The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner written by Khaled Hosseini is a bildungsroman following the relationship of two characters, Amir and Hassan. In addition to the development of Amir and Hassan’s relationship, the book also touches on the racial tensions between the Pashtun and the Hazara as well as the political evolution that Afghanistan undergoes. It is a story that highlights the regrets that Amir lives through as he leaves his home, country and closest friend. The most controversial aspect of the book is that near the beginning of the book where there is a homosexual rape scene that occurs and begins the conflict of the book with Amir living with the regret of not doing anything to save Hassan. The Kite Runner’s main complaint that leads to it always being challenged is that many think that the content of the book is not suitable to be
taught to high schoolers for its language and violence (Chana). Though the book is not only often challenged in the United States, the book is also banned in Afghanistan this is due to the fact that the setting takes place during the civil war between the Hazara and the Pashtun (Schaub). In current times the civil war is over but Afghanistan does not want to instigate any more violence. The Kite Runner is found in most English curriculums but often times the book is challenged by committee members dealing with curriculum review or by parents stating that the book is unsuited to be read by their child (“Banned Books.”). The Kite Runner is a book that is well known for being challenged since 2008 where the book was placed in the top 10 for the most challenged book and continued to be in the top 10 in 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2017 (“Top Ten Most Challenged Books Lists.”). From the list, patterns for the reasons it is often challenged are shown, for example, the depiction of a homosexual rape, language, and violence. These 3 reasons make up the cornerstone for most arguments made against the book. However various times the book is challenged but no ban is put into place. In the Jackson County School District the book was retained after the book was removed from a required reading list for students (“Banned Books.”).
There are times in which books do not undergo the process of being challenged and are simply removed from a curriculum silently as seen in Arizona where the school district pulled The Kite Runner from the curriculum. Students were upset and the National Coalition Against Censorship began drafting a letter in hopes of restoring the book in the curriculum. The school district itself states that the book was not banned simply replaced due to parent and staff participation, the book could still be submitted for approval to be placed back into the list (Chana).
The majority of challenges that the book faces all stem from the same arguments however a recent development in 2017 showcases the manifestation of a new reason to challenge the book aside from the prior reasons. The Kite Runner saw itself as number 4 of the most challenged book in 2017 (“Top Ten Most Challenged Books Lists.”). In 2017, the book was challenged and banned due to the implications of Islam and the supposed promotion of terrorism (“Top Ten Most Challenged Books Lists.”). This demonstrates that with changing times books could take on an entirely new meaning and could lead to new reasons for a book to be challenged. The changing times could lead to the book having to be banned in order to prevent the past from tarnishing the future.
Afghanistan had to take precautions against the movie version of the book and decided to ban the movie instead of the book in order to prevent from showing the violent depictions of the events from the book to the residents of Afghanistan (Wafa). The book takes place during the time in which Afghanistan saw racism between the two races, the Pashtun and the Hazara, of which both the movie and the book showcased the crude depictions of the horrid actions that a majority of Pashtun committed to the Hazara. As well as the display of a homosexual rape scene that the Culture Ministry thought of as indecent for the public viewing. Even the film producers felt that conflict could arise from the showing of the film in Afghanistan as they had the actors for Amir and Hassan taken out of Kabul and sent to the United Arab Emirates (Wafa). Another interesting development is the fact that the book itself was not banned in Afghanistan though simply because the book is in a language that a majority of Afghans could not read so no precautions were taken (Wafa). The Kite Runner has various teachings that a multitude of people that challenge whether or not the book should be allowed to be read by students fail to understand the underlying themes and messages that the book resonates.
The rape scene is horrific but it is crucial to the message of not being able to stray from your past. Amir did nothing and ran away from the scene and even continued to run away to America and chose to leave behind his culture but throughout the book, he slowly begins to amend his past and make peace with it. Amir’s journey throughout the book could not have carried the same amount of emotional weight without the scene. Without the scene, the relationship between Amir and Hassan would not have been anywhere near the level of the current book. The language and violence is only a sliver of reality that various people encounter and students, especially high school students should not have their eyes averted to the terrors of mankind. The current developments of 2017 embody the growing negative stigma that the middle east carries with it, this stigma once again demeans the entire valuable message that The Kite Runner
presents.