T HE K ITE R UNNER Background Information

K HALED H OSSEINI – T HE A UTHOR Afghan born American novelist Born in Kabul, Afghanistan in 1965 Father – Diplomat with Afghan Foreign Ministry, Mother – Teacher in a high school Family relocated to Paris in 1976 and hoped to return to Kabul, but country had been wrought with war because of the Soviet invasion Hosseini family was granted political asylum and moved to San Jose, CA in 1980

K HALED H OSSEINI – T HE A UTHOR Hosseini earned his medical degree Practicing doctor (internist) from 1996 to today While practicing medicine, Hosseini wrote The Kite Runner (2003) and A Thousand Splendid Suns (2007)

T HE K ITE R UNNER – B OOK B ASICS The story of a boy, Amir, coming of age in Kabul and growing into adulthood in America Also a story of relationships – father/son, boyhood friendships

T HE K ITE R UNNER - S ETTING There are three settings in The Kite Runner -Afghanistan from late 1970’s to 1981 and start of the Soviet occupation -Afghan community in Fremont, CA from 1980’s to early 2000’s -Contemporary Afghanistan during Taliban regime

T HE K ITE R UNNER – A UTHOR T ECHNIQUES Writing Style Use of flashbacks (book begins in 2001 with Amir thinking back on childhood) Hosseini uses mirroring (event mirror themselves from first half to second half) First person limited, point of view Use of dreams (in italics), connect to plot events

T HE K ITE R UNNER – K EY I DEAS Power (gender, social classes, nationality, etc.) Immigration Experience – Adapting to new culture Guilt/Sin/Redemption – Atoning for past sins Identity – Becoming who you are despite and because of flaws

T HE K ITE R UNNER – A FGHAN T ERMS Agha – Sign of respect Jan – Word of endearment Khan – Used like “mister” when placed after the name of a person Sahib – A friend Pashtun – A wealthier, more respected class of Afghan citizens Hazara – Lower class, servants to Pashtun’s

T HE K ITE R UNNER - C HARACTERS Amir – Narrator, Pashtun Hassan – Amir’s childhood friend, Hazara Baba – Amir’s father Ali – Hassan’s father, Baba’s servant and childhood friend Rahim Khan – Business friend of Baba, mentor to Amir Assef – Acquaintance of Amir, Pashtun

T HE K ITE R UNNER - C HARACTERS Steps author uses to create a character -Author’s description -What character says -What character does -What other’s say about the character

T HE K ITE R UNNER - C HARACTERS Use of static and dynamic characters -Static – Minor characters, don’t undergo significant growth or change in a story -Dynamic – Major characters, changes and transforms in a story because of experience with major conflict Brainstorm a list of static and dynamic characters in literature.

T HE K ITE R UNNER - C HARACTERS Use of foils -A character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight particular qualities of another character -Foils are not always opposites and they are not always obvious -Example: Harry Potter & Drako Malfoy George Milton & Slim