Amir asks Hassan to run for the blue kite to keep as a trophy. Kite fighting ends up destroying the friendship between Hassan and Amir. As result of this cultural event, Amir’s relationship with his father has a temporary improvement. For a brief period of time following Amir’s triumphant win, Baba starts spending more time with Amir. Hassan runs the final blue kite for Amir, which Amir describes as his “key to Baba’s heart” (71).
The next part of the tournament, running for the kites, is also important. Amir says that winning the competition was “the single greatest moment of my twelve years of life, seeing Baba on that roof, proud of me at last” (66). Kite fighting is aggressive, merciless, and the winners gain a triumphant, honorable reputation thus, this important cultural event helps Amir win Baba’s favor. This tense father-son relationship is an ongoing plight of Amir’s, but it sees a temporary yet drastic improvement after Amir wins the tournament. It’s like… If I hadn’t seen the doctor pull him out of my wife with my own eyes, I’d never believe he was my son” (Hosseini 23). But something about Amir troubles me in a way I can’t express. Before the tournament, Baba says in private that Amir “needs someone who understands him, because god knows I don’t. Amir seeks to win this tournament in hopes of earning the respect of his father, who views him as overly passive and defenseless. The highlight of this cultural tradition is the kite fighting tournament, and the last kite captured is an honorary trophy. Using strings coated in glass, kites fly high trying to cut each other. In Kabul, schools close in the winter and the boys fly kites in their spare time. Kite fighting is a key cultural element of The Kite Runner that temporarily yet drastically improves the relationship between Amir and his father, Baba. Finally, ethnic tensions and discrimination within the Afghan culture against Hazara people cause problems for Hassan and Ali but also Baba’s internal strife over his Hazara son. Honor, another centerpiece of Afghan culture, influences the decisions of the book’s characters. Kite fighting is a characteristic of Afghan culture that affects relationships in the novel. Afghan culture is the driving force behind the plot and character’s decisions in The Kite Runner. This includes Arabic dialogue, but also the actual storyline and character development. The book explores many aspects of Afghan culture, a strong part of Hosseini’s background, which influences his writing. The Kite Runner takes place predominantly in Afghanistan, but scenes in America highlight the Afghan-American community.
The book follows Amir’s life, showing the problems that arise due to guilt over his turbulent past. His best friend, Hassan, is their servant. He lives in an affluent neighborhood in Kabul with his father, Baba. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is the story of a young boy, Amir. Afghanistan translates to “Land of the Afghans” and is a nation with a strong culture, including diverse subcultures and Islamic traditions.
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