March/April 2008 Issue

The Kite Runner
By Arley Loewen

Reading English novels written by Muslims helps us to gain a broader and more realistic perspective of life in a Muslim context. Khaled Hosseini is a popular Afghani author now living in North America. His best-selling novels, The Kite Runner (2003) and his more recent A Thousand Splendid Suns (2007), give insight into aspects of Muslim culture we normally do not learn about. These stories are not so much about religion but about struggles of maintaining open relationships among urban Muslims. They are stories about friendships, love, betrayal and heroism. In The Kite Runner, when Amir betrays his best friend, he can never forget what he has done and feels he needs to “atone for his past sins.” This story reflects the intense personal struggle to cover one’s shame and gain forgiveness.

A Thousand Splendid Suns, a harsh story of male-female relationships, opens the door into Afghan family life. But not all is stereotypically cruel. Rays of hope shine through as the two rival wives of one husband develop a deep friendship. Three different family relationships portray three different kinds of family experiences – cruelty, pretence and intimacy. Interestingly, the theme of longing for forgiveness comes through again, though much quieter.

As with all novels, these clearly reflect the writer’s perspective rather than serving up objective history. Unfortunately, these novels (as well as the movie) reinforce our caricaturized view of the Taliban and the conservative Pashtun culture. Yet I also know of one Afghan who says he felt as if he was reliving his childhood when reading The Kite Runner.  Thoughtful readers will find such stories can begin to open our eyes to the beauty and tragedy of human relationships among peoples from Islamic cultures.

Arley Loewen of Manitoba is a Persian culture specialist with the Central Asian Development Agency.

Related articles from this issue: Getting to Know Our Muslim Neighbours, Ministries Working With Muslims Launch Network, Philosophy, Theology and Sufism and The Kite Runner.