Chapters 1-5: My First Impression

As I began The Kite Runner, I was concerned for how I was going to get through the novel and comprehend the different elements of this bestseller. The largest problem I had throughout the first few pages was that there was a slight language barrier. The book is written in English, but multiple words are written in a different language, more than likely the one commonly spoken in Afghanistan. I continued to read and became invested into the relationship Amir and Hassan have. The two boys have more than a friendship, and it can better be described as a brotherhood. Amir is a wealthy and respected individual in his community. Hassan is the son of the household servant. The two boys grew up in the same house, were weened from the same breast, and took their first steps in the same lawn. Throughout the first few chapters it was brought to my attention that Baba, Amir's father, treats Hassan similarly to the way he treats Amir. This caused my mind to race in many different directions. I first considered that my idea of a servant was incorrect. I assumed that being a servant means to be disrespected by your master. I began to wonder if my fixed mindset of a servant could be the cause for confusion when it came to figuring out why Baba treated the servant's son the way he did his own. Do most servant's children receive birthday gifts and an allowance from their master? These actions also assisted me in creating a background for Baba. Thinking forward, I am not sure what to expect, as nothing has happened relating to the title. If I were to guess, I would say that Hassan is forced to leave Afghanistan due to an outbreak of war.