Intro Kite Runner 5H

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

The Kite Runner

TIME PERIOD: 1960s - 2000 

SETTING: AFGHANISTAN

Words that come to mind when you think of Afghanistan?

Afghanistan timeline

• 1920s - End of British -Afghan wars
• 1926 - Establishment monarchy (finally 40 years of 'peace')
• 1956 onwards - Rise of communism, coup (1973), Republic established, lots of internal fighting for power
• 1979 - Soviet Union invades Afghanistan, takes 'control', but (Islamic) rebellious groups fight to take back control
• 1989 - Soviets retreat, Soviet backed government established, fighting continues, though
• 1995 - Taliban rises to power, promise to bring peace
• 2001 - 9/11, US invades Afghanistan looking for Bin Laden, Taliban flee, a 'democratic' government is installed, US remain in Afghanistan
• 2021 - US retreats from Afghanistan, Taliban rises once again and take back control...  

 1921: last (3rd) British-Afghan war in attempt to annex

- 1926: Afghanistan proclaimed monarchy, socio-economic reform, but restlessness

- 1933: New king, country finally sort of stabilizes for next 40 years

- 1956: Pro-Russian general Khan (cousin of king), looks for help to Russia and the two officially become allies,

- 1965: A secret communist party is formed in Afghanistan

- 1973: Cousin (Khan) overthrows king and creates a republic with him as president

- 1978: Khan killed in coup by communist party, alliance with Russia dwindling, lots of in-party fighting for power

- 1979: Russia invades Afghanistan to guarantee continuation communism and alliance

- 1980: Resistance to Russian invasion from different (Islamic) rebellian groups , time of war ensues

- 1995: Taliban rise to power, everybody tired of war, they promise to restore peace

- 2001: 9/11 occurs - war in Afghanistan - Bin Laden - Taliban surrenders to US - US take charge, 'democratic' government ensues

- 2021 : after 20 years- US troops withdraw- government collapses- Taliban is back in power

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The Kite Runner

THE BOOK

 The novel: The Kite Runner

• Published in 2003
  
• First Afghan novel to be written in English.
  
• Over 9 million copies sold worldwide.
  
• Translated into over 25 languages.
  
• Is on the list of "Banned and Challenged Books"  for graphic details, sexual violence,  religious viewpoints, etc.
• The film (2007) was banned in Afghanistan.
  
• The child actors left Afghanistan for safety reasons. 

The Kite Runner

THE AUTHOR

The author: Khaled Hosseini

• Afghan-American
  
• Born in Kabul, 1965
  
• Moved to USA, 1970
  
• Practices internal medicine
• His first novel

 

Interview from 2009

The Kite Runner

THE TITLE

Important Background Information

Very mixed population, many racial conflicts as a result...

• 22 languages
• Sunni and Shia Muslims

The Kite Runner: Pashtuns (Sunni Muslim) and Hazaras (Shia Muslim)

• Differences in religious beliefs, cultural practices, social status, physical appearance. 
• Pashtun majority race, Hazara minority race.
• Hazaras were often discriminated against because of their looks. They are the weakest and poorest race in Afghanistan, easily subjected (onderworpen), insulted (beledigd), tortured (gemarteld) by Pashtuns.

The Kite Runner

LET'S START READING