The Kite Runner: Historical, Political and Cultural Contexts

The Kite Runner: Historical, The Kite Runner: Historical, Political and Cultural ContextsPolitical and Cultural Contexts

The Kite Runner: IntroductionThe Kite Runner: Introduction

INTRODUCTION►First Afghanistan novel to be written in English►Title is derived from an old Afghan hobby Gudiparan Bazi or Kite Flying►It is a unique Afghan pastime during windy spring season

About the Author: About the Author: Khaled HosseiniKhaled Hosseini

►Born in 1965 in Kabul, Afghanistan►Moved to the United States in 1980►Attended Santa Clara University, Cal.►Graduated from UC San Diego School of Medicine in 1996.►His specialty is internal medicine.

SYNOPSIS►The novel maps the journey of the Amir, the narrator►The story takes place in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the United States from 1975 to 2003.

Main Character: Main Character: AMIRAMIR

Amir belongs to:► a wealthy family whose father is a businessman►the dominant Pashtun ethnic group►the dominant Sunni religious group

Amir tells the story of his friendship with Hassan.

HASSANHASSAN

►Hassan and his father, Ali, are Amir’s servants►He is a low-caste ethnic Hazara►He belongs to the minority Shi’it religious denomination►He is the victim of discrimination due to his religious and ethnic identity ►Ironically, he is also Amir’s half brother

Diversity in AfghanistanDiversity in Afghanistan

A DIVERSE NATION►Afghanistan is nation of groups with disparate ethnic, religious, and tribal traditions.

ETHNIC DIVERSITY►Over 30 different ethnic groups. They are not contained within Afghanistan.

EthnicityEthnicity

►Hazaras consists of about10 to 15 percent►Uzbaks consists of about 9 percent►Others (Turkmen, Aimaq, Baluch, Nuristani) 13 percent.

TajikPashtun Hazara

► Pashtuns are the dominant ethnic groups, who account for about 38 percent of the population and ruled Afghanistan for most of the history of Afghanistan.►Tajiks are the second largest ethnic groups with about 25 percent of the population.

Uzbak

Religious DiversityReligious Diversity►Afghanistan has two dominant religious groups, the Sunni, or the so-called orthodox Islam, and Shi’ite or the so-called heterodox. ►Sunni constitutes 85 percent of the population and Shi’ite consists of 15 percent of Afghan population►Shi’ites split from the Sunni’s in the seventh century over who the Prohet Mohammad’s legitimate successors were►Shi’ites consider Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, the legitimate successor►Shi’ites developed their own conception of Islamic law and practices.►In the past Shi’ites had been persecuted in Afghanistan.

The TalibanThe Taliban►The world Taliban is the plural of and Arabic word, Talib or someone who seeks religious knowledge before he becomes a preacher in a mosque.►They were the sons of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and attended Pakistani schools of theology►Became active in October 1994 in Qandahar and continued there advances in the country with help of Pakistan►By 1997 they held about 90 percent of the Afghan territory, including Kabul.

The Taliban’s AchievementThe Taliban’s Achievement►They brought relative peace and security in the country.►They banished the warlords and forced them to the northeastern corner the country and formed the Northern Alliance►Restored law and order but through rigorous enforcement of Islamic punishment: public beating, flogging, amputation of hands, and stoning to death.►The ministry issued strict religious decrees that denied people the right to freedom of expression, association, the right to work, and the right to education►They prohibited games and interests, such as kite flying, chess, and music.

ConclusionConclusion

►The Kite Runner tells the sad story of Afghan people. They have suffered at the hands of foreign invaders and their own people