Amir and Farid search for Sohrab at an orphanage in Kabul. However, Sohrab is not there. The head of the orphanage reveals that a Taliban official takes one of the children each month in exchange for money, which is their only source of income. Amir learns that Sohrab was taken by the Taliban official and will be at Ghazi Stadium the next day. Farid is angry to hear about the fate of the orphaned children.

1. The Kite Runner
CHAPTER 20

2. CHAPTER 20 SUMMARY
The Search for Sohrab
• Amir and Farid go looking for Hassan’s son Sohrab.
• When driving into Kabul Amir does not recognise the
area.
• He arrives at an orphanage where Sohrab would be,
however he is not there.
• They soon find out that a chief of the Taliban come and
pay for a child once a month, this money is the
orphanages only source of income so they cant stop it.
• Amir is then told Sohrab was taken by them and if he
wants to try and find him he will be at Ghazi Stadium
the next day.

3. QUESTIONS
• What does Farid warn Amir about?
• What does Amir notice in Kabul?
• Why does he compare Kabul to a “giant sandcastle”? Why
does he compare the city to an old friend who is “homeless
and destitute”?
• Who is the old beggar Amir meets? Why is he shocked?
• What does Zaman, the head of orphanage, reveal has been
happening to the orphans?
• What does Farid do when he learns of the orphans’ fate?
• “There are lot of children in Afghanistan, but little
childhood”. What do you think of this statement?

4. What does Farid warn Amir about?
The state of Kabul and the power of the Talibans
on all the people.

5. What does Amir notice in Kabul?
Its different it doesn’t feel like his home
anymore, what used to be buildings are now dusty
piles of rubble, and beggars were everywhere. His
home town was demolished, not such a sacred
place anymore. Trees had to be cut down; the
Soviets cut them down because snipers would
hide in them, and Afghans cut them down to use
for firewood. The Taliban patrol of bearded men
passed him and he watched in amazement, Kabul
was not what it used to be.

6. Why does he compare Kabul to a “giant
sandcastle”? Why does he compare the
city to an old friend who is “homeless and
destitute”?
The houses that used to be a prefect landscape and
beautiful view are now falling apart and hardly
recognisable. They will not be there for much
longer and just as the sea ruins sandcastles the
Taliban will ruin the houses that are struggling to
stand as it is. His city is his old friend that he hasn’t
seen in a while but he has always been in his
thoughts and now he has returned his ‘old friend’
has lost all his possessions; its character, houses,
pride, money, etc, ‘homeless and destitute’.

7. Who is the old beggar Amir meets?
Why is he shocked?
The beggar, was a literature professor and once
knew Sofia Akram, Amir’s mother. Amir asks him
several questions about her, but soon the
beggar had to leave.
Amir is shocked as someone like him would have
been valued when Amir lived there. He would
have a nice house, a family, he would look
presentable and not have to beg on the streets
for money looking the way he did.

8. What does Zaman, the head of orphanage,
reveal has been happening to the
orphans?
There are hundreds of children and not enough
beds, mattresses, or blankets. That past winter,
one child froze to death.
Zaman tells him there is a Taliban official who
comes every month or two. The official brings
cash, and will sometimes take a child with him.
No questions asked.
Zaman then reveals that without this money the
rest of the children would not have food.

9. What does Farid do when he learns of
the orphans’ fate?
He attacks Zaman for letting this happen top
poor innocent and helpless children. He later
stops when he sees that children are watching.
He is angry and distraught that Zaman could let
this happen, who knows what happens to these
children. And what has happened to Sohrab?

10. “There are lot of children in
Afghanistan, but little childhood”. What
do you think of this statement?
The children are there but they do not have a
‘childhood’ they are deprived of fun, deprived of
love, deprived of care, they do not have a good
childhood.
Its not fun watching people get tortured and
die, its not what children should be doing. They
are forced to grow up or just make nothing of
themselves even though its hard to do such a
thing.