2. Biography Early Childhood Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul,
Afghanistan His father worked with the Afghan Foreign Ministry His
mother taught taught Farsi and History at a girls high school In
1970, Hosseini moved with his parents to Paris, France In 1973 the
family returned to Kabul In 1980 the family sought political asylum
in The United States
3. Biography - Education Hosseini graduated high school in 1984
Obtained his bachelors degree in biology from Santa Clara
University in 1988 Earned his medical degree in 1993 from the
University of California
4. Biography Interesting Facts In June 2006 he was awarded the
2006 Humanitarian Award from the UN Refugee Agency. There are
currently more than 3.6 million paperback copies of The Kite Runner
in print
5. Biography - Influences As a child, Hosseini read a great
deal of Persian poetry as well as Persian translations of novels
His memories of peaceful pre-Soviet era Afghanistan, as well as his
personal experiences with Afghan Hazaras, led to the writing of The
Kite Runner Statue of Khayyam, Persian poet and philosopher at his
mausoleum in Neyshabur.
6. Biography - Novels The Kite Runner is Hosseinis first novel
It is also the first novel published in English by an Afghan The
novel, tells the story of two young boys in an Afghanistan that
precedes the bloody communist coup, Soviet invasion, and the rise
of the Taliban. The novel traverses decadesand continentsbringing
American readers into a world theyve rarely glimpsed, of violence
and poverty and tragic betrayal. At the same time, its a universal
tale of friendship, redemption and profound hope. The novel was the
number three best seller for 2005 in the United States A movie by
the same name is set to be released in November 2007 A Thousand
Splendid Suns is due to be released in May of 2007
7. Biography Perspective on American Agenda in Afghanistan The
two major issues in Afghanistan are a lack of security outside
Kabul (particularly in the South and East) and the powerful
warlords ruling over the provinces with little or no allegiance to
the central government. The other rapidly rising concern is the
narcotic trade which, if not dealt with, may turn Afghanistan into
another Bolivia or Colombia. Equally important is the lack of
cultivable land for farmers Afghanistan has always largely been an
agricultural country, and that even before the wars destroyed lands
and irrigation canals, only 5 per cent of the land was cultivable.
The Bush administration tripled its aid package to Afghanistan.
Karzai finally (and courageously) announced that warlords will be
forbidden from holding office in the future government. NATO agreed
to expand the peacekeeping forces to troubled areas outside of
Kabul
9. The People and Cultural Atmosphere of Afghanistan English
4U: The Kite Runner
10. Culture: Definition(s) The behaviors and beliefs
characteristic of a particular social, racial or ethnic group. (ie.
Pashtun) Also, a particular form or stage of civilization (as it
pertains to the development of a nation). Further, the development
or improvement of the mind by education or training. (ie. Miss
McKee is cultured!)
11. Map 1 of Afghanistan
12. Introduction: Afghanistan lies across ancient trade and
invasion routes from central Asia into India. This geographic
position has been the greatest influence on its history and
culture. Invaders often came there and stayed.
13. Trade Route: The Silk Road
14. Ancient City Gates
15. Present Population For the most part, Afghans are farmers,
although a significant minority follows a nomadic lifestyle. In the
years since the Soviet invasion and the later civil war, a large
number of Afghans have fled the country and become refugees in
neighboring nations, most typically in Iran and Pakistan. Present
Estimates place Afghanistans population at approx. 25 million
16. The Afghans The population of Afghanistan is comprised of a
variety of ethnic groups called Afghans. The largest of these
groups are: - Pashtun - Tajiks - Hazara
17. Borders? What Borders? The people of Afghanistan are
related to many of the ethnic groups in Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan; the borders drawn between these
groups are arbitrary.
18. The Pashtuns The Pashtuns (Pushtuns), who make up the
majority of the population, have traditionally been the dominant
ethnic group. Their homeland lies south of the Hindu Kush, although
Pashtun groups live in all parts of the country. Male Pashtuns live
by ancient tribal code called Pashtunwali, which stresses courage,
personal honor, resolution, self-reliance, and hospitality. The
Pashtuns speak Pashto, which is one of the two
19. Pashtun Rider
20. The Tajiks The Tajiks (Tadzhiks), are the second largest
ethnic group in Afghanistan. They live in the valleys north of
Kabul and in Badakhshan. They are farmers, artisans, and merchants.
The Tajiks speak Dari (Afghan Persian), the 2nd official
language.
21. An Artisan of Badakhshan
22. The Hazaras In the central ranges live the Hazaras.
Although their ancestors came from a region in northwestern China,
the Hazaras speak an archaic (old) Persian. Most are poor farmers
and sheepherders. The Hazaras have long been discriminated against.
In part, this is because they are minority Shiites (followers of
Shia Islam) within a dominant Sunni Muslim population. Most Hazaras
live north of the Kabul River in an isolated, wooded,
23. North of the Kabul River
24. The Hazaras The Hazaras are of particular importance in our
study of The Kite Runner for reasons that will become apparent as
you read the novel.
25. Religious Divisions The strongest tie among these various
ethnic groups is their religion: Islam. The majority of Afghans (99
percent) are Muslims. The population is thus split along religious
lines: Sunni (84%) and Each of these two religious groups has its
own set of beliefs and traditions. Ostensibly, each has its own
culture. Note: The minority Shiites are made up of the Hazaras and
Tajiks,
26. Behaviors and Beliefs
27. Islam An outline of the belief system of Islam is far
beyond the scope of this presentation, of course, though indeed we
can list some major tenets, as well as some differences between
Sunni and Shia Muslims.
28. from the Quran The Messenger of God said, Islam is built on
five pillars: bearing witness that there is no god but God and
Muhammad is His prophet, establishing the prayer, giving zakat,
hajj, and fasting during
29. The Five Pillars of Islam The Testimony of Faith (Shahadah)
- the declaration that there is none worthy of worship except Allah
(God) and that Muhammad is his messenger. Ritual Prayer (Salat) -
establishing of the five daily Prayers. Obligatory almsgiving
(Zakat) - which is generally 2.5% of the total savings for a rich
man working in trade or industry, and 10% or 20% of the annual
produce for agriculturists. This money or produce is distributed
among the poor. Fasting (Sawm) from sunrise to sunset during the
holy month of Ramadan. The Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) - this is
done during the month of Zul Hijjah, and is compulsory once in a
lifetime for one who has the ability to do it. If the Muslim is in
ill health or in debt, he or she is not required to perform Hajj.).
Note: Mecca is in Saudi Arabia.
30. Sunni vs. Shia in Afghanistan Sunni Muslims comprise the
vast majority of the population of Afghanistan. Shiites are in the
minority and suffer under the domination of the stronger group.
Elsewhere in the world, this is often reversed. In Iran, for
example, Shiites are the more powerful group. To complicate things,
a minority group can also have the power as was the case in Iraq,
and is still is in places such as Bahrain.
31. Disagreement among Muslims?
32. Sunni vs. Shia Continued Shia Muslims believe that the
descendents from Muhammad through his beloved daughter Fatima Zahra
and his son-in-law Ali (the Imams) were the best source of
knowledge about the Qur'an and Islam, the most trusted carriers and
protectors of Muhammad's traditions. In particular, Shia Muslims
recognize the authority of Ali - Muhammad's cousin, son-in-law, and
the first young man to accept Islam. He is the father of the
Prophet Muhammad's only bloodline. This is directly opposed to that
of the caliphate recognized by Sunni Muslims. Shia Muslims believe
that Ali was appointed successor by Muhammad's direct order on many
occasions, and that he is therefore the rightful leader of the
Muslim faith.
33. The Caliphs (Sunni Tradition) A Caliph is the head of state
in a Caliphate, and the title for the leader of the Islamic Ummah,
or global Islamic nation. It means "successor" or "representative".
The early leaders of the Muslim nation following Muhammad's
(570632) death were called "Khalifat ar-rasul Allah", meaning the
political successor to the prophet of God. After the first four
caliphs, the title was claimed by various political leaders
including the Ottomans, and at times, by competing dynasties in
Spain, Northern Africa, and Egypt. Most historical Muslim governors
were called sultans or amirs, and gave allegiance to a caliph.
34. The Issue It is this issue of political succession vs. that
of rightful authority that has divided the Muslim world for
centuries. This issue has been the cause of many civil wars (like
that in Afghanistan in the 1990s). Note: The civil antagonism
presently brewing in Iraq is essentially over this very issue.
Warwhat is it good for? Absolutely nothing! Say it again
35. Welcome to the world of The Kite Runner
36. A World of Conflict, Struggle and Lost Innocence
37. Some Afghan Proverbs: A real friend is one who takes the
hand of his friend in time of distress and helplessness. One flower
does not bring spring. No rose is without thorns. The first day you
meet, you are friends. The next day you meet, you are
brothers.
40. A Brief History of Afghanistan English 4U: The Kite
Runner
41. The Middle of the World Afghanistan's history its political
development, foreign relations, and indeed, its very existence as a
state- has largely been determined by its geographic location at
the crossroads of Central, West, and South Asia.
42. Map 1: Asia
43. Ancient Crossroads Since the dawn of prehistory, waves of
migrating peoples have passed through the region described by
historian Arnold Toynbee as a "roundabout of the ancient world,
leaving behind a story of conquest and retribution,
44. Map 2: Afghanistan
45. The Terrain Afghanistan is shaped roughly like a clenched
fist with the thumb extended out to the northeast. The country
covers an area of about 650,000 sq km. Its maximum length from east
to west is about 1250 km; from north to south approx.1000 km. The
northwestern, western, and southern borders are primarily desert
plains and rocky ranges, whereas the southeast and northeast
borders rise progressively higher into the major, glacier- covered
peaks of the Hindu Kush - an extension of the western Himalayas.
Only the northern border is formed by a river, the Amu Darya.
46. The Terrain 2
47. Afghan History: A Tournament of Shadows It is safe to think
of Afghanistan as the center square of a chess board. In its long
history, the region has rarely known peace for any substantial
period of time. Afghanistan has been invaded from all sides. Any
outline of the History of Afghanistan will necessarily focus on
vast armies of the world passing through the territory, temporarily
establishing local control in an endless tournament of shadows.
"Frontiers are the razor's edge on which hang suspended the issue
of war or peace and the life of nations. Lord Curzon
48. Soviet Era Tanks
49. Pre-Historical (The Stone Age) Archaeologists have
identified evidence of stone age technology around present day
Kabul. Settlement remains at the foothills of the Hindu Kush
mountains indicate that Northern Afghanistan was one of the
earliest places on earth to domesticate plants and animals.
50. Historical Firsts Zoroastrianism - the worlds first
monotheistic system of belief was founded in Afghanistan. Judaism
and Christianity would later borrow many ideas from this religion
(including that of Heaven and Hell). It has been indicated that
Bronze (an alloy of copper and tin) may have been invented in
ancient Afghanistan 3000 years BCE. Many Historians believe that
the earliest great civilizations (Babylonia, India, Egypt, Persia)
were started by people (the Aryans) who migrated from and through
Afghanistan.
51. Persian Ruins (Iran) The meaning of the word Iran is the
country of Aryans. Iranians have always, from ancient times,
referred to themselves as Aryans. This term has been used by
Imperialist European nations (unjustly?) since the 1830s in an
attempt to
52. Pre-Islamic Period (pre- 651 CE) Afghanistan's known
pre-Islamic past began with Aryan invasions around 2000 BC and
continued with Persian, Median and Greek conquests. Following the
defeat of the Persians in 329 BC, Alexander the Great entered the
territory of modern Afghanistan to capture Bactria (present- day
Balkh). Invasions by the Scythians, White Huns, and Turks followed
in succeeding centuries. During Kushan rule (100-250 CE),
Afghanistan became a great center of culture and learning. When the
Kushan Empire faded, The Sassanians and other Persian powers ruled
most of Afghanistan until the coming of Muslim armies (mid-7th
century CE).
53. Alexander in Persia Alexander the Great fighting the
Persian king Darius (Pompeii mosaic, from a 4th century BC original
Greek painting now lost)
54. Islamic Conquests The invasion of Persia was complete five
years after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. All of the
Persian territories came under Arab control, though pockets of
tribal resistance continued for centuries. During the 7th century
CE, Arab
55. Islamic Empire? The Islamic conquest of Persia (637- 653)
led to the eventual decline of the Zoroastrian religion in Persia.
However, the achievements of the previous Persian civilizations
were not lost, but were to a great extent absorbed by the new
Islamic polity. Over the next 500 years, an Islamic culture took
hold of the region (under the authority of a Caliphate), its
influence extending in an uneasy
56. Caliphate in Afghanistan
57. The Mongols By 1219 the empire had fallen to the Mongols.
Led by Genghis Khan, the invasion resulted in massive slaughter of
the population, destruction of many cities, including Herat,
Ghazni, and Balkh, and the despoliation of fertile agricultural
areas. Following Genghis Khan's death in 1227, a succession of
petty chiefs and princes struggled for supremacy until late in the
14th century, when one of his descendants, Timur Lang, incorporated
what is today Afghanistan into his own vast Asian empire. Babur, a
descendant of Timur and the founder of Moghul Empire at the
beginning of the 16th century, made Kabul the capital. To the West,
the territory fell into the hands of local warriors.
58. Genghis Khan
59. Lead into Modern Times Afghanistan was divided in many
parts in the 16th, 17th and early 18th century. North were the
Uzbeks, west was Safavid's rule and east was the Mughal's and local
Pashtun rule. In 1709, the Pashtuns (Afghans) decided to rise
against the Persian Safavids. The Persians were defeated very badly
and the Afghans held Iran from 1719- 1729. Nadir Shah of Persia
pushed back the Afghans. In 1738, Nadir Shah conquered Kandahar, in
the same year he occupied Ghazni, Kabul and Lahore. After his death
in 1747, the Durrani Pashtuns became the principal Afghan
rulers.
60. Nadir Shah
61. The British Experience Collision between the expanding
British and Russian Empires significantly influenced Afghanistan
during the 19th century in what was termed "The Great Game."
British concern over Russian advances in Central Asia culminated in
two Anglo-Afghan wars. "The Siege of Herat" 1837-1842, had the
Persians trying to retake Afghanistan from the British. The siege
resulted in the destruction of a British army, thus prompting the
Great Empire to withdraw in disgrace. To this day, the battle for
Herat is remembered as an example of the ferocity of Afghan
resistance to foreign rule.
62. The British Withdraw
63. Independence Afghanistan remained neutral during World War
I, despite German encouragement of anti-British feelings and Afghan
rebellion along the borders of British India. The Afghan king's
policy of neutrality was not universally popular within the
country, however. In 1919, the Kings son and successor was
assassinated, possibly by family members opposed to British
influence. His third son only regained control of Afghanistan's
foreign policy after launching the Third Anglo-Afghan War with an
attack on India. During the ensuing conflict, the war-weary British
forever relinquished their control over Afghan foreign affairs,
signing the Treaty of Rawalpini in August 1919. In commemoration of
this event, Afghans celebrate August 19th as their Independence
Day.
64. Civil War and a Short Line of Kings Following a ten year
civil war for control of the new state, Afghanistan entered into a
period of relative stability and prosperity under the reigns of
Nadir Shah and Zahir Shah (1929-1973). Zahir Shah (pictured right)
became the youngest, longest-serving and last king of Afghanistan.
You will remember these kings were mentioned in your novel...
65. Upheaval Amid the Cold War Amid charges of corruption
against the royal family and poor economic conditions created by
severe drought (1971-72), former Prime Minister Mohammad Daoud Khan
seized power in a military coup on July 17, 1973. Zahir Shah fled
the country, eventually finding refuge in Italy. Daoud abolished
the monarchy, and declared Afghanistan a republic with himself as
its first President and Prime Minister. His attempts to carry out
badly needed economic and social reforms met with little success,
and the new constitution promulgated in February 1977 failed to
quell chronic political instability.
66. Upheaval Amid the Cold War 2 Disillusionment set in. On
April 27, 1978, the communist PDPA (Peoples Democratic Party of
Afghanistan) initiated a bloody coup, which resulted in the
overthrow and murder of Daoud and most of his family. Nur Muhammad
Taraki, Secretary General of the PDPA, became President of the
Revolutionary Council and Prime Minister of the newly established
Democratic Republic of Afghanistan - strongly supported by the
USSR.
67. Backview of Afghan Parliament
68. The PDPA Agenda The PDPA, as a Communist Party, implemented
a socialist agenda which included decrees abolishing usury, banning
forced marriages, state recognition of womens rights to vote,
replacing religious and traditional laws with secular and Marxist
ones, banning tribal courts, and land reform. Men were obliged to
cut their beards, women couldn't wear a burqa, and mosque visiting
was forbidden. The PDPA invited the Soviet Union to assist in
modernizing its economy. The USSR sent contractors to build roads,
hospitals, schools and mine for water wells. They also trained and
equipped the Afghan army.
69. The Russians Roll In These reforms and the PDPA's monopoly
on power were met with a huge backlash, partly led by members of
the traditional establishment. Many groups were formed in an
attempt to reverse the dependence on the Soviet Union, some
resorting to violent means and sabotage of the country's industry
and infrastructure. The government responded with a heavy handed
military intervention and arrested, exiled and executed many
mujahideen: holy muslim warriors". In 1979, the Afghan army was
overwhelmed with the number of incidents, and the Soviet Union sent
troops to crush the uprising. On December 25, 1979 the Soviet army
entered Kabul, and installed a pro-Moscow government.
70. The Russians are in the House!
71. Resistance / Bad Tidings For over nine years the Soviet
Army conducted military operations against the Afghan mujahideen
rebels. The American CIA, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia assisted in
the financing of the resistance because of their anti-communist
stance, and, in the case of Saudi Arabia, because of their Islamist
inclinations. Their efforts were eventually successful, and in
February 1989, after ten bloody years the Soviet Union reluctantly
withdrew its troops. The mujahideen had become a force to be
reckoned with.
72. Public Enemy # 1 Among the foreign participants in the war
against the Soviet Union was Osama bin Laden, whose organization
trained mujahideen, and provided some arms and funds to fight the
Soviets. Bin Laden, although only playing a limited part in this
conflict, broke away with some of his more militant members to form
Al- Qaeda (1988). His dream was to expand the anti- Soviet
resistance effort into a worldwide Islamic fundamentalist
movement.
73. The Taliban When the victorious mujahideen entered Kabul to
assume control over the city and the central government, fighting
soon began between the various militias, which had coexisted only
uneasily during the Soviet occupation. With the demise of their
common enemy, the militias' ethnic, clan, religious, and
personality differences surfaced, and a second civil war ensued. In
reaction to the anarchy and warlordism prevalent in the country,
and the lack of Pashtun representation in the Kabul government, the
Taliban, a movement of religious scholars and former mujahideen,
emerged from the southern province of Kandahar. The Taliban took
control of approximately 95% of the country by the end of 2000,
limiting the opposition mostly to a small corner in the
northeast.
74. Sept. 11th , 2001 The Taliban were ardent supporters of Bin
Ladens Al- Qaeda network. They provided barracks and protection for
his training camps. We all know where that lead
75. Invasion Again In response to the September 11, 2001
attacks, the United States and its allies (including Canada)
launched an invasion of Afghanistan to oust the Taliban government.
Sponsored by the UN, Afghan factions met in Bonn, Germany and chose
a 30 member interim authority led by Hamid Karzai, a Pashtun from
Kandahar. After governing for 6 months, former King Zahir Shah
returned to convene a Loya Jirga (council meeting), which elected
Karzai as president and gave him authority to govern for two more
years. On October 9, 2004, Karzai was elected as president of
Afghanistan in the country's first ever presidential election.
76. Another Chapter Underway Tension is again running high in
his country with a resurrgence of the Taliban underway- Hamid
Karzai is in a very difficult position poltically. Will he last?
For our part, Canadian Troops increasingly encounter resistance in
the South. Are we
77. Canadian Soldiers in Afghanistan
78. When you think of modern Afghanistan, know this 30 years of
continuous war has totally crippled the economy. In many parts of
the country, one must try to survive day-by-day by scrounging
enough food to eat. An average person faces a high chance of
becoming blind or crippled simply because of the lack of fresh
fruit and vegetables (malnutrition). Most people do not have the
facilities to receive an education, nor do they have the facilities
to receive medical treatment. Still, hundreds of thousands of
people are maimed or disabled because of war and land mines.
Illiteracy rates stand at 50%. Today, the average life-expectancy
for males is 40 years. For females, it is 43 years.
79. End:
80. Works Cited: http://www.afghanistans.com/
http://bobbybran.blogs.com/photos http://en.wikipedia.org
http://iran.iwarp.com www.pm.gc.ca
81. Persian Literature ENG 4U: The Kite Runner
82. Literacy According to UNESCO, the total literacy rate in
Afghanistan in 2000 was 36.3 percent. The rate is 51 percent for
males, and only 20.8 percent for females (because previous Taliban
laws prevented the education of women). However, Persian poetry has
played a significant role in Afghan culture since pre-Islamic
times.
83. Pre-Islamic Period Persian literature dates as far back as
650 BCE, but most Zoroastrian writings were destroyed during the
Islamic conquest of Iran Due to anti-Persian policies, Arabic
became the primary language, but literature written in other
languages by those of Persian descent is still considered to be
Persian.
84. The Medieval Era Persian was revived during the Middle
Ages, due in large part to Persian poet Ferdowsi, who wrote the
Shahnama in 1000 AD. You should recall that a copy of this book was
given to Amir as a birthday present from Ali in The Kite
Runner.
85. The Middle Ages, contd. Poetry became an extremely
important form in Persian literature, and could even be found in
scientific or metaphysical texts. This was linked to a tradition of
court (royal) patronage and panegyrics (public speeches of praise),
which led to the emergence of epic poetry, the greatest of which
can be found in the Shanama (or Shahnameh).
86. The Shahnama
87. The Shahnama In addition to reviving the Persian language,
this text is considered to be a literary masterpiece that reflects
Iranian history, cultural values, ancient religions, and
nationalism. Although the focus is on Iran, it is important to all
Persian peoples, including those of Afghanistan.
88. The Shahnama Known as The Epic of Kings, the poem itself
contains 62 stories and 990 chapters, consisting of 60,000
couplets, and is based on an earlier prose work by the same author.
In general, the book recounts the history of Iran, though not
necessarily in precise chronological order. Ferdowsis poetic style
prevents the story from becoming a dry historial account. The
characters (heroes, villains, and shahs) come and go, but the image
of Greater Iran remains throughout.
89. The Shahnama The tragic story of Rostam and Sohrab can be
found in the section devoted to the heroic age (which comprises
about two thirds of the text). It has been turned into a famous
opera and, more recently, an elaborate puppet opera. It is also the
subject of a poem by English writer Matthew Arnold.
90. The Shahnama Ferdowsi did not expect his reader to pass
over historical events indifferently, but asked him/her to think
carefully, to see the grounds for the rise and fall of individuals
and nations; and to learn from the past in order to improve the
present, and to better shape the future. Ferdowsi stresses his
belief that since the world is transient, and since everyone is
merely a passerby, one is wise to avoid cruelty, lying, avarice,
and other traditional evils; instead one should strive for justice,
honor, truth, order, and other traditional virtues.
91. The Middle Ages, contd. In the thirteenth century, lyric
(i.e. emotional) poetry became popular, particularly mystical and
Sufi poetry. Much of this poetry was actually directed at young men
pages, slaves, and soldiers. Some leaders in this genre were Rumi,
Sadi, and Hafez.
92. The Middle Ages, contd. A memorable prose epic from this
era is One Thousand and One Nights, which includes the stories of
Aladdin, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, and Sinbad the Sailor. One
important poetic form to emerge from this era was the ghazal
(pronounced guzzle).
93. The Ghazal Originating in the 10th century, and still
important in Persian literature today, this type of poem involves a
very strict structure, and traditionally deals with the subject of
love. The term refers to the form of the poem, and can thus be
composed in any language. It has evolved into a popular song form
in India and Pakistan.
94. The Ghazal Popular themes include: Illicit unattainable
love Sufism ("a science whose objective is the reparation of the
heart and turning it away from all else but God). Eventually, this
form found its way into English poetry, and the worlds first
anthology of English-language ghazals was published in 1996.
95. The Ghazal The form consists of a short lyric composed in a
single metre with a single rhyme throughout. Often the poets pen
name is incorporated into the last line in a creative way, in a
tradition known as Maqta.
96. The 19th Century A great change occurred when Prime
Minister Amir Kabir expressed his concern that traditional poetic
forms were detrimental to the progress and modernization of Iranian
society. This led to a wave of comparative literature and literary
criticism, adapted from Western culture.
97. The 20th Century After returning to Afghanistan from exile
in Turkey, Mahmud Tarzi began to publish a bi-weekly newpaper,
which became an important part of the Afghan modernist movement. He
was also the first to introduce the novel in
98. The 20th Century, contd. In the 1930s, the Herat Literary
Circle and the Kabul Literary Circle published magazines dedicated
to culture and Persian literature. Despite strong traditional
influences, new styles did manage to evolve, and in 1962 a book of
modern poetry was published in Kabul. Many emerging Afghanistani
writers (such as Asef Soltanzadeh, Reza Ebrahimi, Ameneh Mohammadi,
and Abbas Jafari) grew up in Iran and were under the influence of
Iranian writers, which was evident in most of their work.
99. The 20th Century, contd. Persian short stories have
undergone an evolution from the formative period (with a focus on
modernism), through a period of growth and development (with a
focus on political and psychological issues), to a period of
diversity (which involves a great deal of experimentation and
change).
100. The 20th Century, contd. After years of classical
tradition, Nima Yushij introduced new forms of modern Persian
poetry that involved much more freedom of structure and a focus on
human and social existence. This led to a movement of Sepid poetry,
which is a type of free verse.
101. Contemporary Literature Although Iranian literature has
enjoyed more prominence worldwide, Afghanistani writers are
beginning to emerge. The Kite Runner was the first novel to be
written in English by an Afghan(- American) writer. Private poetry
competitions events, known as mushaera are still held, even among
ordinary people (i.e. not just published writers).