The Kite Runner - Chapter Summaries Flashcards
What is a summary of chapter 1?
Amir tells us about a phone call he received six months earlier from his father’s old friend Rahim Khan, asking him to come to Pakistan
After the call, he took a walk to Golden Gate Park in San Fransico, where he now lives and watched kites being flown
He remembered his childhood friend Hassan, a kite runner with a cleft lip, and he remembered an event in his childhood in Afghanistan in which he watched something take place in an alley
He thought about how that event shaped him as a person
What is a summary of chapter 2?
Amir looks back and recalls that his friend Hassan, a family servant, was from a lower ethnic group - the Hazara
Amir remembers how he and Hassan would get into trouble with Amir’s father, Baba, and Hassan would take the blame
We learn that Amir’s mother died giving birth to him, and that Hassan’s mother left her husband five days after giving birth to Hassan
We learn that Hassan’s father Ali suffered from polio
Amir discovers that for a long time the Hazara’s have been persecuted by his own people, the Pashtuns
What is a summary of chapter 3?
Amir remembers time spent with his father during childhood and how his father was disappointed with his lack of manly attributes - however, Amir was still eager for his approval
Baba was seen as a great man by the people around him. He has an ability to achieve more than was expected of him - running a successful business, marrying well and building an orphanage
Amir recalls becoming interested in reading and writing as a way to escape his father’s lack of interest in him
Amir comes to believe his father hates him because he holds him responsible for his mother’s death during childbirth
Amir overhears Baba talking to Rahim Khan about how much more manly Hassan is and that he can’t believe Amir is his son
What is a summary of chapter 4?
We learn Ali was an orphan and brought up by Baba’s father. The two grew up together, but Amir doesn’t remember hearing Baba refer to Ali as a friend
Growing up, Hassan acted as Amir’s servant. Despite this, they spent a lot of time together, with Amir reading stories to Hassan
After Hassan praises a story Amir invented, Amir starts writing stories
Baba doesn’t wish to read Amir’s stories, but Rahim Khan does and praises him for it. Amir becomes angry over Hassan pointing out a possible hole in his plot
What is a summary of chapter 5?
Amir and Hassan’s conversation interrupted by a loud roaring noise and the sound of gunfire. These are sounds of a coup which overthrows the king of Afghanistan
Amir and Hassan go to their tree to distract themselves from events. On the way, they are attacked by three bullies (Assef, Wali and Kamal) who question Amir having a Hazara friend
Hassan scares the bullies off with his slingshot and Assef promises revenge
As life returns to normal after the coup, Baba arranges for Hassan’s cleft lip to be corrected as a birthday present. Amir informs us this was the winter Hassan stopped smiling
What is a summary of chapter 6?
In winter schools close and children take part in kite-fighting tournaments
Amir asks for a new kite which Baba buys him, however, he also buys the same kite for Hassan which makes Amir jealous
Amir tests Hassan’s loyalty by asking him if he would eat dirt if commanded to do so, Hassan says he would, but challenges Amir over whether he would ever ask him to
The 1975 tournament is to be held in Amir’s neighbourhood, Amir wants to win to make his father proud
Night before the tournament the boys play cards and Amir suspects Hassan is letting him win
What is a summary of chapter 7?
Night before the tournament, Hassan dreams he and Amir are swimming in a lake with a monster in it. They survive and the people watching rename the lake after the boys
Despite being nervous, Amir wins the kite-fighting tournament. Hassan runs to catch his kite
Amir returns home, but Hassan doesn’t return with the kite so Amir goes looking for him
Hassan is captured by Assef and the other bullies in an alley. Assef offers Hassan his freedom in return for the kite, Hassan refuses
The boys rape Hassan while Amir watches, but Amir does nothing to rescue him
When Hassan comes out the alley, Amir takes the kite from him but doesn’t comment on the other boys distressed state
Back home, Amir gets a warm welcome from his father that he’s been seeking
What is a summary of chapter 8?
After the rape, Amir feels guilty not saving Hassan. Hassan has gone to bed when Ali asks Amir if anything happened to Hassan. Amir suggests he’s just unwell
Baba takes Amir to Jalalabad for the weekend, Amir becomes car sick on the journey embarrassing Baba
After Amir returns, Hassan tries to patch up their relationship but Amir rejects him. Amir’s treatment of Hassan becomes crueller
Amir has a birthday party. Assef comes and brings him a biography of Hitler as a present
At the party, Rahim Kahn tells Amir a story about a girl he wanted to marry as an example of how Amir shouldn’t let Hassan being a Hazara be a barrier to their friendship. He gives Amir a notebook in which he writes his stories
What is a summary of chapter 9?
For Amir’s birthday, Hassan and Ali give him a new copy of the book Amir used to read to Hassan
Amir plants a watch that he received for his birthday under Hassan’s mattress, then goes to his father falsely accusing Hassan of stealing it
When asked by Baba, Hassan admits the theft. Amir is shocked and realises Hassan knows he saw the attack in the alley
Baba forgives Hassa, despite his earlier statement about theft. Ali and Hassan decide to leave, Baba pleads with them to stay something Amir has never seen his father do before
Amir watches Ali and Hassan leave. It’s raining and he imagines a scene from a film where he would run to the car and all would be forgiven, but he doesn’t act on it
What is a summary of chapter 10?
It’s 1981 and Amir and his father are escaping from Russian controlled Afghanistan. Theys top so Amir can be sick, he remembers all that they have had to abandon
They stop at a roadblock and Baba stands up to a Russian soldier who is threatening to rape a female Afghan refugee. Baba is nearly shot, but the solider is reined in by his commander
They arrive in Jalalabad but the truck meant to take them out the country is broke. They have to stay in the basement of a house with similarly stranded refugees
They finally make the last part of their journey in an empty fuel tanker. One of the bullies from the Attack, Kamal, dies on the journey and his father kills himself
What is a summary of chapter 11?
It’s the 1980s and Amir and Baba are now living in California. Baba likes the strengths of America, but the pollution and lack of fresh foods make him ill
Baba refuses to learn English or adapt to his new country but is still capable of commanding respect among ex-pat Afghans
Amir graduates high school and decides to study English and creative writing at college. Baba wants him to study something that will lead to a ‘proper job’
Baba and Amir buy items from garage sales and sell them from a stall in the Afghan section of the San Jose flea market
Amir falls in love with a girl called Soraya, the daughter of an Afghan general, whom he meets at the flea market
What is a summary of chapter 12?
Amir is in love with Soraya and spends time with her at the flea market, talking about stories and books
Amir’s attentions are welcomed by the girl’s mother but he’s warned off by her father
Baba falls ill with lung cancer. He refuses to accept treatment and forbids Amir from telling anyone about his illness
After Baba collapses at the flea market and is rushed to hospital, Amir asks him to approach Soraya’s family for her hand in marriage and it is all agreed
Soraya reveals to Amir she ran away from home when she was younger and lived with a man. Amir wishes he could tell her his own guilty secret but is unable to
What is a summary of chapter 13?
Amir is engaged to Soraya. The engagement period is cut short because of Baba’s health. On his wedding day, Amir thinks about Rahim Kham and Hassan
Soraya moves in with Amir to help look after Baba. One day Amir discovers she has been sharing his stories with Baba which moves Amir to tears
A month after the wedding Baba dies. The funeral reminds Amir of his father’s stature in Kabul, and how much he relies on his father’s strength
Amir learns Soraya’s father suffers from migraines and still hopes to return to Afghanistan. Her mother suffers a stroke and now worries about her health
Amir secures a place at college and later has his first novel published
Amir and Soraya try to have children but are unable to
What is a summary of chapter 14?
Story returns to June 2001 and Amir receive the phone call from Rahim Khan who is sick and wants Amir to come to Pakistan
Rahim Kahn’s message, ‘there is a way to be good again’ tells Amir that the older man has always known about the events in the alley
Amir and Soraya are still childless. They rarely speak of this, but it’s clearly a problem in their marriage
Soraya arranges for her parents to stay with her while Amir is away. The. Amir flies to Pakistan
What is a summary of chapter 15?
Amir arrives in Peshawar in Pakistan and meets a very ill Rahim Khan. This is the first time Amir has seen his old friend since he and Baba left Kabul
Rahim Kham recounts to Amir the terrible changes in Afghanistan and the brutality of the Taliban regime. He goes on to say that he is dying and want Amir to do one final favour for him. He then tells Amir about Hassan who lived in Baba’s old house with Rahim Khan after Amir and Baba left
