The Kite Runner: Key Quotes

"There is a way to be good again."

Rahim Khan's words to Amir; shows a paternal relationship between them; implies that there is always a possibility of redemption; catalyses the second half of the novel; indicative of a moral journey.

'Hassan never wanted to, but if I asked, really asked, he wouldn't deny me. Hassan never denied me anything.'

Amir often manipulated Hassan and abused his power to coerce him into doing things he may not have been comfortable doing, but things that he was obliged to do out of loyalty; but his naivety leads him to do things that go beyond his obligation as a servant.

'marble floors' 'mosaic tiles' 'four bathrooms' 'framed family pictures'

Amir and Baba's home was more than a place to live in and functionality is guaranteed; their home was a symbol of status and a statement of affluence.

'the walls stood bare, save for a single tapestry with sewn-in beads forming the words Allah-u-akbar.'

Hassan and Ali's home functions solely as a living space with the only decoration being a religious piece; shows that whilst Amir and Baba are capable of fulfilling their lives with material possessions, Hassan and Ali only have their religion and their belief in a higher power to rely upon.

'Sanaubar's suggestive stride and oscillating hips sent men into reveries of infidelity.

The blame is placed on Sanaubar's supposedly seductive demeanour which drove men unwittingly into infidelity rather than the men's lack of self-control and respect for women.

'They told Baba that running a business wasn't in his blood and that he should study law like his father.'

Baba was born into wealth and high status and his path was predestined. Many believed Baba should have gone into law like his father, but Baba seems to dissociate himself from this path and demonstrates a need to constantly defy people's expectations; Baba wanted to become an agent of his fate rather than becoming a replica of his father.

'Baba refused, and everyone shook their heads in awe at his obstinate ways. Then Baba succeeded and everyone shook their heads in awe at his triumphant ways.'

We only see the self-serving side to Baba due to narrator bias. Amir shares a love-hate relationship with Baba and therefore subconsciously focuses on the competitive, career-driven side to Baba. Hosseini has described Baba in a way that shows how Amir perceives the world around him rather than giving an impartial observation.

"You'll never learn anything of value from those bearded idiots [...] God help us all if Afghanistan ever falls into their hands."

- Foreshadows Taliban rule.

- Most people imagine Afghanistan as an extremely religious, Islamic country, forgetting that prior to the Taliban rule there was a large cohort of liberal, Westernised Afghans who opposed the fundamentalist and extremist views expressed by figures such as the Mullahs.

- Hosseini attempts to humanise a country that has been villainised over the course of the late 20th/early 21st century.

'With me as the glaring exception, my father moulded the world around him to his liking. The problem, of course, was that Baba saw the world in black and white.'

Baba is a reputable, almost God-like figure who feels he can create and live by his own rules (has agency). If someone such as Ali were to create their own rules, they would be admonished and disregarded as he does not have the same authority as Baba due to his ethnicity and social standing. He is said to see the world in 'black and white' showing that he lacks the ability to look at things from various perspectives and is very set in his ways.

"There is only one sin [...] and that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft."

Baba's lesson is simple but easy to misconstrue, especially when you are a child. His lesson is also ironic as we later see that Baba is a deeply flawed person who doesn't follow his own ingrained principles. However, this makes us feel a sense of respect and sympathy for Baba as we can see he is trying desperately to do what is best for Amir so that he can be a better man.

'my entire childhood seems like one long lazy summer day with Hassan'

Amir makes it seem as if Hassan and Ali enjoyed their lives, and spends little time focused on their duties as servants as this was only a small aspect of his life, but a very considerable aspect of theirs. Whereas Amir never had duties to worry about, Hassan would have always anticipated having to wake up early to prepare breakfast and clean; playing with Amir was just a reprieve from his life as a servant. (power imbalances)

'My favourite part of reading to Hassan was when we came across a big word that he didn't know. I'd tease him, expose his ignorance.'

Amir enjoys belittling Hassan, but, ironically, Hassan does not know he is being mocked and degraded, showing that Amir is only asserting his power for his own benefit/to boost his ego.

'Didn't all fathers in their secret hearts harbour a desire to kill their sons?'

Whereas Hassan sees the story of Rostam and Sohrab as fictitious and far-fetched, Amir sees parallels between this story and his own life. Hassan is distraught by the idea of a son not feeling loved by his father, as Hassan is described as the 'antidote' to Ali's sorrow; Amir however, has never felt his father's love but instead has felt hated by his father all his life.

'His well-earned reputation for savagery preceded him on the streets [...] not entirely sane [...] 'sociopath' [...] savage'

Assef enacted power and establised his authority using violence. He abused his physical power - as well as his father's status and connections - to degrade others and force his views upon them. His methods of enforcement reflect that of the Taliban

"Afghanistan for Pashtuns, I say. That's my vision."

- Through Assef's voice, foreshadows eventuality of the Taliban coming to power.

- Refers to Hitler's regime and drawing a parallel between their mentalities. Some may argue that these figures truly believe themselves to be doing God's work and serving a higher power. However, God's work allows them to advance towards a society of their creation where they can enact violence upon those they deem deserving.

'Winter was every kid's favourite season in Kabul [...] kites, of course. Flying kites. And running them.'

Kite flying and running is a long-standing and highly-regarded tradition in Afghanistan. It is a competitive but inclusive sport that all cohorts of society enjoy, regardless of ethnicity, class or age. Hosseini also explores the motif of kites which symbolise freedom, especially prior to the Taliban rule where activities such as this were strictly prohibited.

'And may God - if he exists, that is - strike me blind if the kite didn't just drop into his outstretched hands.'

Symbolism/theme of religion; Amir is not strictly religious and does not believe in a God ('if he exists'), whereas Hassan and Ali's lives are centred around their beliefs and religion; they can rely on God to provide for them, such as on this occasion, but Amir's preoccupation with wealth and authority are a barrier to this kind of connection with God.

'All I smelled was victory. Salvation. Redemption.'

Amir believes that if he wins the competition, all of his sins will be forgotten (e.g. mistreatment of Hassan, the lies he has told, 'killing' his mother). Part of the reason he treated Hassan poorly was out of bitterness and jealousy; winning the tournament will put him in Baba's favour and therefore resolve his issues.

"For you a thousand times over!"

Shows unconditional loyalty, referenced at various points throughout novel, one phrase encompasses Hassan's compassion, loyalty and cheerful nature.

'He moved his head slightly and I caught a glimpse of his face. Saw the resignation in it [...] It was the look of a lamb.'

Metaphor of Hassan being the sacrificial lamb. Amir sees Hassan as expendable and likens him to a religious symbol. Amir's view is arguably biased and influenced by how he wants things to be rather than how they actually are; what he may have perceived as a look of acceptance and resignation to a 'higher purpose' could have actually been resignation to his place in society and acceptance of the abuse he is fated to endure his whole life.

'Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba.'

Ironically, Amir believes that sacrificing Hassan is the key to winning Baba's favour, but here Amir is showing that he cannot stand up for what is right, which is what Baba really wants.

Metaphor/analogy of Hassan and the sacrificial lamb to communicate how Amir perceives Hassan in this moment (vulnerable, dispensable, a necessary evil)

'He opened it and crushed it against his own forehead [...] "Are you satisfied? Do you feel better?"'

Act of defiance; won't give Amir the satisfaction of relieving his guilt. Or, he won't take out his anger and shame on Amir like Amir does on others.

"She would have suffered. My family would have never accepted her as an equal. You don't order someone to polish your shoes one day and call them 'sister' the next."

- Rahim Khan possibly doesn't blame his family for hating the idea of him marrying Homaira, but blames societal standards and the ingrained hierarchy that dictates Hazaras are inferior and Pashtuns are the dominent race.

- He seems to have resigned himself to the way of the world, passive response.

- Demonstrates that many see fighting against discrimination and unfair treatment of Hazaras as futile as the majority believe this treatment is justified or are reluctant to change their ways.

"In the end, the world always wins."

RK refers to the fact that the majority will always determine what is conventional/considered acceptable. In this case, a Pashtun marrying a Hazara would be considered unacceptable as the majority of Pashtuns have deemed it so. RK's perspective on this tragedy are understandably pessimistic as he felt that everyone was against him and, ultimately, alone.

"Respectfully, you can't forbid me anything, Agha sahib [...] We don't work for you anymore."

Subversion of power; regardless, Ali still uses the term 'Agha'. Simple but forceful language that leaves little room for negotiation and makes no allusion to a request or a plea.

'Mr Nguyen had asked for an ID [...] in Kabul, we snapped a tree branch and used it as a credit card.'

Society in Afghanistan operated on principles of honour and respect and it was therefore assumed that nobody would steal or cheat the system (on the basis of such principles). America, however, is a vast society in contrast to Afghanistan and there must therefore be structure; this structure comes in the form of strict regulations and law enforcement. Baba's extreme reaction stems from the importance of Afghan values in his life.

'Baba was the widower who remarries but can't let go of his dead wife.'

This metaphor implies that Baba is in a state of mourning and grief for his home country as, even before they left, the Afghanistan he knew was long-dead, overrun by Soviet forces and plagued by war. But Baba also mourns the loss of his reputation, his legacy, the life he had worked hard to build and the respect and authority he had attained.

"I don't like it free money [...] I work always."

'One of his greatest fears: that an Afghan would see him buying food with charity money.'

Baba suffered as he struggled to adjust to his new way of life at the bottom end of the social hierarchy; however, he still maintains his pride. This pride prevents him from accepting much needed assistance and is ultimately his downfall.

'I didn't want to sacrifice for Baba anymore. The last time I had done that, I had damned myself.'

Religious connotations of 'damned'; Amir is not necessarily religious, but the severity of his actions - of his sin - causes him to fear punishment from a higher power. He feels as if he is being judged, but this is just his conscience and his guilt weighing upon him.

"I hear she is a decent girl, hardworking and kind."

Baba does not condemn Soraya; it is society that has condemned her. Baba notoriously does not conform to society's standards to expectations, therefore this could possibly be related to the fact that he 'moulded the world around him to his liking' and decides what he deems acceptable/unacceptable on his own terms.

'I cringed a little at the position of power I'd been granted, and all because I had won at the genetic lottery that had determined my sex.'

In contrast to his younger self, Amir now recognises his power and acknowledges the responsibility that comes with having such power. He is aware of issues such as gender inequality and feels uncomfortable with the power he has.

(Connotations of luck in 'genetic lottery')

"No one finds out about this, you hear me? No one. I don't want anybody's sympathy."

Baba is reluctant to draw attention to his illness and does not want Amir or others to see him as vulnerable. He also wants to set an example for Amir, but this is a dangerous example.

'...you hear me?' - confrontational tone; the importance of Baba's voice and way of speaking in establishing his power now that his physical power is diminished.

'Baba had been such an unusual Afghan father, a liberal who had lived by his own rules, a maverick who disregarded or embraced societal customs as he had seen fit.'

Although Baba valued honour and respect, he also 'disregarded or embraced societal customs' as he saw fit. For example, Baba was not a religious man and opposed many religious teachings unlike most Afghans. His courage to defy social norms and think outside of the box is what allowed him to succeed and thrive as a businessman as he was not held back by a fear of criticism.

Amir's perception of Baba evolves and develops over time and he still seems unsure as how to define Baba as he never fully knew him; his descriptions are semantically related but his portrayal of Baba varies dependent upon the context in which they are given

'He had a sober look in his eyes. [...] "God help the Hazaras now, Rahim Khan sahib."'

Hassan is not as naïve as he has been made out to seem and is perhaps more aware than most people. He has come to anticipate the negative repercussions that significant social change can have on vulnerable minorities, such as Hazaras. He could also be aware of the Taliban's extremist approach to Islam that condemns members of a minority such as himself, hence his sobriety.

'Hassan taught him to read and write - his son was not going to grow up illiterate like he had.'

Hassan is fighting against convention by teaching his son how to read; he is trying to prevent the continuation of oppression and discrimination against Hazaras.

'And now, fifteen years after I'd buried him I was learning that Baba had been a thief. And a thief of the worst kind.

Until this point in the novel, we saw that Amir idolised Baba and feared Baba's disapproval or disappointment. But now, Amir has discovered that Baba was only human and was deeply flawed; he was always trying to prevent Amir from becoming like him.

"I feel like a tourist in my own country"

The customs and culture in Afghanistan are foreign to him now e.g. wearing a beard. He sees 'signs of poverty were everywhere' and is taken aback by this, but Amir grew up in a wealthy district and was never exposed to the impoverished side of Afghanistan.