Wikispace Topics for Kite Runner

Groups will be assigned.

Timeline of Instability: This group will give a general overview of

Afghanistan’s government instability over time. The time line should
include which religious was in charge and how they lost their position.
Timeline should include any foreign or domestic wars, identify the leaders
who are greatly revered and point out any signs of corruption. The constant
warfare in Afghanistan has similarities and differences from what we’ve
seen in Africa so since your audience is well versed in African politics, use
Africa as a comparison point to help you explain why Afghanistan is unique
in their war filled history.

Muslim Beginnings: There is very little education about the beginnings of

the Muslim faith in American public schools today. Teach the class about
the very interesting beginnings of Islamic faith which dates back to a very
familiar Christian story in the Bible. Identify the five pillars of Islamic
practice, the most important holidays of the year, and how this faith has split
into major divisions over the course of history.

Class Separation: In the novel, there is a clear distinction between the two
classes of people in Afghanistan. Help the class understand the root of these
differences and how violence has defined the relationship between the two
for hundreds of years. Identify where the different classes have made
progress and been pushed back. Make sure that you also include one of the
most famous atrocities that took place in Mazāri Sharīf.

Muslim Misconceptions: No religion has encountered as much scrutiny in

the first decade of the 21st century like the followers of Islam. Anticipate the
issues that your class will associate with the Islamic faith and reveal how
when these issues are studied more closely, one will find many
misconceptions and hasty generalizations. Remember that culture and
religion are not the same. There are many Islamic influenced countries in the
world and cultures and practice will differ greatly.

Russians in Afghanistan: What were the Russians doing in Afghanistan?

How did communism find a doorway into this very God fearing country?
What did the Russians have to gain and why was the United States so
interested in keeping Russia out? Who did America side with in order to
make this secret mission possible?
The Shah-nameh: The Shah-nameh is the celebrated work of the epic poet
Ferdowsī, in which the Persian national epic found its final and enduring
form. Written for Sultan Maḥmūd of Ghazna and completed in 1010, the
Shāh-nāmeh is a poem of nearly 60,000 verses, mainly based on the
Khvatay-nāmak, a history of the kings of Persia in Pahlavi (Middle Persian)
from mythical times down to the 7th century. For nearly 1,000 years, it has
remained one of the most popular works in the Persian-speaking world and
the inspiration for beautiful paintings and graphic art. The story of Rostam
and Sohrab is one of the most popular stories and is well known by most
children living in the Middle East. This group will introduce this epic story
book and give a general overview of the content and conflict of these stories.
What makes an epic hero in this part of the world? What is valuable to these
characters? Why are these stories so attractive to young children? You will
each list your individual favorite story as a way to inspire students in class to
choose your story for their final creative art project.

Taliban in Control: Describe the Taliban’s rise to power in Afghanistan.

Be sure to include their initial warm arrival to Kabul and help the reader
understand how systematically, this group followed the seven steps to take
over that we reviewed in TFA. Be sure to include pictures of the soccer
stadium, burquas, Taliban beards, and any other detail mentioned in The
Kite Runner.

PTSD: Once again we are studying an issue where children are greatly
affected. For this group, I want you to focus solely on Sohrab. Does he
demonstrate symptoms of PTSD? To what degree? Are there other children
left after the Taliban who are similar? What does Sohrab need?