LRB 4

14. A discussion of the writer’s life and its relevance to the work

While writing the novel The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini reflects his own life story into the plot. Hosseini is originally from Afghanistan; however he now resides in America. Although he was an American citizen, he wanted to give his audience an outlook as to what his culture is all about. The readers would be able to understand the customs from his home land, such as weddings and funerals. When Soraya and Amir were wed, the author goes into great detail about the traditions one must do before getting married and during the ceremony. Amir states “We did Ayena Masshaf, where they gave us a mirror and threw a veil over our heads, so we’d be alone to gaze at each other’s reflection.” The Ayena Masshaf was only one of many behaviors the Afghan community practiced. Another impact the author’s life has on the story is the fact he wants the world to know how his people were punished simply by living in their own lands. He discusses the hardships an Afghan faced while under the command of foreigners. They were forced out of their own homes due to the lack of safety for their families. The author makes his main character, Amir, a writer due to his own interest and ability to write. Amir is probably a mirror image of what Khaled imagines he would be like in those circumstances. Hosseini also mentions the beauty of America and the opportunities it possess. Khaled is most likely thankful for what he has achieved in life and reminds himself it would not be possible without living in this new country. This is very relevant to the work because it shows how deeply the author cares about this topic and the more a writer is passionate, the better the story will be. One could not relate to more to this novel than the author himself, therefore he is able to reach down into the audience and pull out the ability to be empathetic with the characters.