M.J. Kersten 3948625
BA Thesis English Language and Culture
Utrecht University
13-07-2016
General American
Supervisor: Dr Roselinde Supheert
Second Reader: Dr Cathelein Aaftink
THE KITE
RUNNER:FROM
CONTROVERSIAL BOOK
TO FILM
6009 words (incl. quotations)
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Contents:
Introduction……………………………………………………………………...3
Chapter 1: The Representation of Violence……………………………………..6
Chapter 2: The Representation of Relationships……………………………….10
Chapter 3: The Representation of Afghanistan………………………………...14
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………...18
Works Cited…………………………………………………………………….22
Appendix……………………………………………………………………….25
Front Cover Picture:
The Kite Runner. N. d. Poster. IMDB, 2008. Web. 4 May 2016.
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“For you, a thousand times over
-That person would be glad to do whatever he or she’s done for you a thousand
times again”
(Tray’von Seaborne)
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Introduction
Khaled Hosseini’s novel The Kite Runner (2003) is described as devastating, haunting and
unforgettable by several reviews. The novel tells the story of a friendship between two young
boys, Amir and Hassan, living in Afghanistan around 1975, and the aftermath of their
friendship. The boys do everything together, such as competing in kite running competitions.
After one of those kite running competitions, Hassan is raped. After this, their friendship
slowly dies. When Afghanistan is usurped by the Russians, Amir and his father move to
America. Amir then realizes he wants to make up for his lost friendship. He travels to
Afghanistan, now occupied by the Taliban, to find Hassan’s son. Furthermore, the novel tells
the story of a complex father and son relationship and the story is written in first person
narrative, with Amir as focalizer. It is set in Afghanistan, before the Taliban regime, America
and eventually in Afghanistan during the Taliban regime. As a part of the novel is set in a
country with a culture that differs from Western culture and with a violent history the plot is
filled with images that may seem unfamiliar, gruesome and graphic to Western readers.
Reviewer Phil Laurette remarked that the story is “written in such a graphic and believable
voice that it is hard to separate yourself from the idea that it is based on actual events.”
Additionally, other sources describe the novel as being grim and melancholic (Champeon). It
is not only the images in the novel that make the story controversial, the countries in which
the story is set, do too. The Western world tends to view Afghanistan and the Taliban as a
threat to Western society since 9/11 (Casey).
Although the novel was deemed controversial and complex by many, the story was
adapted into the movie The Kite Runner (2007) by the American production company
Paramount only a few years later. Both the novel and the movie tell the story from Amir’s
perspective and portray many accounts of violence. Although the graphic images, the
complexity of the story, and the disputed setting of the novel would make any adaptation into
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a motion picture challenging, the directors and screenwriter of The Kite Runner succeeded in
remaining close to the original story. However, by making subtle changes in the adaption,
movie director Marc Forster diminished the risk of not being accepted or comprehended by
the broad, global audience, which Paramount aims to attract (“The Paramount Story”).
The creation of a movie adaptation involves many choices regarding the story that is
being adapted, depending on the aim of the adaptation. For example, choices have to be made
about the scenes that will be shown, the actors and setting. An adaptation is not necessarily a
direct copy of the original story but it may consist of “repetition and variation” (Hutcheon 4).
With regard to movie adaptations, it is of importance to understand that both types of media
of book and movie inherently have different qualities that are relevant for telling a story. As
George Bluestone posits, “between the percept of the visual image and the concept of the
mental image lies the root difference of the two media” (1). Novels create a mental image by
using written words. In movies, on the other hand, visual scenes show already constructed
images. Linda Hutcheon analyzes this difference and argues that all adaptations tell stories in
their own way by using the qualities of the medium they are in (3). Different types of media
have distinctive features. For instance, a movie has sound and lighting, whereas a book has
neither (Hutcheon 35). These features help to convey a story differently, which is an
underlying reason for certain choices made by the directors with regard to adaptations.
Since the motion picture The Kite Runner is a recent movie, not much research has
been carried out regarding the choices made within this adaptation. However, adaptation
theory can be applied to the adaptation of The Kite Runner, and portray and yield insights into
the process of modern adaptation. This research will focus on the choices the moviemakers
have made concerning the representation of violence, various relationships, and of
Afghanistan. Violence, relationships, and the representation of Afghanistan will be discussed
because these themes support and contribute to the main theme of friendship in the narrative.
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Violence is an important theme as the events in which violence is present show Amir’s
dedication to his old friend Hassan. Relationships and Afghanistan are equally significant
themes as the entire story features the connection between people whilst the story is set in
Afghanistan.
This thesis will provide a comparative analysis of the novel and movie The Kite
Runner. The first chapter of this thesis will look at the representation of violence in both novel
and movie. Additionally, the second chapter will investigate the representation of the
relationships in the two primary sources. The third chapter will analyze the representation of
Afghanistan focusing on setting. Reviews will also be examined to underline the nature and
effect of the novel and adaption. Finally, the conclusion will tie in the moviemaker’s choices
regarding the translation of violence, relationships and the setting and the effect this has on
the reception of the movie and it will offer suggestions for further research.
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Chapter 1: The Representation of Violence
Violence is a theme present throughout Hosseini’s novel The Kite Runner. Acts of violence
support the main events and crucial turns in the narrative. There are three crucial events in the
narrative that are closely linked to the novel’s main theme of friendship, which contain
graphic violence. Since these three events are crucial to the story, they are also present in the
motion picture by Paramount. However, there is a clear difference in the manner in which the
events are depicted. This can be explained by what Hutcheon describes as a movement from
telling to showing and going from a written medium to a performance medium (38).
According to Hutcheon only the important images are transported onto adaptations since
performance media do not need an abundance of details to evoke the desired effect (40).
Events on paper will turn into visual images, words, sound and actions (Hutcheon 40). When
using the most important features of the narrative alone, the motion picture has the ability to
stay faithful to the original but does not directly copy it (Aragay 37). Regarding the violent
scenes in the novel The Kite Runner, transporting them literally onto screen would mean
creating events in the movie that are too explicit for a broad audience consisting of all ages.
According to the Motion Picture Association of America it is necessary to reduce violence to
a minimum in order to make a movie that is appropriate for an audience of varied ages (7).
Extreme violence must also be toned down (Motion Picture Association of America 7). Doing
so, a specific rating will be appointed to the movie by the Motion Picture Association of
America that allows an audience ranging from children to adults. Furthermore, movies
containing graphic violence have a negative effect on the enjoyment of the movie itself
(Berry, Gray, and Donnerstein 568). Therefore, the manner in which violence is presented has
to be contemplated.
The first crucial event that differs in detail and graphic content on screen is the rape of
one of the main characters: Hassan. This rape is important in the narrative as it forms the
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foundation for the story about friendship. As this event is so crucial in the novel but is very
detailed and violent, certain aspects have been left out in the movie in order to make the scene
more appropriate for a large audience. In the novel, the rape scene is clearly described through
Amir’s eyes as he is the novel’s focalizer. Amir describes how Hassan is pushed to the
ground, stripped of his pants, and raped: “Hassan’s brown corduroy pants thrown on a head of
eroded bricks … Assef knelt behind Hassan, put his hands on Hassan’s hips and lifted his bare
buttocks … I could hear Assef’s quick rhythmic grunts” (Hosseini 70-72). In the movie,
unlike in the novel, Hassan is not stripped of his pants. This creates a less visual image of the
actual rape, as the boy is not seen fully nude and vulnerable. Additionally, the scene is not
filmed directly, causing a complete image of the violent rape never to be shown. Accordingly,
the act is merely implied by certain clues (Holz). These clues consist of the boy’s face during
the act (The Kite Runner 0:32:51), grunting sounds, and shots of the rapist unzipping his pants
(see Appendix fig. 1). In a sense, only a glimpse is given of the incident (Arti). Since only a
glimpse is given of the incident, there is still focus on the rape. However, it is presented in
less detail compared to the novel since the visual images create a mental picture of the event.
Another important event in the novel containing explicit violence is the stoning of two
people labelled as criminals by the Taliban. One of these people is a burqa covered female
and the other is a blindfolded man (Hosseini 247). The stoning is important to the narrative as
it shows dedication to the main characters’ friendship. At this point Amir realizes he has to
stay and watch in order to find Hassan’s son as the boy is in hands of the Taliban. As a result,
the scene is also present in the movie. Compared to the novel, the event in the movie is far
less graphic. In the novel, the stoning is portrayed with a great amount of detail: “The Talib,
looking absurdly like a baseball pitcher on the mound, hurdles the stone at the blindfolded
man in the hole. It struck the side of his head” (Hosseini 249). It is noteworthy that the
stoning focuses on the blindfolded man. Eventually the stoning ends and Amir describes the
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result: “a mangled mess of blood and shredded rags” (Hosseini 249). A significant difference
with the novel is that the stoning in the movie is not focused on the blindfolded man but on
the fully covered, unknown woman in a burqa (see Appendix fig. 2). Even though stones are
thrown on camera, they do not hit a recognizable person, which reduces a large part of the
tension that is present in the book. The ending of the stoning is also less detailed as the
woman, who is completely covered, is seen lifeless on the ground but there is no portrayal of
mangled limbs or shredded clothing (The Kite Runner 1:38:35). Therefore, the most important
features of the novel have been transported into the movie. However, due to the visual aspects
of this medium, the focus is shifted from the blindfolded man to the covered woman, making
the act of violence less daunting for the audience.
A third important event containing violence occurs near the end of the story. This
event depicts a fight between the main character Amir and Hassan’s rapist Assef. They fight
over Hassan’s son and the novel illustrates every blow that is struck. In the novel Assef uses
brass knuckles to punch Amir and the impact of them creates a morbid scene. The fight is
described from Amir’s point of view: “Getting hurled against the wall. The knuckles
shattering my jaw. Choking on my own teeth, swallowing them, thinking about all the
countless ours I’d spent flossing and brushing. Getting hurled against the wall” (Hosseini
265). Conversely, in the motion picture no brass knuckles are used and the effect of the fight
has much less of an impact (The Kite Runner 1:45:56). As a result, the fight is less bloody
than in the novel. Additionally, the fight affects the audience less as a voice-over is not used
in the movie whilst the novel utilizes a first person perspective. The former gives much less
insight in what really happens during the fight. In the novel, the readers experiences the
situation through Amir’s eyes and gain insight into his thoughts and experiences during the
altercation. In the movie, however, the audience does not gain this insight into the fight due to
the lack of a voice-over. In addition, there is not nearly as much physical damage present in
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the movie as in the book: no blood is shown and no limbs are visibly broken. To end the fight,
Hassan’s son uses a slingshot to shoot a brass ball into Assef’s eye. Assef then covers his eye.
This event is described in great detail: “He put his hand where his left eye had been just a
moment ago. Blood oozed between his fingers. Blood and something else, something white
and gel-like” (Hosseini 267). This brass ball ending is also present in the movie yet it is dealt
with quickly and no clear image of the physical damage is shown. The audience only sees the
rapist covering his eye and then the shot ends (see Appendix fig. 3). Hence, the fight is easier
to process for a broad audience of all ages. As Hutcheon’s theory on moving from telling to
showing suggested, only the most important features of the fight have been taken into account
for the adaptation because much less detail is needed to depict the essence of the fight and the
reduced amount of detail in the motion picture generates a scene fit for a large audience (38).
When it comes to the violence and violent scenes in The Kite Runner, the motion
picture limits itself to the most important features of the events in the novel. By doing so, the
manner in which violent events are portrayed in the movie continue to have the ability to
carry across the same events as in the novel. However, the movie portrays the events in a less
graphic or highly detailed way, causing the violence to be less extreme.
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Chapter 2: The Representation of Relationships
Relationships are at the heart of The Kite Runner. The friendship between the two main
characters and the relationship between father and son are of importance in the novel. Therefore,
these relationships are incorporated in the movie The Kite Runner. They have, however, been
incorporated differently, due to the movies sensorial and visual traits that enable the
moviemakers to convey a story through an image on screen (Bruhn, Gjelsvik, and Frisvold
Hanssen 117). In order to define a relationship in a movie, Bluestone argues that certain
physical acts are needed (26). As a result, depicting relationships in movies may require fewer
words than in a novel. On the other hand, it is more difficult for movies to enter the minds of
characters and expose their thoughts if a voice-over is not used. This is also suggested in
Bluestone’s theory, which posits that every medium has its own properties and can convey a
certain message in its own way (6). Furthermore, a movie also consists of a certain time-frame,
which has an effect on what is transported into the adaptation; therefore, the story must be
subtracted or contracted (Hutcheon 19). As the movie by Paramount is aimed at a broader
audience in comparison to the book, the way in which the relationships are depicted differs
from the novel in order to make the relationships more comprehensible.
The first important relationship in the novel is the one between Amir and Hassan. This
relationship is very complex. In the movie, on the other hand, this relationship is far less
complicated. In the novel Hassan is Amir’s servant and the two have become very close. The
boys seem inseparable and do everything together. However, Amir does not regard Hassan to
be his friend but rather as his servant. This becomes clear early on in the novel when Amir
reflects on his father’s relationship with their housekeeper: “The curious thing was, I never
thought of Hassan and me as friends either” (Hosseini 24). The fact that Amir does not see
Hassan as a friend becomes even further evident when Hassan’s rapist Assef confronts the two
boys on the street. When Assef asks Amir why he is so close with Hassan, Amir’s thoughts are:
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“But he’s not my friend! … He’s my servant” (Hosseini 38). These thoughts are never uttered
due to Amir’s embarrassment towards Assef. It is this attitude that complicates the boy’s
relationship in the novel. Yet, enough insight is given into their relationship and it can be
understood. In the movie, Amir and Hassan are true friends, which is emphasized by the
insertion of visual acts of friendship. They can be seen walking arm in arm (see Appendix fig.
4), giving each other friendly glances, and laughing together in the cinema (The Kite Runner
0:13:30). According to Bluestone, these are the type of visual acts that are needed to convey a
relationship in a movie (26). In this case, they convey a friendly relationship. In addition, the
movie does not use a voice-over. Therefore, the thoughts that Amir has in the novel about his
friendship with Hassan never come across and they are not visualized in the movie. The choice
for conveying friendship rather than a complicated relationship can be connected to a movie’s
timeframe as a movie generally lasts up to three hours maximum. Consequently, not all details
and information from a novel can be used and as Hutcheon argues, certain aspects of the original
story must be cut (19). Screenwriter David Benioff states in an interview that, “a lot of fat had
to be trimmed off” to fit the story into the three hour timeframe and therefore the details on
Amir and Hassan’s troubled friendship have been altered. This combination of visual images
that convey a notion of friendship, no voice-over for thoughts, and not integrating every detail
from the novel, creates a clearer relationship between the two boys than in the novel. The two
boys are purely portrayed as friends, making the story less confusing in the cinema.
The relationship between Amir and his father Baba is the second most important
relationship in Hosseini’s novel. Baba is the only person who remains with Amir throughout
most of his life. However, the relationship between Baba and Amir is not a positive one. The
movie, on the other hand, does reveal a positive relationship. In the novel Amir feels that he
was neglected by his father throughout his youth. Furthermore, Baba’s disappointment in Amir
is made clear many times. For instance, Baba thinks that his son is not manly enough. This
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becomes clear when Amir cries in front of him. The older Amir remembers his father’s reaction
to his tears: “I remember how Baba’s hands clenched around the steering wheel. Clenched and
unclenched. Mostly, I will never forget Baba’s valiant effort to conceal the disgusted look on
his face” (Hosseini 20). After Amir and Baba move to America, Baba starts accepting Amir.
When Amir graduates from high school, his father even decides to buy a whole bar full of
people drinks because he is so proud: “Baba bought another round of pitchers for everyone”
(Hosseini 123). Their father-son relationship evolves during the novel. In the motion picture by
Paramount, the relationship is positive from the beginning and the disdain Baba has towards
Amir in the novel is never shown. Movie reviewer Roger Ebert states that Baba’s eyes are so
gentle in the movie that he cannot imagine Baba ever being unkind towards Amir: “it is difficult
to imagine it reflecting unworthy feelings.” Consequently, the events that do show father and
son together are rather short and depict a normal bond between the two. A movie scene in which
this becomes apparent, is the scene in which Baba tells Amir about his kite running competitions
and wants to make his son proud (The Kite Runner 0:22:26). Here they both appear to be fond
of each other. After father and son move to America their relationship in the movie resembles
the one in the novel. Therefore, Amir’s graduation is also present in the movie. In this scene
Baba orders drinks for the whole bar (see Appendix fig. 5). All important details have been
taken into account for this scene and it very well portrays Baba’s fondness of Amir by using
visual details such as kind glances and subtle pats on Amir’s back (The Kite Runner 0:54:38).
These visual details are what Bluestone describes as visual acts for portraying a relationship
(26). The differences between the novel and movie can be accounted for by the moviemaker’s
choice to put less emphasis on Amir and Baba’s relationship due to the movie’s time limit as to
focus more on the main relationship in the story, which is that of Amir and Hassan. Due to this
choice on emphasis, the story is told from Amir’s perspective and the movie focuses on him.
Therefore, no attention is paid to Baba and his negative feelings and he features only in scenes
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including Amir. This creates a more neutral bond between father and son in the adaptation as
the scenes in which Baba shows his disdain for Amir are left out. Hutcheon’s theory that states
certain aspects need to be cut to fit into the time-frame of the movie supports this by explaining
not all scenes from a novel can be transferred into a movie (19). Furthermore, Bluestone’s visual
acts for relationships add to the positive portrayal of the relationship. They depict admiration
and love for Amir instead of loathing. As a result, Baba and Amir’s relationship is strong from
the beginning and the adaptation does not show the struggle Amir and Baba have during the
years in Afghanistan, which makes the bond between father and son is easier to understand.
Their bond is comprehensible as it resembles a bond most viewers will recognize from daily
life and their surroundings.
For both of the important relationships, the moviemakers have created a less
complicated image for the viewers of the movie. This has been done by leaving out certain
details from the novel such as thoughts, the addition of friendly physical gestures to various
scenes and the shifting emphasis on specific characters. Moreover, the fact that the relationships
are more relatable for the audience adds to the story’s comprehension.
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Chapter 3: The Representation of Afghanistan
Location is one of the most important features of a movie as it sets the background for an
entire story. Furthermore, the setting and people create a visual image for the audience and it
can transfer a certain mood (Renée). Transforming a setting from a description in a novel to a
visual in a movie conforms to Hutcheon’s “telling to showing” because the setting now forms
the stage for the narrative (39). Consequently, the setting featured in the movie is the same as
in the novel. The novel The Kite Runner is mostly set in Afghanistan. This setting is crucial;
both the events taking place during Amir and Hassan’s friendship and the events in Amir’s
later life are affected by this location. In the beginning of the novel, Afghanistan is a wealthy
country. However, in the course of the novel, the Russians and the Taliban usurp Afghanistan.
The Taliban is a hardline Islamic movement, violently opposed to anything non-Islamic
(“Who are the Taliban”). However, featuring a country dominated by the Taliban is
problematic with regard to the adaptation. As the Taliban is positioned against everything
non-Islamic, the Taliban and the Western world view each other as a source of problems. As
the movie is targeted at a larger and worldwide audience (“The Paramount Story”), the
depiction of Afghanistan must be done carefully in order not to offend the country depicted.
At the same time a setting must be created that is also relatable to Western audiences as
Paramount targets its movies predominately at the West. Therefore, the depiction of
Afghanistan in the movie differs from that in the novel.
It is important to know that the movie was not filmed in Afghanistan due to the unsafe
conditions there. Yet an authentic setting is very essential. As Bluestone describes, a visual
setting is one of the properties of a movie a book does not have to bring the story to life and
contribute to a realistic story (20). Thus, the moviemakers choose to shoot the scenes set in
Afghanistan in China, in the city of Kashgar. This city was chosen from a list of 20 cities
resembling Kabul (French). Kashgar itself is a city with a diverse but mostly Muslim
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population and therefore the inhabitants of the city made Kashgar resemble Kabul in the
1970s. Additionally, no actors had to be hired for the scenes shot in the city (French) and the
citizens were used as extras for the scenes in the city because the Kashgar citizens resembled
those of Kabul. Kashgar and its bustling streets formed the perfect backdrop for the young
Amir. In the novel Amir explains, “We snaked our way among the merchants and the beggars,
wandered through narrow alleys cramped with rows of tiny, tightly packed stalls” (Hosseini
25). In the movie the same colorful streets filled with people and stalls can be seen (see
Appendix fig. 6). The city itself offers a perfect substitute for Kabul in the early days of the
story as well as perfect as the setting for the depiction of Kabul after it was taken over by the
Taliban. Kashgar, due to being over 1000 years old, contains many dilapidated buildings and
therefore resembles a city in war-time (Sainsbury). This matches the city as described in the
novel (see Appendix fig. 7) after the take-over by the Taliban. Consequently, the city is in
ruins: “The buildings that hadn’t entirely collapsed barely stood, with caved in roofs and walls
pierced with rocket shells” (Hosseini 227).
Even though the location for the motion picture is near authentic, the setting is used
differently than in the novel. In the novel, many detailed descriptions are given of
Afghanistan whereas the movie focuses on the acting. In multiple scenes, only the actors can
be seen and the surroundings are kept to a minimum. For example, in the novel a vivid
description is given of one of Amir’s favorite places as a child, an old derelict cemetery: “an
old abandoned cemetery atop the hill with rows of unmarked headstones and tangles of
brushwood clogging the isles. Seasons of rain and snow had turned the iron gate rusty and left
the cemetery low white stone walls in decay” (Hosseini 26). This location is also present in
the movie but far less attention is payed to the setting. Only a glimpse is given of what is
supposed to be the cemetery (The Kite Runner 0:18:57). This use of short glimpses is present
throughout the movie when it comes to portraying Afghanistan. For example, when Amir
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comes back to the country to find Hassan’s son, he makes a trip from Pakistan to Kabul.
During this trip the surroundings show what Afghanistan has become, a war struck, derelict
desert: “On either side of the road, I saw chains of little villages sprouting here and there, like
discarded toys among the rocks, broken mud houses and huts consisting of little more than
four wooden poles and a tattered cloth as a roof” (Hosseini 214). In the movie, the setting for
this trip becomes far less prominent. The sites that the audience sees are, as New York Times
movie reviewer Manohla Dargis describes, “colourful”. Only glances are given of the
surroundings and these show a rather peaceful, almost touristic view of the country, with a
flock of sheep or mountains and blue skies, and not a country ravaged by war (see Appendix
fig. 8). The use of fewer details for a setting in the movie can be accounted for by the visual
nature of the medium. This coincides with Hutcheon’s theory about going from telling to
showing (38). The surroundings no longer have to be described in detail as they can simply be
shown; a short scene creates an image of the surroundings by its visual nature. In addition, the
scenery in the movie does not have to be used to set the tone for a scene or event. In the novel
the surroundings are used to create an ambience during events and for coming ones. The
surroundings act symbolic. For instance, the barren landscape during the trip to Kabul sets the
tone for the hard journey Amir is experiencing. In the movie, on the other hand, the acting on
screen sets the tone for the events by the actor’s expressions and dialog. Moreover, the
surroundings do not have the necessity to function as support of the character’s feelings
causing its function to suffice as a touristic view of the given setting. Consequently, the
setting and surroundings are kept to a minimum. The use of short glimpses of the
surroundings creates a setting that does not attract a lot of attention, as it did in the novel.
Therefore, the setting loses importance for the audience since the image it portrays in the
movie is not nearly as negative as it is depicted in the novel.
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All in all, the movie presents a far less negative image of the country than the novel.
This is achieved by choosing a realistic setting as a backdrop for the movie to create an
authentic story but not extensively focusing on this setting. Additionally, peaceful images are
used to show a less haunting version of Afghanistan.
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Conclusion
This thesis aimed to reveal what choices the directors of The Kite Runner motion picture
made regarding the important themes of violence, relationships, and the representation of the
setting: Afghanistan. The most important conclusion is that the motion picture does include
all major events. However, since the events portrayed by Hosseini are far from suitable for the
broad audience Paramount aimed to appeal, they have been adjusted. Ultimately, this
corresponds to Hutcheon’s theory, which conveys that adaptations can indeed consist of
similarities and change (4).
As for the novel’s most important violent events, the moviemakers have chosen to
incorporate them and rely on clues to suggest the affair, rather than filming the violence
directly. What this means is that instead of filming a fight, expressions mimicking pain are
filmed and these expressions suggest that a fight is taking place. This way the audience is not
confronted directly with the violence on screen. This is achieved by the movie’s visual traits
that, according to Hutcheon, make it possible to convey an event with less detail than in a
written medium (40). As a result, the events containing violence in the movie are far less
extreme than the situations in the novel. Furthermore, the important relationships featuring in
the novel have been transferred differently into the adaptation by Paramount. No voice-over
has been used to access to the minds of the characters. A voice-over would have given more
insight in the complexity of the relationships. However, the limited timeframe of the movie
commands the use of only the most essential information due to subtracting and contracting
(Hutcheon 19). The relationships are thus kept simple. Additionally, the relationships are
more positively portrayed than in the novel. This is achieved by adding in physical cues and
body language. As a result, the relationships are far less complicated and easier for a broad
audience to understand. In addition, the setting and portrayal of Afghanistan differ from that
in the book. For the setting, the Chinese location of Kashgar was chosen. However, not much
Kersten 19
attention is paid to the setting and surroundings in the movie. This is the result of the visual
aspect of a movie: the surroundings do not have to be described at length but one visual image
displays the surroundings, and the setting is not needed to support the tone of the story.
Therefore, unlike the novel, the movie does not create a daunting or war struck image of
Afghanistan, leading to a less intimidating image for the audience. All these changes in the
three themes align with the adaptation theory by Hutcheon and Bluestone about the properties
a movie has as opposed to novel and this triggered the changes the moviemakers made to the
story.
All these choices result in an adaptation that is indeed appropriate and comprehensible
for a larger audience. This is a result of less graphic and extreme violence, comprehensible
relationships, and a more peaceful setting than in the novel. Whereas the novel is not fit for
teens and children, the movie has received a PG13 rating and therefore is suitable for all ages,
even ages 13 and younger (Dargis). According to the Motion Picture Association of America,
children of 13 and younger do need to be accompanied by their parents or an adult in order to
watch the movie (7). However, even with the course of action taken to diminish the risk of not
being accepted by certain viewers, by limiting violence and portraying Afghanistan
peacefully, the Afghanistan government has banned the movie as it felt that the movie still
portrayed the country and certain ethnic groups in a negative way (“Kite Runner Banned in
Afghanistan”).
Marc Forster has not only created a movie that is suitable for a large and diverse
audience, he also created a movie that has received multiple positive reviews. Online movie
reviewer Roger Ebert asserts that Hosseini’s story has been transformed into an exceptional
movie by focusing on the original story. He states, “How long has it been since you saw a
movie that succeeds as pure story? That doesn't depend on stars, effects or genres, but simply
fascinates you with how it will turn out? Marc Forster's “The Kite Runner”, based on a much-
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loved novel, is a movie like that”. Additionally, movie reviewer Michele Leight expresses that
she thought she would dislike the movie because she loved the novel. However, after seeing
the movie, she has come to find it a beautiful and well-made adaptation containing all the
right events and messages from the novel.
Even though some critics find the adaptation by Paramount a very good one, there
have also been negative reviews. The negative reviews regard the effect of staying close to the
novel, yet incorporating subtle changes. Movie reviewer Arti states that staying this close to
the events and trying to incorporate almost everything from the novel, yet subtly different,
does not work well for the movie. According to him, “[t]he transition of scenes are sometimes
quite abrupt and choppy. The same dialogues are there, but the mood is missing.
The eagerness of storytelling seems to have overshadowed the artistry of movie making”
(Arti). This supports the fact that even though all important events are included in the movie,
the events to not contain the same depth since they are less emphasized and portrayed
differently. This supports Hutcheon and Bluestone’s claim that an adaptation does not have to
stay close to the original to be accepted or good. In this case, it has the opposite effect
according to the reviewer.
For this thesis only three key themes where analyzed. However, for future research
many other subjects are of interest and more in-depth research can be done on the three areas
covered in this paper. An interesting area that can be looked into for future research is that of
the characters and choice of actors. This area raises interest as the actors effect the story and
the characters in the adaptation. The theme of relationships can also be analyzed further as
there is another important relationship in both novel and movie that has been adapted in a
certain way. This regards the relationship Amir has with his wife. Additionally, a more in
depth look into the representation of Afghanistan and its people can give insight in the role of
culture in this story. For example, the way Afghan people are portrayed can be scrutinized to
Kersten 21
examine whether the novel and movie have a different perspective on the Afghan culture.
Finally, this thesis has given an insight in the differences between Hosseini’s novel and
Paramount’s adaptation of The Kite Runner, which leaves many features of this adaptation
still to be uncovered.
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Works Cited
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Enjoyment, and Arousal.” The Journal of Social Psychology 139.5 (1999): 567-582.
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Bluestone, George. Novels into Film. 4th ed. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins, 1957. Print.
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Challenges, New Directions. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2013. Print.
Casey, John. “How Ignorance and Prejudice Sour the West's View of Islam.” The Telegraph.
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Runner, dir. Marc Forster. BookPage June 2003. Web. 7 July 2016.
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Forster. The New York Times 13 Dec. 2007. Web. 31 Mar. 2016.
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Runner, dir. Marc Forster. All Content. 13 Dec. 2007. Web. 31 Mar. 2016.
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Yeldham, and E. Bennett Walsh. By David Benioff. Perf. Khalid Abdalla and
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Appendix
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Figure 1. The Kite Runner rape scene: Assef unzipping his pants. Marc Forster, The Kite
Runner, (Paramount Vantage, 2007) 0:32:45. DVD.
Figure 2. The Kite Runner stoning scene: woman covered in burqa. Marc Forster, The Kite
Runner, (Paramount Vantage, 2007) 1:37:32. DVD.
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Figure 3. The Kite Runner fight between Assef and Amir: Assef covering his eye. Marc
Forster, The Kite Runner, (Paramount Vantage, 2007) 1:46:44. DVD.
Figure 4. The Kite Runner Amir and Hassan walking arm in arm. Marc Forster, The Kite
Runner, (Paramount Vantage, 2007) 0:13:49. DVD.
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Figure 5. The Kite Runner graduation scene: drinks for the whole bar. Marc Forster, The Kite
Runner, (Paramount Vantage, 2007) 0:50:51. DVD.
Figure 6. The Kite Runner shot of Kashgar with its alleyways with stalls and beggars. Marc
Forster, The Kite Runner, (Paramount Vantage, 2007) 0:29:53. DVD.
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Figure 7. The Kite Runner Kabul after Taliban: streets with ruins left of houses. Marc Forster,
The Kite Runner, (Paramount Vantage, 2007) 1:29:28. DVD.
Figure 8. The Kite Runner trip through Afghanistan. Marc Forster, The Kite Runner,
(Paramount Vantage, 2007) 1:26:35. DVD.