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Why is flying Kites so important to the Afghani? A main focus in the novel was the art of flying kites and kite fighting. Kiting has became a very popular hobby and its played like a sport in afghanistan. The "sport" can get very competitive as people break other people's kites then chase after them. Whoever wins the competition gets bragging rights within the community. An example from the article I read states, "Their kite flying has become an art; the kites are elaborately made, and so large as often to require two or three men to control them. Kite fighting is a sport among the men, the

object being to cut the opponent's kite loose, by means of a sharp instrument attached to the kite string. " (cited at bottom) This evidence shows the main objective of the Kite flying with the end goal of acquiring the other persons kite. It shows how competitive it gets and how serious it is to them. In the book kite flying gets so competitive it eventually turns into a tragedy. The book states, "Assef knelt behind Hassan, put his hands on Hassan's hips and lifted his bare buttocks. He kept one hand on Hassan's back and undid he own belt buckle with his freed hand." (Hosseini, pg 75) This is when Assef told Hassan that if he doesn't give him the kite he would assault him. This also shows how serious the Kite flying can get and how competitive it is. It got so dangerous that the Taliban ended up banning it in Afghanistan, all because people wanted bragging rights an took it too far. Kite flying is definitely an important aspect in life in afghanistan but can be taken to far and get out of hand.

Sources

Chadwick, Nora K. “The Kite: A Study in Polynesian Tradition.” The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 61 (1931): 455–91. https://doi.org/10.2307/2843932.

Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead Books, 2003.

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www.bbc.co.uk. “Afghanistan: Kite Festival Marks a Year since Taliban Takeover - CBBC Newsround.” August 20, 2022. https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/62596469.

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While reading the book Kite Runner, you will notice that the Kahn household consists of two Hazara’s(Hassan, and Ali) and two Pashtuns(Amir and Baba). Baba is the owner of the house along with his son Amir, and Hassan and Ali the servants. This already shows that there was something that affected the four men that would make them part into a grouplike fashion. This made me question, “How did the culture of a Pashtun vs. a Hazara differ”. “Hazara, ethnolinguistic group originally from the mountainous region of central Afghanistan, known as Hazārajāt. Poverty in the region and ongoing conflict since the Afghan war(1978–92) have dispersed many of the Hazara throughout Afghanistan”. This quote shows how Hazara’s started off poor when dispersed into new communities. “Pashtuns and Hazaras differ in terms of religious beliefs, cultural practices, social status, and physical appearances. Pashtun as the majority race and ethnic in Afghanistan is Sunni Moslem while Hazara is Shi'a”. In this text, the author gives examples of how Pashtuns differed from Hazaras, one example was social status. A big idea in these differences is social status. Pashtuns seemed to be more dominant than Hazaras in Afghan not because of how they acted or an event that happened, but because of how they started off. In Kite Runner, Ali and Hassan were affected by the differences in a social status way, which is why their best bet of making money was to stay working for Amir and Baba because if they left they would be suppressed by the people just for their appearance in the world.

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Bhadani, Anish. “Operation Cyclone: How the US Inadvertently Aided al Qaeda and the Taliban.” The Monarch, 19 Oct. 2021, amhsnews.org/4515/justice-awareness/title-tbd-operation-cyclone/.

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Moving to a new Country (Losing Financial Freedoms/Restarting)

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Moving to a new Country (Losing Financial Freedoms/Restarting)

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Moving to a new country was a struggle for most Afghans in the 1980s. Leaving everything behind to pursue a new life in a world with a new language and culture is difficult and confusing. However, most of these Afghan people moved to America. They thought it was a prosperous place; “Afghans were attracted to this region due to an amenable climate, openness to diversity, and generous welfare system” (Economic Integration). Over “30,000 Afghan immigrants” moved to this area during the Russian invasion (Iranian Influence). The US was accepting of this, making laws and giving most of these refugees asylum. Ronald Reagan was a big help to this, even starting an operation called Cyclone which supported the army in Afghanistan. Baba was a fan of this, so much so that he “went out and bought a picture of the grinning president giving a thumbs up.” (126) Many Afghans were also given jobs. People in the Bay Area understood the times they were going through and gave a lot of them a chance. Baba was able to obtain a job at the gas station. Although it did not pay much, with such an influx of Afghanistanians in that area, it could only be with help that he could get that job. Many Afghan parents relied on their children to eventually provide for and continue their family. Immigrants in general even today push their kids to be better than them so that they can have a successful life in the US. Baba did everything for Amir, he had no other family or life. Hearing that Amir would go into creative writing after all that work was very disappointing for him. Luckily, Amir was right and this did work out for him. Overall, moving to the US was a scary task that could have put many Afghan people including Baba and Amir on the street, but with the help of the community and the government, most families like Baba ended up with a stable living.

Citations:

Stempel, Carl, and Qais Alemi. Economic Integration of Afghan Refugees in the US, 1980-2015. WIDER Working Paper, UNU-WIDER, May 2018, www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/Publications/Working-paper/PDF/wp2018-49.pdf.

Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York, Riverhead Books, 29 May 2003.

Majidyar, Ahmad, and Ali Alfoneh. Iranian Influence in Afghanistan: Refugees as Political Instruments. American Enterprise Institute, 2010. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep03100. Accessed 10 Sept. 2024.

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"Baba would buy it for me-but then he'd buy it for Hassan too. Sometimes I wished he wouldn't do that. Wished he'd let me be the favorite." (Hosseini 51). In the Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, the role of a father for Amir comes up time and time again. From Baba wanting a more manly son in his opinion, to Rahim Khan encouraging Amir, Hassan never fully understood the meaning of a father. Are fathers usually distant from their sons in Afghan culture? How did Baba change in his role from Afghanistan to America?

"Men also transformed how they viewed themselves as husbands and fathers, taking more active roles in their homes and families. These changes were due to a variety of factors, including a new economic model that necessitated waged employment by men and women alike, as well as the move to nuclear family housing from multigenerational compounds"(Daigle 1-2). Obviously, this was after the book took place, however, this implies that fathers in Afghanistan did not have big roles in the house because of their work. From what we see, Baba takes a lot of time with Rahim Khan, for work or just for fun, but it seems as though Baba is more serious about his relationship with Rahim Khan than with the household/Amir. Lastly, Baba also thinks that Amir is not a normal manly boy (which is what he wants). Baba gives a lot to Amir nonetheless, he pays for him, he takes care of him and takes him out, but he doesn't connect with Amir like Rahim Khan does because baba wants something else from Amir (to be manly) and Khan accepts Amir for who he is.

"Just as displacement is often protracted, repeated and cyclical, the effects of which can be felt for a lifetime or even generations, the idea that the effects of displacement on gendered norms and roles can be isolated to the specific period of ‘crisis’ is misplaced"(Daigle 1). This quote shows that when Baba moved to America, he changed in a major way; he looked at his role in a completely different way. Instead of not worrying and spending time with Amir, Baba does the opposite. He knows that they need more support, with money and family so he helps Amir work out with Soraya while also working at a gas station and a sale every Sunday. Baba finds his identity in the sales with the other Arabs and in Amir's personal life.

Daigle, Megan. “Do Gendered Norms, Roles and Power Relations Change in Displacement?” Gender, Power and Principles in Humanitarian Action, ODI, 2022, pp. 10–13. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep51185.7. Accessed 10 Sept. 2024.

Father Afghanistan Man - Free photo on Pixabay - Pixabay

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Street fighting is sadly common throughout the world for many reasons. The main reason street fights occur are from bullying and the solving of personal conflict. In the book, The Kite Runner the readers see Hassan and Amir get picked on for Hassan's ethnicity. Amir is very wealthy and Hassan is a servant to Amir and Baba, which makes him an easy target for the bullies (Assef). Hassan is a Hazara and they have faced discrimination and hatred, which is another reason he gets picked on. Assef has a strong hatred towards the Hazaras just for their appearance and not being like him so he states, “You're part of the problem, Amir. If idiots like you and your father didn't take these people in, we'd be rid of them now. They would all just go rot in Hazarajat where they belong. You're a disgrace to Afghanistan" (41). Historically we have seen this occur multiple times and has even led to wars, like World War II when Hitler didn't like how the Jewish people just because of their appearance. The main reason street fighting happens between teenagers and tweenagers is because of bullying, and disagreements. In The Kite Runner, the fights and altercations occur because Assef is bullying Hassan and Amir for Hassan having a different appearance, along with a lower social status.

Gracie Barra, “Gracie Barra,” Gracie Barra, August 18, 2014, https://graciebarra.com/gb-news/street-fight/.

MARTIN J DOUGHERTY. “Anatomy of a Streetfight,” November 25, 2001. http://www.martinjdougherty.com/anatomy-of-a-streetfight.html.

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What are the feelings in someone when they return to a ruined home?

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What are the feelings in someone when they return to a ruined home?

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When Amir returns to Afghanistan and sees his ruined home, he feels a deep sense of loss and sorrow. This moment is a stunning moment of how much his homeland has changed.  In Khaled Hosseini's "The Kite Runner," Amir's emotions are shown when he goes back to his old house. "I stood outside the gates of my father's house, feeling like a stranger. had to force myself to look at it" (Hosseini 263), this shows how his old home is completely different and he just did not want to see how bad it was.  This also shows how affected Amir is by the changes in Afghanistan and the loss of his old home.

This same feeling was in Laurie Lee's article where it says"The Alienation We Feel When We Return to Our Childhood Home as Adults," and she says later “To revisit one’s roots calls from an upside-down posture which too often proves that the plant is broken.” This shows how painful it is to return to a place that no longer feels like home.

In both of the examples, show how after people are when they show up to what used to be called home and now they see it as a a disgrace or a broken home.

https://theexaminedlife.org/alienation-we-feel-when-we-return-home

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/how-the-taliban-has-changed-afghanistan-a-year-after-taking-power

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Lindsay Maizland, Council on Foreign Relations

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How the Taliban has changed Afghanistan, a year after taking power

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The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, 20 years after their ouster by U.S. troops. Under their harsh rule, they have cracked down on women’s rights and neglected basic services.

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In “Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini, Amir and Hassan are introduced as friends, but later we find out that Hassan is a Hazara and is technically Amir’s servant. That is why Assef and his friends always ask Amir why he is around Hassan, as the Hazara are the most discriminated Muslims. Then, after the incident with Hassan and Assef in the alley, they start drifting apart due to Amir’s guilt and shame. Their relationship turned from being friends to being master and servant. With Amir not being able to face him after the incident, he even frames Hassan to try to get them kicked out, which eventually works. Hassan and his father worked for Amir and Baba for a long time. Traditionally, Hazaras worked in some very unskilled labor, such as farming or working as servants. This is because Hazaras are discriminated against for their faith. Being Shia Muslims who believe that only Muhammed’s bloodline are allowed to lead, the Sunni Muslims and the Taliban repeatedly attack and kill Hazaras. This is shown in the book when Amir comes back and learns of Hassan’s death. “They accused him of lying when Hasan told them he was living with me even though many of the neighbors, including the one who called me, supported Hassan’s story. The Talibs said he was a liar and a thief like all Hazaras… ‘--- and shot him in the back of the head.’”(Hosseini, page 219). Here, Amir is back in Afghanistan. Him and Rahim Khan are catching up as they have not seen each other for so long. He learns that Hassan was shot by the Taliban as they thought that all Hazaras were thieves and liars. This is clearly shown as they shot him for not agreeing with their opinions even though so many neighbors were supporting Hassan’s story. To this day, Hazaras are still being discriminated against and still work jobs like being servants.

Citations:

1. “Hazaras in Afghanistan - Minority Rights Group.” Minority Rights Group, 12 Apr. 2024, minorityrights.org/communities/hazaras/#:~:text=In%20Afghanistan%27s%20cities%2C%20Hazaras%20traditionally. Accessed 9 Sept. 2024.

2. Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York, Riverhead Books, 29 May 2003.

3. sjs371. “Preventing Genocide within Afghanistan with Dr. Gregory Stanton.” Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, 13 Oct. 2023, gjia.georgetown.edu/2023/10/13/10424/.

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A topic that interests me in The Kite Runner is Disloyalty and how Amir was disloyal to Hassan. In The Kite Runner Amir is in an alleyway when a group of boys approaches him and attack him. Amir was sexually assaulted and Hassan watched as it happened and did not stick up for Hassan."I had one last chance to make a decision. One final opportunity to decide who I was going to be. I could step into that alley, stand up for Hassan the way he'd stood up for me all those times in the past, and accept whatever would happen to me. Or I could run. In the end, I ran" (Hosseini 75). This is similar to a man named Benedict Arnold who was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He initially fought for the American Continental Army but later defected to the British army. Benedict was known for his treason and betrayal in the United States. Benedict's betrayal caused a significant stir during the American Revolutionary War, it started with a loss of trust among American soldiers and created a bad vibe of potential traitors within the soldiers. His actions also served as a tool for the British. Amir's disloyalty and Benedict's are similar because they both cause emotional pain among other people. In The Kite Runner, Amir's betrayal to Hassan creates a lifelong burden of guilt and damages their friendship. It did not only affect their friendship but their relationships to their families which led to emotional problems. Similarly, Benedict Arnold's betrayal created a sense of distrust among American forces. It ruined relationships within the army.

"Arnold, Benedict." Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benedict-Arnold. Accessed 6 Sept. 2024.

"Benedict Arnold." Intel.gov, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, https://www.intel.gov/evolution-of-espionage/revolutionary-war/british-espionage/benedict-arnold. Accessed 10 Sept. 2024.

"Benedict Arnold." American Battlefield Trust, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/benedict-arnold. Accessed 10 Sept. 2024.

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Vaughn, Brent. “Foundation Damage | Oak City Properties.” Oak City Properties, 31 Aug. 2021, www.oakcityproperties.com/foundation-damage/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2024.

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The house itself was far from the white mansion from my childhood, it looked smaller. The roof sagged and the plaster cracked…(Hosseini 262)” Coming back to your house after fleeing seems hard in itself. But to come back and see that it’s been broken and uncared for unlike the way you cared for it had to be heartbreaking. .According to the Psychologies Magazine, they said that home “evokes feelings of security and safety, providing foundations for us to develop positive self-esteem” So when Amir came back and saw his place of protection not even just different but also destroyed, that only begs the question of how did he truly feel in that moment? Well a student from Temple University went on ‘The Temple News’ and said “It felt like my childhood was shattering right in front of my eyes. Up until this day, I held hope that beneath the garbage, my childhood home was still there.(Merola,Hoarding destroyed all childhood home and memories)” Her situation is very similar to Amirs because her house wasn’t actually destroyed in the aspect of damage and literally being there; however, Her family was moved out and when she came back it was just trashed. I could only imagine having your childhood ripped away from you

like that and only hoping that it could be fixed.

Merola, Julia. “Hoarding Destroyed All Childhood Home and Memories - the Temple News.” The Temple News - a Watchdog for the Temple University Community since 1921., 15 Mar. 2022, temple-news.com/hoarding-destroyed-all-childhood-home-and-memories/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2024.

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“Never mind any of those things. Because history isn’t easy to overcome. Neither is religion. In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I was Sunni and he was Shi’a, and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing” (page 25).  Religion played a big role in The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. Throughout the book we learn the best friends Hassan and Amir have one thing that separates them. That is their religion. Hassan is a Hazara, an ethnic group in Afghanistan, while Amir is a Pashtun. At this time the Pashtuns had more power than the hazaras. They were seen as superior. Hassan’s father Ali worked for Amir’s dad as a servant. Hassan also did things for Amir such as making him breakfast and cleaning his shoes. During the time of, The Kite Runner, the was a lot of tension between these two ethnic groups. The Hazara weren't treated equally and had much harder lifestyles. As stated in Aljazeera, “As one of the largest ethnic groups in Afghanistan, the Hazara people have endured various forms of oppression from Pashtun rulers and governments, including slavery, systematic expulsion from ancestral homes and lands, and massacres.” This shows us simply through your religion you can automatically be assumed as worse than another human. Even through this difficulty for Hassan and his father, Hassan never showed his frustration, he was always there for Amir and their friendship. Hassan had no problem being his best friend and sticking up for him. Around this time period religion was known to separate people which is what made their relationship unique.

Askary, Sitarah Mohammadi,Sajjad. “Why the Hazara People Fear Genocide in Afghanistan.” Www.aljazeera.com, 27 Oct. 2021, www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/10/27/why-the-hazara-people-fear-genocide-in-afghanistan.

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First Public Flogging since the 1990s in Afghanistan

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"This one's cab was filled with something and I suddenly understood the purpose of those two holes behind the goalposts(Hosseini 269)." This quote sparked a curiosity in my brain about these executions. When I was reading this I was shocked because I have never thought of this being real. I cannot fathom this even happening in America. I initially thought of two questions when reading this: how often did these executions happen?

According to the Associated Press in an article from Febuary 23rd of this year "The killings were the third and fourth since the Taliban seized power in 2021.(Associated Press)" In another article released three days after the latter it was announced "The Taliban held a public execution on Monday of a man convicted of murder in northern Afghanistan as thousands watched.(Faez)" After doing some math the article states that on average there is more than 1 person killed every year by public execution. However, this data is coming from the second stint of the Taliban government in Afghanistan. During the first Taliban reign it is beleived that hundreds died by hanging or beheading to name a few methods(UNAMA).

Faez, Rahim. “The Taliban Hold Another Public Execution as Thousands Watch at a Stadium in Northern Afghanistan.” AP News, 26 Feb. 2024, apnews.com/article/taliban-public-execution-convicted-man-fb6d07c01f304b97d16b1b505b98d422. Accessed 10 Sept. 2024.

Press, Associated. “Taliban Carry out a Double Public Execution at a Stadium in Afghanistan.” NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024, www.nbcnews.com/news/world/taliban-carry-double-public-execution-stadium-afghanistan-rcna140142. Accessed 10 Sept. 2024.

UNAMA. “Corporal Punishment and the Death Penalty in Afghanistan, May 2023 [EN/Dari/PS] - Afghanistan | ReliefWeb.” Reliefweb.int, 8 May 2023, reliefweb.int/report/afghanistan/corporal-punishment-and-death-penalty-afghanistan-may-2023-endarips. Accessed 10 Sept. 2024.

Wallen, Joe. “Taliban Conducts First Public Flogging in Football Stadium since 90s.” The Telegraph, 24 Nov. 2022, www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/terror-and-security/taliban-metes-another-mass-sharia-lashing-football-stadium-afghanistan/. Accessed 10 Sept. 2024.

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After the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan, the Taliban overthrew the government and took power. This was due to the current government’s failure and corruption caused by the local warlords. In 1994, two years after the war ended, the Taliban took advantage of the resulting power vacuum and overthrew a local warlord. For the next two years, the Taliban seized most of Afghanistan, including its capital, Kabul. The Taliban faced widespread resistance because of their brutally repressive policies that isolated women from the public and dealt harsh punishments to criminals. The groups that opposed the Taliban most were the non-Pashtuns, which included the Hazaras, Tajiks, and Uzbeks. By 2001, the Taliban had conquered all but a small portion of northern Afghanistan. However, after the Taliban chose to harbor Al Qaeda’s leader, Osama Bin Laden, after the attacks of 9/11, the United States chose to support the Northern Alliance, the group that opposed the Taliban, in toppling their government. By the end of 2001, the Northern Alliance had driven the Taliban from power and reclaimed Afghanistan. Although the Taliban was weakened, their leaders laid low, eventually regaining power after the U.S. had withdrawn from Afghanistan by 2021. Due to the ineffectiveness of the new government, the Taliban were able to rise to power once again, quickly retaking all of Afghanistan. The Taliban are still in power today.

Article Citation: Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Taliban". Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Sep. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Taliban. Accessed 10 September 2024.

Image Citation: U.S. Forces Battle Taliban In Kunar Province. Photographer. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016. quest.eb.com/images/115_2754324. Accessed 10 Sep 2024.

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Unfortunately, gender inequality is still very prevalent in today's world. Gender inequality has roots in historical exercises. Many men around the globe ground their power in these old cultural practices and disallow women the same rights as themselves. In The Kite Runner, the reader notices that men usually control their house, while women should be submissive and obedient towards their husbands. When Soraya moves to the U.S., she begins to recognize and acknowledge the gender inequality back home. Gender norms in the U.S. allow freedoms and rights that are not typical. An example of gender inequality was when Soraya, Amir's wife, is judged due to her relationship in the past with another man which in Afghan culture is frowned upon. Soraya reflects on this double standard in gender norms. "I make one mistake and suddenly everyone is talking nag and namoos, and I have to my face rubbed in it for the rest of my life" (Hosseini 153). This judgment and reflection by Soraya shows how these gender roles and expectations directly affect the rights and lives of women. Another example is Soraya's decision to become a teacher in the U.S. Soraya is able to pursue high education and become a teacher, a position of intellectual and social responsibility. Soraya's father, General Taheri, is initially resistant preferring her to follow more traditional Afghan values of marriage and family but eventually accepts her choice. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica describe the gender gap as "Differences in opinions or attitudes between men and women concerning a variety of public and private issues," for example in education. Women and girls face significant obstacles in pursuing education under the Taliban. According to Zafar Shayan, "Tradition and religion, often inseparable, are the most important factors creating gender inequality in education. In some parts of Afghanistan, girls are only allowed to go to traditional Madaris, where they can learn only religious subjects." In The Kite Runner, Soraya's eyes are open to the possibility of education of girls and women. "I want to be a teacher. I love children." This showcases her desires regarding American values, instead of Afghan's strict gender expectations focused on household duties and marriage rather than on education or careers.

Abbasi, Fereshta . “Afghan Girls’ Education: “I Don’t Think I Have a Future.”” Human Rights Watch, 31 Oct. 2021, www.hrw.org/news/2021/10/31/afghan-girls-education-i-dont-think-i-have-future.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "gender gap". Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Oct. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/gender-gap. Accessed 10 September 2024.

Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York, Riverhead Books, 29 May 2003.

Shayan, Zafar. “Gender inequality in education in  Afghanistan: Access and barriers.” Open Journal of Philosophy, vol. 05, no. 05, 2015, pp. 277–284, https://doi.org/10.4236/ojpp.2015.55035.

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In countries like Afghanistan where war is common, it can have a big effect on the country's people. War in a country's land can lead civilians to be kicked out of their own homes. Leading civilians with no other choice but to try and flee their country. However, trying to flee their country isn't easy. Once they are forced to leave their homes they lose access to supplies to help people survive like food and water. This leaves civilians to fend off for themselves having to find anything to help them escape by themselves while their country is fighting. Which raises the death rates of people which is not good for the country in any way. These deaths don't only come with adults but also put children at risk of death as well. The destruction of buildings and many other important places can also lead to the downfall of an economy. Which can also lead to supply and resources entering the country being cut off. All of these examples can lead to family separation and many other tragic events.

Rathi, Amrita. n.d. “Psychological Impact of Victims of War and Conflict.” Apa.org. https://www.apa.org/international/united-nations/un-matters/rathi-war.pdf.

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The Taliban is considered one of the most dangerous terrorist groups alive in this current day and age, but could they be regarded as an extremist group?

With close connections to Al-Qaeda, and an extremist rule with an iron fist, the Taliban have usurped control of Afghanistan and caused the country to go into turmoil (Maizland). Sadly, this is not the Taliban’s first time doing this. The Taliban has a long history of political occupation of Afghanistan, whether it be in the past few years, or from the 70’s and late 90’s (Burns). The Taliban’s rule of Afghanistan has always been devastating for the country though, limiting cultural past-times such as Kite Running (a prevalent tradition appearing in Kite Runner), marble playing, music, and dancing, outright banning all of these pastimes. (Burns) Alongside these policies limiting cultural traditions, women are forbidden to get a job or an education under Taliban rule (Amiri), alongside many other unjust policies (Burns). Adding on to these unreasonable policies, the Taliban also rules heavily with violence, and their close relations to Al-Qaeda results in lots of conflict stirring up in Afghanistan, whether it be internal or external with the matter of the USA and their ‘War on Terrorism,’ scoping out Afghanistan as a potential hub of terrorism (Maizland). In Kite Runner, this conflict is the exact thing that Amir and Baba flee from Kabul from, seeking refuge in Pakistan “‘We are too close to Kabul’ he shot back… …He was taking us to Jalalabad, about 170 kilometers South of Kabul.” (Hosseini 111). The Taliban’s occupations in Afghanistan have all been very extremist, resulting in serious amounts of violence and internal displacement countlessly, time and time again, and for this reason the Taliban could be considered an ‘Extremist State,’ and Kite Runner accurately depicts the Taliban and its extremism.

Amiri, Rina. “The Fear beneath the Burka.” The New York Times, 20 Mar. 2002, www.nytimes.com/2002/03/20/opinion/the-fear-beneath-the-burka.html?searchResultPosition=20. Accessed 7 Sept. 2024.

Burns, John. “Afghanistan’s Professional Class Flees Rule by Ultra-Strict Clerics.” The New York Times, 7 Oct. 1996, www.nytimes.com/1996/10/07/world/afghanistan-s-professional-class-flees-rule-by-ultra-strict-clerics.html?searchResultPosition=3. Accessed 9 Sept. 2024.

Maizland, Lindsay. “The Taliban in Afghanistan.” Council on Foreign Relations, Council on Foreign Relations, 19 Jan. 2023, www.cfr.org/backgrounder/taliban-afghanistan. Accessed 11 Sept. 2024.

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“I caught a glimpse of his face. I saw the resignation in it. It was a look I had seen before. It was the look of the lamb. The reason for this being a window is because this shows how scary this could be for a person. In all countries regardless of the circumstances rape is a terrible thing that no person should ever have to deal with. In Afghanistan, it is considered the women's fault if she gets raped and she would be considered a disgrace to her entire family. Many women were interviewed who said they would rather die and would kill themselves over getting raped. The Taliban once after raping women threatened to release the video of her getting raped which would bring shame to her and her entire family and she would be cast out. In Afghanistan culture, women's bodies are not considered their own and they are not allowed to make decisions on their bodies. They are considered the bearers of honor in their family and if a woman is raped the entire family's honor will be destroyed.

“Afghanistan: Alleged Rape by Taliban Members Must Be Investigated and Prosecuted Immediately.” Amnesty International, 14 Mar. 2023, www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/03/afghanistan-alleged-rape-by-taliban-members-must-be-investigated-and-prosecuted-immediately/.

Zan Times. “Why the Taliban Use Rape to Silence Women?” Zan Times, 5 July 2024, zantimes.com/2024/07/05/why-the-taliban-use-rape-to-silence-women/.

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The role of a father in a family has been commonly interpreted as the provider for the family, while the mother is the more nurturing parent. But what if the father is obligated to take on both tasks while simultaneously managing the family and work? In most cases, it does not work out well for the family and the father is not able to do this. This is represented in The Kite Runner, when Baba often disregards Amir and does not provide the support Amir needs to succeed. He does not give Amir enough attention and makes him feel worthless and devoid of a mentor in his life. This is shown with the quote “And that right there was the single greatest moment of my twelve years of life, seeing Baba on that roof, proud of me at last” (Hosseini 66). That shows that Baba has never really been proud of Amir before, and this is the only moment where he has been. This is mostly because it is so difficult for Baba as a single parent; he has to provide money and shelter for the family while dealing with his guilt from his wife passing away, but mostly having Hassan as a child but not being able to properly take care of him. This makes it especially difficult for Baba, and as a response he more or less drops the role of nurturing and taking care of Amir, his son, and that is shown through Amir’s actions and view on himself and the world.

Risman, Barbara J. “Can Men ‘Mother’? Life as a Single Father.” Family Relations, vol. 35, no. 1, 1986, pp. 95–102. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/584288. Accessed 9 Sept. 2024.

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Throughout The Kite Runner, a large societal divide between the Pashtuns and Hazaras can be seen. The Pashtuns, like Amir and Baba, hold a higher social status and have much power in Afghanistan. On the other hand, the Hazaras, including Hassan and Ali, face daily discrimination and are seen as lesser than the Pashtuns. Discrimination against Hazaras can be seen in the quote, “‘Hey, Babalu, who did you eat today?' They barked to a chorus of laughter. 'Who did you eat, you flat-nosed Babalu?” (9). This shows the taunting that Ali faces every day from the Pashtun children. Another quote showing the status of the Hazaras is, “But no one was going to risk anything for a pair of Hazara servants” (220). This quote refers to how no one wants to confront the Taliban about killing Hassan and his wife because they are Hazaras. This injustice is not uncommon in Afghanistan, as the Minority Rights Group states, “A key issue for the Hazara community is the general climate of impunity, whereby those who committed atrocities – both past and present – can evade justice”. Even today there is still heavy discrimination against Hazaras, especially since the Taliban came back to power.

Sources:

“Hazaras in Afghanistan.” Minority Rights Group, Dec. 2021, minorityrights.org/communities/hazaras/.

“Violent Persecution of the Shi’a Hazaras of Pakistan – UAB Institute for Human Rights Blog.” Sites.uab.edu, sites.uab.edu/humanrights/2021/03/17/violent-persecution-of-the-shia-hazaras-of-pakistan/.

Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead Books, 2003.