By Muhammad Sani Usman
If you are an introvert and, worst of all, you don’t want to go out and meet strangers, or you are not financially stable enough to explore the world you romanticise in your head, then you should read fictional books.
Consider The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini for a unique perspective on Afghanistan. Unlike the war-torn image often portrayed in American movies, Hossien’s narrative paints a different picture. He depicts a flowing country, with small boys flying kites in the streets of Kabul and the vibrant Afghan holidays like Nowruz.
You will learn about friends and kinship. There is Amir, the privileged son of a wealthy businessman, and Hassan, the son of their family servant, who grew up together in Kabul. Despite their different social statuses, they are inseparable as children. They spend their days flying kites, with Hassan being the best kite runner, always ready to retrieve the kite Amir cuts down.
If you don’t know what betrayal is by a friend, then you should look at how Amir witnesses Hassan being sexually assaulted but chooses to do nothing out of fear and selfishness. This event haunts Amir, leading to guilt and a sense of betrayal that defines much of his life.
If you are still wondering about the lengths people go to with the ones they love, you will see how Amir chooses to marry Soraya (his girlfriend), accepting her past and the societal judgment that comes with it. In essence, you will see matured and refined love between Hassan and Soraya.
You will only get all this information from creative writers pushing the world close to you.
Muhammad Sani Usman wrote muhdusman1999@gmail.com.
You’re right! Literature exposes us to unknown culture and places.
And Afghanistan has been demonized. It is good to know the good side of it.