The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini | Teen Ink

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

May 16, 2011
By Writomania PLATINUM, New Delhi, Other
Writomania PLATINUM, New Delhi, Other
22 articles 0 photos 119 comments

Favorite Quote:
"What really does not kill you, will only make you stronger"- Kanye West
"If there was no electricity, we would've had to watch the television by candle light"- Joe Jonas
Nobody will ever win the Battle of the Sexes. There's just too much fraternizing with the enemy. ~Henry Kissinger


“Hassan and I took our first steps on the same lawn in the same yard. And under the same roof, we spoke our first words.
Mine was Baba.
His was Amir. My name.
Looking back on it now, I think the foundation for what happened in the winter of 1975- all that followed- was already laid in those first words.”
The Kite Runner is a book about loyalty, betrayal and most of all, undying love between a twelve year old boy Amir and his servant’s son, Hassan. Amir is always trying to gain the approval of his Baba, bringing home awards and trophies just to make his father pat his shoulder and say that he is proud of him.
But Baba barely nods his approval and pays less that little attention to Amir’s desperate attempts at being noticed.
Set in the background of post-war Afghanistan, this beautifully crafted book circles around the lives of these two little boys; Hassan and Amir and emphasizes the fact that ‘pride’ changes the mindset of people. Hassan was aware of the fact that he was a servant’s son and his best friend was also his master. But nevertheless, his world revolved around Amir. He fought with all those bullies who used to tease Amir for his short height and feeble built. He worshipped him and stuck to him like glue until the very end when Amir does something that he regrets all his life.
He simply stands there, behind the brick wall, watching. He doesn’t dare to come out and save his best friend. Maybe because he was too scared of those bullies. Maybe he was scared of losing his own life. He just stands there, watching it all happen.
He just stands there, watching Hassan get raped.
Hassan knows that Amir is out there, watching him. But he loves Amir too much; he doesn’t say a word.
Amir returns back home without him, unable to face his father. What would he say? Would he slap him or maybe punish him? Will his past attempts to please his father go in vain?
Amir doesn’t know. He is confused. And most of all, he is guilty. He puts an accusation on Hassan for stealing his expensive watch so that his father would dismiss Hassan’s father and they both move out.
What follows next is a story of indebtedness; realization and redemption. After about a time gap of twenty years, during which Russia takes over Afghanistan and most of the native families are forced to flee from the country, Amir sets out to look for Hassan, to make amendments, and to get back his long lost friendship.
The Kite Runner is a masterful and an honest story that will have you both weeping and smiling at the misery of the situation. The author has painted a beautiful picture with this book of his which will surely have you begging for more.


The author's comments:
This was one of the best books that i'd read last summer. I left a deep impact on me. And in fact, the best book that i've read till date.

Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 10 comments.


on Jul. 2 2011 at 12:35 am
Writomania PLATINUM, New Delhi, Other
22 articles 0 photos 119 comments

Favorite Quote:
"What really does not kill you, will only make you stronger"- Kanye West
"If there was no electricity, we would've had to watch the television by candle light"- Joe Jonas
Nobody will ever win the Battle of the Sexes. There's just too much fraternizing with the enemy. ~Henry Kissinger

thanks. :)

on Jul. 1 2011 at 5:54 pm
Black_Ink SILVER, Miami, Florida
5 articles 0 photos 30 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life... to put to rout all that was not life; and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." - Henry David Thoreau

I've always wanted to read this novel! I found it intriguing and the way you reviewed the novel was amazing as well(:

on May. 28 2011 at 11:29 pm
Writomania PLATINUM, New Delhi, Other
22 articles 0 photos 119 comments

Favorite Quote:
"What really does not kill you, will only make you stronger"- Kanye West
"If there was no electricity, we would've had to watch the television by candle light"- Joe Jonas
Nobody will ever win the Battle of the Sexes. There's just too much fraternizing with the enemy. ~Henry Kissinger

i know... i mean, its just the way the author has described things.. even though the matter is beyond me to understand.. such an undying bond.. but still, i could relate to it.. i could imagine myself as amir.. and that was both the best, as well as the worst part :/

on May. 28 2011 at 5:45 am
decievinghimesama SILVER, Cebu, Other
9 articles 2 photos 20 comments
I've read this book last 2008 and up to now I still feel for Hassan's and Amir's tragic lives. It was full of vengeance and hurt that every page was indeed a tear-jerker

on May. 28 2011 at 1:05 am
Writomania PLATINUM, New Delhi, Other
22 articles 0 photos 119 comments

Favorite Quote:
"What really does not kill you, will only make you stronger"- Kanye West
"If there was no electricity, we would've had to watch the television by candle light"- Joe Jonas
Nobody will ever win the Battle of the Sexes. There's just too much fraternizing with the enemy. ~Henry Kissinger

yeah totally.. i mean, i used to cry locked up in my room.. and then i used to imagine myself as amir and how i would've felt in a similar situation.. you know, like when his uncle died.. that was aweful..

and sure, im checkin out your work :)


Aderes47 GOLD said...
on May. 27 2011 at 2:55 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

Hey, Can U read my stuff? 

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on May. 27 2011 at 2:55 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

I shed a tear when his father said if I haven't seen him born, I wouldn't have known he was my son. I also shed a tear when Hassan died. I was all, No, How could that be? How can this book have a happily ever after(because I thought, out of all the books I ever read, this book deserved a happily ever after the most!!) And I read A LOT!! 

But the book, in a way , actually did have a happily ever after. The ending made you really hopeful for the future. 

I cried when I fould out about Sohrab and his situation but what made me BAWL was when he said That's he's sinful and that it made him feel dirty about what they did to him. When I was reading that, I cried for a half hour non-stop. I actually woke up my sister with my crying!! :)

I am a sensitive person too. :)


Aderes47 GOLD said...
on May. 26 2011 at 11:55 am
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
Henry Drummond

I actually really enjoyed this book too but at the same time I cried like 8 times. And not just a tear. I often needed tissues! Did you feel that way too?

on May. 25 2011 at 11:40 pm
Writomania PLATINUM, New Delhi, Other
22 articles 0 photos 119 comments

Favorite Quote:
"What really does not kill you, will only make you stronger"- Kanye West
"If there was no electricity, we would've had to watch the television by candle light"- Joe Jonas
Nobody will ever win the Battle of the Sexes. There's just too much fraternizing with the enemy. ~Henry Kissinger

Thank you so much .. :P

on May. 25 2011 at 2:08 am
Healing_Angel SILVER, Sydney, Other
8 articles 2 photos 509 comments

Favorite Quote:
Live for today, not for tomorrow

Great job! Love the quote at the start! Very effective! REally draws you in. Very detailed and to the point. Well done! 5/5