Comparison of Novel & Movie

After reading the novel and watching the film, it has become clear that several discrepancies appear in comparing “The Kite Runner” in literature to it’s cinematographic counterpart. Although several petty differences appear, like Hassan having a hair lip and Ali having a crippled leg, there are some more serious aspects included in the original novel that are left out in the film. 

The rape of Hassan is an integral part of the book. One could even consider it a climax of sorts, in that everything after this point changes. The rape in the book is vividly described making in one of the most emotional parts of the piece. Feelings for Amir, good or bad, seem to have been finalized for most readers here. All of these reasons make it so strange that the directors chose not to include the rape scene. For obvious reasons, a graphic rape scene would have been inappropriate, however, this crucial part of the story deserves more than just the implication. 

A large portion of the novel is centered around life after Afghanistan. Baba and Amir move to American and experience several problems along with Baba’s apparent depression having left his homeland. This part is less than accurately portrayed in the movie. Although around one hundred pages of the novel is dedicated to Amir and Hassan adapting to life in the United States, it seems as though only a few minutes are dedicated to this in the movie. In the book, Baba is made to seem virtually depressed throughout his entire time in the United States. In fact, the only mention of him smiling is when Amir is getting married. In the film, the aging Baba is portrayed as much happier than one would have imagined having read the book. I suppose that this aspect may have been changed in order to end Baba’s life on a happier note than what is displayed in the novel. In some way, I can see that they did this to make viewers feel as though Baba’s life has come full circle, and that he is as strong as he was in Afghanistan, but in reality, it does not seem to portray the drastic change that Baba endures will in the United States. 

The entire portion of the film where Amir goes to Afghanistan is largely different than what is described in the book. Amir goes to collect Sohrab from Assef, who is described as tall and blond in the book with apparent German heritage but is entirely different in the story, and fights him for him then escapes, much different than what is told in the movie. Amir, in the novel, has to stay at the hospital for several weeks, but is fine in the movie. An enormous difference in the movie is when Sohrab does not attempt suicide like he does in the movie. I imagine that they included this for the sake of not including another plot twist throughout the movie, but doing this does not show Sohrab’s guilt. Lastly, getting Sohrab is incredibly difficult for Amir and Soraya. They have to wait for a long while after failed attempts at adopting him. In no place in the movie is this included, they merely get on the plane and arrive in the United States. 

Overall, the gist of the plot collected from “The Kite Runner” novel was undoubtedly included in the movie, but there were several details, some petty and some quite important, that were left out of the movie. Overall, the movie did do a fair job in portraying the atrocities that took place in Afghanistan as well as those in this particular story.