THE KITE RUNNER QUOTATIONS Section 3 CHAPTERS 20 25 Zaara Asad PDF

THE KITE RUNNER QUOTATIONS
Section 3 (CHAPTERS 20-25)
For each of the following quotations from the novel, identify who the speaker is, if the quote is
in quotation marks; if it is not, it is Amir’s reflection on a situation. Also, identify who the
quote is spoken to, the context (when it takes place in the novel), and why it’s significant
(perhaps it is telling us something about a character or situation, or is ironic, or an example of
foreshadowing, etc.)
1. I had just learned more about my mother from this old man on the street than I ever
did from Baba.
This is the reflection of Amir. It's his inner monologue. when he was looking for the
orphanage where Sohrab was. An old man who used to teach at the university started
chatting to Amir and the man was aware of Amir's mother. After finding out a couple
things from the old man, Amir realized that he had learned more about his mother now
from this man on the street than from Baba. The significance of this quote is that the pain
caused by the loss of his wife, prevented Baba from speaking about her (Sofia) but he
may have also refrained from this because he partly blamed Amir for her death. Baba
may appear strong but he is a deeply scarred and flawed man. The lack of status this man
has and yet the valuable knowledge that only he could provide, and did provide. It’s
telling us the reader how Baba was willing to take any and all information about Sofia to
the grave with him, perhaps out of guilt or just sadness.
2. “If I deny him one child, he takes ten. So I let him take one and leave the judging to
Allah. I swallow my pride and take his goddamn filthy… dirty money. Then I go to
the bazaar and buy food for the children.”
This is spoken by Zaman to Farid. This quote was said when Farid and Amir had arrived
at the orphanage and realized that Zaman, the director of the orphanage, was selling the
children. A Taliban official took Sohrab away a month ago. The director had no choice
whatsoever to give him one because as he said if he had denied the official a child he
would’ve taken more. Even though it goes against Zaman’s morals he takes the money
and uses it to buy food for the children. This shows how much the director cares about
the children and how it pains him to sell them. This quote is significant because it looks
at the disempowerment that comes with poverty, economic power overcomes the morality
relationship between power and wealth. Farid shows us moral complexity, he accepts
money for trafficking but does it in order to feed orphans. Taliban force people into
making these choices, Farid doesn't have the ability and privilege to act morally, he has to
sacrifice his morals.
3. “You can get good money for it on the black market. Feed your kids for a couple of
weeks.”
Farid says this to Amir when they both arrive at Pashtunistan square. They see two men
talking with each other, one missing a leg and holding an artificial leg in his arms. after
Amir had asked ¨Is he selling his leg?¨ referring to the man. Farid had explained to Amir
that it's all he has to give, to receive money for food for his children. This quote is
significant because it portrays the tragedy of surviving daily life through the image of
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haggling. Farid explains to Amir that the man without a leg is selling it to the other man.
This shows how desperate the people have become, giving up things like their legs for
money so they can just afford to feed their families.
4. “And what manner of punishment, brothers and sisters, befits the adulterer? How
shall we punish those who dishonor the sanctity of marriage? How shall we deal
with those who spit in the face of God? How shall we answer those who throw
stones at the windows of God’s house? WE SHALL THROW THE STONES
BACK!”
This quote is being spoken to the crowd at the soccer stadium where Sohrab is supposed
to be. In the field where the game is supposed to be happening, there is a large hole where
a man and a woman are bound. The Taliban official that Amir looked for stoned the man
and woman to death for committing adultery. This is ironic because in comparison to
what the man and woman have done the Taliban themselves have done far worse.
5. “Door to door we went, calling for the men and boys. We’d shoot them right there
in front of their families. Let them see. Let them remember who they were, where
they belonged.”
The Taliban official is saying this to Amir. They’re in the house where the Taliban official
agreed to meet with him. The official is saying that he won’t know the meaning of
liberating unless he lets the bullets fly free knowing that you are virtuous, good and
decent. This is ironic because killing a whole bunch of people is not virtuous or good at
all.
6. “I was screaming and screaming and he kept kicking me and then, suddenly, he
kicked me on the left kidney and the stone passed. Just like that! Oh the relief! ...
And I yelled ‘Allah-u-akbar’ and he kicked me even harder and I started laughing.
He got mad and hit me harder, and the harder he kicked me, the harder I laughed.
They threw me back in the cell laughing. I kept laughing and laughing because
suddenly I knew that had been a message from God: He was on my side. He wanted
me to live for a reason.”
Assef is explaining to Amir how when he was in prison he realized he wanted to join the
Taliban. He was getting beat up by the commander when a kidney stone of his passed,
and he thought it was a message from God saying that he should continue to live.
7. “Then I shot him in the balls. I’ve been on a mission since.”

Assef tells Amir how he found the same commander bleeding in a trench in the
battlefield. He asked the commander if he remembered him and he said no. To this Assef
replied that he “never forgets a face” and shot him in the balls. I think this shows how
unforgiving and disgusting Assef is.
8. “Stoning adulterers? Raping children? Flogging women for wearing high heels?
Massacring Hazaras? All in the name of Islam?” (298)
Amir says this to Assef after he declares that he’s been on a mission. Amir tells Assef to
his face how ironic it is for the Taliban to present themselves as good and as virtuous
when they’re doing things far worse than any normal person could.
9. What was so funny was that, 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 been looking forward to this… My body was broken- just how badly I wouldn’t
find out until later- but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed.
This is Amir's Reflections, his inner monologue. This passage is significant because this
is the pivotal point in Amir’s life. When Amir fights Assef, he sacrifices his life to save
Sohrab just as Hassan had sacrificed his life for Amir. The guilt Amir has been suffering
from his childhood is finally lifted, and his mind is at peace. Thus, he feels healed and
begins laughing. Amir believes that he has compensated for the pain he caused Hassan.
11. The slingshot made a thwiiiiit sound when Sohrab released the cup. Then Assef was
screaming. He put his hand where his left eye had been just a moment ago.
This is Amir’s reflection on when Sohrab slinged a brass ball directly at Assef’s left eye.
He got what he had deserved and was finally feeling the pain he had inflicted onto others.
12. The impact had cut your upper lip in two, he had said, clean down the middle. Clean
down the middle. Like a harelip.
This is what Dr. Faroqui said to Amir while he was in the hospital for his injuries. One of
the injuries that Amir had gotten had split his upper lip in two, like a harelip. This shows
how Amir and Hassan are connected, even after one of them has passed away, they’ll
always be bound to each other. Since Hassan had a harelip, and now Amir has one.
13. Your father, like you, was a tortured soul, Amir jan.
This quote was recited in a letter from Rahim Khan to Amir jan. Rahim Khan was telling
Amir jan that he knew how hard his father was on him when he was growing up. That the
only reason he was so hard on Amir jan was because he saw himself in Amir jan, being
guilty, "When he saw you, he saw himself. And his guilt." That when he was being hard
on Amir jan that he was being hard on himself. Amir jan was longing for his fathers
affection and Rahim Khan's heart bled for him, "I saw how you suffered and yearned for
his affections, and my heart bled for you". Amir's father was torn into two halves, trying to
show love for Amir jan but also for Hassan. But he couldn't love Hassan the way he
longed to do, as a father. So without doing so he took it out on Amir jan, "But your father
was a man torn between two halves, Amir jan: you and Hassan. He loved you both, but he
could not love Hassan the way he longed to, openly, and as a father. So he took it out on
you instead-Amir...." Rahim Khan said to Amir jan that he didn't expect Amir jan to
forgive his father sooner than later but in time he would, "You are still angry and I realize
it is far too early to expect you to accept this, but maybe someday you will see that when
your father was hard on you, he was also being hard on himself. Your father, like you, was
a tortured soul, Amir jan."
14. Forgive your father if you can. Forgive me if you wish. But, most important, forgive
yourself.
This is said in Rahim Khan’s letter to Amir. He requests forgiveness from Amir, and
requests that most of all he forgives himself. Living with guilt won’t do Amir any favors
and Rahim Khan is aware of this, so he makes it known in the letter. They’ve all made
mistakes but hopefully in the end God will forgive them all.
15. I have little time left and I wish to spend it alone. Please do not look for me. That is
my final request of you.
This is Rahim Khan’s final message to Amir. He says that he has little time left and that
he wants to be left alone. I think this shows how much Rahim has also struggled
throughout the events of the story and in the end just wants to be alone for the remainder
of time he has left.
16. “That you were the best friend he ever had,” he said.
This is said by Sohrab to Amir. Amir is in the hospital after getting brutally beaten by
Assef. In the hospital Farid and Sohrab are there with him. After a bit of time Amir is able
to see clearly again and begins to move around and look at people and things in the room.
Later on in the book Amir had found a pack of cards that he struggled to grab and count
due to his current physical state. Sohrab agrees to play with him which he never expected.
While playing this card game called panjar, Sohrab and Amir have a conversation. Amir
says to Sohrab “your father and I were nursed by the same women” “I know” Sohrab
responded. Amir then asked another question “What….what did he tell you about us?”
“that you were the best friend he ever had” Sohrab responded. This moment was
significant to me because it was a time where someone had been someone's friend and it
was said out loud, and not only to one person, it was passed through a couple.
17. “There never was a John and Betty Caldwell in Peshawar. According to the people
at the consulate, they never existed. Not here in Peshawar, anyhow.”
Farid tells Amir this when they’re leaving the hospital. Rahim Khan had lied about there
being a couple to adopt Sohrab. I think Rahim’s reasoning behind this was because he
wanted someone to save Sohrab from the conditions he was currently in and what better
person to do that than Amir?
18. … Islamabad was the city Kabul could have become someday.
This is Amir’s reflection upon entering Islamabad. He noticed how much cleaner and
nicer the city itself was. It was similar to Peshawar but at the same time more modern. I
think this Amir’s way of showing hope for the future and believing that even after seeing
the current state of Kabul, it can improve.
19. “I will drive you because I am a father like you.”

Mr. Fayyaz says this to Amir when he can’t find Sohrab in the hotel. Amir asks to be
driven to the Shah Faisal Mosque and says that he’ll pay. Mr. Fayyaz refuses payment
because he feels sympathy for Amir since he is a father.
20. “Will God put me in hell for what I did to that man?”
Sohrab asks this to Amir in front of the mosque. Sohrab is thinking about when he took
out Assef’s eye. In comparison to what Assef had done, it seems unlikely that a little boy
like Sohrab would go to hell. He was also avenging his father and defending himself.
21. “I’m so dirty and full of sin.”
Sohrab says this to Amir at the mosque. He feels as if he is dirty due to the things that
happened to him while he was under Assef’s control. Of course, this is not true because if
anyone truly is dirty, it’s Assef and the other Taliban men. I think this ties back to how
Hassan had probably felt after Assef had raped him.
22. “Your father and I were brothers… Half brothers, really. We had the same father.”
Amir says this to Sohrab at the picnic. He tells Sohrab the truth about him and Hassan
being brothers. Sohrab doesn’t believe him because Hassan never mentioned he had a
brother.
23. “I think he loved us equally but differently.”

Amir says this to Sohrab, the setting being a picnic. The significance of this quote is that
Amir is telling Sohrab how Baba had loved both him and Hassan equally but differently.
This was shown with how Baba had been harder on Amir because he likely saw him as a
reflection of himself.
24. “Death certificates? This is Afghanistan we’re talking about. Most people don’t
have birth certificates.”
This is said by Amir to Raymond Andrews. The setting being at the American Embassy
to adopt Sohrab. The significance of this quote is that Afghanistan is a developing
country, and because of the Taliban takeover most people are not getting birth certificates
made.
25. “They ought to put someone in your chair who knows what it’s like to want a child.”
This is said by Amir to Raymond Andrews. The setting being at the American Embassy.
The significance of this quote is that Amir feels that it’s unfair he’s being told that Sohrab
can’t be issued a visa by someone who doesn’t have children/want any. Maybe if there
was someone like that they would’ve been more sympathetic towards Amir and Sohrab’s
situation.
26. “Well, Mr. Faisal thinks that it would really help if we could… if we could ask you to
stay in a home for kids for a while.”
This is said by Amir to Sohrab. The setting being in the hotel room after speaking to
Omar Faisal. The significance of this quote is that after being told his options, Amir asks
Sohrab if he’d be willing to stay in an orphanage again. This was obviously not a good
choice as Amir promised Sohrab that he would never have to stay in one of those again.
27. I will do all of this and I will think of Him every day from this day on if He only
grants me this one wish: My hands are stained with Hassan’s blood; I pray God
doesn’t let them get stained with the blood of this boy too.
This is the reflection of Amir. This is him praying in the hospital. The significance of this
quote is that while praying, Amir vows to follow all the rules of Islam and do all the
practices on a condition. He wishes that God will spare his hands from being stained with
the blood of Sohrab.
28. … almost a year would pass before I would hear Sohrab speak another word
This is Amir's reflection. The significance of this quote is that after Sohrab attempted to
commit suicide, Amir told him that he’d be going to america. However, he said that he
promised. At this point Sohrab’s trust had already been broken by Amir, so he did not
believe him.
29. “You will never again refer to him as ‘Hazara boy’ in my presence. He has a name
and it’s Sohrab.”
This is spoken by Amir to general Sahib, in his own home. The significance of this quote
is that after years and years of hearing people refer to Hassan as “Hazara”, Amir finally
decides to stand up for Hassan’s son and decides he will not accept anyone calling Sohrab
anything other than his name.
30. One corner of his mouth had curled up just so.

A smile.
Lopsided.
Hardly there.
But there.
This is Amir's reflection, while he is at a gathering. This quote is significant because
Sohrab smiles after nearly a year of not speaking or smiling. He does this after Amir uses
Hassan’s trick to get the kite in the air.
31. “For you, a thousand times over.”

Since Hassan had told Amir that he would bring him the kite, he is afraid of losing the kite
to Assef, because a broken promise would disappoint Amir. Consequently, Hassan
chooses to suffer the consequences of Assef’s anger—thus losing his innocence. From
Hassan’s actions, a large contrast in human nature is evident. Amir portrays the selfish
nature of people, in which one only considers the success of one’s self and disregards
others. On the contrary, Hassan portrays an unrealistic view of mankind, which is that of
relentless loyalty and purity, even in the face of one’s demise. This quote is about loving
someone, to an extent that you are willing to do anything and everything for them, even a
thousand times over. It signified the loyalty, dedication, and friendship of Hassan and
Amir as children when Hassan said it earlier in the book. With this single line it feels as
though all has been forgiven. It feels as though Sohrab will have a brighter future. This
line gives hope. This line was said twice in the story, having about a twenty-six year gap
between them. The second time it would be said is definitely more powerful than the first.
The first being said without a burden of a terrible past filled with guilt, just a child doing a
favor for a friend who he loved as a brother. The second time it was said had a much
greater significance than the first. It was a statement meant to evoke a powerful emotion
in its readers. It was a statement that showed how the roles had switched. Hassan had
always been a figure of loyalty in Amir's life. Amir stated repeatedly how much of a loyal
and undeniably honest person Hassan was. He even expressed how his own deceitfulness
toward Hassan made him feel incredibly guilty.
32. 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.
This is Amir's final reflection. He thinks this while he is at a gathering, and he is running
for Sohrab's kite. This quote is significant because he ran after the kite the same as
Hassan did all those years ago. He is returning the same loyalty and love that Hassan had
for him to his son, Sohrab.
Name: ____________________________________
PASSAGE ANALYSIS RUBRIC

Criteria Below Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
1 (0-49%) (50-59%) (60-69%) (70-79%) (80-100%)
Understandin Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates
g and analysis very little or minimal some good exceptional
of the passage no understanding understanding understanding understanding
understanding and analysis and analysis and analysis and analysis
and analysis of the passage of the passage of the passage of the passage
/10
of the passage
Contribution Provides very Provides Provides Provides a Provides an
to passage little or no minimal some accurate good, exceptional,
analysis contribution accurate contribution accurate accurate
discussion to passage contribution to passage contribution contribution
analysis to passage analysis to passage to passage
discussion analysis discussion analysis analysis
/10 discussion discussion discussion
/20
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THE KITE RUNNER QUOTATIONS

Section 3 (CHAPTERS 20-25)

7. “Then I shot him in the balls. I’ve been on a mission since.”

19. “I will drive you because I am a father like you.”

23. “I think he loved us equally but differently.”

30. One corner of his mouth had curled up just so.

31. “For you, a thousand times over.”

PASSAGE ANALYSIS RUBRIC

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