The Kite Runner

Use these activities to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity. 

ACTIVITY 1: Parallelism Analysis

There are several parallels—repetitions of events, ideas, or situations—in The Kite Runner. Some of these include One-Eyed Assef, harelip, watch/money, kite running, Shahnamah (the story of Rostam and Sohrab), Hassan and Ali's home, Assef’s promise/threats, irrational laughter, and redemption. Examine one of these parallels and answer the following questions:

• What theme/lesson does this parallel best support?
• Does this parallel show character growth or change occurring?
• What comparison is Hosseini making through this parallel?
• How is the parallel Ironic?

Teaching Suggestion: Assign individual students, pairs, or small groups a parallel. Give them about 10-15 minutes to find 2-4 examples of their parallel in the text. Have groups alternate presenting their parallel to the rest of the class or have them share with other groups in a jigsaw.

ACTIVITY 2: The Hero’s Journey Breakdown

The hero’s journey is a useful framework for studying a character’s growth. Amir follows the stages of the hero’s journey as he grows from someone who is immature and selfish to someone who learns how to sacrifice, show loyalty, and overcome challenges.