LRB #2-The Kite Runner, Roles played by minor characters

"The Kite Runner"
Khaled Hosseini



From the most brief encounter or mentioning of any characters it seems that even the smallest of all of them even had a major impact on the outcome of the story and the development of the plot. Amir's mom, who died during childbirth, has an effect on how Baba views Amir for the longest time, and also about how Amir acts, having never know his mother, he seems underdeveloped in some areas that he would have been otherwise if his mother had still been alive. He would have had her a a comfort, a confidant and a friend; his relation with Baba would also have been drastically different, which would in turn shift the whole direction of the novel as a whole. Speaking of mothers, Hassan's mother also operates as a minor character, and is briefly mentioned in the beginning part of the book. She abandoned him at his birth, which left a wound on the inside of him, even if he didn't realize it, and it doesn't fit nicely with his physical deformity either. Other characters such as Rahim Khan serve as inspiration and correction for Amir, and also as a confidant that Amir lacks, since his father is somewhat resentful of him in the beginning of the novel. It is Rahim who encourages Amir to keep writing, and the one who keeps him from going (completely) insane. He also operates as Amir's motivation to redeem himself despite what he did in his past aside from encouraging his writings, he says to Amir "There is a way to be good again," Minor characters that had adverse negative effects on the novel would be Wali and Kamal, the two who aided Assef during the raping of Hassan. They hold him down, allowing Assef to scar Hassan for the rest of his life, but his role allows the reader to see that Hassan is acting as a Christ figure the entire time. There is no doubt that even though this novel contains a lot of minor characters that they still have a significant role in the novel and its development.