10 Exploratory Essay Topics on “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, revolves around the history of Afghanistan and describes the story of two boys growing up there. While both these boys share the same household and wet nurse, their fathers are from two different worlds. It’s been one of the New York Time’s bestselling books and is an interesting book that everyone should read.

Since you’re writing an exploratory essay on The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, we’re assuming that you have already read the book. If you haven’t, however, there is nothing to worry about. We’ve helped hundreds of students like you write fascinating and engaging essays on various topics and we’re here to help you too.

This is the first of our three manuals, where you will learn 10 facts on The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. These facts will not only entertain you with interesting tidbits about the book, but also be of great assistance when you are writing.

In our second manual, we’ve included 20 topics on the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, to get you started right away. This is because most students have no idea where to start, since they have so much information on a particular topic and often don’t know how to put it to good use. It also includes an exploratory essay on one of the 20 topics – a perfect sample to take assistance from.

Finally, in our third manual, you’ll find an Informative guide on exploratory essay on The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. This serves as an ideal manual for you to write a better and more concise exploratory essay on the book.

Without further ado, here are 10 Facts on The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini:

1. The book tells a story of two boys, Amir and Hassan, who are raised in the same household and even have the same wet nurse, but are different by family and status. Amir is the son of an affluent and well-known man, whereas, Hassan is the son of a servant who works for Amir’s father. During the Soviet Union invasion, Amir and his father decide to leave Afghanistan and start a new life in California, leaving Hassan behind.
2. The Kite Runner starts from 1973, when Zahir Shah was overthrown by the Army due to the monarchy led by him. Later, Daoud Khan, cousin and son-in law of Zahir Shah, declared himself president of the republic. Daoud claimed to be honest in his revolution and swore to eradicate corruption from Afghanistan. However, once he gained power, he changed his regimen due to which he was overthrown by the same army that brought him into power.
3. The Kite Runner introduces a bully in its story, Assef, who’s a notorious character with violent, mean and sadistic tendencies. He is older than Amir and Hassan and tries to blame Amir for socializing with the Hazara people; i.e. Hassan, who, according to him, is from an inferior race and should only live in Hazarajat. In the book, he tries to confront and attack Amir with his brass knuckles, but Hassan plays a heroic role in defending Amir with his slingshot and threatens to shoot out Assef’s left eye.
4. In the book, Hassan is a saint-like figure. Amir, on the other hand, is shown as a cowardice and jealousy-prone character. There are events when both these characters show pomp in their behaviors: Hassan defends Amir’s kite while he is being raped by Assef – as a means of revenge. When Amir witnessed Hassan getting raped by Assef, he doesn’t take any action.
   Due to his cowardice on that occasion, sheer jealousy and utter frustration due to Hassan’s saint-like behavior, and him getting more love from father than Amir the latter frames Hassan as a thief in order to get rid of him. Hassan falsely confesses – demonstrating again his saint-like characteristics.
   Amir is then seen to live a life of guilt within the shadows, haunted by such horrible events of the past.
5. In Part II of the book, The Kite Runner, which takes place five years later, Amir and his father had struggled when they moved to California due to the invasion of the Soviets in Afghanistan. Before Amir’s father dies, he requests General Taheri, who’s in contempt of Amir’s literary aspiration, to let Soraya (Taheri’s daughter) and Amir marry, which General Taheri accepts without hesitation. Shortly after Amir marries Soraya, his father dies. When he settles down with his wife, he learns that they cannot have children.
6. When Amir becomes a novelist, he receives a call from Rehan Khan, who is dying from a disease. Rehan directs Amir to meet him in Pakistan where he learns a secret that Hassan was actually his half-brother and Hassan’s father was actually not his real father, after all.
7. The main reason Rehan Khan called Amir was to convince him to go to Kabul and rescue Hassan’s only son, Sohrab, who was being kept in an orphanage. Amir is convinced by Rehan and goes to Kabul so he can rescue Sohrab from the Taliban.
8. In Part III of the book, it is revealed that Sohrab wasn’t in an orphanage; however, he was held captive by Assef, Amir’s childhood nemesis. Sohrab was made to dance, dressed like a woman and his statement reveals that Assef might have been raping him.
9. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini has one of the best, yet very childish endings, where Sohrab gets to fulfill his father’s wishes by shooting out Assef’s left eye with his slingshot. This event takes place when Sohrab, in his father’s image, saves Amir from Assef – when he cruelly beats Amir as a price for keeping him captive.
10. In the end of the book, Sohrab is seen to be emotionally damaged as he attempts suicide upon learning that Amir would not be able to keep his promise; i.e. to take Sohrab with him and eventually adopt him.

Amir breaks his promise because the U.S. authorities demand paperwork which proves Sohrab’s orphan status. Eventually, Amir takes him back to the United States where Sohrab’s frozen emotions are thawed by his father’s reminisces found in Amir.

Interesting facts, aren’t they? These informative facts will help you create a strong understanding of The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, so you can write a perfect exploratory essay on it.

Next up, we have our second guide, 20 exploratory topics on the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, to give you a headstart and a sample essay to assist you in writing it. Also look out for informative guide for an exploratory essay on the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini for a guide on how to write the same.

References:

1. N. Shamand, 2010 “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini: Historical, Political and Cultural Contexts – UGC, Academic Staff College, University of Kerala http://arabicuniversitycollege.yolasite.com/resources/Faculty/NS/Dissertations/The%20Kite%20Runner%20-%20Historical,%20Political%20&%20Cultural%20Contexts.pdf
2. Azad, F. (2004). Dialogue with Khaled Hosseini. Lemar-Aftaab, 3(4), June. http://afghanmagazine.com/2004_06/profile/khosseini.shtml
3. Sadat, M.H. (2004). Afghan History: kite flying, kite running and kite banning. Lemar-Aftaab, 3(4), June. http://afghanmagazine.com/2004_06/articles/hsadat.shtml
4. The Kite Runner. (2007). Directed by Marc Forestor. Dreamworks
5. Sherman, Sue. Cambridge Wizard Student Guide: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. (Cambridge University Press, 2006).
6. Sadat, Mir Hekmatullah. The Afghan Experience. (Claremont Graduate University, 2006) Claremont, California.
7. Kaplan, Robert D. Soldiers of God: With Islamic Warriors in Afghanistan and Pakistan. (Vintage Books, 1990).