TURN VOLUME ON :)
THE KITE RUNNER
the Graphic Novel
THE KITE RUNNER
the Graphic Novel
by Khaled Hosseini
 |
| Graphic Novel |
Illustrations done by:
Fabio Celoni and Mirka Andolfo
 |
| Novel |
Graphic Novel.
 |
| Movie |
MAIN CHARACTERS:
Amir: Protagonist/narrator
Hassan: Amir's best friend
Baba(Mr. Qadiri): Amir's father
Ali: Hassan's thought to be father
Rahim Khan: Baba's close friend
Assef: Antagonist/ bully
Soraya: Amir's wife
General Taheri: Soraya's father
Farid: Taxi driver who helps Amir
Sohrab: Hassan's son
 |
| MAIN CHARACTERS with images |
PLOT:
The story takes place in Kubal which is the capital of Afghanistan. Amir narriates his life from his childhood to present time with flashbacks from the 1970s to his journey to America and the hardships along the way. He explains his move to America due to the fall of Afghanistan and the rise of the Taliban regime.
Amir, a well-off Pashtun (meaning an Afgan), flashbacks to Kabul in the early 1970s to when him and Hassan, his Hazara friend (meaning a Persian who lives in Afghanistan) who is the son of Ali, his fathers good long friend and servant. They were best friends and both took part in the kite tournaments where Amir would fly the kite and Hassan would guide it known as the "kite runner" and the point is to cut the other kites in the sky and find the fallen kites.
Hassan ALWAYS had Amir's back through thick and thin; he was tougher than Amir and Baba did not like how his son was weaker.
Baba once said, "It's not a matter of violence. It's a lack of character. A boy who can't stand up for himself become a man who can't stand up to anything."
Years pasted and the soviets invaded Kabul. Baba and Amir fled to Pakistan to make it to America. They moved to California and Amir graduated high school at the age of 20 in 1983. He then decided to go to college to become a writer and Baba accepted the fact; he was proud of his son- "moftakhir" meaning he is proud.
One day Baba sees General Sahib who was the Ministry of defense in Kabul, a respectful man. He introduces him to Amir and all Amir can see is Soraya, his daughter. He becomes infatuated with her and writes a book for her. Sahib is a very strict father though.
Baba becomes sick with a bad cough and goes to the doctor but the doctor is Russian so Baba runs out because he despises Russians. He finds a new doctor and realizes he has Oat Cell Carcinoma advanced and inoperable. Soraya comes to support Amir. Amir then asks for Soraya's hand in marriage so Baba talks to Sahib and he gives him his blessings.
Not soon after Baba passed. The book goes back to 2001 where Amir and Soraya are in California and Amir gets a phone call from Baba's old friend Rahim who stayed in Kabul to watch Baba's house. Rahim tells Amir he needs to come to Pakistan.
Amir goes and Rahim tells him he is dying but he needs him to do something for him. Kabul is in turmoil the Taliban have taken over everything and destroyed what use to be of beauty. Back in 1986 Rahim went in search to find Hassan to come live with him and take care of Baba's house. When he found Hassan he was married with a son, Sohrab. Rahim is in Pakistan in search for a doctor but while Hassan was in Kabul housekeeping with his wife and son the Taliban broke in to kill him and his wife because they called them liars. Rahim asks Amir to come to find Sohrab in Kabul to bring him back to Pakistan to be taken care of by people there. Amir does not want to but then Rahim tells Amir the truth that has been hidden from both him and Hassan. Baba had an affair with Ali's wife and Hassan is Amir's half brother so Sohrab is Amir's nephew. Amir was angry but then decided he would go find Sohrab.
Amir has to disguise himself in a beard because the Taliban will not let you in if you do not look how they want you too. Farid the taxi driver goes with Amir. They go to the orphanage where Sohrab is suppose to be but he isn't there, the owner says that a Taliban has taken him. The owner says that Sohrab is a smart boy who knows how to use a slingshot.
The illustrators Fabio and Mirka create an aesthetically appealing artistic take on The Kite Runner. The artwork is beyond alluring. According to Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics-The Invisible Art" I believe the comics are a Scene-To-Scene transition. Meaning the artists' "transport us across significant distances of time and space."
For example:
I believe the words and pictures blend most of the time, sometimes the words will overlap the panels but not to an extreme extent because it suits the scene. Like above the large text for the onamonapia "ring" actually gives the reader a ringing effect since we all know when a phone rings it is loud and obnoxious so the effect works perfectly. What I appreciate the most is like in Little Nemo in Slumberland by Winsor McCay the panels differentiate to create an attractive comic. As you can see below I compared the two comics with each other to show their use of panels and how they are significantly similar in their own ways:
The artwork I believe lies on more of the realistic end of the cartoon spectrum. Fabio and Mirka illustrate with extreme detail, including the background as well. Using bright colors it creates an eye-catching ensemble for the viewers. I think the pleasing artwork is a bonus for the story because it appeals the viewers rather that offsets them. I honestly felt as if I was watching a cartoon film of The Kite Runner because how the art jumped out at me. It was marvelous and I think the approach that Fabio and Mirka took for the illustrations worked and I wouldn't even change the text placement. It is a win-win graphic novel and I most definitely recommend for everyone to go check it out and give it a gander because it was a beautiful story with amazing artwork. TWO THUMBS UP!
The story takes place in Kubal which is the capital of Afghanistan. Amir narriates his life from his childhood to present time with flashbacks from the 1970s to his journey to America and the hardships along the way. He explains his move to America due to the fall of Afghanistan and the rise of the Taliban regime. Amir, a well-off Pashtun (meaning an Afgan), flashbacks to Kabul in the early 1970s to when him and Hassan, his Hazara friend (meaning a Persian who lives in Afghanistan) who is the son of Ali, his fathers good long friend and servant. They were best friends and both took part in the kite tournaments where Amir would fly the kite and Hassan would guide it known as the "kite runner" and the point is to cut the other kites in the sky and find the fallen kites.
Hassan ALWAYS had Amir's back through thick and thin; he was tougher than Amir and Baba did not like how his son was weaker.
Baba once said, "It's not a matter of violence. It's a lack of character. A boy who can't stand up for himself become a man who can't stand up to anything."
Amir had a talend for writing, he would write stories and read them to Hassan but Baba did not think he could have a career from writing since he is a wealthy respectful man. Although he has never read one of Amir's stories.
One day Amir and Hassan were running through Kubal and stumbled upon Assef and his friends. Assef is the bully to them but he tries to pick a fight with Amir and since he can not stick up for himself Hassan steps in with his slingshot. Assef backs off but says this isn't the last of him. They get away and for Hassan's birthday Amir buys him a brand new sling shot from America.
Then the BIG DAY came: the kite tournament! Baba told Amir right before he was about to fly that he won his kite tournament and cut 14 kites and nobody has broke the record since. Frightened to disappoint his father, Amir was nervous but with Hassan by his side, the best kite runner, they won the tournament together! Hassan went to go retrieve the kite for Amir by himself.
In hunt for the kite he is bombarded by Assef and backed into a corner alleyway. Assef wants him to hand over the kite but Hassan's loyalty for Amir is too strong so he refuses. Meanwhile, Amir left the tournament to go find Hassan and he heard the voices of Assef and Hassan but is too coward to save him so he hides behind a brick wall. Assef changes his mind and tells Hassan that he is just a servant boy and nothing to Amir and that Amir isn't his friend. Assef changes his mind and tells Hassan to turn around and drop his pants for punishment- Assef took advantage of Hassan and Amir didn't stop him, in fact he ran away. Amir just wanted the respect from his father and when he got home his father was proud he won the tournament.
Through the year after Hassan's incident Amir grew angry and cold instead of Hassan. They grew apart even though Hassan still had Amir's back. Amir was angry with himself and became distant with Hassan and told him to go away; he wanted him gone. Amir's thirteenth birthday came up and Hassan was not there but Assef was. Amir threw Assef's present out. Rahim Khan gave Amir a present from Hassan it was a story that was meaningful to both of them. Baba got Amir an expensive watch. The next day Amir planted the watch under Hassan's bed to look as if he stole it. Baba confronted Hassan in front of Ali and Hassan as loyal as is was to Amir took the blame. Ali said that that's it and they are leaving because things have gone too far but Baba begged them not too, they left anyways.
One day Amir and Hassan were running through Kubal and stumbled upon Assef and his friends. Assef is the bully to them but he tries to pick a fight with Amir and since he can not stick up for himself Hassan steps in with his slingshot. Assef backs off but says this isn't the last of him. They get away and for Hassan's birthday Amir buys him a brand new sling shot from America. Then the BIG DAY came: the kite tournament! Baba told Amir right before he was about to fly that he won his kite tournament and cut 14 kites and nobody has broke the record since. Frightened to disappoint his father, Amir was nervous but with Hassan by his side, the best kite runner, they won the tournament together! Hassan went to go retrieve the kite for Amir by himself.Through the year after Hassan's incident Amir grew angry and cold instead of Hassan. They grew apart even though Hassan still had Amir's back. Amir was angry with himself and became distant with Hassan and told him to go away; he wanted him gone. Amir's thirteenth birthday came up and Hassan was not there but Assef was. Amir threw Assef's present out. Rahim Khan gave Amir a present from Hassan it was a story that was meaningful to both of them. Baba got Amir an expensive watch. The next day Amir planted the watch under Hassan's bed to look as if he stole it. Baba confronted Hassan in front of Ali and Hassan as loyal as is was to Amir took the blame. Ali said that that's it and they are leaving because things have gone too far but Baba begged them not too, they left anyways.
Years pasted and the soviets invaded Kabul. Baba and Amir fled to Pakistan to make it to America. They moved to California and Amir graduated high school at the age of 20 in 1983. He then decided to go to college to become a writer and Baba accepted the fact; he was proud of his son- "moftakhir" meaning he is proud.
One day Baba sees General Sahib who was the Ministry of defense in Kabul, a respectful man. He introduces him to Amir and all Amir can see is Soraya, his daughter. He becomes infatuated with her and writes a book for her. Sahib is a very strict father though.
Baba becomes sick with a bad cough and goes to the doctor but the doctor is Russian so Baba runs out because he despises Russians. He finds a new doctor and realizes he has Oat Cell Carcinoma advanced and inoperable. Soraya comes to support Amir. Amir then asks for Soraya's hand in marriage so Baba talks to Sahib and he gives him his blessings.
Not soon after Baba passed. The book goes back to 2001 where Amir and Soraya are in California and Amir gets a phone call from Baba's old friend Rahim who stayed in Kabul to watch Baba's house. Rahim tells Amir he needs to come to Pakistan.
Amir goes and Rahim tells him he is dying but he needs him to do something for him. Kabul is in turmoil the Taliban have taken over everything and destroyed what use to be of beauty. Back in 1986 Rahim went in search to find Hassan to come live with him and take care of Baba's house. When he found Hassan he was married with a son, Sohrab. Rahim is in Pakistan in search for a doctor but while Hassan was in Kabul housekeeping with his wife and son the Taliban broke in to kill him and his wife because they called them liars. Rahim asks Amir to come to find Sohrab in Kabul to bring him back to Pakistan to be taken care of by people there. Amir does not want to but then Rahim tells Amir the truth that has been hidden from both him and Hassan. Baba had an affair with Ali's wife and Hassan is Amir's half brother so Sohrab is Amir's nephew. Amir was angry but then decided he would go find Sohrab. Amir has to disguise himself in a beard because the Taliban will not let you in if you do not look how they want you too. Farid the taxi driver goes with Amir. They go to the orphanage where Sohrab is suppose to be but he isn't there, the owner says that a Taliban has taken him. The owner says that Sohrab is a smart boy who knows how to use a slingshot.
Amir goes to the stadium for the soccer game where the owner said the Taliban would be. The Taliban during half time brings "sinners" into the middle of the field to have them stoned. Amir speaks to one of the Taliban workers and says he'd like to speak with the man in white for a private matter.
Later that day Amir goes to speak with him alone and it turns out it is Assef! He said he would give Sohrab to him in exchange for a fight since Amir has always been a coward. Assef beats Amir nearly to death and Sohrab saved him with his slingshot by hitting Assef in the eye. Amir was brought to the hospital. Rahim sent Amir a letter saying sorry for the lies and said good-bye with a key to his safe with all his savings. Amir decided to take Sohrab back to America with him and Soraya agreed. Amir promised Sohrab he would never be in an orphanage again but the agency said it would be months for the process of adoption and when Sohrab heard this he tried to commit suicide by cutting himself. Amir saved him and found out that he could take him back right away but Sohrab was scared. When they got to America Amir took him to the park and they cut a kite together. Amir runs to go get it to show his loyalty to Sohrab, his new son.
PICTURES: Later that day Amir goes to speak with him alone and it turns out it is Assef! He said he would give Sohrab to him in exchange for a fight since Amir has always been a coward. Assef beats Amir nearly to death and Sohrab saved him with his slingshot by hitting Assef in the eye. Amir was brought to the hospital. Rahim sent Amir a letter saying sorry for the lies and said good-bye with a key to his safe with all his savings. Amir decided to take Sohrab back to America with him and Soraya agreed. Amir promised Sohrab he would never be in an orphanage again but the agency said it would be months for the process of adoption and when Sohrab heard this he tried to commit suicide by cutting himself. Amir saved him and found out that he could take him back right away but Sohrab was scared. When they got to America Amir took him to the park and they cut a kite together. Amir runs to go get it to show his loyalty to Sohrab, his new son. The illustrators Fabio and Mirka create an aesthetically appealing artistic take on The Kite Runner. The artwork is beyond alluring. According to Scott McCloud's "Understanding Comics-The Invisible Art" I believe the comics are a Scene-To-Scene transition. Meaning the artists' "transport us across significant distances of time and space."
For example:
I believe the words and pictures blend most of the time, sometimes the words will overlap the panels but not to an extreme extent because it suits the scene. Like above the large text for the onamonapia "ring" actually gives the reader a ringing effect since we all know when a phone rings it is loud and obnoxious so the effect works perfectly. What I appreciate the most is like in Little Nemo in Slumberland by Winsor McCay the panels differentiate to create an attractive comic. As you can see below I compared the two comics with each other to show their use of panels and how they are significantly similar in their own ways:
 |
| Little Nemo |
The artwork I believe lies on more of the realistic end of the cartoon spectrum. Fabio and Mirka illustrate with extreme detail, including the background as well. Using bright colors it creates an eye-catching ensemble for the viewers. I think the pleasing artwork is a bonus for the story because it appeals the viewers rather that offsets them. I honestly felt as if I was watching a cartoon film of The Kite Runner because how the art jumped out at me. It was marvelous and I think the approach that Fabio and Mirka took for the illustrations worked and I wouldn't even change the text placement. It is a win-win graphic novel and I most definitely recommend for everyone to go check it out and give it a gander because it was a beautiful story with amazing artwork. TWO THUMBS UP!
If you'd like to check out the graphic novel The Kite Runner put this into your search engine, unfortunately you might not be able to copy and paste so it will be a bit tedious but totally worth it! Check it out!
http://www.slideshare.net/weirdgirlann/the-kite-runner-graphic-novel-by-khalid-hosseni-pdf
SOURCES:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_kite_runner
and from The Kite Runner (images are from graphic novel)
SOURCES:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_kite_runner
and from The Kite Runner (images are from graphic novel)
Great summary of the plot, I felt like I was reading the actual graphic novel!
ReplyDeleteI like how you compared the art of your graphic novel to Little Nemo in Slumberland too!
I certainly want to read "The Kite Runner" now! The artwork is quite impressive. Nevertheless, I'm curious as to what you would identify as the major themes of this story?
ReplyDeletejust fished this book. This is amazing! Beautiful. Im a dancer horrible with art so it always fascinates me lol. So cool.
ReplyDelete