"I handed the old man a hundred thousand Afghanis, or the equivalent of about three dollars"

This quote describes Amir giving some money to the beggar on the street after he tells Amir stories about his mother. Amir is grateful and cannot believe that he learned more about his mother from a stranger compared to from Baba. When you hear "a hundred thousand" you think of a large amount, but a hundred thousand Afghanis is only a measly "three dollars" in American currency. This quote evokes thought as it makes us think about what we have compared to people who, essentially, have nothing compared to us. Initially, the man asks if Amir can spare a "few" Afghanis, but Amir gives him "a hundred thousand," which can lead the reader to question how bad the economy is in Afghanistan, and what the man could buy with that money there.