Amir went looking for Hassan and discovered him cornered by Assef, a sociopathic bully, and his two followers. It was there that Amir hit an all time low and cowardice as he watched his best friend get beaten and raped and did nothing. It was the guilt of this decision that made him the man that he is.
Years later after Hassan and Ali leave, the Roussi army attacked, forcing Baba and an 18 year old Amir to flee the country to California, America. It is here where he is still haunted by Hassan’s rape each day while attended high school and college to become a writer. When Baba becomes very ill with cancer, Amir asks Soraya, a fellow Afghan refugee to marry him and she becomes his rock of stability. Shortly after they get married Baba dies. Soraya and Amir try having kids but fail and it is then when Amir receives a call from a man who was more of a father to him than his own, Rahim Khan. Rahim tells Amir of the unfortunate shooting of Hassan and his wife but that their son is now in an orphanage. This is a chance for Amir to make amends and atone his “sin”… you will have to read the book to find out what happens next…