Which event serves as the backdrop for Hassan's assault?

• A. The Harvest Festival.
• B. The Winter Solstice.
• C. The Kite Tournament.
• D. The Running Race.

Answer: (C)

The moment being tested is how setting and social dynamics shape Hassan’s assault—the Kite Tournament provides the backdrop. In the story, this annual kite fight in Kabul takes center stage and ends with Hassan chasing the last cut kite as Amir’s prize. It’s after Hassan retrieves that kite that Assef attacks him in an alley, exploiting the day’s spectacle and the power imbalance between Amir’s family and Hassan. The kite itself symbolizes Amir’s success and his moral distance from Hassan, making this event crucial to the turning point of the novel. The other options don’t fit the scene or the social context of the attack, which is anchored in the kite-flying festival rather than any festival or race mentioned.