Khaled Hosseini

 Afghanistan is part of central Asia, not the Middle East  Due to various invasions, Afghanistan has been influenced by many cultures: Greek, Arab (Muslim), Persian, Mongol  Afghans are multiethnic, generally not Arabs  The Hazaras (Mongol descendents) have long been persecuted for their ethnicity and Shiite religion; most Afghans are Pashtuns (Sunni Muslims)  Afghanistan has a long history of interference by foreign powers: Great Britain, Soviet Union, US  US supported Afghan rebels (mujahedin) in their fight against Soviet invasion in 1979

 Power of God-Allah is omnipotent and omniscient. He is merciful and deserving of thanks for all that one has, but evil will be judged and punished.  The Right Way to Live-Modesty is emphasized in the dress code and sexual behavior. Adultery is prohibited.  Charity-One must give to the poor, and care for orphans when one is able.  Other Religions-Mohammed is the final prophet. Moses and Jesus are earlier prophets.

Gender Roles-Men are expected to be the caretakers of the family and have responsibility for taking care of their wife (or wives). Men are allowed to have more than one wife is they can treat them equally and provide for all of them. Women are not allowed to have more than one husband. Family Values-Chastity, modesty, and charity are emphasized.

 Amir  Main character and narrator  Best friend of Hassan, son of Baba, husband of Soraya  Makes a decision as a child which haunts him in adulthood  Hassan  Best friend and servant of Amir  Introduced as the son of Ali  Loyal to Amir despite any impact it may have on himself  Baba  Father of Amir  Wealthy citizen of Kabul who is known for his public works  Has a strained relationship with his son, Amir  Respected by citizens of Kabul

 Ali  Servant of Baba, supposed father of Hassan  Like a brother to Baba  Leg crippled from Polio  Poor  Dies from a landmine explosion  Hazara  Rahim Khan  Business associate and close friend of Baba  Has a close relationship with Amir  Also the main reason Amir returns back to the Middle East

 Assef  Antagonist  Neighborhood bully who hates Hassan because he is of Hazara descent  Firm believer in the ways of Adolf Hitler  Future leader of Taliban  Takes Sohrab from orphanage in Kabul  Soraya  Afghan living in California  Wife of Amir  Sohrab  Orphan son of Hassan  Suffers from depression, and attempts suicide

 Amir, a well-to-do Pashtun boy, and Hassan, a Hazara and the son of Amir's father's servant, Ali, spend their days in a peaceful Kabul, kite fighting, roaming the streets and being boys. Amir’s father (who is generally referred to as Baba, "daddy", throughout the book) loves both the boys, but seems critical of Amir for not being manly enough. Amir also fears his father blames him for his mother’s death during childbirth. However, he has a kind father figure in the form of Rahim Khan, Baba’s friend, who understands Amir better, and is supportive of his interest in writing stories.

 Assef, a notoriously mean and violent older boy with sadistic tendencies, blames Amir for socializing with a Hazara, according to Assef an inferior race that should only live in Hazarajat. He prepares to attack Amir with his steel knuckles, but Hassan bravely stands up to him, threatening to shoot Assef in the eye with his slingshot. Assef and his henchmen back off, but Assef says he will take revenge.

 The Scapegoat  The Sacrifice  The Loss of Innocence  Coming of Age (Journey to Maturity)  Sin and Redemption  Fathers and Sons  Betrayal and Loyalty  The Brutality of War  The Evil of Prejudice

 I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of I remember the precise moment, crouching behind a crumbling mud wall, peeking into the alley near the frozen creek. That was a long time ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out. Now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years. -(Amir)

 Then he would remind us that there was a brotherhood between people who had fed from the same breast, a kinship that not even time could break. Hassan and I fed from the same breasts. We 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 1975and all that followed was already laid in those first words.-(Amir)

 With me as the glaring exception, my father molded the world around him to his liking. The problem, of course, was that Baba saw the world in black and white. And he got to decide what was black and what was white. You can't love a person who lives that way without fearing him too. Maybe even hating him a little.-(Amir)  I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.- (Amir)

 War doesn't negate decency. It demands it, even more than in times of peace. - Baba  But that's what I'm saying to you... That there are bad people in this world, and sometimes bad people stay bad. Sometimes you have to stand up to them. –(Amir)  There is a way to be good again. - Rahim Khan  For you, a thousand times over. -Hassan, Amir