Download The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner
by Khaled Hosseini
The Setting—Affghaniisttan
• • Terrain – rocky and dry, mountainous
in the central part of the country
• • Climate – hot summers, cold winters
• • Geography – borders Iran, Pakistan,
• Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikstan
Politics
• In the 19th century, Afghanistan ceded many
territories to Great Britain.
• In 1919, the Anglo-Afghan wars returned the
ruling power to the Afghani monarchy.
• In 1973, the king’s brother staged a coup to
create a Republic.
• In 1978, communists overthrew the ruler and
took over the government.
Politics (continued)
• In 1979, the Soviet Union sent troops to
Afghanistan to bolster the communist regime.
• The Soviet occupation resulted in a mass
exodus from Afghanistan. Over 5 million
people left the country and settled mainly in
Pakistan.
Politics (continued)
•
However, the world-wide push against
communism was considerable, and the Soviet
Union finally left the country in 1989 after
much opposition from rebel groups inside
Afghanistan.
• The chaos that was left by the Soviet
withdrawal spawned the rise of the Taliban,
and it seized Kabul in 1996.
The Taliban
• Under the Taliban’s rule, human rights and
civil liberties were slowly peeled away.
• The Taliban instituted cruel and inhumane
treatment of those who opposed them in
order to solidify their power over
Afghanistan’s citizens.
How does it relate?
• In the beginning of The Kite Runner, the
monarchy is still in place and the country is
relatively calm. However, chaos starts to erupt
as the king is overthrown by his brother.
• In the second half of The Kite Runner, the
Taliban is in power, creating a much more
volatile and dangerous Afghanistan.
Islam
A religion based on the interpretations of God’s
word by the prophet Muhammad found in the
Qu’ran (sometimes spelled Koran)
Followers of Islam, Muslims, are devoted to
daily prayer (five times a day facing Mecca,
the holy city).
The Tenets of Islam
• There are several tenets of Islam, but there
are three mentioned early on in the book:
• Zakat – charitable giving
• Hadj – pilgrimage to Mecca
• Namaz – five daily prayers facing Mecca
What is the Kaaba?
• The Kaaba or "Cube" is a circular building located
inside the al-Masjid al-Haram mosque in Mecca,
Saudi Arabia. The mosque was built around the
original Kaaba.
• The Kaaba is the holiest place in Islam.[2] The qibla,
the direction Muslims face during prayer, is the
direction from their location on Earth towards the
Kaaba. It is around the Kaaba that ritual
circumambulation is performed by Muslims during
the Hajj (pilgrimage) season as well as during the
Umrah (lesser pilgrimage).
The Black Stone
The Black Stone is a significant feature of the Kaaba, believed
by Muslims to date back to the time of Adam and Eve.
Located on the eastern corner of the Kaaba, it is about 30 cm
(12 inches) in diameter and surrounded by a silver frame.
Hajj pilgrims often attempt to kiss the Stone as Muhammad
once did. Because of the large crowds, this is not always
possible, and so as pilgrims walk around the Kaaba, they are
to point to the Stone on each circuit.
• Tradition has it that the Black Stone was white when it came
to Earth, subsequently turning black under the burden of
humanity's sins.
Islamic Tradition
• According to the Qur'an, the Kaaba was rebuilt
by Ibrahim (Abraham) and his son Ishmael.
Islamic traditions assert that the Kaaba
"reflects" a house in heaven called al-Baytu –
Mamur and that it was first built by the first
man, Adam. Ibrahim and Ismail rebuilt the
Kaaba on the old foundations.
What does it look like during the Hadj?
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzAJIXwc49A
• http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=41328
58888586976866&ei=uUasSOenA4fy4ALz5Qi&q=about+the+Kaaba+mecca&vt=lf
• Info on Islam
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/show
s/muslims/etc/faqs.html
Divisions in Islam
Islam is divided into two denominations,
Shia and Sunni. Because of the differing
views of these two groups, they maintain
a rather tense and hostile relationship.
• The Pashtun (majority) are typically
Sunni, and the Hazara (minority) are
typically Shia.
• Thus, the racial differences are
compounded by the religious differences.
Racial Conflict
The distinct racial
division in
Afghanistan occurs
between the Hazara
and the Pashtun.
The Pashtun are the
majority race, and
discrimination
against the Hazara
is widespread.
Hazara
• The Hazaras are most
easily identified by their
tendency to have light colored
and almond shaped
eyes and round faces.
• They are possibly direct
descendents of Genghis
Khan, who invaded
Afghanistan in the 13th
century.
• Thus, they are seen as
“invaders” and not true
Afghanis.
The Hazaras typically function as the servant
class and partake in few of the freedoms
enjoyed by the Pashtun upper-class.
What does a cleft lip look like?
Afghani Words
• jan – a term of endearment often used after a
person’s name: Baba jan
• agha – leader, ruler, master, lord
• sahib – friend (original), lord
• naan – bread
• Other words will be explained in context on a
need-to-know basis
Characters
• Amir – the main character; narrator
• Baba – Amir’s father; wealthy Afghani
• Rahim Khan – Baba’s best friend and business
partner; an uncle to Amir
• Hassan – Amir’s best friend; servant
• Ali – Hassan’s father
Essential Questions
in daybook
• Is it ever appropriate or necessary to remain a
silent bystander when someone is being hurt
(physically or emotionally)?
• Is it possible to atone (make amends) for our
wrongdoings?
• Do we have an obligation to be loyal and
truthful to our friends and family members?
Clarification and Changes
for Presentations
• As a pair or trio, will create one display item (
Chart, brochure, write-up or mural).
• Present through a PowerPoint presentation
your interpretation of your chosen text,
alongwith some research you must have
conducted to explain the conrext and problems
faced by the characters .
• You must use text from the novel to support
your claims.
One group- One Topic
You must be sure to refer to the text (with direct text) in your presentation
Group OneGroup TwoGroup ThreeGroup FourGroup FiveGroup SixGroup SevenGroup EightGroup NineGroup TenGroup Elevennovel
novel
Symbolism in the novel
Characterization of Amir
Characterization of Hassan
Foreshadowing in the novel
Compare and Contrast - America/Afghanistan
Compare and ContrastPashtuns/Hazaras
Imagery in the novel
“Man’s Inhumanity To Man” as a theme in the
Tone and Mood in the novel
Theme of “the strength of character” in the
novel
Theme of “discrimination and bigotry” in the