Introduction

In the Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini, gives his readers a clear idea of life in Afghanistan in the past, before the Soviet occupation, and the present, with the Taliban still influencing events in the country. The characters and the themes the author has used have made the realities of Afghans' life clear to the mind of the reader. Furthermore, history and culture are deeply felt in the novel and these make it very appealing.

The events in the novel take place first in Afghanistan, and then in  Pakistan, and finally in the US, when Amir and Baba left their own country. 

In the Kite Runner, Khaled Husseini deals with various, important themes depicting Afghan life. These include loyalty, betrayal, redemption, love and tension between fathers and sons, and the persistence of the past.