Though The Kite Runner is consistently focused on the relationships between male characters, there are some women who play important roles and that allow the reader to view differences between the Afghan and American societies as they pertain to women. Perhaps the most obvious differences in societal behavior are shown in Sanaubar, Hassan’s mother; Soraya, Amir’s wife; and Jamila, General Taheri’s wife and Soraya’s mother. Sanaubar was Hassan’s mother and Ali’s wife for a time. Though Sanaubar was infamously immoral in her youth and abandoned Hassan just after he was born, she proved herself a caring grandmother to Sohrab when she reappeared later in the novel. Sanaubar’s character provides a parallel between Afghan and American society. Sanaubar’s leaving shows that even in Afghan culture there are women who abandon their families out of selfishness or fear. From what is said about Sanaubar, too, shows that infidelity and seduction are also not foreign to places such as Afghanistan. It was said once of Sanaubar that, "I have heard that Sanaubar's stride and oscillating hips sent men into reveries of infidelity." This quote suggests that Sanaubar was very beautiful and, like many American women, used her looks as a tool to use men. Amir’s wife, Soraya is perhaps the most important woman in the novel. She is steady, intelligent, and always there for Amir when he needs her. She can be strong-willed like her father, General Taheri, and deplores the way women are often treated in Afghan culture. Soraya is important because she provides a unique and more personalized opinion of the way women are treated in Afghan society. "When we lived in Virginia, I ran away with an Afghan man. I was eighteen at the time, rebellious, stupid, and he was into drugs. We lived together for almost a month. Pader eventually found us. He showed up at the door and made me come home. I was