Characters
This character is revealed to be Amir’s half-brother.
Hassan
Which group controls Kabul and causes fear among the people?
The Taliban
Who is the child Amir goes to save?
Sohrab
How is Kabul described when Amir returns?
Kabul is war-torn, filled with poverty, beggars, destruction, and Taliban soldiers...completely different from Amir’s childhood memories.
The character who asks Amir to return to Afghanistan and rescue Sohrab.
Rahim Khan
What does the Taliban do to the city of Kabul?
They terrorize, kill, and oppress people
Why is Amir motivated to risk his life for Sohrab?
To make amends for betraying Hassan
What helps Farid soften toward Amir?
Amir gives money to Farid’s family, showing compassion. This makes Farid see Amir as less selfish than he first assumed.
Hassan’s wife, mother of Sohrab.
Where does Amir fight Assef to save Sohrab?
The orphanage
How does Sohrab respond to Amir after the rescue?
He is scared, silent, and distrustful
Why is Amir so troubled by Rahim Khan’s request that he go to Kabul?
It forces Amir to face his past, his guilt over Hassan, and the dangerous situation in Taliban...controlled Afghanistan.
This character is now a Taliban official and Amir’s childhood bully, who he confronts in Kabul.
Assef
What happens to Amir during the fight with Assef?
He gets badly beaten
How does rescuing Sohrab show Amir’s moral growth?
He prioritizes someone else’s safety over his own, acting courageously
What does Amir realize about Baba and himself in this chapter?
Amir realizes that he and Baba were more alike than he thought...both carried guilt and betrayed the people closest to them.
This character initially treats Amir with hostility during their journey back to Kabul, but later helps him navigate the city.
Farid
How does the fight with Assef mirror Amir’s childhood experiences?
The fight echoes past violence, like the kites and Amir’s betrayal
In what ways does the rescue of Sohrab mirror the events of the kite tournament, and why is this important symbolically?
The fight redeems Amir’s past cowardice; kites symbolize both loss and the chance for atonement
Why does Rahim Khan go to Hazarajat in 1986?
a. To check on Hassan and his family, especially because he is concerned about Hassan and his son Sohrab after the political turmoil and the rise of the Taliban.
b. Rahim Khan is lonely, old, and tired of taking care of Baba’s house. He also wants company, so he travels to Hazarajat to find Hassan.