Kite Runner Plot Analysis: CH. 1-5

Who is Ali? What do the neighborhood children call him? What does it mean? Why do they call him this?

Ali is Baba's servant and Hassan's father, who is very close to Baba and Amir. The neighborhood kids call him babalu, meaning the Boogeyman. They also called him flat nose. They call him that because he had polio, so he has a atrophied leg, giving him a weird walk.

How does Amir describe his home? Why do you think he elaborates this description so much? What do the details of the family pictures in Amir's house reveal?

Amir describes his home by saying it's an estate and mansion, and that he has marble floors and mosaic tiles. Also, their dining room can seat 30 guests. I think he elaborates this description to clearly show his family's wealth. The details of the family pictures in Amir's house reveals that Baba had a good relationship (hunting buddies) with the king, and there's a picture of his father's wedding picture with his mother smiling. These reveal Baba's popularity and demonstrate Amir's mother's happiness to be with Baba. The last picture is of Baba and Rahim Khan standing outside the house, and Baba is holding Amir, but Amir holding Rahim Khan's pinkie. The last picture reveals that Amir has closer and more fatherly connection with Rahim Khan.

Hassan has plastic surgery to be able to smile "normally" by the following winter. Why does Amir think that is ironic?

Amir thinks that it is ironic, because this is the winter where Hassan stopped smiling, even though he was able to smile normally. Hassan stopped smiling, but you would think that as someone with a cleft lip, that would be all you wanted was to normally smile.

Who is Assef? What is his ancestry? What is he famous for? What is his political vision?

Assef is the son of one of Baba's friends, Mahmood, who was a airline piliot. Assef and his family live in a posh, high-walled compound with palm trees.His mom was German and his father was Afghan, and he was born with blonde hair and blue eyes. Assef is tall and had a well earned reputation for savagery following him on the streets. He is famous for "his famous stainless steel brass knuckles" (fighting). He had his goons who obeyed him as if he was a Khan. He was always in-charge and right, or he would teach you with his knuckles. Amir describes him as a sociopath or bully. His political vision was to have a land (Afghanistan) of only Pashtuns, and he agrees with Hitler's methods and beliefs.

What happens between Assef/Wali/Kamal and Amir/Hassan? What does Assef threaten (foreshadow)?

Assef threatens to harm both Amir and Hassan. Hassan for being Hazara and Amir for being friends with him. However, Hassan had a sling-shot and aimed at Assef, Wali, and Kamal and threatened to hit their eyes. In result, Assef basically says that Hassan will regret this and he will get his revenge. Also, Assef tells Amir that next time he will have to face him one on one, and he will get revenge.

What does Baba give Hassan for his birthday? What does his present suggest about his character? How does Amir react to this present? Why did the present turn out to be ironic?

Baba gives Hassan a plastic surgeon, Dr. Kumar, to fix his cleft lip for his birthday. His present suggest about Baba's character that he is generous with his wealth and was king and selfless. Amir is shocked and disgusted by the present, since Baba never put that kind of care into his presents. Amir was jealous because he never received that kind of sympathy from Baba, and Hassan never did anything to earn Baba's affections. The present turned out to be ironic because Hassan decided to never smile again after the surgery.

Describe Baba's values. How does he relate to extremely religious leaders?

Baba is Amir's father. He built and owns an orphanage and also built his own large luxurious house. He relates to extremely religious leaders by him being respected, trustworthy, and doing the unexpected. He is wealthy and adventurous. Baba likes to prove others wrong and does the unexpected, but was very strict and stood by his opinion and thought.

Who is the king's cousin? What did he do and why?

Daoud Khan is the king's cousin. He ended the king's forty-year reign with a bloodless coup because he want to change their government from a monarchy to a republic.

Who is Hassan? Describe him physically. What is a cleft lip? Describe him based on his relationships. What was his first word? Why is that important? How did Hassan come into Amir's life? What contrast is made between Amir and Hassan?

Hassan is Amir's friend who was described as a "Chinese doll" chiseled from hardwood. Hassan has a perfectly round face, broad nose, narrow green eyes, and a cleft lip. A cleft lip is a large split in the center of the upper lip, usually people get surgery to fix it. Hassan and his family are poor and Amir is one of the view people he's close to. Hassan's first word was "Amir" which was important because they grew up together and it demonstrates their close relationship and strong connection. Amir and Hassan were nursed by the same woman, which made them share a brotherhood, destine to be friends. Amir lived in a mansion with nice furniture and Hassan lived a shack with mud; Amir is more wealthy and Hassan was poor.

The novel begins with a flashback. What do you think is its purpose? What do you learn about the narrator?

I think that it's purpose is to show some of the themes that may appear in the book like the love for family, brothers, and the past affecting the present, and for us to know more about the narrator. We learn that the narrator became who he is due to something that happened in 1975 when he was twelve. We also learn that he has some connection to kites and how they connect to his friends and family.

How does Amir feel about his father in these chapters? Support your response with a line from the text.

In these chapters, Amir loves his dad, but he thinks his father doesn't like him and isn't proud him. Amir feels that his father is very distant and doesn't understand him. At times, Amir feels that his father is hard on him and doesn't support him with his hobbies and accomplishments. Amir isn't a fan of soccer like his father, and likes poetry and writing, so his father shows little appreciation to Amir. For instance, the novel states, "Why Baba waited until I was ten to have me circumcised was beyond me and one of the things I will never forgive him for" (48). This demonstrates Amir's non-appreciation from his father. He also says, "Most days I worshiped Baba with an intensity approaching the religious. But right then, I wished I could open my veins and drain his cursed blood from my body" (32). This shows the respect Amir has for his father, but how sometimes his father ruins the respect and bond they have with a lack of recognition.

Who is Sanaubar? How is she contrasted to Amir's mother?

Sanaubar is Hassan's mother. She contrast from Amir's mother because Amir's mom was virtuous and died during child birth, while Sanauber left Hassan after seeing his cleft lip.

What does it mean to be Hazara (Shi'a Muslim), Afghanistan's minority group? Who, in the story thus far, is Hazara?

To be Hazara means to descend from Mongolians and have flat nose, unlike Pashtun people, and they are the discriminated minority in Afghanistan. So far, Hassan and Ali is a Hazara.

What does it mean to be Pashtun (Sunni Muslim), Afghanistan's majority group? Who, in the story thus far, is Pashtun?

To be Pashtun means to be part of the majority group in Afghanistan who have Middle Eastern features. They discriminated and oppressed Hazaras. So far, Baba and Amir are Pashtun.

Who are Wali and Kamal?

Wali and Kamal are Assef's friends, or in better words, his followers who hang out with him.

What does Amir want to tell Assef about Hassan when Assef bullies them about being friends?

When Assef bullies them about being friends, Amir wanted to tell Assef that Hassan isn't his friend, he is his servant. Amir starts to think if this is really what he thinks, and begins to question his friendship, brotherhood with Hassan.