Kite Runner Unit

THE KITE RUNNER
by Khaled Hosseini
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
NOVEL ESSENTIALS
 Key Devices.……………………………………………………………………………….…………………………..… 5
 Instructional Objectives.……………………………………………………………………...……...……………….… 5
 Important Words and Phrases…………………………………………………………………………………….…… 6
 Character List with Pronunciations………………………………………………………...…………………..……… 8
 Amir’s Journey in Google Maps and Directions ……………………………………………………………………… 9
 Amir’s Journey in Google Maps and Directions Answer Keys ……………………………………………………... 12
ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS
 Chapter One and Two Questions ………………………….……………………………….…………………...…… 31
 Chapter Three-Five Questions…………………………………………………………………………………..……. 35
 Chapter Six-Eight Questions……………..……………………………………………………......................……… 40
 Chapter Nine and Ten Questions……………………………………………………………………….…….……… 44
 Chapters Eleven-Thirteen……………………………………………………………………………………………… 48
 Chapter Fourteen and Fifteen Questions………………….………………………………………………………… 52
 Chapter Sixteen and Seventeen Questions………….……………………………………………………………… 55
 Chapter Eighteen and Nineteen Questions….….…………………………………………………………………… 58
 Chapter Twenty and Twenty-One Questions…..………….………………………………………………………… 61
 Chapter Twenty-Two to Twenty-Five Questions……………………………….…………………………………… 65
 Chapters One to Twenty-Five Answer Keys……………………..………………………………………………….. 70
CHAPTER QUIZZES
 Chapter One-Eight Questions ……………………………………….……………………………………….….…… 80
 Chapter Nine-Seventeen Questions…………………….…………………………………………………………… 81
 Chapter Eighteen to Twenty-Five Questions………………...……………………………………….……...……… 82
 Chapter Quizzes Answer Keys……………………………………………………………………………………….. 84
FOCUSED ACTIVITIES
 Figurative Language: “Picture Making” Phrases……….………………………………………………………….... 85
 Foil Characters…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 87
 Syntax: Fragments, Short Sentences, Run-On Sentences, Long Sentences.………………………………...… 88
 Syntax: Parallel Structure…….………………………………………………………………………………..……… 90
 Writing about a Significant Passage……….……………………………………….…………………….………..… 92
 Psychiatric Evaluation of Amir…………………………………...………………………………………..……..…… 94
 Psychiatric Report……………………………………….………………………………………………………....…... 96
 Transformation Through Communication………………………………………………………………….…...…… 98
 Symbols…………………………………………………….………………………………...…………………….…… 99
 Song Connection: “Sometimes” by James…………………………………………………………………………. 103
 Focused Activities Answer Keys…………………………………………..……….….………………..……….....… 105
TEST ITEMS
 Characters Multiple-Choice Questions…………………………………………….....................................……..… 113
 Plot, Analysis, and Passages Multiple Choice………………….………………………..………………………...… 114
 Passages with Multiple-Choice Questions (Advanced Placement format)…………………………….……..…... 116
 Test Items Answer Keys………………………………………………………………………………………...…...…. 119
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
 Reader-Response Essay: Quote……………………………………………………………………………………..... 120
 Archetype Essay: The Hero’s Journey Essay Outline: Formula Essay ………………….……………………..… 121
 Advanced Placement Essay Style Prompts………………………………………….......................................…… 125
 Advanced Placement Style Essay Evaluation Rubric………………………………………....................………… 126
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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INTRODUCTION
USING THE MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
In our technological age students read frequently short excerpts such as emails, text messaging, and blogging. They have
become accustomed to skimming over information instead of reading the material closely. The materials in this unit have
been designed to help the students “slow down” and pay attention to the written language and then process the information.
They not only learn about the work, but they will examine the author’s skillful use of the written language and explore his or
her purpose. The unit includes guided reading questions and materials that evaluate the students’ comprehension of the
work. In addition, the materials help the student examine syntactical structure of sentences, paragraphs, and lines of various
works. This close reading experience will help the students improve their reading ability and analytical skills. Students do not
just learn about the work, but they are learning the application of the skills.
The handouts are designed to accommodate group work, independent study, and class discussions. For all the materials, it
is recommended that you complete the first item on each handout with the students and share the suggested answer. This
practice provides the students with clear expectations by modeling an example of an answer.
Objectives: The objectives you choose will depend upon how you teach the work using the materials. There are a variety of
prewritten objectives to choose from in order to cover all teaching styles and methods. The objectives are designed
based on most standardized and Advanced Placement Literature and Language tests.
Activity Guide Questions: Each Activity Guide Questions handout includes these categories: Comprehension, Application,
Analysis/Synthesis, Universal Theme, Reader-Response and Across the Curriculum/Subject Connection. The
Comprehension, Application, Analysis/Synthesis, and Universal Theme questions are designed based on Bloom’s
cognitive levels. The Reader-Response questions could be used for timed and journal writing.
Each Activity Guide Questions handout has interdisciplinary suggested topics which could be used as a research
component of this unit. It is recommended that these topics be given to the students before reading the work. As each
section of the work is discussed in class, the students who have been assigned that specific section could present the
information to the rest of the class. This research opportunity gives the students a chance to incorporate technology into
the classroom.
Focused Activities: The Focused Activities handouts can be used with the Activity Guide questions or as separate
assignments. These focused activities are an extension of the questions used in the Activity Guide handouts for skills
reinforcement. You will find that some questions will be similar to those on the Activity Guide Questions handout. The
purpose for repeating some questions is to give the students a familiar question that will help guide them as they answer
the new questions. These handouts work well as group work activities.
Tests and Quizzes: There are different levels of tests and quizzes. The quizzes are designed to test the students’
comprehension of the work and basic literary devices. The quizzes are based on the Activity Guide Questions handouts.
These quizzes could also be used as reading checks. The multiple-choice tests assess both comprehension and
application of basic skills. The passage test has the same format and question design as the Advanced Placement
Literature and Language tests.
Essays: There are three levels of writing assignments. The Activity Guide Questions handouts and the Focused Activities
handouts will assist in developing the knowledge and skills the students will need in order to write the essays. The first
level essay is a Reader-Response paragraph writing assignment. There is at least one of these writing assignments on
every Activity Guide Questions handout. Another first level writing assignment is the Reader-Response writing
assignment; the students are asked to respond to a quote or a key idea in connection to the work. Although this essay is
a personal reflection, there are guided questions that the student will use in order to make specific connections to the
work.
The Formula essay prompt gives suggestions for the organization of each body paragraph in connection with a given
theme. This essay gives the students more guidance in organizing their essays than the Advanced Placement essay
prompts.

The Advanced Placement style essay prompts are designed with the same structure as the Advanced Placement Free-
Response essay prompt on the AP tests. These essays are more challenging for the students because the prompts do
not give specific instructions for developing the essay and the students must develop their own overall meaning of the
work. It is recommended that the students write their essays within a 45 minute period in class. The practice of writing
within a timed framework will help them with standardized tests that include timed essays.
ABOUT THE WORK AND AUTHOR
Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan in 1965. He is the oldest of five children. His father was a diplomat who was
granted political asylum by the United States in 1980. He graduated from UC San Diego School of Medicine. Hosseini
currently lives with his wife and two children in California.
The Kite Runner is Hosseini’s first novel. The story takes place in the Afghanistan during in the late 1900s into the 2000s.
This novel’s title refers to the Afghan custom of competing with kites known as “Kite Fighting.” The title is referencing
Hassan, Amir’s servant and childhood friend who was the kite runner for him when he flew kites as a boy. After living in
California for many years, Amir receives a phone call from a friend of his that tells him that he can be “good again.” Amir has
been haunted by a tragic event from the winter of 1975 that forever changed Hassan and his relationship with him. Amir
must return to Afghanistan and confront his past and find forgiveness.

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES
KEY DEVICES
 allusion  foil  personification
 analogy  hero cycle  simile
 archetype  irony  symbolism
 characterization  juxtaposition  syntax
 cliché  metaphor  theme
 diction  parallel structure
READING OBJECTIVES
 broaden understanding of the role of minor characters
 achieve better understanding of foil characters
 explore how literary allusions enhance characterization and theme
 identify direct and indirect characterization
 build an interpretation of a whole text, recognizing links between themes and characters
 read critically to develop original interpretations of a work
 read a literary work analytically, seeing the relationship between form and content
 respond to literature by describing and analyzing its stylistic features such as parallel structure
 analyze, compare and contrast ideas, viewpoints, and themes, within a work
 use supporting points with precise evidence and commentary
 identify and explain the significance of the essential literary elements of novels: character, setting, plot, theme, tone,
point of view
 identify figurative language devices used by the author in a work
 examine how writers use figurative language, symbolism, and diction to shape meaning
 analyze how writers shape meaning through a range of organization and syntax
 explore language variation and development according to time, place, culture, and society
 evaluate the ways in which ideas, viewpoints, and themes in a work may be interpreted differently according to the
perspective of the reader
WRITING OBJECTIVES
 engage in formal writing assignments that require utilization of all stages of the writing process
 revise writing for clarity and depth of content
 respond in discussions and in writing, using personal, literal, and interpretative stances, to works of fiction and/or
non-fiction
 communicate through writing using precise language
 write as a method of discovering and clarifying ideas
 use a wide-ranging vocabulary used appropriately and effectively
 establish a convincing viewpoint by drawing on a repertoire of techniques to shape the reader's response
 participate in discussions and writing which demonstrates an understanding of diverse cultural perspectives
 create a range of paragraph structures to convey ideas and achieve particular literary effects
 write complex analytical essays, maintaining accuracy and deploying a range of grammatical conventions
appropriately
 make conscious and purposeful adaptations to grammar for specific effect
 engage in informal writing assignments: reader response, focused freewriting, response journals
 use technology to access information, organize ideas, and develop writing
SPEAKING AND LISTENING OBJECTIVES

 ask and answer questions logically and effectively.
 discuss critically and constructively in oral exchanges of ideas: class discussions, peer group assignments, panel
discussions
 confer with peers about given topics/activities
 offer constructive feedback to peers
 deliver a clear, coherent oral presentation concentrating on subject, purpose, and audience
 identify major concepts and ideas in speeches, discussions, audio and video presentations
 create planned oral presentations
 demonstrate a mastery of a wide range of research and note-taking skills

THE KITE RUNNER
IMPORTANT WORDS AND PHRASES
AGHA: great nobleman, commander, signifies respect
AHMAQ: Foolish, stupid, awkward; a

greater or the greatest fool
AL HAMDULLELLAH: thanks to God
AWROUSSI: wedding ceremony
BABALU: boogeyman
BAKHSHESH: forgiveness
BOBORESH: word meaning “cut him!” Islam do not have divine characteristics and people and
objects are not “holy,” Islam believes that there have
BURQA: women’s outer garment that covers them from been five major prophets: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus,
head to toe, including the face. and Muhammad who refined and restated God’s
message.
BABA: father, often used as a proper name or as a
familiar form of address A trader from Mecca named Mohammed, who lived
around 570-632, was visited by the angel Gabriel who
BACHEM: “my child” relayed the God’s message to him for over a period of 23
years. Because Muhammad was illiterate, his followers
BALAY: yes memorized the teachings and wrote them down to create
Islam’s dominant scripture, the Qur’an.
BAS: no more, enough
HADIA: gift
BIA: to take along, conduct
JAI-NAMAZ: prayer rug
BISMILLAH: in the name of God
JAN: a word of endearment
BIWA: widow KALASHNIKOV: a type of Russian rifle or machine gun
CHARKA GIR: person in charge of the holding the wooden KAMYAB: unique, rare
kite spool in Kite Flying tournaments
KASSEEF: filthy
CHILAS: wedding rings
KHAN: used like “mister” when placed after the name of a
CHAI: tea person
DIL: heart, mind, soul KHANUM: lady; Mrs.
DOSTET DARUM: “I love you” KHASTA: wounded; sick
GHAZAL: love song or poem KHASTEGARS: suitors
GUDIPARAN BAZ: person who controls the movement of KHODA HAFEZ: “good-bye”
the kite in the air in Kite Flying tournaments
KHOSHTEEP: handsome
GUDIPARAN BAZI: kite-running
KOMAK: help
ISLAM: the third monotheistic religion, is the name of the
religion; Muslim refers to its followers. The literal
LAAF: boasting; self-praise; one who exaggerates
translation of the word "Islam" is "peace.” The Mosque is
their place of worship. Although the religious leaders of

LAFZ: tone of voice QAWALI: Sufi devotional music
LOTFAN: “please” QIYAMAT: the resurrection, last day (judgment day)
MAGHBOOL: beautiful QU'RAN (KORAN) : The Qu'ran is God’s message for the
proper way to live. It contains much of the basic
MARD: hero, brave, bold information told in the Bible's Old Testament and in the
Torah. However it updates and expands the Old and New
MAREEZ: sick Testaments by giving additional information.
Five basic beliefs:

MAST: drunk; intoxicated
 There is only one god, Allah; Allah is the
Arabic word for “god.” Allah is the same
MOALEM: teacher supreme, figure worshipped by Christians
and Jews. Islam does not have an initiation
MOHTARAM: respected ceremony into the religion; Muslims worship
God directly.
MOZAHEM: intruder  Muhammad was a prophet as well as the
others before him: Noah, Abraham, Moses,
MOFTAKHIR: proud Jesus
 God’s justice
MUJAHEDEEN: someone who actively fights for Islam  Belief in the Imams (Apostles) of God. This is
a Shi'ite belief.
 There is a Day of Judgment
MULLAH: Islamic clergy
QUWAT: powers, forces
MUSLIM DUTIES:
1. Sullah: pray five times a day (morning, noon,
RAFIQS: comrade
afternoon, sunset and evening). Using words and
the whole body performs the ritual. Muslims raise
their hands and say, "Allahu Akbar," which ROUSSI: Russians
translates as "God is the greatest." As they recite
verses from the Qu'ran, they then bend with hands SAHIB: friend; courtesy title similar to “sir”
on knees, kneel with hands on thighs and finally
bow their heads to touch the floor. An Imam may SARATAN: cancer
sometimes lead the service.
2. Hajj: make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in their SALAAM: “hello”
lifetime (if physically and financially able)
3. Saum: fast during the month of Ramadan
SHAHBAS: “bravo!”
4. Zakat: give to the poor and sick. Muslims pay a
specified amount of money (2.5 percent of one's
income each year) to help the poor and the sick. SPASSEBA: Russian for “thank you”
The money does not go to the mosque or Islamic
leaders. TALIBAN: Islamic fundamentalist political movement. Held
5. Jihad: strive in the way of God power in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 by enforcing a
strict interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law.
NAAN: round flatbread
TANDOOR: traditional oven for bread making
NAH-KAM: doomed to wallow in failure
TANHAII: alone
NAMOOS: pride, dignity
TASHAKOR: “thank you”
NANG: honor, reputation
TASHWEESH: nervousness
NAZAR: looking at, beholding; seeing, gazing upon
TASSALI: condolences
NOOR: light
WAH WAH: “admirable”
PANJPAR: card game
WATAN: native country, home possessions
PARCHAMI: communist
ZENDAGI MIGZARA: “life goes on”
PARI: fairy, angel

THE KITE RUNNER
CHARACTER LIST
ALI (AH-lee): Hassan’s father; servant to Baba and Amir
AMIR (AH-meer): main character and narrator of The Kite Runner
ASSEF (AH-sef): Pashtun boy who bullies Amir and Hassan, becomes a leader in the Taliban
BABA (baw-baw): Amir’s father. He is described as “a force of nature” or “a bear of a man.”
DR. FARUQI (fa-ROO-ka): Amir’s doctor in Peshawar
GENERAL IQBAL TAHERI (IG-bawl TAH-hair-REE): Soraya’s father, a decorated general in Kabul who worked for the Ministry
of Defense
GHOLAN (GO-lawn): taxicab driver in Peshawar
FARID (Fah-REED): taxicab driver
HASSAN (HA-sahn): Servant and friend to Amir. He is a Hazara, a minority group in Afghanistan
KAMAL (kuh-maul): boy who dies trying to escape in a fuel tank
KHALA JAMILA (ha-lah jah-MEE-la): Soraya’s mother
MR. NGUYEN (winn): Grocery store owner who loves in the United States
OMAR FAISAL (O-mar FI-sal): immigration lawyer
RAHIM KHAN (RAW-heem HON): Baba’s friend and business partner. He is a mentor to Amir and offers him a way to “be
good” again
SOHRAB: (so-RAWB): son of Hassan
SORAYA TAHERI (so-raw-YAH TAH-hair-REE): Amir’s wife
SANAUBAR (sah-NU-bar): Hassan’s mother
ZAMAN (ZA-man): director of the orphanage

Name ____________________________
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

AMIR’S JOURNEY IN GOOGLE MAPS AND DIRECTIONS
PART A
Directions: Find a map of the Middle East and write the countries and bodies of water listed below on the map provided.
 Arabian Sea  Iraq  Saudi Arabia

 Armenia  Kazakhstan  Syria
 Azerbaijan  Kuwait  Tajikistan
 Bahrain  Kyrgyzstan  Turkey
 Black Sea  Nepal  Turkmenistan
 Caspian Sea  Oman  Turkmenistan
 China  Pakistan  U.A.E
 Georgia  Persian Gulf  Uzbekistan
 India  Qatar
 Iran  Russia

PART B
There are three portions of the novel when Amir gives specific locations. One of those moments is when he discusses the
path that he and Baba take when they are searching for used goods for the flea market. The second moment, which is one
of the most important, is when Amir leaves San Francisco and travels to Pakistan to meet Rahim Khan. The third moment is
when Amir must go to Afghanistan to find someone. This activity will help you become familiar with key places, distances,
and travel time of each of Amir’s journeys.
Directions: The directions for creating Google Maps and Directions are provided below. Following the Google instructions
are the locations for Amir’s three journeys. Use the Google directions for each of the journeys.
GOOGLE MAP AND DIRECTIONS INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1: Log on to the internet and type “google.com/maps”
STEP 2: Click directions icon
STEP 1: Type locations that are provided and choose the mode of transportation
STEP 2: Click “+” to choose new location (make sure you type the locations in the order as they are
presented)
STEP 3: When you are finished with all the location, choose the Details icon
STEP 4: Choose Print icon
STEP 5: Choose “print including maps”
STEP 6: Type your name
STEP 7: Save as a PDF or print your document

JOURNEY ONE: USED GOODS FOR FLEA MARKET ROUTE (mode of transportation is CAR)
 Freemont
 Union City
 Newark
 Hayward
 San Jose
 Milpitas
 Sunnyvale
 Campbell
 Freemont
JOURNEY TWO: AMIR TRAVELS FROM CALIFORNIA TO MEET WITH RAHIM KHAN (mode of transportation is PLANE)
The locations are in bold:
 Amir receives a phone call from Rahim Khan and leaves San Francisco, California
 Amir lands in Peshawar Pakistan
JOURNEY THREE: AMIR LEAVES PAKISTAN TO GO TO AFGHANISTAN TO FIND SOMEONE (mode of transportation is CAR)
The locations are in bold:
 Amir begins his journey in Peshawar, Pakistan

 Amir travels on the Khyber Pass and enters the Torkham Border Crossing to Jalalabad, Afghanistan
 Amir leaves Jalalabad for Kabul, Afghanistan
 Once in Kabul he passes Pashtunistan Square, Ebn-e-Sina Rd, Kabul, Afghanistan
 From Pashtonistan Square Amir heads to the Ghazi Stadium Kabul, Afghanistan
 Amir leaves the Ghazi stadium for Wazir Akbar Khan, Kabul, Afghanistan
AMIR’S JOURNEY IN GOOGLE MAPS AND DIRECTIONS ANSWER KEYS

JOURNEY ONE: USED GOODS FOR FLEA MARKET ROUTE (mode of transportation is CAR)

JOURNEY TWO: AMIR TRAVELS FROM CALIFORNIA TO MEET WITH RAHIM KHAN (mode of transportation is PLANE)

JOURNEY THREE: AMIR LEAVES PAKISTAN TO GO TO AFGHANISTAN TO FIND SOMEONE (mode of transportation is CAR)

Name ____________________________
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

CHAPTERS ONE AND TWO ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS
Directions: Read Chapters One and Two and answer the questions below in complete sentences.
KNOWLEDGE
1. What is the date of Chapter One?
2. How old is the narrator in Chapter One?
3. Where is the narrator currently living?
4. Who is the first person that Amir mentions in Chapter Two?
5. Baba and his friends frequently talked about which three

subjects?
1. __________________________________
2. __________________________________
3. __________________________________
APPLICATION
6. What does Amir think about after Rahim Khan’s phone call?
7. What does Amir’s statement reveal about his relationship with Hassan: “Hassan never wanted to but if I asked really
asked he wouldn’t deny me. Hassan never denied me anything”?
8. What does the stress on the word always suggest about Amir’s relationship with his father: “He’d close the door, leave
me to wonder why it was always grown-ups’ time with him”?

9. On page 5 Amir describes his home, and specifically, the pictures. Describe each photograph:
Photograph 1: ___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Photograph 2: ___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Photograph 3: ___________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
10. What was Hassan’s first word? _______________________ What was Amir’s first word? _______________________
Write the last sentence of Chapter Two:
Write first sentence from Chapter One:
Based on your answers above, what do you think Amir means by the last statement in Chapter Two?
ANALYSIS/SYNTHESIS
SYMBOLISM AND DICTION Symbolism (Greek, `to throw

together') - symbols-like
11. According to the scholar Joseph Campbell winter symbolizes “cold, despair, metaphors, similes, personification,
loneliness, emptiness.” For the hero this season symbolizes his or her literal and allusions-are a type of
or symbolic death. This is a time of introversion and contemplation. List all figurative language. Symbols must
the key adjectives from the first paragraph of Chapter One: be something material or visible
such as colors, objects, animals,
“I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in people, and places, while the idea
it symbolizes must be something
the winter of 1975. I remember the precise moment, crouching behind a
abstract or universal.
crumbling mud wall, peeking into the alley near the frozen creek. That was a
long time ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about Diction is the author’s choice and
use of words.
how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out. Looking back now, I
realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six
years.”
What does the symbolism of winter and Amir’s diction suggest about the event that the narrator is recalling from his
past?

Paragraph one references another season. According to According to the scholar Joseph Campbell summer symbolizes
“warmth, joviality, joy, ease, fullness.” For the hero this season symbolizes the peak of his or her power. This is a time
to be outwardly expressive.
By setting the scene at the end of summer, what is the author suggesting about the man character’s current situation
compared to the Winter of 1975?
SYMBOLISM AND OBJECTS

Symbolism (Greek, `to throw
12. Mirrors symbolize “imagination, consciousness, self-contemplation, reflection metaphors, similes, personification,
of the universe, mythic door-soul frees itself by ‘passing’ to the other side.” A and allusions-are a type of
distorted image or mirror used in a destructive way symbolizes “self- figurative language. Symbols must
deception.” Read the passage and examine how the mirror is used in this be something material or visible
passage: such as colors, objects, animals,
people, and places, while the idea
When we were children, Hassan and I used to climb the popular trees in it symbolizes must be something
the driveway of my father’s house and annoy our neighbors by reflecting abstract or universal.
sunlight into their homes with a shard of mirror. We would sit across from
each other on a pair of high branches, our naked feet dangling, our trouser pockets filled with dried mulberries and
walnuts. We took turns with the mirror as we ate mulberries, pelted each other with them, giggling, laughing…
Sometimes up in those trees, I talked Hassan into firing walnuts with his slingshot at the neighbor’s one-eyed German
Shephard. Hassan never wanted to, but if I asked, really asked, he wouldn’t deny me. Hassan never denied me
anything…He [Ali] would take the mirror and tell us what his mother had told him, that the devil shone mirrors too,
shone them to distract Muslims during prayer.”
Based on the symbolism of the mirror and the context it is used, what is being inferred about Amir and Hassan’s
relationship?
PERSONIFICATION AND DICTION Personification is a type of

figurative language. The use of
13. There are many examples of figurative language in the novel. When an personification is when an
author uses figurative language, the diction can be just as important. inanimate object is given the
Examine the passage below: characteristics as being a living
person or animal.
“That was a long time ago but it’s wrong what they say about the past,
I‘ve learned about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way
out.” Diction is the author’s choice and
use of words.
Which inanimate object is being personified in this passage and how is this
figurative device used to show how the narrator feels about his past? How
does diction enhance the meaning of Amir’s feelings?

UNIVERSAL THEME
14. There are many subjects in this novel. One subject that is frequently explored is the importance of family, and
specifically brotherhood. Although Hassan and Ali are Baba’s servants, there is obviously a close relationship between
Amir and Hassan. How do Hassan and Amir act like brothers? What message is the author trying to convey through
their close relationship?
READER-RESPONSE/PERSONAL CONNECTION
Directions: Read the response questions below, choose one, and write one paragraph in the space provided.
 What can one do to be “good again”?

 Amir’s mother died while giving birth to him. Do you think that Amir carries the guilt and burden of her death?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
____________
ACROSS THE CURRICULUM/SUBJECT CONNECTION (Suggestion for further study)
History Describe other events in history when the minority group/s are believed to be left out of textbooks

Name ____________________________
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

CHAPTERS THREE-FIVE ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS
Directions: Read Chapters Three-Five and answer the questions below in complete sentences.
KNOWLEDGE
1. What is Baba’s famous nickname?
2. In Chapter Three what group do Amir and Baba see while they are fishing?
3. According to Baba, what is the “one sin”?
4. Who has surgery? ______________ Who is the first person to whom Hassan speaks and what does he say?
____________________________________________________________
5. Who was one of Baba’s childhood playmates?
6. What was the first Western Amir and Hassan saw together? Who was the star of this first film?
7. In Chapter Four what message do Hassan and Amir carve into the Pomegranate tree near the entrance of the
cemetery?
8. Write Baba’s exact words responding to Amir’ about his first story (page 31):
9. At the beginning of Chapter Five, what “roared like thunder”?
10. What clinical term does Amir refer to Assef? What is the definition of this term?
APPLICATION
11. Review Chapter Three and list three passages that reflect Amir’s attempts to receive his father approval from Baba:
1.
2.
3.

12. Find three passages about Baba in Chapter Three. The passages should reflect the personality traits that are listed
below:
CONTROLLING: ___________________________________________________________________________________
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GREAT PRESENCE:
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POWERFUL: ______________________________________________________________________________________
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13. Summarize the story of “Rostram and Sohrab? Who is the character Sohrab?
14. List key differences between Amir and Baba:
Amir Baba
ANALYSIS/SYNTHESIS
The word character derives from
CHARACTERIZATION AND FOIL the Greek verb charassein,
meaning to mark with a cut.
Characterization is the method
15. In the novel there are characters who act as foils to other characters.
used by an author to develop a
character. When an author
Which character acts as a foil to Amir? Explain how this character is a foil.
introduces the reader to the
characters within the work, he or
she has two choices: to use direct
.
and indirect characterization.
A foil is defined as a character

Which character acts as a foil to Baba? Explain how this character is a foil. who serves as a contrast to
another character (usually the
protagonist), so as to point out
specific traits of the primary
character.

JUXTAPOSITION AND CHARACTERIZATION Juxtaposition is the act of placing
16. On page 23 Amir recalls the time when he was listening to his father talk to close together or side by side, in
Rahim Khan about him when he was born: “If I hadn’t seen the doctor pull him out order to compare or contrast
of my wife with my own eyes, I’d never believe he’s my son.” The very next event specific objects, images, plot
Amir talks about is when Amir has his “mean streak” against Hassan by telling details, characters, themes et
him to mind his own business. What connection is the author making by certera.
juxtaposing these two scenes?
the Greek verb charassein,
PSYCHOLOGY AND CHARACTERIZATION

Sigmund Freud and Defense Mechanisms: Freud used three psychic zones describe
the components of human personality: id, the ego, and the superego. The id, the
pleasure principle, is the part of the personality that wants instant gratification without the
consequences. The superego is known as the morality principle. The superego is the
human conscience. The ego is the reality principle that maintains a balance between the
id and superego. The ego is that conscious part that acts as mediator between the
instinctual drives of the unconscious id and the social environment.
According to Freud, the ego has developed defense mechanisms, to cover for the wild
demands of the id, which would rarely be socially acceptable. Although there are many
defense mechanisms, Displacement is prevalent in the novel. Displacement is defined as
“reassignment of some kind of aggression to a scapegoat to relieve the tension of a situation
or feeling.”
17. On page 28 Amir is cruel to Hassan and teases him because he can’t read. Read the passage beginning with “My
favorite” until the end “harmless prank.” Based on Freud’s theory of Displacement, why is Amir being so cruel to
Hassan? How has Hassan become a scapegoat? Make a connection to the events on page 23.

SYNTAX AND PARALLEL STRUCTURE Syntax originates from the Greek
words uυν meaning "together" and
Read the passage below and underline the key words and phrases that show parallel taxis meaning "sequence, order,
structure: arrangement." Syntax refers to
grammatical order of words and
Never mind any of those things. Because history isn’t so easy to overcome. sentence structure. The
arrangement of words and phrases
Neither is religion. In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I was may be shifted to create emphasis,
a Sunni and he was a Shi’a, and nothing was ever going to change that. make a connection between two
words, or suggest emotional
Nothing. But we were kids who had learned to crawl together, and no implications.
history, ethnicity, society, or religion was going to change that either. I
spent most of the first twelve years of my life playing with Hassan. (page Parallel structure in sentences
involves using the same pattern of
25) words, phrases, or clauses to show
that two or more ideas have the
18. How does the parallel structure in this passage enhance the possible same level of importance.
conflicts between Amir and Hassan? (Make sure you use key words and
phrases in your answer and use quotation marks around them)
SYMBOLISM AND CHARACTERIZATION Symbolism (Greek, `to throw

metaphors, similes, personification,
19. What does the bear that Baba fights symbolize in Chapter Three: “Lore has it and allusions-are a type of
my father once wrestled a black bear in Baluchistan with his bare hands. If figurative language. Symbols must
the story had been about anyone else, it would have been dismissed as laaf, be something material or visible
that Afghan tendency to exaggerate – sadly, almost a national affliction; if such as colors, objects, animals,
someone bragged that his son was a doctor, chances were the kid had once people, and places, while the idea
passed a biology test in high school. But no one ever doubted the veracity of it symbolizes must be something
any story about Baba. And if they did, well, Baba did have those three abstract or universal.
parallel scars coursing a jagged path down his back. I have imagined Baba's
wrestling match countless times, even dreamed about it. And in those
dreams, I can never tell Baba from the bear.”? The word character derives from

UNIVERSAL THEME
20. Baba says, "A boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up to anything.” When Baba is
making this statement, he is foreshadowing a tragic event that will haunt Amir into adulthood. What does Baba mean by
this statement and how does it connect to Chapter One?
Directions: Read the response question below and write one paragraph in the space provided.
 What does Rahim Khan mean when he says, “Children aren’t coloring books. You don’t get to fill them with your favorite
colors.” Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? Explain.
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History Research the political and cultural differences between the Pashtuns and Hazaras
Religion Research the religious beliefs of the Sunni and the Shi’a
Psychology Find current theories about sociopathic behavior and treatment

Name ____________________________
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

CHAPTERS SIX-EIGHT ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS
Directions: Read Chapters Six-Eight and answer the questions below in complete sentences.
KNOWLEDGE
1. In Chapter Six what event happens in winter that helps the “chill” between
Baba and Amir “thaw a little”?
2. In Chapter Eight what book does Assef give Amir for his birthday?
3. Briefly describe the kite flying competition and the act of kite running:
4. Who are the three boys in the alley that trap Hassan?
APPLICATION
5. What is the first word of Chapter Six? _____________________ What is the significance of the one word punctuated
with a period (relate back to Chapter One)?
6. What does Amir like about winter? List key phrases.
7. What does Hassan do that demonstrates that he is a phenomenal kite runner?

8. After the tragic incident in the alley, how has Hassan changed (Chapter Eight)?
9. How does Amir react to Hassan’s different behavior? List four specific examples.
1. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
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2. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
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3. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
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4. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
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10. At the end of Chapter Eight, Amir witnesses a disturbing scene. Describe the scene and explain why it is disturbing.
ANALYSIS/SYNTHESIS
PSYCHOLOGY AND DREAMS
Sigmund Freud and Defense Mechanisms: Freud used three psychic zones describe the
components of human personality: id, the ego, and the superego. The id, the pleasure
principle, is the part of the personality that wants instant gratification without the
consequences. The superego is known as the morality principle. The superego is the
human conscience. The ego is the reality principle that maintains a balance between the id
and superego. The ego is that conscious part that acts as mediator between the instinctual
drives of the unconscious id and the social environment.
According to Freud, the ego has developed defense mechanisms, to cover for the wild
demands of the id, which would rarely be socially acceptable. One of the defense mechanisms
is referred to as Denial. Denial is defined as “having a conscious awareness at some level, but
denies the reality of the experience by pretending it is not there.”
11. Hassan has a dream which is mentioned in Chapters Seven and Eight. Describe Hassan’s dream. Based on what you
know about Sigmund Freud’s dream theory, why do you think Hassan has this dream? What conclusion does Amir
come to about his role in the dream?

PSYCHOLOGY AND CHARACTERIZATION The word character derives from
Another of Freud’s Defense Mechanisms is Displacement. Displacement is meaning to mark with a cut.
defined as “reassignment of some kind of aggression to a scapegoat to relieve the Characterization is the method
tension of a situation or feeling.” used by an author to develop a
12. What is significant about the Amir’s statement, “He was so goddamn pure, introduces the reader to the
you always felt like a phony around him”? Use Sigmund Freud’s theory of characters within the work, he or
displacement to answer the question. she has two choices: to use direct
CHARACTERIZATION AND SYMBOLISM Symbolism (Greek, `to throw

13. On page 76 what does the sheep symbolize in Chapter Seven? Why does metaphors, similes, personification,
Amir recall the sheep’s slaughter during Hassan’s assault? and allusions-are a type of
figurative language. Symbols must
be something material or visible
UNIVERSAL THEME
14. On page 67 Hassan tells Amir, “’For you a thousand times over’”? What is the context of this statement? At the end of
this paragraph, there is the statement about this comment. Explain how this statement demonstrates foreshadowing.

 Why doesn’t Amir tell anybody about what happened to Hassan in the alley?
 Why does Amir want Hassan to hit him back with the pomegranate?
 Why do you think Amir cries at the end of Chapter Seven when his father hugs him?
 What is the difference between a memory and a dream?
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Geography Research the climate in Afghanistan. Include details such as snow and rain fall, seasons, and average
temperatures
Culture/History Research the history behind the kite flying tournaments and the invention of kites

Name ____________________________
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

CHAPTERS NINE AND TEN ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS
Directions: Read Chapters Nine and Ten and answer the questions below in complete sentences.
KNOWLEDGE
1. In Chapter Nine, Amir receives which two birthday gifts from

Baba?
2. When Amir says, “One of us has to go,” what is he referring to?
3. What does Amir do to Hassan in order for “one of [them]” to “go”?
4. What birthday gift does Hassan give Amir?
5. What does Baba say after he learns of Hassan’s theft?
6. In Chapter Ten how old is Amir?
7. In Chapter Ten where are Baba and Amir going?
8. Where do Amir and Baba stay while the truck is being fixed?
9. What does Kamal’s father do when his son dies?

APPLICATION
10. When Amir is grasping for air, Baba tells him to “[t]hink of something good.” Summarize in 2-3 sentences (page 122)
11. Baba stands up to the Russian soldier while he and Amir are on their way to Jalalabad. How does this scene contrast
with Amir and Hassan when Assef violates Hassan?
12. What point do you think Amir is making about his father when he points out, “Karim collapsed on the floor and rolled
around fighting for air when Baba finally let go. The room fell silent. Less than two hours ago, Baba had volunteered to
take a bullet for the honor of a woman he didn’t even know. Now he’d almost choked a man to death, would have done
it cheerfully if not for the pleas of that same woman”?
13. What is significant about Baba taking a “handful of dirt from the middle of the paved road.”
ANALYSIS/SYNTHESIS Setting is used to identify

location/s, history, geography, and
time period and to establish the
SETTING AND SYMBOLISM circumstances in which the story
takes place. For example, the
14. When Hassan and Ali are leaving, describe the weather. Where is Amir? How setting in Alice Walker’s novel The
does the weather reflect the mood of this scene? Color Purple takes place in Rural
Georgia from 1910–1940.
Symbolism (Greek, `to throw

metaphors, similes, personification,
and allusions-are a type of
be something material or visible

An allusion is a brief reference to
a famous historical or literary figure
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE AND BIBLICAL ALLUSION or event that stimulates ideas,
associations, and extra information
in the reader's mind. An allusion
In Chapter Nine Amir says that “it was all blood money: Baba would never have
may be drawn from history,
thrown me a party like that if I hadn’t won the tournament.” Amir uses the
geography, literature, or religion.
figurative language device, a Biblical allusion to describe his birthday party and
presents. Amir is alluding to the Bible and the story of Judas and his betraying
Jesus. Judas Iscariot was one of Jesus’ disciples who betrayed Jesus to the
temple authorities. They paid Judas thirty pieces of silver for his betrayal. Judas kissed Jesus so the authorities would be
able to identify him. The payment for his treacherous act is referred to as “blood money.”
15. How does this Biblical allusion enhance the conflict with Amir and Hassan’s relationship? And, Amir’s guilt?
Diction is the author’s choice and

DICTION AND CHARACTERIZATION use of words.
16. What does Amir mean when he says,

I loved him in that moment, lived him more than I’d ever loved anyone, the Greek verb charassein,
and I wanted to tell them all that I was the snake in the grass, the meaning to mark with a cut.
monster in the lake. I wasn’t worthy of this sacrifice; I was a liar, a cheat, Characterization is the method
and a thief. used by an author to develop a
What is the context and significance of this passage? Who is Amir referring introduces the reader to the
to? What does he mean by “snake in the grass” and “monster in the lake”? characters within the work, he or
How is Amir a “thief? (use key words and phrases in your answer) she has two choices: to use direct

UNIVERSAL THEME
17. Baba tells Hassan, “’I forgive you.’”? What is the context of this quote and why is it ironic?
 Should Baba have stood up to the Russian soldier who wanted to violate the young Afghan mother? Keep in mind that if
he were killed, he would have left his 18 year-old son Amir alone.
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History Research the war between Russia and Afghanistan
Art/Culture Find other great works of art, film, music that alludes to the Biblical story of Judas’s betrayal of Jesus

Name ____________________________
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

CHAPTERS ELEVEN-THIRTEEN ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS
Directions: Read Chapters Eleven-Thirteen and answer the questions below in complete sentences.
KNOWLEDGE
1. Where do Baba and Amir live in America in the 1980s?
2. According to Baba who are the “only three real men”?
3. In Chapter Eleven on page 129 Amir reveals what America meant for him and his father. Fill in the quotes below:
 “For me [Amir] America was a place to ___________________________________.”
 “For Baba, a place to ___________________________________.”
4. What do Amir and Baba celebrate in the summer of 1983?
5. On page 141 what does Baba say about Soraya’s rumored past?
6. Why does Amir envy Soraya?
7. What is Amir’s reason why he believes he will not be able to have children?
APPLICATION
8. Describe the disagreement between Mr. Nguyen and Baba and explain how this scene reflects cultural differences.
9. After Baba gives Amir the car, Amir comments, “My eyes were tearing over and I was glad for the shadows that hid our
faces.” Why is he glad for the “shadows”? (page 133)

10. On page 135, Amir says, “But I would stand my ground, I decided. I didn’t want to sacrifice for Baba anymore. The last
time I had done that, I had damned myself.” Which event is Amir referring to (connect to the winter of 1975)?
11. On page 146 when Amir approaches Soraya when she is alone, many people began to take notice, why? What is the
“double standard”?
12. In Chapter Thirteen on page 173, Baba dies. It is a very simple scene. Briefly describe the scene and discuss how his
death compares to the way he lived his life.
13. Analyze Soraya’s character. List key words and phrases.
 What does she wear? What does she look-like?
 How does she behave?
 How does she speak towards others? What does she say?
ANALYSIS/SYNTHESIS
SYMBOLISM AND ARCHETYPAL THEORY Symbolism (Greek, `to throw

According to Carl Jung water associated with the sea, ocean, river etc. has metaphors, similes, personification,
traditionally symbolized the unconscious. To dive is to probe beneath the surface and allusions-are a type of
for hidden meanings, to learn about one’s submerged desires and emotions. Amir figurative language. Symbols must
comments, “I could wade into the river, let my sins down to the bottom, let the be something material or visible
water carry me someplace far. Someplace with no ghosts, no memories, and no such as colors, objects, animals,
sins. ” people, and places, while the idea
14. What is the context of this comment? How does this passage relate to Carl abstract or universal.
Jung’s symbolic meaning of water? And, why is Amir’s reference to “wading”
important to this analysis?

LITERARY DEVICES AND SIMILE A simile is defined as a
comparison using the words like or
Underline the word or phrase that is being described in the simile. Draw parentheses as that show how two unlike things
around the word or phrase it is being compared to. are similar in one important way.
Example: Her sadness was as unending as the (waves).
Baba walked out of the welfare office like a man cured of a tumor.
15. What is the significance of this device in connection with Baba’s refusing to buy food stamps?
DICTION AND CHARACTERIZATION Diction is the author’s choice and

use of words.
Analyze Baba’s speech, in Chapter Thirteen on page 168, to General Taheri and
underline all the important words: The word character derives from
Baba cleared his own throat. When he began, he couldn't speak in complete meaning to mark with a cut.
sentences without stopping to breathe. "General Sahib, Khanum Jamila jan... Characterization is the method
it's with great humility that my son and I... have come to your home today. character. When an author
You are... honorable people... from distinguished and reputable families introduces the reader to the
and... proud lineage. I come with nothing but the utmost ihtiram... and the she has two choices: to use direct
highest regards for you, your family names, and the memory... of your and indirect characterization.
ancestors." He stopped. Caught his breath. Wiped his brow. "Amir jan is my
only son... my only child, and he has been a good son to me. I hope he
proves... worthy of your kindness. I ask that you honor Amir jan and me... and accept my son into your family.
16. What is Baba’s description of Amir? Explain how is this particular speech is poignant.

UNIVERSAL THEME
17. How is the theme that Baba’s pride and dignity has impacted him negatively being developed in Chapter Eleven?
 Soyora's father, General Taheri, comments that “people need stories to divert them at difficult times….” Do you agree
with his statement about the use for stories? Why or why not?
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Geography Find Freemont, California on a map and research the city
Literature Research Carl Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious and water symbolism

Name ____________________________
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

CHAPTERS FOURTEEN AND FIFTEEN ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS
Directions: Read Chapters Fourteen and Fifteen and answer the questions below in complete sentences.
KNOWLEDGE
1. What is the current date of Chapter Fourteen?
2. How does Chapter Fourteen connect to Chapter One?
3. Where does Amir go in order to meet Rahim Khan?
Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban.

4. Why is Amir going to see Rahim Khan?
5. What phrase does Amir recall when he goes for a walk?
6. What phrase does Amir recall while he is lying in bed?
7. Whom does Rahim Khan want to tell Amir about?
APPLICATION
8. When was the last time Amir saw Rahim Khan?
9. Why did the people in Afghanistan initially accept the Taliban?
10. According to Rahim Khan how has life become more difficult under the Taliban rule?

11. What is significant about “Afghan Town” being in Peshawar?
ANALYSIS/SYNTHESIS
SYNTAX AND REPETITION AND THEME Theme is the central and

dominating idea incorporated
12. How is Chapter One different than Chapter Fourteen for the reader? What is throughout a literary work.
significant about the repeated phrases that Amir recalls?
Syntax originates from the Greek
words uυν meaning "together" and
taxis meaning "sequence, order,
arrangement." Syntax refers to
grammatical order of words and
sentence structure. The
arrangement of words and phrases
may be shifted to create emphasis,
make a connection between two
words, or suggest emotional
implications.
CLICHÉS AND CHARACTERIZATION

13. Amir discusses clichés and how his creative writing teacher would say, “Avoid meaning to mark with a cut.
them like the plague.” He then mentions the cliché of the “elephant in the Characterization is the method
room.” What does this cliché mean? Who or what is the “elephant” that Amir is used by an author to develop a
alluding to? character. When an author
A cliche is defined as “trite or

overused expression or idea” that it
has lost its original impact and
meaning.
UNIVERSAL THEME
14. In Chapter Fourteen Amir and Soraya’s life will take a dramatic turn because Amir must face his past. Briefly describe
Amir’s decision. How can Amir find atonement for his sins?
READER-RESPONSE/PERSONAL CONNECTION QUESTION

 Why is it so important for Rahim Khan to tell Amir about Hassan?
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HISTORY Find other examples in history that are similar to the rise of the Taliban
Name ____________________________
Score ______________________

THE KITE RUNNER
CHAPTERS SIXTEEN AND SEVENTEEN ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS
Directions: Read Chapters Sixteen and Seventeen and answer the questions below in complete sentences.
KNOWLEDGE
1. Who is the narrative voice in Chapter Sixteen?
2. What is one of Rahim Khan’s reasons he goes to Hazarajat to find Hassan?
3. About how old was Hassan in 1986?
4. In early 1990 who was the woman in the sky blue burqa that knocks on their door?
5. Describe Farzana, Hassan’s wife:

Bamyan is one of the thirty-four
provinces of Afghanistan. The
majority of the population is
Hazaras.
6. What happened to Ali?
7. What is the name of Hassan’s son?
8. What happened to Hassan and his family?
9. At the end of Chapter Sixteen, Rahim tells Amir that the Talban banned which sport in 1996?
10. In 1998 what did the Taliban do to the Hazaras?
APPLICATION

11. What does Amir learn about Hassan and Baba?
ANALYSIS/SYNTHESIS
SIGNIFICANCE OF NAME AND THEME
12. What is the significance of Sohrab’s name? How can Amir’s helping Sohrab a
way for Amir to “be good again”? Theme is the central and
throughout a literary work.
PLOT AND FORESHADOWING
13. Rahim Khan gives Amir an envelope with a Polaroid photograph and folded
letter. Describe the photograph briefly (page 215). Who is in the photograph? Foreshadow indicates and/or
Connect how Amir foreshadows that he has not seen Hassan’s smile since gives a suggestion of something
the Winter of 1975 with the photograph. happening that has not yet
happened.
UNIVERSAL THEME

14. Sanaubar returns home and builds a relationship with Hassan and his family. How has she changed? What is the
significance that she asks Hassan to smile?
 Now that you know the secret regarding Hassan’s father, why do you think Rahim Khan never told Baba the truth about
Hassan’s assault and victimization?
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ACROSS THE CURRICULUM/SUBJECT CONNECTION
History Research the Taliban’s treatment of the Hazara people
Name ____________________________
Score ______________________

THE KITE RUNNER
CHAPTERS EIGHTEEN AND NINETEEN ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS
Directions: Read Chapters Eighteen and Nineteen and answer the questions below in complete sentences.
KNOWLEDGE
1. Amir feels that he was “blind” for not realizing that Hassan was Baba’s son. List the “signs” (memories) that Amir has
that helps him make the connection:
2. In addition to his own sins, whose sins does Amir think he is atoning for as well?
3. At the end of Chapter Eighteen, what does Amir decide to do?
APPLICATION
4. What is Amir’s point when he says he never wore a “garment” and “beard” when he lived in Afghanistan?
5. Farid describes Amir’s life in Afghanistan and seems resentful. What point is he making about Amir’s experience living
in Afghanistan?
6. Atonement is defined as “making amends for a wrong or injury.” Find one passage from these chapters that reflects the
need for one to find atonement. Write the passage word-for-word.

ANALYSIS/SYNTHESIS
CHARACTERIZATION AND CLICHÉ

7. Amir uses another cliché in the novel, “…like father, like son. But it was true, the Greek verb charassein,
wasn’t it? As it turned out, Baba and I were more alike than I’d ever known.” meaning to mark with a cut.
How is Amir and Baba “like father, like son”? Who are the people that they Characterization is the method
have betrayed? used by an author to develop a
A cliche is defined as “trite or

overused expression or idea” that it
has lost its original impact and
meaning.
PERSONIFICATION AND THEME

Personification is a type of
figurative language. The use of
8. On page 231 Amir gives the past human qualities. How does this use of personification is when an
personification enhance the theme of atonement? inanimate object is given the
characteristics as being a living
person or animal.
Theme is the central and

UNIVERSAL THEME
9. It is a common belief that keeping secrets can be emotionally destructive. Describe how secrets in the novel have been
destructive for Amir and how can one overcome them?

 Would Baba have survived living in Afghanistan under the Taliban rule? Why or why not?
 Amir stats that he is learning that “Baba had been a thief. And a thief of the worst kind, because the things he’d stolen
had been sacred: from me the right to know I had a brother, from Hassan his identity, and from Ali his honor.” Do you
agree with Amir? Why or why not?
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History/Culture Research acceptable clothing for males and females defined by the Taliban
Literature What are clichés? Is there an acceptable use for them?

Name ____________________________
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

CHAPTERS TWENTY AND TWENTY-ONE ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS
Directions: Read chapters Twenty and Twenty-One and answer the questions below in complete sentences.
KNOWLEDGE
1. What does Amir notice about the children sitting with the burqa-clad mothers who are begging in the streets?
2. List two reasons there are not a lot of trees:

1.
2.
3. What is the smell that makes Amir’s eyes water?
4. When Amir first sees the Taliban, why is Farid upset with him?
5. Who does the old beggar used to know?
6. List everything that Amir learns about his mother (page 250-251)
7. What does Amir see hanging near a restaurant?
8. What horrific display happens at the soccer game?
APPLICATION
9. Farid tells Amir that the “only people in Kabul who get to eat lamb now are the Taliban.” What is implied about the
Taliban from this statement?

10. The old beggar that talks to Amir quotes poetry. We learn that he used to teach at the University. What does his
situation suggest about the educators who live in Afghanistan during the Taliban rule?
11. There are about two hundred and fifty orphans. What are some of the reasons that Zaman gives why there are so many
children in the orphanage? And, how does the Taliban contribute to the problem?
12. Summarize what Zaman tells Amir about where he can find Sohrab (pages 255-256):
ANALYSIS/SYNTHESIS
CHARACTERIZATION AND THE HERO CYCLE The word character derives from
13. Hero Cycle and Amir: Review Amir’s journey since he left Afghanistan with his meaning to mark with a cut.
father. Describe three struggles and/or obstacles that Amir must overcome. Characterization is the method
List them in order of importance-1 being the most difficult and 3 being the used by an author to develop a
least difficult. character. When an author
1. ______________________________________________________________ characters within the work, he or
______________________________________________________________ and indirect characterization.
______________________________________________________________
According to the scholar Joseph
______________________________________________________________ Campbell there are stories from
______________________________________________________________ many cultures that have similar
patterns. One common storyline is
2. the hero cycle. The hero (usually
the protagonist of the story) goes
through various stages in order to
learn from the experiences and
transform into a better person.
During the hero’s journey, he or
she will move into a real and/or
metaphorical world of darkness,
which is called the “belly of the
whale.” This stage in the hero
cycle involves many struggles and
obstacles that the hero must
overcome in order to change.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________ The word character derives from
_____________________________________________________________ the Greek verb charassein,
________________________________________________________ Characterization is the method
3. used by an author to develop a
Theme is the central and

___________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________ An archetype is a pattern
repeated through the ages in folk
____________________________ and literary expressions. All of
these items are considered
archetypes: symbols (such as
CHARACTERIZATION AND THEME colors, numbers, and objects),
characters, plots, and themes
14. On page 263 Farid tells Amir that it is “Best to forget.” Amir responds that he
does not “want to forget anymore.” How is this statement significantly
different than how Amir felt since the beginning of the novel?
CHARACTERIZATION AND DEVIL ARCHETYPE

15. Page 271 Describe the Taliban man that Amir is looking for at the soccer game. This man is the Devil Archetype of the
novel. The Devil Archetype is the villain, who represents the forces of evil, chaos, and darkness. He or she is almost as
strong as the hero. Sometimes he or she will take a monstrous form, but other times the appearance is more subtle.
These subtle differences are usually presented with contrasts. For example, he or she will have dark hair with light eyes.
How does this Taliban man’s dress/appearance represent the devil archetype?

UNIVERSAL THEME
16. Page 261 Amir visits his childhood home in Kabul: “Gingerly, I walked up the driveway where tufts of weed now grew
between the sun-faded bricks. I stood outside the gates of my father’s house, feeling like a stranger. I set my hands on
the rusty bars, remembering how I’d run through these same gates thousands of times as a child, for things that
mattered not at all now and yet had seemed so important then. I peered in.” What is the significance of his feeling like a
“stranger.” And what does he mean by caring for “things that mattered not at all”?
 Farid tells Amir that “hearing is not the same as seeing.” What does he mean by this statement? Do you agree or
disagree? Explain
_________________________________________________________________________________
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Culture Research and locate the school system and universities in Afghanistan before and after the Taliban
Name ____________________________
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

CHAPTERS TWENTY-TWO TO TWENTY FIVE ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS
Directions: Read chapters Twenty-Two to Twenty Five and answer the questions below in complete sentences.
KNOWLEDGE
1. At the beginning of Chapter Twenty-Two when Farid drives Amir to the house, what are the men in the house carrying?
2. Which childhood enemy does Amir face in the beginning of Chapter Twenty-Two?
3. Where is Amir in the beginning of Chapter Twenty-Three?
4. What does Farid say to Amir in the hospital that makes Amir cry?
5. After Amir gets out of the hospital, who does Amir take with him to Islamabad?
6. Sohrab leaves the hotel while Amir is asleep, where does Sohrab find him?

7. What does Amir give Sohrab after he finds him?
8. Why is Sohrab in the hospital?
9. How long does Sohrab not speak?
APPPLICATION
10. Where did Sohrab hit Assef with his slingshot? And, how is this action similar to another event in the novel?
11. Summarize Rahim Khan’s letter: (page 300)
12. List all the reasons Raymond Andrews from the American embassy in Islamabad tells Amir to “give up” trying to take
Sohrab to America.
13. What good news does Amir’s wife tell him about getting Sohrab into the United States?

use of words.
Irony comes from the Greek eiron,

which itself derives from eironeia,
14. What act of terrorism does Amir reference in Chapter Twenty-Five “while meaning "dissembling." In Greek
Sohrab was silent and the world was not”? drama, the eiron is a character
who, although weaker than his
opponent, the braggart alazon,
defeats him by misrepresenting
himself
 situational irony is when the
situation is significantly
different from what is expected
 dramatic irony is when the
audience knows more than the
characters in the play
 verbal irony is when the
speaker intends to be
understood as meaning
something that contrasts with
the literal meaning of what he
or she says
ANALYSIS/SYNTHESIS QUESTION
DICTION AND IRONY
15. On page 277 Assef tells Amir, “You don’t know the meaning of the word
‘liberating’ until you’ve done that, stood in a roomful of targets, let the bullets
fly, free of guilt and remorse, knowing you are virtuous, good, and decent. The word character derives from
Knowing you’re doing God’s work. It’s breathtaking.” What is ironic about the Greek verb charassein,
Assef’s meaning of the word liberating and his concept of “doing God’s meaning to mark with a cut.
work”? Characterization is the method
CHARACTERIZATION AND SYMBOLISM

16. While Amir is in the hospital he has a dream about his father. Describe the Theme is the central and
dream in 2-3 sentences? How does this dream compare to the one in dominating idea incorporated
Chapter Three? What does Amir’s seeing himself fighting the bear symbolize throughout a literary work.
and how does this dream reflect how he has been feeling about himself?
Analogy is a comparison of two
things based on their being alike in
some way

use of words.
ANALOGY AND THEME
17. On page 340 what analogy is Sohrab making about the sour green apples?
DICTION AND THEME Symbolism (Greek, `to throw

18. Read the passage below and pay close attention to diction. What is the metaphors, similes, personification,
difference between “quiet” and “silence”? and allusions-are a type of
IT WOULD BE ERRONEOUS to say Sohrab was quiet. Quiet is peace. be something material or visible
Tranquillity. Quiet is turning down the VOLUME knob on life. such as colors, objects, animals,
Silence is pushing the OFF button. Shutting it down. All of it. people, and places, while the idea
Sohrab's silence wasn't the self-‐imposed silence of those with it symbolizes must be something
convictions, of protesters who seek to speak their cause by not speaking abstract or universal.
at all. It was the silence of one who has taken cover in a dark place,
curled up all the edges and tucked them under. (page 361)

UNIVERSAL THEME
19. What is the significance of the title of the novel The Kite Runner? Who is the kite runner? How does this reference to a
specific character relate to the narrator and the overall meaning of the work?
 Amir tells Sohrab that “there are there bad people in this world, and sometimes bad people stay bad.” Do you agree with
this statement? Why or why not? Explain.
 While Assef is beating Amir, Amir tells the reader, “I don’t know at what point I started laughing, but I did. It hurt to laugh,
hurt my jaws, my ribs, my throat. But I was la…What was so funny was that, for the first time since the winter of 1975, I
felt at peace.” How is it that this beating is bringing Amir “peace”?
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________________________
ACROSS THE CURRICULUM/SUBJECT CONNECTION (Suggestion for further study
Government Research adoption policies in various countries
ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS ANSWER KEYS

CHAPTERS ONE AND TWO ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS
1. The date of Chapter One is December 2001.
2. The narrator is 38 years old.
3. The narrator is living in San Francisco.
4. The first person that Amir mentions in Chapter Two is Hassan.
5. Politics, Business, Soccer
6. Amir thinks about his past when he was a little boy. He thinks about people named Hassan, Baba, Ali, and the city of
Kabul in Afghanistan.
7. Hassan does everything that Amir asks even if Hassan does not want to. It suggests that Amir and Hassan did not have
an equal relationship.
8. The word always suggests that Baba closes the door frequently leaving Amir by himself.
9.
Photograph 1: It is an old, grainy photo of Amir’s grandfather taken with King Nadir Shah in 1931. They have been
hunting together.
Photograph 2: Amir’s parent’s wedding night. His father is in a black suit and his mother is in a white dress.
Photograph 3: A photograph of Amir’s father and his father’s best friend and business partner Rahim Khan. His father,
with a “tired and grim” expression, is holding him when Amir was a baby, but Amir is holding Rahim Khan’s fingers.
10. What was Hassan’s first word? Amir What was Amir’s first word? Baba
Write the last sentence of Chapter Two: “Looking back on it now, I think the foundation for what happened in the winter
of 1975-and all that followed-was already laid in those first words.”
Write first sentence from Chapter One: “I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the
winter of 1975.”

Hassan’s first word is Amir and Amir’s first word is Baba. Hassan’s first word suggests that Hassan was loyal to Amir
and would do anything for him, while Amir looked to Baba for nurturing. Amir alludes to an event in the Winter of 1975
which occurred due to the two boy’s loyalty.
11. “I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975. I remember the precise
moment, crouching behind a crumbling mud wall, peeking into the alley near the frozen creek. That was a long time ago,
but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out.
Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years.”
Amir uses adjectives such as “frigid and frozen” describe the weather, but symbolizes his symbolic death; more than
likely something tragic has happened. He remembers the event well, the “precise moment.” The alley is “deserted” and
he was near a “crumbling” wall suggest a time in Amir’s life that left him in despair.
By setting the scene at the end of summer suggests that Amir has a better life. He is currently at a point where he is
happy.
12. Amir and Hassan use mirrors to “annoy” their neighbors. While they were being destruction, Amir would convince
Hassan to harm a dog. Amir stresses that he “talked Hassan” into firing the walnuts and “Hassan never denied” him.
The mirror symbolizes Amir’s self-deception in this passage. He is the bad influence, the devil, and asks Hassan to act
against his kind nature. Amir continues his self-deception through most of the novel until he contemplates his past and
faces it.
13. Amir’s past is personified as an animal. He uses the words “bury it” and “claws its way out.” This diction enhances
Amir’s painful memory and/or experience from the past that he has been trying to forget, but he can’t “bury” it.
14. Although Hassan and Ali are Baba’s servants, their sons Amir and Hassan act like brothers. They spend many hours
together playing. They would climb trees and play with the slingshot. They also had the same nurse who fed them when
they were babies. By showing their close relationship, the author Hosseini conveys that brotherhood is a relationship
that transcends biology, race, ethnicity, status, and culture. Hassan is a servant, a Shia, and a Hazara but it doesn’t
matter while the two boys are playing.
Students’ answers will vary
CHAPTERS THREE-FIVE ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS

1. Baba’s famous nickname is “Mr. Hurricane.”
2. Amir and Baba see “long-haired, bearded tourists,” hippies.
3. According to Baba, the one sin is theft.
4. Who has surgery? Hassan Who is the first person to whom Hassan speaks and what does he say? Hassan speaks to
Amir and says, “Thank you”
5. One of Baba’s childhood playmates was Ali
6. Amir and Hassan saw the Western Rio starring John Wayne.
7. They carve, “Amir and Hassan , the sultans of Kabul” into the Pomegranate tree near the entrance of the cemetery.
8. “Well, that’s very good, isn’t it?”
9. Bombs “roared like thunder.”
10. Amir refers to Assef as a “sociopath.” A sociopath is defined as “a person with a psychopathic personality whose
behavior is antisocial, often criminal, and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility or social conscience.”
11. Suggested answers

Page 14 “He motioned to me to hold his hat for him and I was glad to, because then everyone would see that he was
my
father, my Baba.”.
Page 15 “With me as the glaring exception, my father molded the world around him to his liking.”
Page 18 “I remembered all the times he didn't come home until after dark, all the times I ate dinner alone. I'd ask Ali
where Baba was, when he was coming home, though I knew full well he was at the construction site, overlooking this,
supervising that.”
Page 18 “I was always learning things about Baba from other people.”
CONTROLLING: “With me as the glaring exception, my father molded the world around him to his liking.” (page 15)
GREAT PRESENCE: “At parties, when all six-‐foot-‐five of him thundered into the room, attention shifted to him like
sunflowers turning to the sun.” (page 13)
POWERFUL: “And in those dreams, I can never tell Baba from the bear.” (page 12)
13. Shahnamah is an epic of ancient Persian heroes. Hassan’s favorite story in it is titled "Rostam and Sohrab." The great
warrior Rostam mortally wounds his nemesis, Sohrab, in battle. However Rostram discovers that Sohrab is his long, lost
son.
14. List key differences between Amir and Baba:
Amir Baba
 not aggressive  doesn’t think “real” men should read poetry
 likes poetry and playing the game Sherjangi “Battle  passionate about sports
of the Poems”  a fighter and aggressive
 likes to write stories  social
 enjoys reading
15. Hassan acts as a foil character to Amir. Hassan has a loving nature and giving personality. His personality contrasts
with Amir’s selfish nature.
Rahim Khan acts as a foil to Baba because he understands Amir better than Baba. He understands Amir’s love for
writing stories and reading poetry and supports him. Rahim Khan writes Amir a letter encouraging him to keep writing.
Baba hardly comments about Amir’s’ writing when Amir shares his stories.
16. Amir his father tall Rahim Khan, “If I hadn’t seen the doctor pull him out of my wife with my own eyes, I’d never believe
he’s my son.” Shortly after he hears his father he is mean to Hassan. The juxtaposition of these two scenes
emphasizes Amir’s jealously toward Hassan because Amir’s father treats Hassan so well and Amir feels he is constantly
not living up to his father’s expectations. Amir directs his frustrations onto Hassan.
17. Amir struggles with his relationship with his father and wants to be accepted. After hearing his father say, “I’d never
believe he’s my son,” Amir reassigns his own frustrations onto Hassan and Amir is cruel to him. Hassan has become the
scapegoat for Amir.
18. “Never mind any of those things. Because history isn’t so easy to overcome. Neither is religion. In the end, I was a
Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I was a Sunni and he was a Shi’a, and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing.
But we were kids who had learned to crawl together, and no history, ethnicity, society, or religion was going to change
that either. I spent most of the first twelve years of my life playing with Hassan”? (page 25)
The parallel structure in this passage shows that Amir and Hassan come from different religious and ethnic groups
which enhance the possible conflicts between them. Amir compares that he is a “Pashtun” and Hassan is a “Hazara.”
He then adds that he is a “Sunni” and Hassan is a “Shi’a.” Although he says that “nothing is going to change” that they
have been together for years, there is still a divide between these groups.
19. Baba’s fighting the bear symbolize his physical strength as well as his powerful personality. Amir points out that people
do not dismiss the story because it is about Baba. When Amir dreams about the fight, he can’t tell “Baba from the bear,”
which symbolizes Baba’s strength.

20. Baba says, "A boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up to anything.” When Baba is
making this statement, he is foreshadowing a tragic event that will haunt Amir into adulthood. What does Baba mean by
this statement and how does it connect to Chapter One? Baba stresses the importance of an individual’s strength and
the ability to stand up for one’s beliefs. He is concerned for Amir because Amir is not an aggressive boy who will stand
up. This comment is foreshadowing a tragic event. It seems that Amir has made a mistake or something has happened
when he thinks about Hassan in Chapter One and the idea of “being good again.”
CHAPTERS SIX-EIGHT ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS

1. Kites and the kite flying tournament help the “chill” between Amir and Baba.
2. Assef gives Amir the Biography of Hitler.
3. The children jerk and tug on their kite lines in order to cut the opponent’s line. The kite fighter has an assistant who
holds the spool and feeds the line. The kite runners chase the kites through the neighborhoods and collect the kites: “No
rules. Fly your kite. Cut the opponents. Good luck.”
4. The three boys in the alley are Wali, Kamal, Assef.
5. Winter. Amir continues to refer to the winter of 1975 that “changed everything.” The one word punctuated by the period
stresses the importance of Amir’s memory of the events in 1975.
“soft pattering of snow against my window at night”
“fresh snow crunched under my black rubber boots”
“warmth of the cast-iron stove”
“tress froze”
“ice sheathed the roads”
7. Hassan demonstrates that he is a phenomenal kite runner because he would always go to the spot where a kite would
land. Amir calls it his “inner compass.”
8. After his assault Hassan sleeps frequently and he stops singing.
Amir is angry.
Amir pretends he doesn’t know what happened.
Amir is easily agitated.
Amir is destructive and abusive towards living beings. For example, he throws a pebble at a bear. (page 85)
Amir avoids Hassan. (pages 86-88)
Amir suggests to Baba that he should hire new servants.
10. Hassan is serving drinks to Assef and Wali. After taking the glass, Assef knees Hassan in the chest. It is a disturbing
scene because Hassan is serving the boys who just raped him.
11. Hassan tells Amir about his dream in Ghargha Lake. They are swimming, but there is a monster in the lake. Amir insists
that there is no monster and goes into the water and Hassan follows him to the middle. Hassan is in denial about their
friendship. Hassan views Amir as his protector and wishes that he and Amir can be equals, to be friends. However, Amir
is not Hassan’s protector; Amir comes to the conclusion that he is the monster in Hassan’s dream.
12. Amir is angry at Hassan because Hassan makes him feel like a “phony.” Amir is reassigning his own anger towards
himself onto Hassan. He makes Hassan a scapegoat, so he can relieve his guilty feelings.
13. Like the sheep, innocent Hassan is being sacrificed. In the alley Hassan protects Amir’s property by refusing to give up
the kite to Assef. Because he is defiant, Assef assaults him, telling him to ask himself if Amir would make such a
sacrifice. While Hassan is being raped and Amir stays hidden, Amir recalls that Hassan has the “look of the lamb”; he is
the innocent being sacrificed. Amir does not help Hassan and runs away.

14. “For you a thousand times over” are the last words that Hassan says to Amir before he is raped. Hassan tells Amir that
he will come back with the blue kite. Amir notices his smile but then references that he will not see him smile until 26
years later. Amir’s comment is foreshadowing that something is going to happen to Hassan.
CHAPTERS NINE AND TEN ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS

1. Amir receives a brand new Schwinn Stingray bicycle and a wristwatch from Baba.
2. Amir has decided that Hassan or himself can no longer live in the same house, one of them “must go.”
3. In order to make sure that Hassan leaves the house, Amir makes it seem that Hassan stole his new wristwatch.
4. Hassan gives Amir a new copy of the novel Shahnamah.
5. Baba tells Hassan, “I forgive you.”
6. Amir is 18 years old.

7. Baba and Amir are going to Jalalabad.
8. While the truck is being fixed, Baba and Amir stay in a basement.
9. Kamal’s father commits suicide by shooting himself in the head.
10. When Amir is grasping for air and Baba tells him to “[t]hink of something good,” Amir thinks of Hassan when they were
flying kites. He remembers laughter, music, and someone telling them it is time “for tea and cake.”
11. Baba stands up to the Russian soldier regardless if he might be killed while he and Amir are on their way to Jalalabad.
This act contrasts with Amir when Assef violates Hassan. Although Hassan is in trouble, Amir is too scared to stand up
to Assef and ends up running away.
12. Amir is making that point that his father could take a life as quickly he can defend it. When he almost chokes a man to
death shows how aggressive and violent at times, although a few hours ago his father was saving a woman’s life.
13. Baba takes a handful of dirt because Afghanistan is his home and he wants to carry it with him.
14. When Hassan and Ali are leaving it is raining. Amir watches them from his window as they are leaving in the car. The
rain enhances the pain that Baba is feeling while they are leaving and how Amir continues to be in denial about his guilt
and his continued attempts to keep distant.
15. The Biblical allusion of “blood money” enhances the conflict with Amir and Hassan’s relationship. Amir is like Judas who
betrayed Jesus, because Amir betrayed Hassan. Hassan was assaulted because he was protecting Amir’s kite, which
helped him win the tournament. Amir believes that Baba would not have given him such a lavish birthday party if he
hadn’t won the tournament. When Amir receives his birthday gifts, he is not happy. Amir refers to them as “blood
money” because his birthday gifts have come with a price. Amir sacrificed Hassan in the alley. After the assault, Amir
feels guilty for not helping Hassan. Because of his guilt, Amir lashes out at Hassan and becomes cruel. Their friendship
is no longer the same.
16. Amir is referring to loving Hassan more than he had “ever loved anyone.” Hassan was sacrificing himself once more by
not telling Baba that Amir set him up and that he did not steal the watch. Amir refers to himself as the “snake” and
“monster” that was in Hassan’s dream. He is admitting that he is a terrible person for setting up Hassan and his father.
Amir has not stolen personal property, but he has stolen Hassan and Ali away from Baba. And, according to Baba,
stealing is the worst crime someone can commit.
17. When Baba tells Hassan, “’I forgive you” is ironic because Baba believes that stealing is the worst sin, yet he forgives
Hassan quickly. Amir is sure that setting up Hassan and making him seem like a thief will be the best way to get rid of
Hassan and Ali. Amir is shocked that Baba forgives Hassan immediately, especially after Baba’s long explanation about
the sin of stealing.

CHAPTERS ELEVEN-THIRTEEN ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS
1. Baba and Amir live in Freemont, California in the 1980s
2. The only three real men are America, Britain, and Israel.
3.
 “For me [Amir] America was a place to bury my memories.”
 “For Baba, a place to mourn his.”
4. They celebrate Amir’s graduation from High School.
5. Baba tells Amir that there was a man in Soraya’s life and it didn’t go well and she had breast cancer.
6. Amir envies Soraya because she was brave, she acted. Unlike how he behaved when Hassan was being assaulted.
7. Amir’s guilt makes him believe that he deserves not to be able to have children. Hassan is never far from his mind,
which foreshadows that Amir will someday atone for what he did to Hassan and Ali.
8. Baba writes a check for food at Mr. Nguyen’s store. Baba becomes offended when he asks Baba for proof of ID. Baba is
offended because he thinks Mr. Nguyen is accusing him of being a thief and Baba believes that Mr. Nguyen should trust
his word.
9. Amir is “glad for the “shadows” because he and Baba never share emotionally moments and the shadows hide his tears
when he is overwhelmed by Baba’s gift, the car.
10. Amir does not want to “sacrifice” for his father by giving up his choice to get a degree in English and become a writer. In
the winter of 1975 Amir wanted to please his father and “got rid” of Hassan and has felt “damned” since he made that
choice.
11. When Amir approaches Soraya when she is alone, many people began to take notice because she is a single woman
with a “history” who is talking to a single man. It is a “double standard” because the people in the market will not gossip
about him, but they will gossip about her because she is a woman.
12. After dinner and watching Amir, his family, and friends play cards, Baba asks Amir and Soraya to help him to bed. He
gives both of them a kiss and does not take his medicine because he says, “There is no pain tonight.” He dies in his
sleep. It is a simple scene which contrasts with Baba’s outgoing, expressive personality. However, he dies after
spending time with his family and friends which is how he liked to spend his time, with people.
13.
 What does she wear? What does she look-like? “sits barefoot”, wears “silver bracelets,” she has “long black hair,”
wears a “white ankle-length summer dress,” has olive skin tone
 How does she behave? She sits alone, she reads-Wuthering Heights paperback
 How does she speak towards others? What does she say? She is polite, she says, “sad stories make good books,”
she engages in conversation
14. Amir thinks about wading in the water. Being that water symbolizes the unconscious and probing beneath the surface
helps one learn about desires and emotions, Amir would rather not delve into the water. He rather let his sins go “down
to the bottom,” so he can forget about his past and not face it.
15. Baba walked out of the welfare office like a (man cured of a tumor.)
Baba is a proud man who believes in hardwork. He sees accepting food stamps as a form of charity and finds it
humiliating. He gives back the food stamps and walks out of the office like a “man cured of a tumor.” The strong, proud
Baba is being compared to someone who has been cured of a disease.
16. Baba cleared his own throat. When he began, he couldn't speak in complete sentences without stopping to breathe.
"General Sahib, Khanum Jamila jan... it's with great humility that my son and I... have come to your home today. You
are... honorable people... from distinguished and reputable families and... proud lineage. I come with nothing but the
utmost ihtiram... and the highest regards for you, your family names, and the memory... of your ancestors." He stopped.
Caught his breath. Wiped his brow. "Amir jan is my only son... my only child, and he has been a good son to me. I hope
he proves... worthy of your kindness. I ask that you honor Amir jan and me... and accept my son into your family.

With “great humility” and “highest regards” Baba asks for General Taheri to accept Amir and himself into their family. He
refers to Amir as his “only son” and has been “good son.” As a child Amir never heard his father speak kind words
about him. Amir has always felt like he has disappointed his father, so for Amir to hear such words, makes this speech
poignant.
17. Baba carries himself with pride and dignity. He believes that people get what they earn. However, there are times his
pride is a negative trait. Baba refuses to take ESL classes and he gets into an argument with Mr. Nguyen over proof of
identification.
CHAPTERS FOURTEEN AND FIFTEEN ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS

1. The date of Chapter Fourteen is June 2001.
2. Chapter Fourteen picks up with Rahim Khan’s phone call. Chapters Two through Thirteen are a back story.
3. Amir goes to Pakistan.
4. Rahim Khan is sick.
5. Amir recalls the phrase, “There is a way to be good again.”
6. Amir recalls the phrase, “For you, A thousand times over!”
7. He wants to tell Amir about Hassan.
8. Amir last saw him in 1981 when Rahim Khan said goodbye to Amir and Baba when they left Afghanistan.
9. The people accepted the Taliban because they were tired of the fighting, the bombs, the gunfire, and explosives. They
wanted the fighting to stop.
10. At soccer games the players are not allowed to wear shorts because the Taliban considers it indecent exposure. The
people are not allowed to cheer at the games. People are “not allowed to be human.”
11. The Afghans are leaving Afghanistan to open businesses because the Taliban has made it difficult for many business
owners.
12. The reader knows what Rahim Khan is referring to when he tells Amir that he can be “good again.” By Chapter Fourteen
the reader knows what happened to Hassan in the winter of 1975 and how Amir did not help Hassan and ran away. The
reader knows that it was Hassan who told Amir, “For you, A thousand times over!” Amir has not come to terms with his
past.
13. The cliché of the “elephant in the room” means that there is a topic or situation that everyone is aware of, but nobody
mentions it. The “elephant” that Amir is alluding to is Hassan. Rahim Khan and Amir both know that they want to discuss
Hassan, but neither of them bring him up immediately.
14. In Chapter Fourteen Amir and Soraya’s life take a dramatic turn when Amir tells her that he must go to Pakistan
because Rahim Khan is very sick. When Amir hangs up the phone after speaking with Rahim Khan, he realizes that he
can no longer avoid his guilt. Amir and Soraya have been married for fifteen years and now he must travel back home to
face his past. Amir can find atonement for his sins by facing his past and facing his mistakes.

CHAPTERS SIXTEEN AND SEVENTEEN ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS

1. The narrator is Rahim Khan.
2. Rahim Khan tells Amir that he went to look for Hassan because he was lonely. Most of his friends and relatives were
killed or escaped to Pakistan or Iran.

3. Hassan was about 22 or 23 years old.
4. The woman is Sanaubar, Hassan’s mother.
5. Hassan’s wife Farzana is a shy woman who is courteous and loves Hassan.
6. Ali was killed by a landmine.
7. Hassan’s son’s name is Sohrab.
8. The Talibs shot Hassan and his wife. His son Sohrab is sent to an orphanage.
9. The Taliban banned the Kite Fighting tournaments.
10. The Taliban massacred the Hazaras.
11. Baba is Hassan’s real father. Ali could not have children.
12. Sohrab’s name is significant because it is the name of one of the characters in the Shahnamah. Hassan’s favorite story
in it is titled "Rostam and Sohrab." The great warrior Rostam mortally wounds his nemesis, Sohrab, in battle. However
Rostram discovers that Sohrab is his long, lost son. Hassan has named his own son after the “long, lost son.” Sohrab is
lost and Amir can find a way “to be good again” by finding Sohrab and helping another person and facing his past.
13. Hassan is in the photograph with his son. Hassan is smiling and he exudes “self-assuredness, of ease.” His son Sohrab
is leaning against his father’s hip smiling. Amir tells the reader early in the novel that he will not see Hassan smile until
26 years later. This comment foreshadows the Polaroid that shows Hassan smiling with his son Sohrab.
14. Sanaubar was always considered to be an attractive woman who was cruel and would take advantage of people. She
would taunt her husband Ali and make fun of his appearance. She was selfish and left Hassan when he was a baby.
Years later she returns home and builds a relationship with Hassan and his family. She no longer is the beautiful
woman she once was, but is more humble. Hassan takes her in his home and she helps him with his family. Her asking
Hassan to smile is significant because when she left Hassan when he was a baby, she told Ali that he now has his “own
idiot child” to do all the smiling for him. She no longer views her son in the same way; she wants him to be happy.
CHAPTERS EIGHTEEN AND NINETEEN ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS

1.
 Baba had Dr. Kumar fixes Hassan’s hairlip
 Baba never missed Hassan's birthday.
 When Amir asked Baba if he'd ever consider getting new servants, Baba barked, “Hassan's not going anywhere…
He's staying right here with us, where he belongs. This is his home and we're his family.”
 Baba had wept when Ali announced he and Hassan were leaving.
2. Amir believes he is atoning for Baba’s sins as well.
3. Amir tells Rahim Khan that he is going to Kabul.
4. A dress policy has been implemented by the Taliban. This garment and beard is not a traditional Afghanistan dress.
5. Farid is making the point that Amir’s experience living in Afghanistan is not typical for most people. When Amir lived in
Afghanistan, his family had a nice home in a nice neighborhood. Like himself, many of the Afghanistan people have
always struggled.
6. Suggested answer
“There is a way to be good again, he'd said.

A way to end the cycle.
With a little boy. An orphan. Hassan's son. Somewhere in Kabul.”
7. Amir uses the cliché “like father, like son” when he comes to the conclusion that he and his father were alike. Both he
and Baba betrayed Hassan. Amir did not help Hassan in the alley and then was responsible for Hassan and Ali leaving.

Baba betrayed Hassan for never revealing to him that he was his father. Amir also feels betrayed by his father for not
letting him know that Hassan was his brother.
8. The past comes “calling” for Amir. He understands that he can no longer be silent and not face it. Personifying the past
as “calling” enhances how aggressive it is and makes Amir act. He must atone for the past.
9. Amir kept many secrets from his past that became emotionally destructive for him. He never told anyone about what
happened to Hassan in the alley and that he did not help him, but instead ran away. He never told anyone that he was
the one who made it seem that Hassan stole the watch, which led to Ali and Hassan leaving. Unlike his wife confessing
her past, Amir kept his hidden. Amir had been avoiding his past for many years. The only way for him to overcome
these secrets is to confess them. When his past is no a longer a secret, it will no longer have power over him and he
can end the cycle.
CHAPTERS TWENTY AND TWENTY- ONE ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS
1. Hardly any of them are sitting with an adult male.
2. People need them for firewood in winter. The Shorawi cut them down because snipers would hide in them.
3. His eyes water because of the diesel fuel.
4. Farid is upset with him because Amir stares at the Taliban and he should not.
5. The old beggar knew Amir’s mother.
6.
 She liked almond cake with honey and hot tea
 She once used the word “profoundly”
 She fretted about her happiness
7. Amir sees a dead body hanging near the restaurant.
8. At the soccer game the Taliban buries a couple and stones them to death.
9. When Farid tells Amir that the “only people in Kabul who get to eat lamb now are the Taliban” implies that the Taliban
are taking advantage of their position in power. They do not allow the people to have the same luxuries as they do.
10. The old beggar that talks to Amir quotes poetry used to teach at the University. The educators are homeless because
they have lost their jobs. The Taliban have closed the universities and the schools.
11. Many of the children are in the orphanage because they lost their fathers in war. Because the women are not allowed to
work, they can’t feed their children and so they bring them to the orphanage. The Taliban will not give the orphanage
money to help the children.
12. Zaman tells Amir that he can find Sohrab with a Talib official. This man comes to the orphanage about every month with
cash and takes one of the children. This man will be at the Ghazi Stadium. He will be there at halftime wearing black
sunglasses.
13. Students’ answers will vary (not in a specific order)

 Amir and Soraya can’t have children.
 Amir has to take care of his father when he is sick and deals with his father’s death.
 Amir has to find Sohrab.
 Amir has to return to Afghanistan and face his past.
14. When Farid tells Amir that it is “Best to forget,” Amir says he does not “want to forget anymore.” This statement is
significantly different than how Amir felt since the beginning of the novel. Before you wanted to forget, to bury his past.
Now, he wants to face it and stand up to it.

15. The Talib official has similar characteristics to those of the Devil Archetype. Based on what Zaman tells Amir about his
taking children from the orphanage, he can be classified as one of the villains from the novel, who represents the
forces of evil, chaos, and darkness. He does not take monstrous form, but his appearance has contrasts. His all white
clothing contrasts with his dark sunglasses.
16. When Amir visits his childhood home in Kabul. He feels “like a like a stranger.” Physically the home is not what it used
to be. It is no longer a house of grandeur, instead the gate is rusty and the weeds have taken over. The changes of this
home symbolize the changes in Amir’s personality; he sees life and himself differently. As a child he cared so much for
childish things, but now he sees those things not mattering at all compared to how he views life now. Saving Sohrab is
what matters now.

CHAPTERS TWENTY -TWO TO TWENTY- FIVE ACTIVITY GUIDE QUESTIONS

1. They are carrying Kalashnikovs, Russian made machine guns.
2. He meets Assef.
3. Amir is in a hospital.
4. Farid says to Amir, “For you a thousand times over.”
5. Amir takes Sohrab to Islamabad.
6. Amir finds Sohrab 100 yards from the mosque.

7. Amir gives Sohrab the Polaroid of his father and him.
8. Sohrab slits his wrists with a razor blade.
9. Sohrab doesn’t speak for one year.
10. He hit Assef in his eye.Sohrab tries to protect Amir with his slingshot which is similar to Hassan when he tries to protect
Amir when they are children.
11. In his letter to Amir, Rahim Khan tells him that he hopes he hasn’t put Amir in harm’s way. He tells Amir that Hassan told
him what happened and that Amir was a troubled boy then and should forgive himself. He tells Amir that he felt awful
that Amir and Hassan were never told that they were brothers. He tells him that Baba was so hard on him because his
father felt guilty. And finally, Rahim Khan tells Amir to forgive himself.
12.
 Amir needs to prove that Sohrab’s parents are deceased in order for him to be declared a legal orphan.
 Amir will need the cooperation of Afghanistan.
 There is no American embassy in Kabul.
 The United States discourages citizens from attempting to adopt Afghan children.
13. Amir’s wife tells him that Amir could get Sohrab into the United States on a humanitarian visa. Then, once he is in the
country, they will have one year to apply for an adoption petition.
14. Amir references 911 when terrorists flew planes into the twin towers.
15. Assef tells Amir that he feels liberated, free from all guilt and remorse. He is referring to all the crimes he has committed
and the harm he has caused people. It is ironic because Assef feels liberated because he believes he is doing “God’s
work; however, his horrific acts are not God’s work.
16. Amir’s father had been ashamed of him because Amir would ever stand up for himself or someone else; he considered
his son to be a coward. Fighting the bear in his dreams symbolizes his fight with Assef, Amir finally atones for his sins
and stands up to his worst enemy. In Amir’s dream, he has now become like his father, the bear.
17. Sohrab compares waiting with green, sour apples. He says that by not waiting for apples to ripen, one will become sick.
So, when he really wants something, he knows it is best to wait.

18. Amir refers to quiet as “peace” and “tranquility.” Quiet is simply “turning down the VOLUME,” but silence is “pushing the
OFF button.” He uses silence to describe Sohrab. Sohrab is “shutting” everything down, keeping himself hidden from
the world.
19. The title of the novel The Kite Runner is significant because it is about Hassan. Hassan was the kite runner for Amir. He
sacrificed himself for Amir when he would not give up the kite to Assef. After Hassan was assaulted, Amir felt guilt for
many years for not standing up to Assef and protecting Hassan. And, he never forgave himself for setting up Hassan
and making it appear that Hassan stole from him. In order for Amir to find atonement, he needed to find a way to be
“good again.” Amir finds redemption when he goes back to Afghanistan finds Hassan’s son Sohrab and faces Assef.
The novel comes in full circle when Amir begins kite fighting in the park with Sohrab. Sohrab has not talked in a year.
While flying the kite, Amir notices that Sohrab smiles. Amir becomes the kite runner and runs the kite for Sohrab and
Amir echoes Hassan’s words “for you, a thousand times over.”

Students’ answers will vary.
Name ____________________________
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

CHAPTERS ONE-EIGHT QUIZ
Directions: Read the questions carefully and choose the correct answer.
1. _____ What is the date of Chapter One? 5. _____ Baba and his friends frequently talked about three
A) December 1975 subjects. Which is NOT one of those subjects?
B) December 2001 A) Politics
C) April 2001 B) Poetry
D) May 1996 C) Business
D) Soccer
2. _____ How old is the narrator in Chapter One?
A) The narrator is 12 years old. 6. _____ What was Hassan’s first word?
B) The narrator is 26 years old. A) “Thank you”
C) The narrator is 38 years old. B) “Help”
C) “Baba”
D) The narrator is 42 years old.
D) “Amir”
3. _____ Where is the narrator currently living? 7. _____ What is Baba’s famous nickname?
A) San Francisco A) Mr. Hurricane
B) Kabul B) Mr. Pain
C) New York City C) The Buffalo
D) Islamabad D) Great Quake
8. _____ In Chapter Three what group do Amir and Baba see

4. _____ Who is the first person that Amir mentions in while they are fishing?
Chapter Two? A) hippies
A) Rahim Khan B) women in burqas
B) Hassan C) Taliban
C) Ali D) children from the orphanage
D) Baba 9. _____ According to Baba, what is the “one sin”?
A) murder

B) adultery A) bombs
C) theft B) a bear
D) lying C) Baba
D) audience for the soccer game
10. _____ Who has surgery?
A) Amir 14. _____ In Chapter Six what was it about winter that helps
B) Rahim Khan the “chill” between Baba and Amir “thaw a little”?
C) Ali A) kite flying tournament
D) Hassan B) book of poetry
C) soccer game
11. _____ Who was one of Baba’s childhood playmates? D) riding in a sports car
A) Amir
B) Rahim Khan 15. _____ In Chapter Eight what book does Assef give Amir for
C) Ali his birthday?
D) Hassan A) Bible
B) Biography of Hitler
12. _____ In Chapter Four what do Hassan and Amir carve C) History of Afghanistan
into the Pomegranate tree near the entrance of the D) Titus Andronicus
cemetery?
A) “Amir and Hassan , the sultans of Kabul” 16. _____ What is the first word of Chapter Six?
B) “Brothers forever” A) Summer.
C) “Amir and Hassan, Kings of the Lake” B) Thief.
D) “Great warriors of Kabul” C) Hassan.
D) Winter.
13. _____ At the beginning of Chapter Five, what “roared like
thunder”?
Name ____________________________
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

CHAPTERS NINE-SEVENTEEN QUIZ
1. _____ What birthday gift does Hassan give Amir? C) A little boy
A) diary D) Baba
B) new copy of the novel Shahnamah
C) kite 6. _____ Where do Baba and Amir live in America in the
D) Polaroid of the Pomegranate tree 1980s?
A) Freemont, California
2. _____ What does Baba say after he learns of Hassan’s B) Istanbul, Turkey
theft? C) Kabul, Afghanistan
A) “Why?” D) San Francisco, California
B) “Don’t ever come back.”
C) “I don’t believe you.” 7. _____ According to Baba there are “only three real men.”
D) “I forgive you.” Which choice is NOT one he mentions?
A) America
3. _____ Where do Amir and Baba stay while the truck is B) Afghanistan
being fixed? C) Britain
A) They stay in a basement. D) Israel
B) They stay in a tent.
C) They stay in an abandoned movie theater. 8. _____ Complete this sentence: “For me [Amir] America was
D) They stay in an old car. a place
A) to bury my memories”
4. _____ What does Kamal’s father do when his son dies? B) to find redemption.”
A) He runs into the filed and a landmine kills him. C) of peace.”
B) Kamal’s father commits suicide by shooting himself in D) that helps build a relationship with my father.”
the head. 9. _____ Whom does Rahim Khan want to tell Amir about?
C) He kills two of the other refugees. A) Ali
D) He turns everybody into the Taliban. B) Assef
C) Hassan
5. _____ Who stands up to the Russian soldier who wants to D) Amir’s mother
violate the young woman?
A) Amir 10. _____ Why did the people in Afghanistan initially accept the
B) Another soldier Taliban?

A) The people wanted the fighting to stop. C) Farid
B) The Taliban gave them money. D) Kamal
C) They were traditional Afghanistan people.
D) The Taliban promised to leave after they defeated the 14. _____What happened to Hassan?
Rusiiona. A) He became a famous activist for children.
B) The Talibs shot him.
11. _____ In early 1990 who was the woman in the sky blue C) He lives a happy life in Pakistan.
burqa that knocks on their door? D) He was forced to join the Taliban.
A) Amir’s mother
B) Soraya 15. _____ In 1998 what did the Taliban do to the Hazaras?
C) Sanaubar A) They forced the Hazaras to live in the mountains away
D) Zaman from Kabul.
B) They forced the Hazaras to be their slaves.
12. _____ What happened to Ali? C) They massacred the Hazaras.
A) He escaped into Pakistan. D) They would not allow them to own businesses.
B) He died of old age.
C) Ali was killed by a landmine. 16. _____ What does Amir learn about Hassan and Baba?
D) He was poisoned by the Taliban. A) Baba is Hassan’s real father.
B) Baba was giving Hassan money.
13. _____ What is the name of Hassan’s son? C) Baba betrayed Hassan by killing Ali.
A) Sohrab D) Baba is Hassan’s older brother.
B) Baba
Name ____________________________
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

CHAPTERS EIGHTEEN TO TWENTY-FIVE QUIZ
1. _____ In addition to his own sins, whose sins does Amir A) Amir waves to the Taliban.
think he is atoning for as well? B) Amir refuses to bow to the Taliban.
A) Amir’s mother C) Amir throws stones at the Taliban.
B) Rahim Khan D) Amir stares at the Taliban.
C) Hassan
D) Baba 6. _____ Who does the old beggar used to know?
A) Amir’s mother
2. _____ At the end of Chapter Eighteen, what does Amir B) Hassan
decide to do? C) Baba
A) He is going to Kabul. D) General Taheri
B) He is going to divorce his wife.
C) He is going to adopt several children. 7. _____ What does Amir see hanging near a restaurant?
D) He is going to ask Rahim Khan to live with him. A) lamb
B) dead body
3. _____ What does Amir notice about the children sitting C) dog
with the burqa-clad mothers who are begging in the D) cross
streets?
A) They appear to have a lot of money. 8. _____ What horrific display happens at the soccer
B) The children have missing limbs. game?
C) The children are all female. A) A couple is stoned to death.
D) Hardly any of them are sitting with an adult male. B) One of the teams is executed.
C) Sohrab is almost beaten to death.
4. _____ What is the smell that makes Amir’s eyes water? D) Hassan is now the new brutal leader of the Taliban.
A) diesel fuel 9. _____ Which childhood enemy does Amir face in the
B) death beginning of Chapter Twenty-Two?
C) allergies A) Kamal
D) sickness B) Hassan
C) Assef
5. _____ When Amir first sees the Taliban, why is Farid D) Zaman
upset with him?

15. _____ How long does Sohrab not speak?
10. _____ Which archetypal character does Assef best A) one day
represent in the novel? B) one year
A) Hero archetype C) fifteen years
B) Devil archetype D) he never speaks again
C) Wizard archetype
D) Trickster archetype 16. _____ Where does Sohrab hit Assef with his slingshot?
A) in the eye
11. _____ Where is Amir in the beginning of Chapter B) in the mouth
Twenty-Three? C) in the knee
A) church D) in the nose
B) Hassan’s home
C) hospital 17. _____ What good news does Amir’s wife tell him about
D) mosque getting Sohrab into the United States?
A) They can bring him into the United States on a
12. _____ After Amir gets out of the hospital, who does Amir humanitarian visa.
take with him to Islamabad? B) They can sneak him into the country through
A) Rahim Khan Canada.
B) Soraya C) She received special permission from the Governor
C) Sohrab to bring him to California.
D) Farid D) They found Sohrab’s parents’ death certificates.
13. _____ What does Amir give Sohrab after he finds him?
A) polaroid of Hassan and Sohrab
B) money for his Sohrab’s family 18. _____ What act of terrorism does Amir reference in
C) copy of the Koran Chapter Twenty-Five “while Sohrab was silent and the
D) new watch world was not”?
A) 911 when terrorists flew planes into the twin towers
14. _____ Why is Sohrab in the hospital? in New York City
A) Assef beats him. B) The Russians invasion of Afghanistan
B) Sohrab slits his wrists with a razor blade. C) Terrorist bombing on the trains in Spain
C) He is sick. D) The Oklahoma City Bomber bombing the Federal
D) His mother works there. Building

CHAPTER QUIZ ANSWER KEYS
CHAPTERS ONE-EIGHT QUIZ
1. B
2. C
3. A
4. B
5. B
6. D
7. A
8. A
9. C
10. D
11. C
12. A
13. A
14. A
15. B
16. D
CHAPTERS NINE-SEVENTEEN QUIZ

1. B
2. D
3. A
4. B
5. D
6. A
7. B
8. A
9. C
10. A
11. C
12. C
13. A
14. B
15. C
16. A

CHAPTERS EIGHTEEN TO TWENTY -FIVE QUIZ
1. D
2. A
3. D
4. A
5. D
6. A
7. B
8. A
9. C
10. B
11. C
12. C
13. A
14. B
15. B
16. A
17. A
18. A
Focused Activity Name ____________________________

Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE: “PICTURE-MAKING PHRASES”
Simile- Simile is a type of figurative language. A simile is a comparison using the words like or as that show how two unlike
things are similar in one important way.
 The school cafeteria is like a prison.
Metaphor- Metaphor is a type of figurative language. A metaphor is a comparison NOT using the words like or as that show
how two unlike things are similar in one important way.
There are two types of metaphors: A equals B and single-word
A equals B Comparisons
1. The school cafeteria is a prison.
Single-Word Comparisons
1. The boxer blasted his opponent. (verb)

2. The basketball player made the basket, the Promised Land. (noun)
3. Amanda’s feline movements helped her climb over the fence. (adjective)
Allusion- Allusion is a type of figurative language. An allusion is a brief 'reference' to a famous historical or literary figure or
event that stimulates ideas, associations, and extra information in the reader's mind. An allusion may be drawn from history,
geography, literature, or religion.
 I could never tell whether he was Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde.
The novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde written by Robert Louis Stevenson is known for its vivid
portrayal of a man with a split personality.
Personification- Personification is a type of figurative language. The use of personification is when an inanimate object is
given the characteristics as being a living person or animal.

 "Because I could not stop for Death--/He kindly stopped for me” by Emily Dickinson
In the poem Death is a gentleman who stops for her.
EXERCISE A
Directions: Read the passages and identify the figurative language that has been underlined and write the answer on the
line-simile, metaphor, allusion, personification.
1. ________________________ “Because the past claws its way out.” (page 1)
2. ________________________ “They [kites] danced high above the trees on the west end of the park over the
windmills, floating side by side like a pair of eyes looking down on San Francisco the
city now call home.” (page 1)
3. ________________________ “At parties, when all six-foot-five of him thundered into the room, attention shifted to
him like sunflowers turning to the sun.” (page 13)
4. ________________________ “But with each defeated kite, hope grew in my heart, like snow collecting on a wall,
one flake at a time.” (page 64)
5. ________________________ “The blue kite knew it was in trouble.” (page 65)
6. ________________________ “That was the only one [gift] that didn’t feel like blood money.” (page 102)
7. ________________________ “I stepped back and all I saw was rain through window panes that looked like
melting silver.” (page 109)
8. ________________________ “Now, you need air, need it NOW. But your airways ignore you.” (page 121)
9. ________________________ “The bus was a sad carcass of rusted metal, shattered windows replaced with black
garbage bags, balding tires, and upholstery shredded down to the springs.” (page
137)
10. ________________________ “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.” (page 148)
EXERCISE A
Directions: Read the passages and identify the figurative language and write the answer on the line-simile, metaphor,
allusion, personification.
11. ________________________ “…I thought of Soraya Taheri’s sickle-shaped birthmark, her gently hooked nose, and
the way her luminous eyes had fleetingly held mine.” (page 142)
12. ________________________ “Long before the Roussi army marched into Afghanistan, long before villages were
burned and schools destroyed, long before mines were planted like seeds of death and
children buried in rock-piled graves…” (page 136)
13. ________________________ “Those throny old barbs of guilt bore into me once more, as if speaking his name had
broken a spell , set them free to torment me anew.” (page 202)
14. ________________________ “I felt like a man who awakens in his own house and finds all the furniture rearranged,

so that every familiar nook and cranny looks foreign now.” (page 224)
15. ________________________ “Returning to Kabul was like running into an old, forgotten friend and seeing that life
hadn’t been good to him.” (page 246)
16. ________________________ “The sound of my ribs snapping like the tree branches Hassan and I used to break to
swordfight like Sinbad in those old movies.” (page 288)
17. ________________________ “I dreamed a lot, and most of it I only remember as a hodge-podge of images, snippets
of visual memory flashing in my head like cards in a Rolodex.” (page 309)
18. ________________________ “I want to tear myself from this place, from this reality, rise up like a cloud and float
away, melt into this humid summer night and dissolve somewhere far, over the hills.”
(page 345)
19. ________________________ “Perspective was a luxury when your head was constantly buzzing with a swarm of
demons.” (page 356)

Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

FOIL CHARACTERS
A foil is a character that contrasts with another character (usually the protagonist) and so highlights various aspects of the
main character's personality. A foil usually has some important characteristics in common with the other character, such as
superficial traits or personal history. However, the foil character in a story is the character who is the exact opposite of the
main character and therefore serves to magnify certain characteristics of the main character.
In Act V of William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Hamlet says to Laertes that "I'll be your foil, Laertes: in mine ignorance /
Your skill shall, like a star i' the darkest night, Stick fiery off indeed.” Laertes plays the role of Hamlet’s foil because Laertes
is a man of action who immediately seeks revenge for his father’s murder, while Hamlet waits to revenge his father’s murder.
Directions: There are many foil characters in The Kite Runner. Listed on the chart are characters and their foils. In complete
sentences describe how the foil character contrasts with the character listed.
CHARACTERS EXPLANATION
Hassan is a foil to Amir
Rahim Khan is a foil Baba

Ali is a foil to Baba
Soraya is a foil to Amir

Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

SYNTAX: FRAGMENTS, SHORT SENTENCES, RUN-ON SENTENCES, AND LONG SENTENCES ANSWERS
A simple sentence: a simple sentence is when a subject and a complete predicate complete an idea
 Amir is a South African novel.
Sentence fragments: sentence fragments do not constitute a complete grammatical sentence. A subject and a complete
predicate are not present.
 Rain storms once a month

 Softly talks to the baby
 Sneaking around like that making people nervous
Authors will use sentence fragments (or short sentences) in order to give emphasis. Usually the fragment will be used
after many long or descriptive sentences. This stylistic technique adds contrast to the work and enhances the author’s
point.
Run-on sentences: run-on sentences have at least two parts, either one of which can stand by itself, but in a run-on
sentence, the two parts have been combined together instead of being properly connected by key words and/or proper
punctuation. Keep in mind that the length of a sentence really has nothing to do with whether a sentence is a run-on or not.
 The sun is out, put on some sunscreen.

 Gumboot takes the train to work Miriam walks home.
 The dog was upset all day he didn't get food yesterday.
List of structures and idea conveyed:
 Simple sentence (or fragment) introducing the ideas of passage-emphasizes idea/theme

 Simple sentence (or fragment) introducing the ideas of passage- emphasizes character
 Simple sentence (or fragment) in the middle of passage-focuses on pivotal assertion

 Simple sentence (or fragment) in the middle of passage-isolates idea or action
 Simple sentence (or fragment) in the middle of passage-creates tension
 Simple sentence (or fragment) at the end of passage-focuses on action closing abruptly
 Simple sentence (or fragment) at the end of passage-focuses on changing scene or point of view

 Long sentence (or run-on) reflects movement of the character/s
 Long sentence (or run-on) reflects emotional state of character-confusion, anguish, elation etc.
 Long sentence (or run-on) enhances setting
 Long sentence (or run-on) enhances weather
Directions: Identify the structures of the sentences and match the description to the author’s syntactical choice. Then,
describe the idea that is conveyed in the specific passage that is being presented by the syntactical choice. Your explanation
should include key words from the structure of passages list. Keep in mind that there are different approaches to analyzing
each passage. It is important that you consider the context of the passages. The first item is completed for you.
1. One day last summer, my friend Rahim Khan called from Pakistan. He asked me to come see him. Standing in the
kitchen with the receiver to my ear, I knew it wasn’t just Rahim Khan on the line. It was my past of unatoned sins. After I
hung up, I went for a walk along Spreckels Lake on the northern edge of Golden Gate Park. The early-afternoon sun
sparkled on the water where dozens of miniature boats sailed, propelled by a crisp breeze. Then I glanced up and saw a
pair of kites, red with long blue tails, soaring in the sky. They danced high above the trees on the west end of the park,
over the windmills, floating side by side like a pair of eyes looking down on San Francisco, the city I now call home. And
suddenly Hassan’s voice whispered in my head: For you, a thousand times over. Hassan the hairlipped kite runner.
(page 1 )
Structure of passage: focuses on changing scene or point of view
Main idea presented: Amir uses long, descriptive sentences to describe the weather, the kites flying in the sky, and
Spreckels Lake. In one short sentence he mentions he has “unatoned sins.” The sentence fragment at the end of the
passage mentions Hassan. There is a shift between Amir’s description of his environment to Hassan, someone from his
past that he wronged.
2. Like the times Kaka Homayoun’s projector got stuck on the sam eslide, the same image kept flashing in my mind over
and over: Hassan, his head downcast, serving drinks to Assef and Wali. Maybe it would be for the best. Lessen his
suffering. And mine too. Either way, this much had become clear: One of us had to go. (page 102)
Structure of passage:
Main idea presented:
3. I wish Rahim Khan hadn’t called me. I wished he had let me live on in my oblivion. But he had called me. And what
Rahim Khan revealed to me changed things. Made me see how my entire life, long before the winter of 1975, dating
back to when that singing Hazazra woman was still nursing me, had been a cycle of lies, betrayals, and secrets.
There is a way to be good again, he’d said.
A way to end the cycle.
With a little boy. An orphan. Hassan’s son. Somewhere in Kabul. (page 226)
4. We are in the the Sulaiman Mountains of Baluchistan and baba is wrestling the black bear. He is the baba of my
childhood, Toophan agha, the towering specimen of Pashtun might, not the withered man under the blankets, the man
with the sunken cheeks and hollow eyes. They roll over a patch of green grass, man and beast, Baba’s curly brown hair
flying. The bear roars, or maybe it’s Baba. Spittle and blood fly; claw and hand swipe. They fall to the ground with a loud

thud and Baba is sitting on the bear’s chest, his finger’s digging in its snout. He looks up at me and I see. He’s me. I am
wrestling the bear. (page 295)
5. I ran. A grown man running with a swarm of screaming children. But I didn’t care. I ran with the wind blowing in my face,
and a smile as wide as the Valley of Panjsher on my lips.
I ran. (page 371)

Score _______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

SYNTAX: PARALLEL STRUCTURE
Parallel structure: parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same
level of importance. It creates a balance of expressions, provides emphasis and establishes rhythm.
Parallel structure…
 reflects dull, routine  reflects emotions of character

 reflects chaos  reflects perspective of character
 emphasizes ideas  contrasts ideas (antithesis)
 emphasizes action  contrasts actions (antithesis)
 focuses on emphatic position  contrasts emotions (antithesis)
 focuses on changing scene  conveys a specific tone
Here are some famous examples of parallel structure and how contributes to the meaning of the passage.
 “When he was present she had no eyes for anyone else. Everything he did was right. Everything he said was
clever.” Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility
Significance of parallel structure: The parallel structure reflects the woman’s perspective of the man. She sees him as
perfect; his actions are “right” and his words are “clever.” The parallel structure reinforces her infatuation for the man.
 “With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to
stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.” Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech
Significance of parallel structure: All the key words of the speech, “work, “pray,” “struggle,” “go,” “stand up.,” are
action words. The use of parallel structure in the speech emphasizes that people must act “together” in order to gain
freedom.
Antithesis: Juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases or clauses Rhetorical contrast of idea means of
parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences.
 "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…."
Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

Significance of parallel structure: The parallel structure contrasts the ideas within the two countries. For some it was
the ‘best of times” and for the others the “worst of times.” The antithesis emphasizes the experiences of the social
classes.
 "I have learned that kindness and love can pay for pain and suffering." Alan Paton, Cry, The Beloved Country
Significance of parallel structure: During Apartheid people experienced “pain and suffering.” The contrast of
emotions suggests a way in which the country can heal. “[K]indness and love” is the solution for healing.
Directions: Underline the common structures and/words in the sentence. Then, describe the idea that is conveyed in the
specific passage that is being presented by the parallel structure. Use this structure for each of your responses: point of
passage/context, parallel structure/evidence, purpose/commentary.
1. I loved him in that moment, loved him more than I’d ever loved anyone, and I wanted to tell them all that I was the snake
in the grass, the monster in the lake. I wasn’t worthy of this sacrifice; I was a liar, a cheat, and a thief. And, I would have
told, except that a part of me was glad. Glad that this would all be over soon. Baba would dismiss them, there would be
some pain, but life would move on. I wanted that, to move on, to forget, to start with a clean slate. I wanted to be able to
breathe again. (page 105)
Significance of parallel structure: _____________________________________________________________________

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2. Long before the Roussi army marched into Afghanistan, long before villages were burned and schools destroyed, long
before mines were planted like seeds of death and children buried in rock-piled graves, Kabul had become a city of
ghosts for me. A city of harelipped ghosts. America was different. America was a river, roaring along, unmindful of the
past. I could wade into this river, let my sins drown to the bottom, let the waters carry me someplace far. Someplace
with no ghosts, no memories, and no sins. (page 136)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
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3. Sohrab screaming. The side of my face slamming against the corner of the television stand. That snapping sound again,
this time just under my left eye. Music. Sohrab screaming. Fingers grasping my hair, pulling my head back, the twinkle

of stainless steel. Here they come. That snapping sound yet again, now my nose. Biting down in pain, noticing how my
teeth didn’t align like they used to. Getting kicked. Sohrab screaming. (page 288)

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Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

WRITING ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT PASSAGE CHART
Directions: Choose a passage 50-100 words from the novel and complete the chart below.
WRITE YOUR PASSAGE HERE AND UNDERLINE EIGHT KEY WORDS or PHRASES
(you will use these words and phrases for the box labeled “LIST THE KEY WORDS AND PHRASES”)
1 WHAT IS THE CONTEXT-PLOT AND/OR WHAT IS YOUR INITIAL REACTION TO 4 WHAT ARE YOUR CONCLUDING
CHARACTERS-OF THE PASSAGE? THIS PASSAGE? THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS PASSAGE?
3 LIST THE KEY WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE KEY WORDS 2 WHAT COULD BE A POSSIBLE THEME?
WORDS AND AND/OR PHRASES-REPETITION, UNUSUAL WORD CHOICE WHY?
PHRASES? (make OR ORDER, LITERARY DEVICES?
sure you use
quotation marks)

Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

WRITING ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT PASSAGE
Many times when you read, there are passages that “standout” in a novel. These passages are usually significant in relation
to the themes of the novel and/or character development.
Directions: Using the chart, write a complete paragraph discussing the significance of the passage. Use the numbers
assigned to specific sections on the chart as a guideline for the organization of the paragraph. The numbers on the chart
correspond to the numbers listed below. Feel free to rearrange the information on the chart in order to make your ideas and
supports coherent.
1 Begin by _________________________________________________________________
identifying where the
passage can be found
_________________________________________________________________
in the novel: context-
plot and/or characters-
_________________________________________________________________
of the passage
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2 Topic Sentence:
What entire paragraph _________________________________________________________________
is going to be about-
connection to theme. It _________________________________________________________________
is okay for your topic
sentence to be the _________________________________________________________________
second sentence of
paragraph _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3 Specific
Supports: Use key _________________________________________________________________
words from the
passage. _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
4 Concluding
Thoughts: Give your
concluding thoughts
about the passage.

Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION OF AMIR
Psychoanalytic criticism asserts that most of human motivation stems from the unconscious. Although facets of
psychoanalysis have been refuted, there are key theories that can be applied to Amir’s mental state.
Sigmund Freud and Defense Mechanisms: Freud used three psychic zones describe the components of human
personality: id, the ego, and the superego. The id, the pleasure principle, is the part of the personality that wants instant
gratification without the consequences. The superego is known as the morality principle. The superego is the human
conscience. The ego is the reality principle that maintains a balance between the id and superego. The ego is that
conscious part that acts as mediator between the instinctual drives of the unconscious id and the social environment.
The Three Physic Zones

Id: Pleasure Principle Ego: Reality Principle Superego: Morality Principle
 impulse towards satisfaction  rational  protects society

 no logic  regulates id’s drives  censors or represses the id
 no values  mediating agency of psyche  source of conscience and pride
 source of aggression
 similar to a demonic figure
According to Freud, the ego has developed defense mechanisms, to cover for the wild demands of the id, which would rarely
be socially acceptable. Although there are many defense mechanisms, the three that best applies to the characters in the
novel are listed below.
 Projection: attributing one’s own unacceptable impulses onto someone else. The impulses are still judged
unacceptable, but they belong to someone. One can maintain his self-esteem by ignoring an objectionable
aspect of himself
 Displacement: reassignment of some kind of aggression to a scapegoat to relieve the tension of a situation or
feeling
 Denial: having a conscious awareness at some level, but denies the reality of the experience by pretending it
is not there

EXERCISE A
Directions: Read the questions carefully and apply the principles of defense mechanisms to Amir’s behavior and
personality and answer the questions in complete sentences.
1. According to Sigmund Freud which defense mechanism is Amir using when he hits Hassan with a pomegranate and he
wants Hassan to hit him back? (page 92)
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2. According to Sigmund Freud which defense mechanism is Amir using when he sets up Hassan and tells Baba that
Hassan stole his watch?
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3. According to Sigmund Freud which defense mechanism is Amir using when he cries when his father hugs him after kite
tournament?
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4. What is significant about the Amir’s statement, “He was so goddamn pure, you always felt like a phony around him”?
Use Sigmund Freud’s theory of displacement to answer the question.
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Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

EXERCISE B
Directions: Using the questions and your answers for Exercise A, complete the Psychiatric Report on the narrator.
PSYCHIATRIC REPORT
NAME OF PATIENT: ___________________________. He goes by the name of ___________________________.
formal name nickname
IDENTIFICATION OF PATIENT: The patient is a ________ -year-old ___________________ _________________.

age race gender
CHIEF COMPLAINT: _____________________________________________________________________________
describe
HISTORY OF PATIENT ILLNESS: The patient’s issues began ________________________. The patient tends to feel
when
____________________________ and _______________________. He sometimes has problems with

adjective adjective
______________________________________________ and _________________________________________. The
object object
patient also has what he describes as going into a “_________________________ fit.” During these times, he feels as if his
adjective
whole body is going to ___________________________. These fits last _______________________.
verb time frame
SUBSTANCE ABUSE HISTORY:
Tobacco: He smokes _______________ cigarettes per day.

number

Alcohol: He drinks _______________ beverages per day.
number
Illegal Drugs: He smokes _______________ marijuana cigarettes per day.
number
ABUSE HISTORY/TRAUMA/UNUSUAL CHILDHOOD EVENTS: The patient was _____________________________________
describe
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Are her parents separated? Yes or No
SOCIAL HISTORY: The patient was born in _______________________, _____________________________________.

city country
Is the patient married? Yes or No
Does he have children? Yes or No
Is he employed? Yes or No
How do other people view him? _____________________________________________________________________

describe
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________
EDUCATION: The number of years attending school is ____________ because ________________________________

number give reason
______________________________________________________________________________________________
LEGAL: He has never been charged with any crime, but __________________________________________________
explain
______________________________________________________________________________________________
MENTAL STATUS: The patient is __________________________ and _________________________.

adjective adjective
Eye Contact: ____________________________________________________________________________

describe
Memory: ________________________________________________________________________________
describe
Mood: __________________________________________________________________________________
describe
Speech: ________________________________________________________________________________
describe
Judgment: _____________________________________________________________________________
describe
DIAGNOSIS: It appears that the patient is suffering from ______________________ and ______________________
condition condition
STRENGTHS: The patient is ________________________ and _________________________.

adjective adjective

PROGNOSIS: With the proper treatment, it will be possible to _______________________________________________
the extent of help and describe the condition
______________________________________________________________________________________________
PLAN: He needs ____________________________________________________________________________________

explain
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Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

TRANSFORMATION THROUGH COMMUNICATION
“The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately

determines the quality of our lives” (Anthony Robbins)
Throughout the novel Amir has many meaningful conversations with several other characters that impact his life and how he
sees the world.
Directions: Based on each situation with the characters listed below, the topic of conversation, and the significant passage
from the conversation, explain how this conversation contributes to Amir’s transformation.
Topic of Significant Passage How conversation contributes to

Situation
Conversation (write word-for-word) Amir’s transformation
In the beginning Theft is the "There is no act more wretched than

Amir and Baba
of the novel, worst crime stealing, Amir," Baba said. "A man who
Baba is telling takes what's not his to take, be it a life
his son about or a loaf of naan... I spit on such a man.
the worst sin a And if I ever cross paths with him, God
man can help him. Do you understand?" (page
commit, theft 18)

After Amir Letter Amir jan, I enjoyed your story very
Amir and Rhakim
shares his story much. Mashallah, God has granted you

that he had a special talent. It is now your duty to
written, Rahim hone that talent, because a person who
Khan write him wastes his God-given talents is a
a letter praising donkey. (page 32)
his writing
talents.
Soraya shares Past I envied her. Her secret was out.

her past with Spoken. Dealt with. I opened my mouth
Amir and Soraya
Amir. She tells and almost told her how I'd betrayed
him what she Hassan, lied, driven him out, and
had done, which destroyed a forty-year relationship
is why people between Baba and Ali. But I didn't. I
gossip about suspected there were many ways in
her. which Soraya Taheri was a better
person than me. Courage was just one
of them. (page 165)
Amir travels Standing up "WHAT'S SO FUNNY?" Assef bellowed.

back to Another rib snapped, this time left
Amir and Assef
Afghanistan to lower. What was so funny was that, for

find Sohrab. the first time since the winter of 1975, I
Assef haves felt at peace. I laughed because I saw
him and will not that, in some hidden nook in a corner of
let Amir leave my mind, I'd even been looking forward
until they fight. to this. (page 289)

Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

SYMBOLS
Symbols (Greek, `to throw together') - symbols-like metaphors, similes, personification, and allusions-are a type of figurative
language. Symbols must be something material or visible such as colors, objects, animals, people, and places, while the
idea it symbolizes must be something abstract or universal.
When analyzing and writing about the significance of symbols, there are some important points to keep in mind:
 Use key words and phrases from the passage-make sure these key words and phrases have quotation marks around
them.
 Use key words and phrases reflecting the meanings of the symbols-do not punctuate these key words and phrases.
 Use a variety of words when analyzing the symbolism of passages:
 symbolizes  highlights  exemplifies  inspires

 correlates  changes  clarifies  compares
 associates  alludes to  alters  describes
 connects  constrains  conveys  produces
 represents  invokes  portrays  suggests
 asserts  implies  manipulates  evokes
 details  explores  repudiates  demonstrates

 differentiates  delineates  maintains  enhances
 elicits  construes  transcends  specifies
 refutes  enunciates  emphasizes  suggests
 reveals  shifts  dispels  illustrates
 juxtaposes  solidifies  depicts  signifies
 documents  creates  connotes
 For certain symbols, especially colors, they can represent negative, positive, or both ideas.
Directions: The symbols in the work are given with their most common universal meanings. The passages listed include
the symbol/s. Underline the key words and phrases in the passage, and discuss the significance of the symbol in connection
with the work. Use this structure for each of your responses: point of passage/content, symbols/evidence,
purpose/commentary.
SUMMER: symbolizes warmth, joviality, joy, ease, fullness. For the hero this season symbolizes is the peak of his or her
power. This is a time to be outwardly expressive
Passage from novel containing the symbol (Underline key words):
One day last summer, my friend Rahim Khan called from Pakistan. He asked me to come see him. Standing in the
kitchen with the receiver to my ear, I knew it wasn't just Rahim Khan on the line. It was my past of unatoned sins. After I
hung up, I went for a walk along Spreckels Lake on the northern edge of Golden Gate Park. The early-‐afternoon sun
sparkled on the water where dozens of miniature boats sailed, propelled by a crisp breeze. Then I glanced up and saw a
pair of kites, red with long blue tails, soaring in the sky. They danced high above the trees on the west end of the park,
over the windmills, floating side by side like a pair of eyes looking down on San Francisco, the city I now call home. And
suddenly Hassan's voice whispered in my head: For you, a thousand times over. Hassan the harelipped kite runner.
Significance of Symbol (make a connection between the symbol and the ideas in the novel):
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WINTER: symbolizes cold, despair, loneliness, emptiness. For the hero this season symbolizes his or her literal or symbolic
death. This is a time of introversion and contemplation

I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975. I remember the precise
moment, crouching behind a crumbling mud wall, peeking into the alley near the frozen creek. That was a long time ago,
but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out.
Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years.
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EYES/SEE: symbolizes observation and judgment
It was an odd thing to see the stone-faced Ali happy, or sad, because only his slanted brown eyes glinted with a smile or
welled with sorrow. People say that eyes are windows to the soul. Never was that more true than with Ali, who could only
reveal himself through his eyes. (page 8)
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SEA/OCEAN/WATER: traditional literary symbol of the unconscious. To dive is to probe beneath the surface for hidden
meanings, to learn about one’s submerged desires and emotions.
Long before the Roussi army marched into Afghanistan, long before villages were burned and schools destroyed, long
ghosts for me. A city of harelipped ghosts.
America was different. America was a river, roaring along, unmindful of the past. I could wade into this river, let my
sins drown to the bottom, let the waters carry me someplace far. Someplace with no ghosts, no memories, and no sins.
(page 136)
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HOUSE: symbolizes rooms and different levels represent different aspects of the Self
But in its stead, I felt like a man who awakens in his own house and finds all the furniture rearranged, so that every
familiar nook and cranny looks foreign now. Disoriented, he has to reevaluate his surroundings, reorient himself. (page
224)
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MIRROR: imagination, consciousness, self-contemplation, reflection of the universe, mythic door-soul frees itself by
‘passing’ to the other side. A distorted image or mirror used in a destructive way symbolizes self-deception.
When we were children, Hassan and I used to climb the popular trees in the driveway of my father’s house and annoy
our neighbors by reflecting sunlight into their homes with a shard of mirror. We would sit across from each other on a
pair of high branches, our naked feet dangling, our trouser pockets filled with dried mulberries and walnuts. We took
turns with the mirror as we ate mulberries, pelted each other with them, giggling, laughing…Sometimes up in those
trees, I talked Hassan into firing walnuts with his slingshot at the neighbor’s one-eyed German Shephard. Hassan
never wanted to, but if I asked, really asked, he wouldn’t deny me. Hassan never denied me anything…He [Ali] would
take the mirror and tell us what his mother had told him, that the devil shone mirrors too, shone them to distract
Muslims during prayer.”
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Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

SONG CONNECTION: “SOMETIMES” BY JAMES
James is a British rock band from Manchester, England. They formed in
1982. They have released numerous albums in the last three decades. Their
songs are known for their emotional lyrics with a range of themes. The
themes they cover range from love and loss to political commentary about
war. They have been known for their musical experimentation. Their lead
vocalist Tim Booth is known for his unique voice which enhances the band’s
sound. The other band members are Jim Glennie (bass guitar), Larry Gott
(lead guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboard, flute), David Baynton-Power (drums),
Saul Davies (rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, violin, percussion), Mark Hunter
(keyboards, piano), and Andy Diagram (trumpet, percussion)
Directions: To the left are the song lyrics, “Sometimes” by James. Read the song lyrics carefully and answer the questions
that connect to The Kite Runner in the column next to it.

SONG LYRICS “SOMETIMES” QUESTIONS CONNECTING TO “THE KITE RUNNER”
1. SCIENCE AND THEME: Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. The time
There's a storm outside, and the gap between hearing the thunder and seeing the lighting gives an estimate
between crack and thunder about how many miles away from where the lightning just struck. What does
the “gap between crack and thunder” suggest about the narrator’s
emotions?
Crack and thunder, is closing in, is
closing in
The rain floods gutters and makes a 2. THEME: As you listen to the song and read the song lyrics think about the
great sound on concrete scene in the novel when Ali and Hassan have chosen to leave Baba’s
house after Hassan admits to a crime he didn’t commit (pages 106-109).
When Ali and Hassan are leaving Amir recalls the weather. Connect the
On a flat roof, there's a boy leaning storm and “gap between crack and thunder” to Amir’s emotional state:
against the wall of rain
Aerial held high, calling, "Come on

thunder, come on thunder"
3. ALLUSION: In William Shakespeare's play The Tempest, Ariel is a spirit who
serves the magician Prospero, who rescued him and with promises to grant
Ariel his freedom after he serves him. Ariel is Prospero's eyes, using his
Sometimes, when I look deep in your magical abilities to cause the storm in the beginning of the play and control
eyes the other characters in order for them to become better people. How does
the allusion to Aerial enhance the meaning of the narrator’s situation?
I swear I can see your soul
Sometimes, when I look deep in your

eyes 4. SYNTAX: If Amir is the boy in the song, what does the repetition of “closing
in” symbolize the context of the novel The Kite Runner?
I swear I can see your soul
It's a monsoon and the rain lifts lids

off cars 5. SYMBOLISM: In the novel Amir reminds us that “eyes are the windows to the
soul.” He applies this concept to Ali: “ It was an odd thing to see the stone-
faced Ali happy, or sad, because only his slanted brown eyes glinted with a
smile or welled with sorrow. People say that eyes are windows to the soul.
Spinning buses like toys, stripping
Never was that more true than with Ali, who could only reveal himself
them to chrome through his eyes.” How does this passage connect to the novel and the
song?
Across the bay, the waves are turning

into something else
Picking up fishing boats and spewing

6. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE: Which figurative language device is used in this line,
them on the shore “Spinning buses like toys”? _______________________________
7. DICTION: What is meant by the “waves are turning into something else” if you
were to apply it to Amir’s betrayal of Hassan?
The boy is hit, lit up against the sky,
like a sign, like a neon sign
8. PLOT AND THEME: List all the descriptive words that imply violence:
And he crumples, drops into the

gutter, cuts strange, legs twitching
If Amir is the boy, what could be the moment in his life when he is “hit”?
The flood swells his clothes and

delivers him on, delivers him on 9. DICTION: The word delivers in the line, “The flood swells his clothes and
delivers him on, delivers him on,” could mean _______________________.
Why did you choose this word?
eyes
10. CHARACTERIZATION: Rahim Khan gives Amir an envelope with a Polaroid

I swear I can see your soul photograph and folded letter. Describe the photograph briefly (page 215).
Who is in the photograph?

eyes
How does the stanza, “There's four new colors in the rainbow an old man's
I swear I can see your soul taking Polaroids/But all he captures is endless rain, endless rain, endless
There's four new colors in the rainbow rain/He says listen, takes my head and puts my ear to his/And I swear I can
an old man's taking Polaroids hear the sea,” connect to the Polaroid in the novel?
But all he captures is endless rain,

endless rain, endless rain
11. IMAGERY: Imagery is defined as “sensory details appealing to the five
senses.” The five senses are listed below. Write one phrase from the final
He says listen, takes my head and chorus of the song that represents each sense. If one of the senses do not
puts my ear to his apply, write “Not Applicable”
Visual (sight) _____________________________________

And I swear I can hear the sea Tactile/Kinesthetic (touch) __________________________
Auditory (sound) __________________________________
Sometimes, when I look in your eyes
Gustatory (taste) __________________________________
I can see your soul, I can reach your
soul Olfactory (smell) ___________________________________

I can see your soul, I can touch your
soul

I can see your soul, I can hear your
soul
FOCUSED ACTIVITY ANSWER KEYS
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE: “PICTURE-MAKING PHRASES”
EXERCISE A
1. personification
2. personification
3. simile
4. simile
5. personification
6. allusion
7. simile

8. personification
9. metaphor
10. metaphor
EXERCISE B
11. personification
12. simile
13. allusion
14. simile
15. simile
16. simile
17. simile
18. simile
19. metaphor
FOIL CHARACTERS
Hassan acts as a foil character to Amir because Hassan has a loving nature and giving
Hassan is a foil to Amir
personality. His personality contrasts with Amir’s selfish nature.
Rahim Khan acts as a foil to Baba because he understands Amir better than Baba. He
understands Amir’s love for writing stories and reading poetry and supports him. Rahim Khan
Rahim Khan is a foil Baba
writes Amir a letter encouraging him to keep writing. Baba hardly comments about Amir’s’
writing when Amir shares his stories with him.
Ali acts a foil to Baba because, unlike Baba, Ali is very affectionate towards his son Hassan.
Ali is a foil to Baba Baba is very unemotional towards Amir and doesn’t spend much time with him. Ali spends
most of his time with Hassan, nurturing and guiding him.
Soraya acts as a foil to Amir because she is not afraid to share her past with Amir. She is very
Soraya is a foil to Amir open about what happened with the young man she had moved away with against her
parent’s approval. Amir doesn’t discuss his past and keeps it a secret for a very long time.
SYNTAX: FRAGMENTS, SHORT SENTENCES, RUN-ON SENTENCES, AND LONG SENTENCES ANSWERS
1.
Main idea presented: Amir uses long, descriptive sentences to describe the weather, the kites flying in the sky, and
Spreckels Lake. In one short sentence he mentions he has “unatoned sins.” The sentence fragment at the end of the
passage mentions Hassan. There is a shift between Amir’s description of his environment to Hassan, someone
from his past that he wronged.
2.
Structure of passage: focuses on action closing abruptly
Main idea presented: Amir is replaying the uncomfortable scene when Hassan is serving drinks to Assef and Wali.
He abruptly ends the description with the thought that Hassan or himself “must go.” This final conclusion shows
Amir’s guilt.
3.
Structure of passage: Long sentence (or run-on) reflects emotional state of character-confusion, anguish, elation
etc.
Main idea presented: The long sentence beginning with “Made me see…” in the middle paragraph surrounded by
short sentences and sentence fragments emphasizes Amir’s emotional state of confusion and anguish since the
beginning of his childhood. He acknowledges that his life is filled with “lies, betrayals, and secrets.”
4.

Main idea presented: Amir describes the dream when Baba fights the bear. However, the abrupt short sentence at
the end of the passage shows that Amir is the one fighting the bear. This realization comes after Amir has finally
faced his fears and stood up to his adversary Assef.
5.
Structure of passage: emphasizes idea/theme
Main idea presented: The short sentence “I ran” at the beginning of the passage emphasizes Amir’s new
perspective and emotions. The short sentences extend the scene and show how Amir embraces the moment in the
park with Sohrab.
SYNTAX: PARALLEL STRUCTURE

1. I loved him in that moment, loved him more than I’d ever loved anyone, and I wanted to tell them all that I was the snake
in the grass, the monster in the lake. I wasn’t worthy of this sacrifice; I was a liar, a cheat, and a thief. And, I would have
told, except that a part of me was glad. Glad that this would all be over soon. Baba would dismiss them, there would be
some pain, but life would move on. I wanted that, to move on, to forget, to start with a clean slate. I wanted to be able to
breathe again. (page 105)
After Amir makes it seem that Hassan stole his watch and money, Hassan chooses to take the blame rather than tell on
Amir. It is this moment that Amir realizes how much he loves Hassan, but he can’t face what he has done and would
prefer to ignore it. Amir begins the passage stressing his love for Hassan in that “moment” and more than he had “loved
anyone.” However, the parallel structure emphasizes his guilt; he is the “monster in the lake” and the “snake.” This
contrast shows Amir’s conflicting emotions. However, in the end Amir chooses to try and end his guilt and “move on” by
sacrificing Hassan.
2. Long before the Roussi army marched into Afghanistan, long before villages were burned and schools destroyed, long
ghosts for me. A city of harelipped ghosts. America was different. America was a river, roaring along, unmindful of the
past. I could wade into this river, let my sins drown to the bottom, let the waters carry me someplace far. Someplace
with no ghosts, no memories, and no sins. (page 136)
Amir comments about how Afghanistan has been destroyed by the war and mines, but the “city of ghosts” for Amir
existed with Hassan, the “harelipped ghost.” The parallel structure shows how emphatic Amir feels about his past and
remembering Hassan. Amir personifies America as a river who is “unmindful of the past.” Amir sees America as way to
help him forget about Hassan. Amir thinks about wading in the water and letting his sins go “down to the bottom,” so he
can forget about his past, “no ghosts, no memories, and no sins.”
3. Sohrab screaming. The side of my face slamming against the corner of the television stand. That snapping sound again,
this time just under my left eye. Music. Sohrab screaming. Fingers grasping my hair, pulling my head back, the twinkle
of stainless steel. Here they come. That snapping sound yet again, now my nose. Biting down in pain, noticing how my
teeth didn’t align like they used to. Getting kicked. Sohrab screaming. (page 288)
Amir has finally stood up for himself and is willing to sacrifice himself. While Assef is beating Amir, Sohrab is
“screaming.” Although Assef is pulling Amir’s hair and hitting him with brass knuckles, Amir focuses on Sohrab’s
screams. He is thinking of somebody else’s wellbeing in this selfless act.

Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

WRITING ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT PASSAGE CHART
Directions: Choose a passage (50-100 words) from the novel and complete the chart below.
WRITE YOUR PASSAGE HERE AND UNDERLINE EIGHT KEY WORDS or PHRASES
(you will use these words and phrases for the box labeled “LIST THE KEY WORDS AND PHRASES”)
“For you, a thousand times over,” I heard myself say.
Then I turned and ran.
It was only a smile, nothing more. It didn’t make everything all right. It didn’t make anything all right. Only a smile. A tiny thing. A leaf in
the woods, shaking in the wake of a startled bird’s flight.
But I’ll take it. With open arms. Because when spring comes, it melts  the snow one flake
Academic at a time,
Lessons. Alland maybe
rights I just witnessed
reserved 106the first
flake melting.
I ran. A grown man running with a swarm of screaming children. But I didn’t care. I ran with the wind blowing in my face, and a smile
as wide as the Valley of Panjsher on my lips.
I ran. (page 371)
1 WHAT IS THE CONTEXT-PLOT AND/OR WHAT IS YOUR INITIAL REACTION TO 4 WHAT ARE YOUR CONCLUDING
CHARACTERS-OF THE PASSAGE? THIS PASSAGE? THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS PASSAGE?
This passage is the final passage of The title of the novel The Kite Runner is
referring to Hassan, but at the end of the There is a new hope for Amir and his family;
Amir’s journey. Amir, his wife, and “there is a “way to be good again.”
Sohrab are at the park in San Francisco novel it is Amir running with the kite to
celebrating Afghanistan’s New Year. help Hassan’s son Sohrab. It shows that
Amir buys a kite and begins a kite flying Amir has found atonement by being
competition. Everyone celebrates. Sohrab selfless and taking care of Hassan’s son.
smiles for the first time.
3 WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE KEY WORDS

LIST THE KEY
AND/OR PHRASES-REPETITION, UNUSUAL WORD CHOICE
2 WHAT COULD BE A POSSIBLE THEME?
WORDS AND WHY?
PHRASES? (make OR ORDER, LITERARY DEVICES?
sure you use
Amir finds atonement by helping Hassan’s
quotation marks)
son Sohrab by risking his life, bringing him
“For you, a
to America, and taking care of him. Amir
thousand times Words that Hassan said to Amir during the kite flying tournament
takes the place of Hassan; he is now the one
over”
who runs the kite and is there to help Sohrab.
Diction-the word only, but has significant impact-connects to
“only a smile” Because Sohrab has not smiled in over a year,
Hassan’s smile
he sees the smile as a beginning. His hope
“didn’t make increases for Sohrab and his smile helps the
everything all Parallel structure shows emphasis, Smile doesn’t remove all pain “first flake melting” of Amir’s past that
right…didn’t make and suffering haunts him since the winter of 1975.
anything all right”
“leaf in the woods” Metaphor-the smile is being compared to a leaf
Sentence fragment-Amir embraces the first sign of hope when

“With open arms”
Sohrab smiles
Metaphor-the smile is being compared to a snowflake melting-

“first flake melting”
suggests a new beginning-connects to winter of 1975
“smile as wide as
the Valley of Simile-Amir smiles-finds joy, selfless, connection to Afghanistan
Panjsher”
Simple sentence to end the novel-repetition of the phrase-he runs
“I ran” with children and has found redemption. This time he is not running
away like he did in 1975
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

WRITING ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT PASSAGE
Many times when you read, there are passages that “standout” in a novel. These passages are usually significant in relation
to the themes of the novel and/or character development.
Directions: Using the chart, write a complete paragraph discussing the significance of the passage. Use the numbers
assigned to specific sections on the chart as a guideline for the organization of the paragraph. The numbers on the chart
correspond to the numbers listed below.

1 Begin by
identifying where the This passage reflects the end of one journey and a new beginning for Amir and his family.
passage can be found
in the novel: context- Amir finds atonement by helping Hassan’s son Sohrab by risking his life, bringing him to
plot and/or characters-
of the passage
America, and taking care of him. Amir, his wife, and Sohrab are at the park in San Francisco
celebrating Afghanistan’s New Year. Amir buys a kite and begins a kite flying competition.
2 Topic Sentence: Everyone celebrates. While in the park flying a kite, Amir metaphorically takes the place of
What entire paragraph Hassan; he is now the one who runs the kite and is there to help Sohrab. Sohrab smiles for
is going to be about-
connection to theme. It the first time. Because he has not smiled in over a year, Amir sees the smile as a beginning.
is okay for your topic
sentence to be the His hope increases for Sohrab and his smile helps the “first flake melting” of Amir’s past
second sentence of
paragraph that haunts him since the winter of 1975. Amir tells Sohrab, “For you, a thousand times
over.” These words are the same that Hassan said to Amir during the kite flying tournament.
These are the words he recalled in the beginning of the novel and now the story has come in
3 Specific full circle; this time the words are in a context of hope and redemption. Although Amir sees
Supports: Use key Sohrab smile, he realizes that it is only a beginning. The parallel structure emphasizes that
words from the
passage. this smile doesn’t remove all pain and suffering, “didn’t make everything all right…didn’t
make anything all right,” but the word “only” shows how the smile has a significant impact.
The sentence fragment “With open arms” shows how Amir embraces the first sign of hope
when Sohrab smiles. It is through Sohrab that Amir can find atonement. Amir repeats the
simple sentence “I ran” to describe his running with children, but this time he is not running
away like he did in 1975. The title of the novel The Kite Runner is referring to Hassan, but at
4 Concluding the end of the novel it is Amir running with the kite to help Hassan’s son Sohrab. It shows
Thoughts: Give
your concluding
that Amir has found atonement by being selfless and taking care of Hassan’s son. There is a
thoughts about the new hope for Amir and his family; “there is a “way to be good again.”
passage.
PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION OF AMIR
EXERCISE A
1. When Amir hits Hassan with a pomegranate and then wants Hassan to hit him back, he is using the projection defense
mechanism. Amir is projecting his betrayal and cowardice during Hassan’s assault onto Hassan. He feels ashamed for
not helping and running away, so he wants Hasan to be like him. Amir is attempting to feel better about himself.
2. Amir sets up Hassan and tells Baba that Hassan stole his watch and money. In order for Amir to ignore his own actions,
he displaces his aggression onto Hassan. If Hassan is the thief and leaves, then Amir will no longer have to see Hassan
and be reminded of his own failures. Hassan becomes the scapegoat in order for Amir to ignore his own behavior.

3. Amir cries when his father hugs him after kite tournament because he is in denial. Amir feels awful about not helping
Hassan in the alley and running away. Amir wins the tournament because Hassan would not give up the kite. After the
assault, Amir continues to act like nothing happened. However, when his father hugs him, Amir cries because he has
been holding in his feelings and releases them in the moment someone shows him the affection he feels he doesn’t
deserve.
4. Amir is angry at Hassan because Hassan makes him feel like a “phony.” Amir is reassigning his own anger towards
himself onto Hassan. He makes Hassan a scapegoat, so he can relieve his guilty feelings.
EXERCISE B
PSYCHIATRIC REPORT
TRANSFORMATION THROUGH COMMUNICATION

Suggested Answers
Topic of Significant Passage How conversation contributes to
Situation
Conversation (write word-for-word) Amir’s transformation
Amir and Baba
In the beginning of the Theft is the "There is no act more wretched than It is this discussion about theft that
novel, Baba is telling worst crime stealing, Amir," Baba said. "A man gives Amir the idea to set up
his son about the worst who takes what's not his to take, be Hassan. Later Amir realizes that he
sin a man can commit, it a life or a loaf of naan... I spit on is the thief.
theft such a man. And if I ever cross
paths with him, God help him. Do
you understand?" (page 18)
Amir and Rhakim
After Amir shares his Letter Amir jan, I enjoyed your story very Amir is inspired to write.
story that he had much. Mashallah, God has granted
written, Rahim Khan you a special talent. It is now your
write him a letter duty to hone that talent, because a
praising his writing person who wastes his God-given
talents. talents is a donkey. (page 32)
Soraya shares her Past I envied her. Her secret was out. He listens to Soraya while she tells
past with Amir. She Spoken. Dealt with. I opened my all her secrets. Amir envies Soraya
Amir and Soraya
tells him what she had mouth and almost told her how I'd because she was brave, she acted.
done, which is why betrayed Hassan, lied, driven him Amir did not act when Hassan was
people gossip about out, and destroyed a forty-year being assaulted. She is helps give
her. relationship between Baba and Ali. Amir the strength to face his past.
But I didn't. I suspected there were
many ways in which Soraya Taheri
was a better person than me.
Courage was just one of them.
(page 165)
Amir travels back to Standing up "WHAT'S SO FUNNY?" Assef Amir is finally someone who stands
Amir and Assef
Afghanistan to find bellowed. Another rib snapped, this up for what he believes. He risks
Sohrab. Assef haves time left lower. What was so funny his life to help someone else.
him and will not let was that, for the first time since the
Amir leave until they winter of 1975, I felt at peace. I
fight. laughed because I saw that, in some
hidden nook in a corner of my mind,
I'd even been looking forward to this.
(page 289)
SYMBOLS
.
SUMMER

One day last summer, my friend Rahim Khan called from Pakistan. He asked me to come see him. Standing in the kitchen
with the receiver to my ear, I knew it wasn't just Rahim Khan on the line. It was my past of unatoned sins. After I hung up, I
went for a walk along Spreckels Lake on the northern edge of Golden Gate Park. The early-‐afternoon sun sparkled on the
water where dozens of miniature boats sailed, propelled by a crisp breeze. Then I glanced up and saw a pair of kites, red
with long blue tails, soaring in the sky. They danced high above the trees on the west end of the park, over the windmills,
floating side by side like a pair of eyes looking down on San Francisco, the city I now call home. And suddenly Hassan's
voice whispered in my head: For you, a thousand times over. Hassan the harelipped kite runner.
It is summer time in San Francisco, California when Amir receives a phone call from his friend Rahim Khan to come to
Pakistan to see him. At this time in his life, Amir has been avoiding his “past of unatoned sins.” The symbolism of the
summer evokes Amir to realize his power. The summer correlates to Amir’s time to be outwardly expressive and visit his old
friend. While thinking about his visit, he recalls what Hassan “harelipped kite runner” told him many years ago during the kite
tournament, “For you, a thousand times over.” It is time for Amir to be a man of action and face his past.
WINTER
I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975. I remember the precise
moment, crouching behind a crumbling mud wall, peeking into the alley near the frozen creek. That was a long time ago, but
it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out. Looking
back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years.
Amir uses adjectives such as “frigid and frozen” to describe the weather, but symbolizes his symbolic death. More than likely
something tragic has happened. He remembers the event well, the “precise moment.” The alley was “deserted” and he was
near a “crumbling” wall suggest a time in Amir’s life that left him in despair.
EYES/SEE
It was an odd thing to see the stone-faced Ali happy, or sad, because only his slanted brown eyes glinted with a smile or
welled with sorrow. People say that eyes are windows to the soul. Never was that more true than with Ali, who could only
reveal himself through his eyes.
Ali is “stone-faced,” so all his emotions can be seen in his eyes. Amir recalls that his eyes “glinted with a smile or welled with
sorrow.” Ali revealed his “soul” through his eyes. It is his observation about the world around him and his love for his son
Hassan that made Ali a great father and friend to Baba.
SEA/OCEAN/WATER
Long before the Roussi army marched into Afghanistan, long before villages were burned and schools destroyed, long
before mines were planted like seeds of death and children buried in rock-piled graves, Kabul had become a city of ghosts
for me. A city of harelipped ghosts.
America was different. America was a river, roaring along, unmindful of the past. I could wade into this river, let my sins
drown to the bottom, let the waters carry me someplace far. Someplace with no ghosts, no memories, and no sins. (page
136)
Amir comments about how Afghanistan has been destroyed by the war and mines, but the “city of ghosts” for Amir existed
with Hassan, the “harelipped ghost.” Amir personifies America as a river who is “unmindful of the past.” Amir sees America
as way to help him forget about Hassan. Amir thinks about wading in the water. Being that water symbolizes the
unconscious and probing beneath the surface helps one learn about desires and emotions, Amir would rather not delve into
the water, he rather let his sins go “down to the bottom,” so he can forget about his past.
HOUSE
But in its stead, I felt like a man who awakens in his own house and finds all the furniture rearranged, so that every familiar
nook and cranny looks foreign now. Disoriented, he has to reevaluate his surroundings, reorient himself.” (page 224)
When Amir visits Kabul, he realizes he is no longer the same man; he feels “disoriented.” Amir connects the home, where
everything “looks foreign,” to the changes with his Self because he sees life and himself differently. The “furniture
rearranged” clarifies how he is emotionally struggling and has to “reevaluate his surroundings” He is no longer the selfish,
little boy who idealized his father and would sacrifice his childhood best friend in order to win the approval of Baba.
MIRROR

When we were children, Hassan and I used to climb the popular trees in the driveway of my father’s house and annoy our
neighbors by reflecting sunlight into their homes with a shard of mirror. We would sit across from each other on a pair of high
branches, our naked feet dangling, our trouser pockets filled with dried mulberries and walnuts. We took turns with the mirror
as we ate mulberries, pelted each other with them, giggling, laughing…Sometimes up in those trees, I talked Hassan into
firing walnuts with his slingshot at the neighbor’s one-eyed German Shephard. Hassan never wanted to, but if I asked, really
asked, he wouldn’t deny me. Hassan never denied me anything…He [Ali] would take the mirror and tell us what his mother
had told him, that the devil shone mirrors too, shone them to distract Muslims during prayer.”
Amir and Hassan use mirrors to “annoy” their neighbors. While they were being destruction, Amir would convince him to
harm a dog. Amir stresses that he “talked Hassan” into firing the walnuts and “Hassan never denied” him. The mirror
symbolizes Amir’s self-deception in this passage. He is the bad influence, the devil, and asks Hassan to act against his kind
nature. Amir continues his self-deception through most of the novel until he contemplates his past and faces it.
SONG CONNECTION: “SOMETIMES” BY JAMES
1. The narrator is feeling overwhelmed, the storm is getting closer.
2. Amir has just betrayed tow, decent people. Although he is being betrayed by someone he loves, Hassan still sacrifices
himself for Amir. The storm that is “closing in” is Amir’s guilt overwhelming him for committing such a terrible act.
3. Amir has always felt like his life it out of control. He is in a constant state of confusion. Like Aeriel in the song
“Sometime” and in The Tempest, he is a spirit that determines the fate of the characters. Ariel forces the characters to
atone for the wrongs they have done and atone for their sins. Like the others Amir will eventually have to atone for his
sins.
4. Amir’s act of betrayal will overwhelm him and will continue to haunt him for many years.
5. Ali is “stone-faced,” so all his emotions can be seen in his eyes. Amir recalls that his eyes “glinted with a smile or welled
with sorrow.” Ali revealed his “soul” through his eyes.
6. Simile
7. He betrays Hassan because Amir can’t forgive himself for helping Hassan in the alley and running away. Denying his
guilt and sending Hassan away is Amir’s attempt to not have to face his shame. The waves are “turning into something
else” is Amir’s guilt taking a different form.
“lifts lids off cars”

“spinning”
“stripping”
“spewing them on shore”
“hit”
“crumples’
“cuts strange”
Winter of 1975
liberate
release
save
carry through
discharge
absolve
10. Hassan is in the photograph with his son. Hassan is smiling and he exudes “self-assuredness, of ease.” His son Sohrab
is leaning against his father’s hip smiling.

The Polaroid brings back many Amir’s memories of Hassan. He remembers the day he betrayed Ali and Hassan and
how it rained as they drove away. Rahim Khan’s phone call forces Amir to return to Afghanistan, listen to Hassan’s
story, and reconcile his past. Amir realizes that he must find Sohrab and take care of him.
Visual (sight) “four new colors,” “I can see your soul”

Tactile/Kinesthetic (touch) “takes my head,” “I can reach your soul,” “I can touch your soul”
Auditory (sound) “I swear I can hear the sea”
Gustatory (taste) Not Applicable
Olfactory (smell) Not Applicable
Name ____________________________
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

CHARACTERS
Directions: Match the characters’ names to their descriptions. Note-not all of the character’s names will be used.

A) Ali
1. _____ Soraya’s father, a decorated general in Kabul who worked for the
Ministry of Defense B) Amir
2. _____ Servant and friend to Amir. He is a Hazara, a minority group in C) Assef

Afghanistan
3. _____ Hassan’s father, servant to Baba and Amir D) Baba
4. _____ Taxicab driver E) General Iqbal Taheri
5. _____ Amir’s father. He is described as “a force of nature” or “a bear of a F) Gholan

man.”
G) Farid
6. _____ Soraya’s mother
H) Hassan
7. _____ Amir’s wife
8. _____ Hassan’s mother I) Kamal
9. _____ Baba’s friend and business partner. He is a mentor to Amir and J) Khala Jamila
offers him a way to “be good” again
K) Omar Faisal
10. _____ Main character and narrator of The Kite Runner
L) Rahim Khan
11. _____ Pashtun boy who bullies Amir and Hassan, becomes a leader in the
Taliban
M) Sohrab
12. _____ Son of Hassan
N) Soraya Taheri
O) Sanaubar
P) Zaman
Name ____________________________
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

PLOT, ANALYSIS, AND PASSAGES
Directions: read the questions carefully and choose the letter of the correct answer
1. _____ In Chapter One during the telephone call, A) had time to be the man his father wanted him to
Rahim Khan tells Amir that he be.

B) has the chance to be good again. B) writing short stories together.
C) had to come to Pakistan to reclaim his father’s C) buying items from garage sales and re-selling
house. them at the flea market.
D) lied about Amir’s mother dying in childbirth. D) repairing and selling cars.
2. _____ Hassan is a member of the minority class in 10. _____ What is the first season Amir mentions in the
Afghanistan called opening chapter and based on Carl Jung’s theories,
A) Pashtuns how is this season fitting?
B) Naans A) Summer, because it represents the hero, Amir,
C) Hazaras and his peak of power.
D) Kabulist B) Summer, because it represents the hero,
Hassan, and his peak of innocence.
3. _____ Baba and his friends frequently talked about C) Fall, because it represents the hero, Amir, and
three subjects. Which is NOT one of those subjects? the beginning of his fall from power.
A) Politics D) Winter, because it represents the hero, Amir,
and his death of innocence.
B) Poetry
C) Business 11. _____ Hassan best represents which archetypal
D) Soccer character?
A) Hero
4. _____ What was Hassan’s first word? B) Trickster
A) “Thank you” C) Devil
B) “Help” D) Scapegoat
C) “Baba”
D) “Amir” 12. _____ Assef best represents which archetypal
character?
5. _____ What is Baba’s famous nickname? A) Hero
A) Mr. Hurricane B) Trickster
B) Mr. Pain C) Devil
C) The Buffalo D) Scapegoat
D) Great Quake
13. _____ Which is NOT a major subject in The Kite
6. _____ The first time Amir sees Baba cry is when Runner?
A) Ali and Hassan leave his home. A) Most people never change
B) Amir graduates from High School. B) Brotherhood
C) when Baba hears the news that Hassan is C) Secrets and their destructive power
dead.. D) Need for redemption-atonement
D) Amir marries his wife.
7. _____ Amir and Baba leave Afghanistan by

A) riding in the tank of a fuel truck.
B) hiding under produce of a friend’s wagon.
C) walking at night in order to stay hidden.
D) having fake passports made and flying on a 14. _____ In Chapter Nine Amir says that “—it was all
plane. blood money: Baba would never have thrown me a
party like that if I hadn’t won the tournament” Which
figurative language device is used in this passage?
A) allusion
B) simile
8. _____ At the end of Chapter Sixteen, Rahim tells C) metaphor
Amir that the Talban banned which sport in 1996? D) personification
A) Football
B) Soccer 15. _____ Which motif-pattern-is NOT used frequently in
C) Kite Fighting the novel The Kite Runner?
D) Wrestling A) kites
B) mothers and fathers
9. _____ In California Baba and Amir make extra C) sling-shots
money by D) knives
A) selling authentic Afghanistan food.
Directions: Read the passage carefully and choose its speaker (You may use the names more than once).

16. _____ “There is a way to be good again.” (The first time this quote is spoken to Amir) A) Baba
B) Rahim Khan
17. _____ “There was brotherhood between people who had fed from the same breast, a
kinship that not even time could not break.” C) Amir
D) Assef
18. _____ “There is only one sin, only one. And that is theft . . . When you kill a man you
steal a life. You steal his wife’s right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When E) Ali
you tell a lie, you steal the right to fairness . . . ”
19. _____ “A boy who won’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to
anything.”
20. _____ “I want to tell you about him. I want to tell you everything. You will listen?”
21. _____ “You don’t know the meaning of the word ‘liberating’ until you’ve done that,
stood in a roomful of targets, let the bullets fly, free of guilt and remorse, knowing you
are virtuous, good, and decent. Knowing you’re doing God’s work. It’s breath taking.”
22. _____ “. . . for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace. I laughed
because I saw that, in some hidden nook in the corner of my mind, I’d even been
looking forward to this.”
23. _____ “America was different. America was a river, roaring along, unmindful of the
past. I could wade into this river, let my sins drown to the bottom, let the waters carry
me someplace far. Someplace with no ghosts, no memories, and no sins.”
Name ____________________________
Score _______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

PASSAGES WITH MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
Read the passage carefully and answer questions 1-8 moment, crouching behind a crumbling mud wall, peeking
into the alley near the frozen creek. That was a long time
I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve
overcast day in the winter of 1975. I remember the precise learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws

its way out. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking C) sentence fragments
into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years. D) contrasts
One day last summer, my friend Rahim Khan called from
Pakistan. He asked me to come see him. Standing in the 7. _____ The pronoun it in the sentence, “I know it wasn’t
kitchen with the receiver to my ear, I knew it wasn’t just just Rahim Khan on the line” is referring to
Rahim Khan on the line. It was my past of unatoned sins. A) the pattern of his life
After I hung up, I went for a walk along Spreckels Lake on B) unpredictability
the northern edge of Golden Gate Park. The early-afternoon C) past of unatoned sins
sun sparkled on the water where dozens of miniature boats D) the phone call
sailed, propelled by a crisp breeze. Then I glanced up and
saw a pair of kites, red with long blue tails, soaring in the 8. _____ Amir’s present and his memory of the past
sky. They danced high above the trees on the west end of shows
the park, over the windmills, floating side by side like a pair A) contrast between his love for sailing and kite flying
of eyes looking down on San Francisco, the city I now call B) contrast between choosing Rahim Khan and
home. And suddenly Hassan’s voice whispered in my head: Hassan
For you, a thousand times over. Hassan the hairlipped kite C) contrast between seasons
runner. (page 1) D) contrast between his current family and his family
from the past
1. _____ When Amir says, “the city I now call home,” it
implies that Read the passage carefully and answer questions 9-14
A) he finally accepts this city as his home.
B) he is originally from another city. Baba came right out and asked. “Did you steal that money?
C) he has recently purchased a new home. Did you steal Amir’s watch, Hassan?”
D) he plans on moving soon. Hassan’s reply was a single word, delivered in a thin
raspy voice: “yes.”
2. _____ About how old is the narrator? I flinched, like I’d been slapped. My heart sank and I
A) 12 almost blurted out the truth. Then I understood: This was
B) 26 Hassan’s final sacrifice for me. If he’d said no, Baba would
C) 38 have believed him because we all knew Hassan never lied.
D) 42 And if Baba believed him, then I’d be accused; I would have
to explain and I would be revealed for what I really was.
3. _____ Amir compares the kites to Baba would never, ever, forgive me. And that led to another
A) miniature boats understanding: Hassan knew. He knew I’d seen everything
B) long blue tails in that alley, that I stood there and done nothing. He knew I
C) a pair of eyes had betrayed him and yet he was rescuing me once again,
D) San Francisco maybe for the last time. I loved him in that moment, loved
him more than I’d ever loved anyone, and I wanted to tell
4. _____ The diction used to describe the winter of 1975 them all that I was the snake in the grass, the monster in the
suggests that lake. I wasn’t worthy of this sacrifice; I was a liar, a cheat,
A) something terrible happened. and a thief. And, I would have told, except that a part of me
B) he helped someone from his past. was glad. Glad that this would all be over soon. Baba would
C) Rahim Khan was an enemy. dismiss them, there would be some pain, but life would
D) Amir committed a crime. move on. I wanted that, to move on, to forget, to start with a
clean slate. I wanted to be able to breathe again.
Except Bab stunned me by saying, “I forgive you.”
Forgive? But theft was the one unforgivable sin, the
5. _____ Which of the following lines contains an example common denominator of all sins. When you kill a man, you
of figurative language? steal a life. You steal his wife’s right to a husband, rob his
A) “I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s
a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975.” right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to
B) “I remember the precise moment, crouching behind fairness. There is no act more wretched than stealing.
a crumbling mud wall, peeking into the alley near Hadn’t Baba sat me on his lap and said those words to me?
the frozen creek.” Then how could he just forgive Hassan? And if Baba could
C) “They danced high above the trees on the west forgive that, then why couldn’t he forgive me for not being
end of the park, over the windmills, floating side by the son he’d always wanted? Why- (Pages 105-106)
side like a pair of eyes looking down on San
Francisco, the city I now call home.” 9. _____ Amir refers to himself as the following EXCEPT
D) “Hassan the hairlipped kite runner.” A) liar
B) imposter
6. _____ This passage includes all of the following C) cheat
EXCEPT D) thief
A) repetition of pronouns
B) figurative language

10. _____ What is Hassan’s response when Baba asks him “WHAT’S SO FUNNY?” Assef kept roaring with each
if he stole the money and watch? blow. His spittle landed in my eye. Sohrab screamed.
A) “Yes.” “WHAT’S SO FUNNY?” Assef bellowed. Another rib
B) He doesn’t answer. snapped, this time left lower. What was so funny was that,
C) “No.” for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace. I
D) “Amir is the monster.” laughed because I saw that, in some hidden corner of my
mind, I'd even been looking forward to this. I remembered
11. _____ What is the significance of the parallel structure the day on the hill I had pelted Hassan with pomegranates
in this passage? and tried to provoke him. He'd just stood there, doing
A) emphasizes Amir’s guilt nothing, red juice soaking through his shirt like blood. Then
B) demonstrates Amir’s sociopathic tendencies he'd taken the pomegranate from my hand, crushed it
C) shows how calculating Amir is against his forehead. Are you satisfied now? he'd hissed. Do
D) reveals Amir’s hatred for his father you feel better? I hadn't been happy and I hadn't felt better,
not at all. But I did now. My body was broken-just how badly
12. _____ The critical transition point of the passage occurs I wouldn't find out until later- but I felt healed. Healed at last.
at which line? I laughed. (pages 288-289)
A) Hassan’s reply was a single word, delivered in a thin
raspy voice: “yes.” 15. _____ Who is hitting Amir with his brass knuckles?
B) I wanted to be able to breathe again. A) A Taliban Soldier
C) Except Bab stunned me by saying, “I forgive you.” B) Assef
D) There is no act more wretched than stealing. C) Baba
D) Sohrab
13. _____ Amir’s attitude is BEST described as
A) indifferent 16. _____ The tone of the passage can BEST be described
B) vulnerable as
C) elated A) elation
D) stunned B) content
C) humiliation
14. _____ The passage includes of the following EXCEPT D) despondency
A) parallel structure
B) questions 17. _____ Amir compares the cracking of his ribs to
C) alliteration A) cracked eggs
D) metaphor B) a sword
C) tree branches
Read the passage carefully and answer questions D) broken picture frame
15-20
Mostly, I remember this: His brass knuckles flashing in the

afternoon light; how cold they felt with the first few blows
and how quickly they warmed with my blood. Getting thrown
against the wall, a nail where a framed picture may have 18. _____ The pronoun they in this sentence, “Here they
hung once in jabbing at my back. Sohrab screaming. Tabla, come” refers to the
harmonium, a dil-roba. Getting hurled against the wall. The A) world
knuckles shattering my jaw. Choking on my own teeth, B) sins
swallowing them, thinking about all the countless hours I’d C) brass knuckles
spent flossing and brushing. Getting hurled against the wall. D) Talib
Lying on the floor, blood from my split upper lip staining the
mauve carpet, pain ripping through my belly, and wondering 19. _____ Imagery can be found in the passage EXCEPT
when I’d be able to breathe again. The sound of my ribs A) gustatory imagery
snapping like the tree branches Hassan and I used to break B) olfactory imagery
to swordfight like Sinbad in those old movies. Sohrab C) auditory imagery
screaming. The side of my face slamming against the corner D) tactile imagery
of the television stand. That snapping sound again, this time
just under my left eye. Music. Sohrab screaming. Fingers 20. _____ The critical transition point of the passage occurs
grasping my hair, pulling my head back, the twinkle of at which line?
stainless steel. Here they come. That snapping sound yet A) “Choking on my own teeth, swallowing them,
again, now my nose. Biting down in pain, noticing how my thinking about all the countless hours I’d spent
teeth didn’t align like they used to. Getting kicked. Sohrab flossing and brushing.”
screaming. B) “I don’t know at what point I started laughing, but I
I don’t know at what point I started laughing, but I did. It did.”
hurt to laugh, hurt my jaws, my ribs, my throat. But I was C) “WHAT’S SO FUNNY?”
laughing and laughing. And the harder I laughed, the harder
he kicked me, punched me, scratched me.

D) “I remembered the day on the hill I had pelted A) running
Hassan with pomegranates and tried to provoke B) smile
him.” C) leaf
D) bird’s flight
Read the passage carefully and answer questions 21-27
25. _____ Which literary device is being used in this
“For you, a thousand times over,” I heard myself say. sentence: “Only a smile. A tiny thing. A leaf in the
Then I turned and ran. woods, shaking in the wake of a startled bird’s flight”?
It was only a smile, nothing more. It didn’t make everything A) metaphor
all right. It didn’t make anything all right. Only a smile. A tiny B) simile
thing. A leaf in the woods, shaking in the wake of a startled C) allusion
bird’s flight. D) personification
But I’ll take it. With open arms. Because when spring
comes, it melts the snow one flake at a time, and maybe I 26. _____ Amir’s comparing his smile to Valley of Panjsher
just witnessed the first flake melting. and the melting snow connects to
I ran. A grown man running with a swarm of screaming A) Assef’s fall
children. But I didn’t care. I ran with the wind blowing in my B) Baba’s atonement
face, and a smile as wide as the Valley of Panjsher on my C) Rahim Khan’s death
lips. D) Amir’s past
I ran. (page 371)
27. _____ The tone that BEST describes this passage is
21. _____ Which figurative language device is used in this A) hope
sentence: “I ran with the wind blowing in my face, and a B) regret
smile as wide as the Valley of Panjsher on my lips.” C) achievement
A) metaphor D) reliance
B) simile
C) alliteration
D) chiasmus
22. _____ How is the word only significant in the context of

the entire novel?
A) shows how one event impacted Amir’s life
B) reinforces the significance of running
C) reveals Amir’s insecurities
D) connects to Hassan’s smile
23. _____ The passage includes all of the following
EXCEPT
A) parallel structure
B) figurative language
C) personification
D) symbolism
24. _____ The pronoun it in this sentence, “Because when

spring comes, it melts the snow one flake at a time,” is
metaphorically referring to
Multiple-Choice Test Answer Keys
Characters 7. N
8. O
1. E 9. L
2. H 10. B
3. A 11. C
4. G 12. M
5. D
6. J

15. D 6. A
16. B 7. C
17. C 8. C
18. A 9. B
19. A 10. A
20. B 11. A
21. D 12. C
22. C 13. D
Plot and Analysis 23. C 14. C
15. B
1. B 16. A
2. C 17. C
3. B 18. C
4. D 19. B
5. A 20. B
6. A 21. B
7. A Passages with Multiple-Choice 22. D
8. C Questions 23. C
9. C 24. B
10. D 1. B 25. A
11. D 2. C 26. D
12. C 3. C 27. A
13. A 4. A
14. A 5. C
Name ____________________________
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

READER RESPONSE ESSAY: QUOTE
The Afghanistan Relief Organization is an organization of varied backgrounds and faiths founded in the United States in
1998. ARO is mostly a volunteer organization made up of Americans and Afghans who have distributed food, medicine, and

school supplies to Afghanistan. The ARO’s goal is to help improve basic living conditions and support education. The
Afghanistan Relief Organization said, “Hope is knowing that people, like kites, are made to be lifted up.”
Directions: Write a 1 paragraph response to the statement above. Listed are some questions that you should consider:
 What role does kite flying play in the novel?

 Where in the novel are there examples of hope?
 What does the phrase lifted up mean?
 How does this statement apply to the character Amir and Sorhab at the end of the novel?
 How does the significance of the title of the novel The Kite Runner connect to this quote by the ARO?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________________________
Score ______________________
THE KITE RUNNER

THE HERO’S JOURNEY ESSAY OUTLINE: FORMULA ESSAY
According to the scholar Joseph Campbell there are stories from many cultures that have similar patterns. One common
storyline is the hero cycle. The hero (usually the protagonist of the story) goes through various stages in order to learn from
the experiences and transform into a better person. During the hero’s journey, he or she will move into a real and/or
metaphorical world of darkness, which is called the “belly of the whale.” This stage in the hero cycle involves many struggles
and obstacles that the hero must overcome in order to change.

Directions: Amir is the hero in the novel The Kite Runner. Write a 6-page essay demonstrating how the hero Amir follows
the hero cycle. Before you write your essay complete the items below. Keep in mind that when you write your essay,
depending on your choices, the items may not all be used or in the order they are listed.
Note: The words in bold are definitions of important terms. Please feel free to use these terms in your essays.
PARAGRAPH ONE: INTRODUCTION
 What is the definition of archetypes?
 Who is the hero archetype from the novel?
 What is the name of the novel?
 Who is the author?
 Does the hero follow the hero pattern?
 Thesis statement: Does your hero follow the initiation or quest story? Or both? What does your hero learn from this
experience? There are several events that lead Amir from the self-centered, insecure boy seen in the beginning
of the novel to the maturing man presented at the end.
PARAGRAPH TWO: BODY
 What kind of person is the hero in the beginning of the novel?
 Does he or she have an unusual birth?
 What is the relationship he or she has with his father and/or mother?
 What is the separation stage? What is crossing the threshold? The hero crosses into the field of adventure, leaving
the known world for a realm where the laws and limits as yet are unknown.
 Is there a archetypal scapegoat in this novel? Who is the scapegoat? What happens to him?
 How is the title of the novel significant?
 How does your hero follow the separation stage/ crossing the threshold?

 Are there symbols that support the hero’s experience in this stage?
 Passage: Include one passage from the novel that reflects one of the ideas above and place the passage next to that
idea.
 Transitional sentence: How does the separation stage relate to the next stage of the hero cycle?
PARAGRAPH THREE: BODY
 What is the stuggle-intiation stage? The Road of Trials? A series of tests or tasks the hero must undergo to begin
the transformation. Often the person fails one or more of these tests, which often occur in threes.
 Discuss one obstacle the hero must overcome
 Discuss another obstacle the hero must overcome
 Discuss another obstacle the hero must overcome
 Are there any symbols that support the hero’s experience in this stage
idea.
PARAGRAPH FOUR: BODY
 What is the “belly of the whale” experience for the hero?
 Is there an archetypal demonic adversary in this novel? Who is the demonic adversary? What does he look like? How
does he behave? How does he treat the hero?
 How do you know that this experience is the most difficult and brings about the transformation of our hero?
 How does the hero emerge from this dark experience?

 What is the apotheosis stage? The hero dies a physical or spiritual death. A person’s fulfillment before the hero
begins the return.
 Describe the hero’s apotheosis stage
 What is the freedom to live stage? Mastery leads to freedom from the fear of death, which in turn is freedom to live.
 When does the hero experience the freedom to live stage?
idea.
PARAGRAPH FIVE: BODY
 What is the crossing of the return threshold? The hero needs to retain the wisdom gained from the quest, to
integrate that wisdom into human life, and then figure out how to share it with the rest of the world.
 When does the return occur? Does the hero die or live?
 Does the hero experience atonement? How has the hero transformed?
idea.
PARAGRAPH SIX: CONCLUSION
 Wrap-up your details

 Give final thoughts about the hero and what he learns
THE KITE RUNNER

ADVANCED PLACEMENT STYLE PROMPTS
(Suggested time—40 minutes)
NOVEL ANALYSIS
1. In a literary work, a minor character, often known as a foil, A Foil is defined as a character who serves as a contrast to
another character (usually the protagonist), so as to point out specific traits of the primary character.
2. Discuss how one character serves as a foil for another character. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the
relation between the two illuminates the meaning of the work.
3. Often in literature, a character's success in achieving goals depends on keeping a secret and divulging it only at the
right moment, if at all. Because of the winter of 1975, Amir keeps a secret. In a well-organized essay, briefly explain his

necessity for secrecy and how his choice to reveal or keep the secret affects the plot and contributes to the meaning of
the work as a whole.
4. In some works of literature, a character who appears briefly, or does not appear at all, is a significant presence that
impacts another character. Write an essay in which you show how Amir’s mother functions in the work. You may wish to
discuss how she affects action, theme, or the development of Amir.
5. In The Kite Runner some of the most significant events are mental or psychological; for example, awakenings,
discoveries, changes in consciousness. In a well-organized essay, describe how the author manages to give these
internal events the sense of excitement, suspense, and climax usually associated with external action.
Name _____________________________
THE KITE RUNNER

EVALUATION
Score _______/ 100 points

AP Grade (1-9) _____
INTRODUCTION
Author’s Full Name and Title of Work (2) ______
The setting (3) ______
The “Hook” (6) ______
 startling statistic or unusual fact
 background material
 paradoxical statement
 quotation or bit of dialogue
 question
 analogy
 anecdote, joke, or narrative
 concession
 definition of a term
Thesis: a statement that provides (5) ______

The specific subject + overall meaning of the work.
CONTENT
Body Paragraph 1
Analysis (6) ______
Supports (5) ______
Passage/Introduced/Punctuation (5) ______
Body Paragraph 2
Analysis (6) ______
Supports (5) ______

Passage/Introduced/Punctuation (5) ______  paradoxical statement
 quotation or bit of dialogue
Body Paragraph 3  question
Analysis (6) ______  analogy
Supports (5) ______  anecdote, joke, or narrative
Passage/Introduced/Punctuation (5) ______  concession
 definition of a term
Body Paragraph 4
Analysis (6) ______
Thesis: a statement that provides (5) ______
Supports (5) ______
The specific subject + overall meaning of the work.
CONTENT
CONCLUSION
Body Paragraph 1
Connects to creative Introduction (5) ______
Analysis (6) ______
Supports (5) ______
ORGANIZATION (10) ______
Uses 3 Literary Terms (5) ______
Body Paragraph 2
Analysis (6) ______
COMMENTS
Supports (5) ______
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Body Paragraph 3
____________________________________________________
Analysis (6) ______
Name _____________________________ Supports (5) ______
THE KITE RUNNER

Body Paragraph 4
Analysis (6) ______
Supports (5) ______
EVALUATION Passage/Introduced/Punctuation (5) ______
CONCLUSION
Score _______/ 100 points Connects to creative Introduction (5) ______
AP Grade (1-9) _____
ORGANIZATION (10) ______
INTRODUCTION Uses 3 Literary Terms (5) ______

Author’s Full Name and Title of Work (2) ______
The setting (3) ______ COMMENTS
The “Hook” (6) ______ ____________________________________________________
 startling statistic or unusual fact
____________________________________________________
 background material
____________________________________________________
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
"A Practical Guide to Understanding Syntax: Grades 9-12." 2009. School House Books Online Services: Great Teaching
Series! Web. 10 December 2010.
Adamec, Ludwig W. Historical Dictionary of Afghanistan. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow, 1991.
"Advance Placement Literature Free-Response Prompts." 2011. College Board. Web. 12 November 2009.
Barnhart, Robert K. Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology. H.W. Wilson Co., 1988. Print
Dictionary.com. 2011. Web. 12 September 2009.
"Glossary of Literary Terms: A-E." 27 July 2006. Bedford Martins. Web. 12 Novemeber 2010.
How to Say In: Easy translation. 2008-2009. Web. November 2013

Kitelife. “Kites for Kabul: Flying for Freedom”. 2016. Web
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. 11th Edition. Springfield: Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 2004. Print
Perrine, Laurence. Literature: Structure, and Sense. 4th Edition. New York: Harcout Brace Jovanovich Publishers, 1983.
Print
Raverty, H. G. (Henry George). A dictionary of the Puk'hto, Pus'hto, or language of the Afghans: with remarks on the
originality of the language, and its affinity to other oriental tongues. Second edition, with considerable additions.
London: Williams and Norgate, 1867.
Steingass, Francis Joseph. A Comprehensive Persian-English Dictionary, including the Arabic words and phrases to be met
with in Persian literature. London: Routledge & K. Paul, 1977. PK 6379 .S7
1977.
"Transcribed medical transcription Sample Reports and Examples." MTSamples. 23 October 2009.
Tufte. Artful Sentences: Sytax as Style. Graphics Press LLC: Cheshire, 2006. Print

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THE KITE RUNNER

 Academic Lessons. All rights reserved 1

Printed in the United States of America

 Academic Lessons. All rights reserved 2

USING THE MATERIALS AND RESOURCES

 Academic Lessons. All rights reserved 3

ABOUT THE WORK AND AUTHOR

 Academic Lessons. All rights reserved 4

SPEAKING AND LISTENING OBJECTIVES

 Academic Lessons. All rights reserved 5

AGHA: great nobleman, commander, signifies respect

AHMAQ: Foolish, stupid, awkward; a

AL HAMDULLELLAH: thanks to God

AWROUSSI: wedding ceremony

DIL: heart, mind, soul KHANUM: lady; Mrs.

DOSTET DARUM: “I love you” KHASTA: wounded; sick

GHAZAL: love song or poem KHASTEGARS: suitors

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LOTFAN: “please” QIYAMAT: the resurrection, last day (judgment day)

Five basic beliefs:

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ALI (AH-lee): Hassan’s father; servant to Baba and Amir

AMIR (AH-meer): main character and narrator of The Kite Runner

BABA (baw-baw): Amir’s father. He is described as “a force of nature” or “a bear of a man.”

DR. FARUQI (fa-ROO-ka): Amir’s doctor in Peshawar

GHOLAN (GO-lawn): taxicab driver in Peshawar

FARID (Fah-REED): taxicab driver

KAMAL (kuh-maul): boy who dies trying to escape in a fuel tank

KHALA JAMILA (ha-lah jah-MEE-la): Soraya’s mother

OMAR FAISAL (O-mar FI-sal): immigration lawyer

SOHRAB: (so-RAWB): son of Hassan

SORAYA TAHERI (so-raw-YAH TAH-hair-REE): Amir’s wife

SANAUBAR (sah-NU-bar): Hassan’s mother

ZAMAN (ZA-man): director of the orphanage

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THE KITE RUNNER

 Arabian Sea  Iraq  Saudi Arabia

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GOOGLE MAP AND DIRECTIONS INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1: Log on to the internet and type “google.com/maps”

STEP 2: Click directions icon

STEP 4: Choose Print icon

STEP 5: Choose “print including maps”

STEP 6: Type your name

STEP 7: Save as a PDF or print your document

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The locations are in bold:

The locations are in bold:

 Amir begins his journey in Peshawar, Pakistan

AMIR’S JOURNEY IN GOOGLE MAPS AND DIRECTIONS ANSWER KEYS

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THE KITE RUNNER

1. What is the date of Chapter One?

2. How old is the narrator in Chapter One?

3. Where is the narrator currently living?

4. Who is the first person that Amir mentions in Chapter Two?

5. Baba and his friends frequently talked about which three

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Write the last sentence of Chapter Two: