Depressing Picture Of Life In 'The Kite Runner'

To what extent do you think ‘The Kite Runner’ presents a thoroughly depressing picture of life in Afghanistan?

I believe that The Kite Runner does present quite a depressing picture of life in Afghanistan, the first thing coming to mind being the rape of Hassan by some local boys. The boys justified this obscene act by referring to Hassan as “just a Hazara,” displaying the ultimately racist attitude that Sunni Muslims possessed. This gives the impression that Afghanistan is a highly racist place that is unpleasant, especially for Hazaras. The Russian invasion additionally paints life in Afghanistan to be a highly negative experience, with “Roussi soldiers patrolling the streets” keeping order and taking away any freedom that the Afghanis had. After the Russian invasion, The Taliban takes over, which is expected to be a miracle, even Rahim Kahn “danced” in the streets, and he “wasn’t alone”, the people thought that this was a positive thing. Initially, the Taliban are described as “heroes”, however later they are likened to a “rabid dog” indicating their negative effect on the
The way Hassan is taunted for this, when two soldiers make remarks such as “What a tight little sugary cunt she had!” which would have upset Hassan quite a lot, especially with the vulgar language as he is only a boy at this point. The fact that Baba and Amir left the country for America proves that life in Afghanistan under the Taliban rule is not desirable or fulfilling, Baba “loved” the idea of America; the fact that it was free and people were not getting shot in the streets for having an opinion – in America, people had freedom of speech, which is very desirable. This relates to the American Dream – Baba believes that he can get a better life for himself and his son in