Lying In The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini

A lie is considered a false statement given to fool someone. At some point throughout the day everyone will stretch the truth. Are lies just really some version of the truth or are they bold and deliberate? Lying is discussed in-depth in "The Ways We Lie" by Stephanie Ericsson and in the article "Is Lying Bad for Us" by Richard Gunderman. The two articles discuss the types of lies, reasons people lie and the consequences suffered by all. It can be determined after reading the texts that lying causes undue stress and telling the truth is beneficial in more ways than one.

The novel The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini, is the story of a young, upper class boy by the name of Amir and his friend, a lower class boy named Hassan. While Amir is a Pashtun and a Sunni Muslim, Hassan is a Hazara and a Shi’a muslim, which causes the main conflict between the two. Amir and Hassan learn more and more about their social status, as well as their personal friendships and problems as they grow up in Afghanistan.

In Stephanie Ericsson’s essay, “The Ways We Lie”, she discusses the different circumstances in which people lie and describes the types of lies that are commonly used. The author argues that some lies aren’t very severe, and often times are necessary, whereas others can prove to be harmful in the long run and can exact harsh consequences. ( 315 ) Ericsson uses examples in which these lies are presented such as with business acquaintances, politicians or friends and even a priest who breaks ethical code. Ericsson poses the question that if she decided not to lie, if she would be less tolerant of lies told to her. (322) So why do we lie and allow people to lie to us? Does society encourage us to lie or is it

“There is a way to be good again”(Hosseini,2). This thought represents the underlying message of the novel The Kite Runner, as author Khaled Hosseini tells a heartbreaking tale of a lifetime spent in the search of redemption for a “past of unatoned sins” (Hosseini, 1). Very often people undergo numerous internal conflicts throughout their lives, and they find that some of their problems change who they are as a person. Most people will not have the courage or the motivation to deal with and fix their problems, however, Khaled Hosseini’s novel inspires people to face and deal with internal conflicts. In the book The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, the main character Amir constantly struggles with guilt about his childhood mistakes and he finds it very hard to deal with them. The ending of The Kite Runner appropriately concludes the story because it portrays a journey of redemption for a childhood betrayal and ends with a hopeful message of new beginnings and freedom from past sins.

All human relationships are complicated, there are many instances in the Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, which portrays the complexity of human character. Throughout the book, the Amir is burden with his own guilt from his childhood summer of nineteen seventy-five . As the book progresses the reader is forced to grapple with the meaning if redemption and the true meaning of family. Many readers have often debated whether Amir has actually attained redemption for his actions; however through the latter half of the novel the reader comes to understand that Amir does in fact redeem himself.

Lying today is quite a disregarded subject, causing its reputation enough to make people uneasy. Most are taught at a young age that lying is substandard, lousy, or even cheap, and that you should never use it to your benefit. Of course we don’t want to be a lousy person, but what about lying makes it so? Why is it considered so immoral and frowned upon by many social norms? Luckily for us there are two very appealing essays that help us crack these baffling questions. In these essays, they define the meaning of a lie, why we always seem to use them, and if they are actually bad for us. In Stephanie Ericsson’s The Ways We Lie it talks about the different types of lies, how and why we use them and what consequences can be followed by each lie. Also, adding clarity is Richard Gunderman’s article Is Lying Bad for Us that talks about how people lie to cope with things, but also expresses how lying might be bad for our physical or mental health.

According to the new data from UNICEF, fifty seven percent of marriages in Afghanistan involve girls that are under sixteen. In Afghanistan, located in the southern Helmand province, as many as 144 forced marriages were reported. In particular, farmers have been forced to abandon their daughters to the creditor as pay off for his debts. After the daughter is sold, she would be forced into marriage with anyone the creditor chose. This pertained to girls that were six years old or some even younger. These types of marriages were deemed valid in Afghan society and were quite frequent as well. In the novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, a man named Amir has an arduous time trying to deal with his past as he moves from Afghanistan to America. The text cites several examples of how some types of marriages were forbidden in Afghanistan. Common marriages are comprised of forced marriages, arranged marriages and love marriages in Afghan society.

“The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini, is the complex story about a father and a son who struggle to find common ground. They are from Kabul during a time where danger was everywhere. Amir was a conflicted boy trying to find his place and purpose. He believed his father; Baba disliked him because his birth was the reason his mother passed. While Amir’s father favored the son of their family servant, Hassan. Amir’s friendship with Hassan was genuine until a tragic event Amir witnessed of Hassan and Amir did not step into help. Amir’s father once told him he needed to learn to stand up to people. That crime against Hassan changed Amir for the worse, something he could never let go of throughout his life. These are the main characters of the

sin and forget about it. Amir then faced the long bumpy road to redemption. Khaled Hosseini’s

The human body is built to attack infections, cuts, bruises, or bacterial cells as a way to repair the damages caused. The human mind, will not repair the damages by itself; it usually needs an outside source to heal. One outside source that could heal a mind is the act of forgiveness. In the novel, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Amir’s body could fix itself after the physical injuries Assef caused, but his mind took years to heal from guilt, if it ever did. It can put a guilty conscience at peace. Amir wished for his absolution, but it took decades to find it. “...it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws it’s way out...I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years” (1). Amir mishandled finding forgiveness in his childhood by treating Hassan and Ali badly, attempting to remove them from his house, demanding Hassan to throw a pomegranate at him and then as an adult, he found relief by being beaten by Assef and a sudden realization of tranquility.

Are all humans capable of extreme acts of cruelty against those they love? Savagery, brutality, inhumanity and wickedness can all classify as cruelty. In areas such as Afghanistan where corrupt political groups, like the Taliban, are seizing control of the government widespread suffering is weakening the people. When in power these groups are able to exercise control in whatever way they deem necessary. Cruelty is utilized in The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, as the main characters inhabit Afghanistan during times of extreme turmoil. Throughout the story the characters suffer through and cause cruelty which affects each other and their own lives. The hardships suffered by the characters is connected to the lives of the reader by using empathy to create emotions. Cruelty can be portrayed through motifs such as rape, blood, death and executions. In literature, cruelty serves the purpose of showing how the characters function and their quest to acquire power by demeaning others.

“That was a long time ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it, because the past claws its way out. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last 26 years.” (Hosseini). The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini, is the story of Amir, a Sunni Muslim, who struggles to find his place in the world because of the aftereffects and fallout from a series of traumatic childhood events. In addition to typical childhood experiences, Amir struggles with forging a closer relationship with his father, Baba; with determining the exact nature of his relationship with Hassan, his Shi 'a Muslim servant; and eventually with finding a way to compensate for pre-adolescent decisions that have lasting repercussions. Along the way, readers are able to experience growing up in Afghanistan in a single-parent home, a situation that bears remarkable similarities to many contemporary households. One of the biggest struggles for Amir is learning to navigate the multifaceted socioeconomic culture he faces, growing up in Afghanistan as a member of the privileged class yet not feeling like a privileged member of his own family. Hassan and his father, Ali, are servants, yet at times, Amir 's relationship with them is more like that of family members. And Amir 's father, Baba, who does not consistently adhere to the tenets of his culture, confuses rather than clarifies things for young Amir. Many of the ruling-class

In The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini creates an awareness and humanization of Afghanistan as a nation and as a culture. Through a postcolonial perspective, the main character, Amir resembles the internal conflicts and external tribulations that a country and its citizens’ face when living in a war-torn region.

The Kite Runner is a story about two friends, Amir and Hassan, growing up in Kabul, Afghanistan. Amir, who is also the narrator, grows up in a nice home with Ali and Hassan as his family’s servants. The story begins with Amir talking about “an event” that changed his life and made him the person he is today.

Throughout time, there have been innumerable poems, short stories, novels, etc. that have left lasting impressions on the literary world. Many have been deemed classics or even received prizes honoring the authenticity and brilliance in their writing. On the other hand, some have not been proclaimed as classics and we beg to differ. I have read many classics and to me, a work is worthy to be deemed a classic if it is timeless. Timeless meaning that no matter by whom, where, when the work is read it still evokes the same feelings, perceptions, and lessons. They also provide insight to a culture, society, religion, country, etc. that we wouldn’t typically have from the outside looking in. They counteract the stereotypes that outsiders procreate of something that they have never intimately experienced. Keeping that in mind, my classical nomination is the Bestseller The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.