English12 The Kite Runner [Hosseini]: Home

Literary devices

Flashback

Imagery

Irony

Satire

Foreshadowing

Motif

Allusion

Personification

Point of view: First Person Plural Epistolary

In the tumultuous streets of Kabul, where the echoes of innocence and betrayal intertwine, this is a haunting tale of friendship, redemption, and the enduring power of guilt unfolds.

"The Kite Runner," a gripping novel by Khaled Hosseini, takes readers on a journey through the lives of two young boys, Amir and Hassan, whose destinies are forever altered by a single fateful event.

Set against the backdrop of Afghanistan's turbulent history, this compelling narrative explores the complexities of human relationships, the burdens of remorse, and the pursuit of redemption.

With its rich tapestry of emotions, cultural intricacies, and moral dilemmas, "The Kite Runner" is a profound exploration of the human spirit and an unforgettable testament to the enduring bonds of loyalty and love.

Timeline

1921 – The British, besieged in the wake of World War I, are defeated in the Third British-Afghan War (1919-1921), and Afghanistan becomes an independent nation. Amir Amanullah Khan begins a wave of socioeconomic reform.
1926 – Amanullah declares Afghanistan a monarchy, rather than an emirate, and proclaims himself king.
1928 – Critics, frustrated by Amanullah’s policies, take up arms and by 1929, the king abdicates and leaves the country.
1933 – Zahir Shah becomes king and brings a semblance of stability. He went on to rule for the next 40 years.
1934 – The United States formally recognizes Afghanistan
1947 – Britain withdraws from India, creating the predominantly Hindu (but secular) state of India and the Islamic state of Pakistan. The nation of Pakistan includes a long, largely uncontrollable, border with Afghanistan.
1953 – The pro-Soviet General Mohammed Dad Khan, cousin of the king, becomes prime minister and looks to communist USSR for economic and military assistance.
1956 – Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agrees to help Afghanistan, and the two countries become close allies.
1965 – The Afghan Community Party secretly forms. The group’s principal leaders are Babrak Karmal and Nur Mohammad Taraki.
1973 – Khan overthrows the last king, Mohammed Zahir Shah, in a military coup. The People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan comes to power. Khan abolishes the monarchy and names himself president. The Republic of Afghanistan is established with firm ties to the USSR.
1975-1977 – Khan proposes a new constitution that grants women rights and works to modernize the predominantly communist state. He also cracks down on opponents, and forces many people suspected of not supporting him out of the government.
1978 – Khan is killed in a communist coup. Nur Muhammed Taraki, one of the founders of the Afghan Communist Party, takes control as president, and Babrak Karmal is named deputy prime minister. The country is renamed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA). An Islamic and conservative insurgency begins.
1978 (December 5) – A friendship treaty is signed with the USSR, building on Soviet economic and military support given to Afghanistan since the early 1950s.
1979 (March) – The USSR begins massive military aid to the DRA, including hundreds of advisers, as the U.S. scales down its presence after the murder of its kidnapped ambassador.
1979 (September) – President Nur Mohammed Taraki is killed and Hafizullah Amin emerges as DRA leader. Requests for large numbers of Soviet forces to combat the growing insurgency continue.