Syed Nasir Ershad

Recently I was reading a novel, the Kite runner, while on a trip. Khaled Hosseini, the writer of the novel earned instant fame by writing his first book. It tells the story of Amir, a well-to-do Pashtun boy, and Hassan, their servant’s son. They spent their days fighting kite in the then peaceful city of Kabul. Hassan was considered a successful ‘kite runner’ who knew where the kite would land without watching it. Amir’s father was a wealthy merchant who was affectionate to both the boys, but was often critical of Amir, considering him weak and lacking in courage. Rather father’s closest friend, Rahim Khan, was more supportive to him and encouraged his writing.
Assef, an older boy, mocked Amir for socializing with Hassan. One day he prepared to attack Amir, but Hassan defended Amir, threatening to shoot out Assef’s eye with his slingshot. Assef backed off but swore to get revenge. Another day Amir won the local kite fighting tournament and finally earned father’s praise. Hassan ran for the last cut kite and said to Amir, “For you, a thousand times over.” However, after finding the kite, Hassan encountered Assef in an alleyway. Hassan refused to give up the kite, and Assef beat him severely and raped him. Amir witnessed the act but was too scared to intervene. He knew that if he failed to bring home the kite, his father would be less proud of him. He felt incredibly guilty but knew his cowardice would destroy any hopes for father’s affections, so he kept quiet about the incident. Afterwards, Amir kept distance from Hassan to relieve him from guilty conscience.
Amir began to believe that life would be easier if Hassan were not around. So he planted a watch and some money under Hassan’s mattress in hopes that his father would make him leave. Hassan falsely confessed stealing when confronted. Even though he was forgiven, still Hassan and family left. Thus Amir was freed of the daily reminder of his cowardice and betrayal.
In 1979, five years later, the Soviet Union military intervened in Afghanistan. Amir and his father escaped to Pakistan and then to USAhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremont,_California where they settled in. They began to work hard for their livelihood. After graduating from high school, Amir took classes at a University to develop his writing skills. Every Sunday they made extra money selling used goods at a flea market. There, Amir met fellow refugee Soraya Taheri and her family. His father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. However, he asked Soraya’s father for permission to wed Amir with her. Shortly after their marriage, his father died. Amir and Soraya settled down in a happy marriage, but to their sorrow they learned that they could not have children.
Amir embarked on a successful career as a novelist. Fifteen years after his wedding, Amir received a call from uncle Rahim Khan, who was dying, asking him to come to Pakistan. From Rahim Khan, Amir learned that Ali was killed by a land mine and that Hassan and his wife were killed after Hassan refused to allow the Taliban to confiscate Amir’s house in Kabul. Rahim Khan further revealed that Ali, being sterile, was not Hassan’s biological father. Hassan was actually Amir’s half-brother. Finally, he told Amir that the reason he called Amir to Pakistan was to rescue Sohrab, Hassan’s son, from an orphanage in Kabul.
Amir, accompanied by Farid, an Afghan taxi driver searched for Sohrab. They learned that a Taliban official often came to the orphanage, brought cash, and usually took a girl away with him. Occasionally he chose a boy, recently Sohrab. Then Farid somehow secured an appointment at Sohrab’s home. Amir met the man, who revealed himself as Assef who kept Sohrab at his house. Assef agreed to relinquish him if Amir could beat him in a fight. Assef badly beat Amir until Sohrab used a slingshot to fire a brass ball into Assef’s left eye. Sohrab helped Amir out of the house, where he passed out and woke up in a hospital.
Amir told Sohrab of his plans to take him back to America and possibly adopt him. However, American authorities demanded evidence of Sohrab’s orphan status. Amir told Sohrab that he might have to temporarily break his promise until the paperwork was completed. At this Sohrab attempted suicide. Amir eventually managed to take him back to America. After his adoption, Sohrab refused to interact with Amir or Soraya until the former reminisced about Hassan and kites. In the end, Sohrab only gave a lopsided smile; but Amir took it with all his heart as he ran the kite for Sohrab, saying, “For you, a thousand times over.”