"The Kite Runner" Novel Study Guide: Chapters 19-25

This part of our study series on the Kite Runner looks at study questions for chapters 19-25. For earlier chapter questions please click on the following links:

Chapters 1-10

Chapters 11-18

1. What was the name of Amir’s cab driver?
2. What did Amir have to wear?Why?
3. What is a burqa? Pakol?
4. Why was the cab driver so rude to Amir?
5. Why didn’t the women make eye contact?
6. How did Farid’s brother Wahid treat Amir?
7. What did Amir give the children? Why?
8. Describe Amir’s dream. What is the significance?
9. Amir planted money under the mattress just like he did twenty-six years before.What is the significance of this?

1. Why is Farid treating Amir differently now?
2. Why were “fathers a rare commodity in Afghanistan”? (p. 245)
3. What advice did Farid give Amir regarding the Taliban?
4. What did Amir learn about his mother?From whom?
5. Why are children with mothers but not fathers considered orphans in Afghanistan? Why can’t their mothers take care of them?
6. Why did Farid become so upset with the orphanage director?
7. What was Zaman’s excuse for his behavior?
8. What would you do if you were in Zaman’s position?

1. Why were the houses in Amir’s old neighborhood still in good shape?
2. What did Amir need to see the most at his old house?
3. What made Amir stop laughing and think that maybe Afghanistan was a hopeless place?
4. What was the half time show for the soccer game?
5. What crime did the couple commit?
6. What was their punishment?
7. Who was the executioner?

1. What does Amir notice about the “John Lennon’s” arm?
2. What did the “John Lennon” notice about Amir?
3. What has happened to Sohrab?
4. Who did “John Lennon” turn out to be?
5. Assef said Amir could take Sohrab on one condition.What was that condition and why?
6. What did Assef tell his guards when he asked them to leave?
7. What happened?
8. Why did Amir laugh?
9. Explain how everything came full circle.Was it ironic?
10. Why did Amir tell Sohrab the truth about his relationship with Hassan?
11. What did Amir promise Sohrab?
12. What did Sohrab agree to do?
13. What steps did Amir have to take in order to bring Sohrab home?

1. Describe Amir’s injuries.
2. Which of Amir’s injuries was ironic?Why?
3. What did Sohrab say when Amir introduced himself?
4. Why do you think Sohrab didn’t want to talk?
5. Why did Rahim Khan say Baba was so hard on Amir growing up?Do you think that is fair?
6. Why do you think Rahim Khan wants to die alone?What would you want if you were in his situation?
7. Why did Amir begin crying with Farid said, “For you a thousand times over” (305)?
8. Where are John and Betty Caldwell?
9. Why do you think Rahim Khan lied?
10. Where do you think Sohrab belongs?

1. What did Amir mean when he said, “Islamabad was the city Kabul could have become someday” (311).
2. How much did Amir give Farid?
3. Where did Sohrab go?
4. Amir remembers someone once saying, “There are a lot of children in Afghanistan, but little childhood” (318).What does that mean?
5. Why does Sohrab think he might go to hell?
6. What did Andrews at the American embassy say?
7. Why do you think Sohrab took such longs baths every night?
8. What does the immigration lawyer say may be Amir’s best shot at adopting Sohrab?
9. What happened to Sohrab?

1. Why did Amir pray for the first time since Baba died?
2. What was the last thing Sohrab said for almost a year? Why?
3. What did Amir tell his family about Sohrab?
4. What gave Amir a glimpse of hope for Sohrab’s future?
5. What is the significance of Amir telling Sohrab, “for you, a thousand times over”?