Censorship In The Kite Runner

“Assef knelt behind Hassan, put his hands on Hassan's hips and lifted his bare buttocks. He kept one hand on Hassan's back and undid his own belt buckle with his free hand.” This pivotal scene, more than any other, led to the controversies and censorship that surrounded the novel and film, The Kite Runner. The story introduces us to two children, a wealthy boy named Amir, and a poor servant named Hassan, who grew up together during the turbulent 1970s in Afghanistan. Amir is Pashtun, the majority ethnic population in Afghanistan, while Hassan is Hazara, a persecuted minority group. Early in the story, Hassan is chasing down a kite and is harassed by older bullies from the majority Pashtun tribe. The incident escalates and the Pashtun bully rapes

The book was a national bestseller, remaining on The New York Times Best Sellers list for over two years; it has sold over eight million copies. The film was critically acclaimed, earned a nomination for a Golden Globe as Best Foreign Language Film, and was considered a box office success. Despite the work’s artistic successes, the book and film generated considerable controversy, which led to safety concerns, necessitated the relocation of the actors, delayed the film’s release, the book was banned in many American schools and the film was banned in Afghanistan. Influential works of art can stir emotion, invite controversy and lead to censorship. There are many reasons why authorities choose to censor works of art. Censorship is often used with the intent to shield people from offensive material and inflammatory ideas, as well as to insulate oneself from embarrassment or to prevent violence by those who might angered by a work. In the case of The Kite Runner, the censorship ultimately stemmed from fear -- fear of exposing students to disturbing material, aggravating racial tensions and provoking