The Kite Runner- Summary

This is my summary for Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner.


The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is the story of an Afghanistan man named Amir, trying to make his mistakes right. The story starts in Kabul, when Amir is a child. He talks about his life growing up, and the problems that effected him throughout the rest of his life. Amir had a good life when he was a child. His father, or Baba, was a very successful and good businessman that many people thought highly of. His mother, Sofia, was a beautiful and smart woman, who unfortunately died during childbirth. Amir grew up with a distant relationship with Baba, because Baba wanted him to be a  'typical' boy who liked sports and hunting. Amir preferred reading and writing, which deep down, disappointed Baba, but Baba's close friend, Rahim Kahn, encourages him to continue what he loves. Baba took a liking to his adoptive brother's, Ali, son, Hassan. Ali and Hassan were Hazaras, and servants for Amir and Baba. Ali was adopted by Baba's father when his parents died in a car accident. Baba gave Ali the job as his servant to help him life a better life, which is already hard for Hazaras. Hassan also lost his mother, Sanaubar, but she didn't die, she ran away with traveling dancers. Hassan and Amir grew up practically as brothers, but there was always a jealousy towards Hassan because of how much Baba loved him. Amirs jealousy creates a lot of conflict in the story.

Amir reading a book to Hassan.

Hassan and Amir participate in kite-fighting tournaments every winter, it's their favourite thing to do. Amir is determined to win the tournament, in order to get approval from Baba. Hassan knows that this is Amirs biggest wish, therefore he always sacrifices himself for Amir. When Amir finally cuts down the last kit, Hassan sets off to find the kite and bring it back so Amir can show Baba. Amir decides to follow him, but when he finds him, he secretly wished that he stayed behind. Assef, who is a very ruthless Hitler-worshipper, and his followers, find the kite before Hassan. Hassan is determined to get the kite from him. He tries to defend himself, but Assef ends up sexually assaulting him, to show his dominance. Amir wants to go help Hassan, but he is a coward, and thinks that having the kite is the only opportunity to gain Baba's trust, so he decides to run away and wait for Hassan.

After that, Hassan is almost completely different. He isn't as happy as he used to be, and seems to distance himself from everyone. Whenever Amir sees Hassan, he can't help but feel immense guilt for what he allowed to happen to Hassan. In order to stop feeling this guilt, Amir plants some of his birthday money and a watch in Hassan's bed, framing him for stealing it. Baba finds this out, and confronts Ali and Hassan. Hassan takes the blame, and Ali decides that they will leave to Hazarajat, despite Baba's forgiveness and protests.

Amir and Soraya.

War soon strikes Amirs home, which causes him and Baba to flee to America. In America, they have a very hard time adjusting. They aren't rich like they were in Kabul, which is difficult for them. Baba also finds out he has cancer, which is expensive for them to pay for.They have to start selling items in the flea market, where they meet many other people from Afghanistan. There, Amir meets Soraya, who is the daughter of General Taheri. She has had a rough past too, but not as bad as Amir. They eventually get married, and Baba dies a few months later. One day, Amir gets a call from Rahim Khan in Peshawar, and he wants Amir to come visit him. Amir agrees, because it has been so long since he last seen him.


When he arrives in Peshawar and sees Rahim Khan, he breaks the news to him that Hassan and his wife were killed by the Taliban. Hassan had a son, Sohrab, who Rahim Kahn wants Amir to find. Rahim Kahn also reveals that Baba is Hassans's father, which explains why Baba loved him so much. Amir agrees to do this, because he owes Hassan for everything that he did for him when they were children, and he is now knows that he is Sohrabs uncle. Amir and a taxi driver, Farid, set out to save Sohrab from the Taliban, and take him back to America. When they finally find Sohrab, it turns out that Assef is apart of the Taliban, and took Sohrab. Amir fought hard, and finally saved Sohrab from Assef. Amir assumed that he would be put into an orphanage, but he develops a fatherly love for Sohrab, so he and Soraya decide to adopt him.

Amir, Soraya, and Sohrab flying kites.

Sohrab has a hard time adjusting in America, but Amir wants to make him as comfortable as possible. He knows that it will take time, so he allows Sohrab to move at the pace he is most comfortable is. The book ends with Amir running the kite with Sohrab, just like he did with Hasan.