THE KITE RUNNER Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 1

THE KITE RUNNER
DISCUSSION
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
AND ACTIVITIES
1. The play begins with the line “I became what I am today at the age of twelve.” To
what is Amir referring Is his assertion entirely true What other factors have helped
form his character How would you describe Amir
2. Even though countless events occur in the play, the title refers to kite fighting and
kite running. What do these activities represent in the play and why are they so
important To whom or what does the title, The Kite Runner, refer
3. Were you surprised to learn about the ethnic and social class tensions between the
ethnic Pashtuns and ethnic Hazaras in Afghanistan Can you think of any culture in
the world without a history of oppression Why do you think minority groups are
oppressed so often
4. In addition to racial and social class prejudice, The Kite Runner deals with extreme
religious prejudice among Sunni and Shiite Muslims. Amir is ethnic Pashtun (Sunni)
and Hassan is ethnic Hazara (Shia). Can you think of other world religions in which
this kind of prejudice exists between different sects of the same religious tradition
(e.g., Islam) Why do you think this happens
5. How did learning that Hassan was Baba's son change your understanding of Baba
Of Hassan
6. It is Amir’s dearest wish to please his father. To what extent does he succeed in
doing so and at what cost What kind of man is Baba How would you describe his
relationship with Amir, and with Hassan How does that relationship change and
what prompts those changes
7. American troops still occupy Afghanistan. Our troops remain at war there. How
does seeing this play affect your feelings about that fact Explain your position
using specific moments from the show that affected you in a visceral way… In an
intellectual way… Use specific examples from the play to elucidate your position.
8. What does Assef mean when, in the second act, he says to the adult Amir that, “I’m
in my element” Would you agree with him Why or why not Can you think of
any other regimes or political systems within the last century where men like Assef
were given free reign to explore the darker shades of human nature What has been
the outcome of those regimes or political systems How have they affected their
neighbor nations or the world at large
9. Amir essentially grew up in a world without women. How do you think this affects
the way in which he pursues Soraya Do you think that his involvement with her
changes him
10. General Taheri, Soraya’s father, says “People [in America] marry for love. But we are
Afghans.” Do you think that Amir and Soraya marry for love What does Amir have
to do in order to be able to marry Soraya How are the circumstances surrounding
their engagement different than those of at typical American engagement Do you
think that the same things about the marriage are important to Soraya and Amir as are
important to Baba and General Taheri Why or why not
11. Consider the differences in social class exemplified in The Kite Runner. Why is it
Arizona Theatre Company Play Guide 33