Themes In Shakespeare's The Kite Runner And Oedipus Rex

In the novel The Kite Runner the text explores many different ways the relationships and people surrounding a person can shape one's self, this is most prevalent in Amir. During Amir's childhood, he is constantly vying for Baba's attention and affection. Amir's cowardice is seen through many different examples in the novel, mainly Assef and his violent actions bring forth his cowardice in many forms. Hassan is Amir's best friend in the beginning of the novel, he is also a role model to Amir.

It is amazing how two literary works from different time periods and different cultures can portray the same theme. A major theme in both The Kite Runner and Oedipus Rex is the limits of free will. The way Khaled Hosseini portrays the theme in The Kite runner is the way that the majority of Pashtuns treat the Hazaras, they are either treated as objects that people can do whatever they want with, they are treated as second class citizens or they are servants to the Pashtuns. In Oedipus Rex, the way that the theme is portrayed is that Oedipus is bound to a prophecy that he heard when he was a child.

What similarities could current fiction novels possibly have with old Greek drama? Greek dramas and current day novels have more in common than anyone realizes. For example, there are many similarities between Sophocles’ play Oedipus Rex and Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner. These similarities show how writing and entertainment have not completely changed despite how long it has been. One of the most important similarities is the theme. This essay will explore these two works by looking into the similar themes, how the themes are treated, and the importance of similar themes.

“I actually aspired cowardice… Assef was right: Nothing was free in this world. Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba.” (Hosseini, 77) Nobody would ever believe that something innocent as kite flying or kite running could lead into an epic tale of betrayal and redemption, however Hosseini, in his novel The Kite Runner, manages to weld this activity with the journey that a man has to make from his betrayer to his redemption. Though Amir is the protagonist in this novel and we’re supposed to want him to come through as victorious, it’s hard with a character like Hassan under his wing. Their situations almost make you hate Amir, without Hassan being so pure, readers might be able to relate to Amir yet his

These themes, guilt, and redemption, are quite the central idea of both stories. However, the problem in The Kite Runner is Amir's constant longing for his father's affection. While describing how he feels about his father, Amir claims that he is “the glaring exception that [his] father molded the world around him to his liking,” which therefore creates an intricate relationship between them, causing Amir to feel estranged from his father (15). Furthermore, Baba seems always disappointed by Amir because of his weaknesses, his car disease, his cowardice, and even his choices, that ultimately created a gap between them. Baba's indifference toward him, causes Amir to feel closer to Rahim Khan, his father's business partner than to his own father, and he further elaborates this thought when he describes a picture in his living room, where he is an infant in his father’s arms, but nevertheless his fingers “are curled around” “Rahim Khan’s Pinkie,” and for this reason, Amir considers Rahim Khan as his best friend (5). The kite running tournament is Amir’s chance of winning his father’s

The Kite Runner revolved around the theme of man versus self. Throughout the novel, Amir faced many internal battles; one of them was his need to redeem himself after allowing his friend to get raped. As mentioned earlier, it was the outward conformity that caused Amir to not act on Hassan’s rape in the alleyway. But as he grew up, the tension between conformity and questioning started to rise and result in an imbalance. Without this imbalance, Amir would have not been able to rescue Sohrab. Amir could never forgive himself for not doing anything to stop Hassan’s rape, but by saving Sohrab, Hassan’s son, Amir was able to make it up to Hassan even if Hassan was not alive to see it. Without rescuing Sohrab, Amir would have not been able to obtain self-redemption and forgive himself for his mistakes caused by conformity. Therefore, “that outward existence which conforms, [and] the inward life which questions” helped bring out the overall meaning of The Kite

In conclusion, although Amir and Hassan grew up under the same rules, they have very different morals, and values. The novel, “The Kite Runner” demonstrates social hierarchy does not portray the characters strength to the reader. Throughout the novel is shows that Amir being the more wealthy, and fortunate child, he used his advantages to abuse others, like Hassan. Although Hassan was a strong induvial that fought for himself and other. He was strong and mature to complete tasks, and stepping in to help others.

The book, Kite Runner, contains various universal theme: faith and loyalty, betrayal, guilt and regret, and love and friendship and much more. Faith and loyalty is exercised by Hassan. Hassan has responsibility and faith in his relationship with Amir and consistently reassure the fact that he is always loyal and a credible friend for Amir. On the other hand, Amir casts betrayal and perhaps a sinful action, for he valued his kite more than their friendship. The fact that he turned away from the scene of his friend being raped just to save the kite demonstrates his lack of loyalty unlike Hassan.

These themes were quite the central idea of both stories. In The Kite Runner, the problem was Amir’s longing for his father’s affection. At one point of the story he complains: “With me as the glaring exception, my father molded the world around him to his liking;” showing how affected he was by Baba’s lack of concern toward his feelings. The fact that Baba was always disappointed in Amir because of his weaknesses, his diseases, and his lack of courage, created a gap between them. Recalling a picture in his living room, Amir stated: “ I am a baby in that photograph and Baba is holding me, looking tired and grim. I am in his arms, but it’s Rahim Khan’s pinkie my fingers are curled around;” describing how distant, he felt from his father since his early childhood. The kite running tournament was Amir’s way of winning his father’s affection, it was his chance to prove to his father that he was also a winner and due to this state of mind, he ended up losing something just as important: his best friend. Amir declared:” Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba.” Even though it brought

The fate of many happens in conjunction with their decisions in different events. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and Oedipus Rex by Sophocles do not fail to describe the dreadful hardships of life through difficult decision-making and grim situations. Although written more than two millenniums apart, both authors manage to entwine the them regarding fate and, how it causes change in the character’s state of mind along with personality. The author showcases the theme of fate in the contrasting personality shifts of the main protagonists, their similar use of fate to escape their issues, also including their distinct decisions that alter their destiny.

The concept of free will versus a predetermined fate has been debated for centuries, with people supporting both sides. This issue is also prevalent within both The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. The main characters in the books, Amir and Oedipus, have trouble accepting the truth and possess the tendency to run from reality. Both characters also have to deal with the burden of guilt and the consequences of their actions. Although the authors integrated common themes within their works, their angles differ. Oedipus Rex includes a more literal sense of fate, including a prophecy, whereas The Kite Runner included a more abstract version of the meaning of fate. Hosseini’s and Sophocles’ books both include a sin committed by its main characters, their way of dealing with their wrongdoings, and ultimately how fate played a large role in the events of each novel. Both works have the common themes of the inevitability of fate and the consequences of sin.

As both works of writing are different, making the author's treatment of the same theme different. In “The Kite Runner” the repeated theme that you can not run away from your past was shown when the author kept bringing up the winter of 1975 when Amir was twelve years old. The author brought up that day consistently throughout the book as in what happened that day changed airs life forever. The winter of 1975 Amir and Hassan had played in the kite tournament Amir flew the Kite as Hassan was the kite runner. Then Amir tried his hardest to win the kite tournament to make Baba, his dad proud which he did. Amir won the kite tournament then Hassan ran to catch the winning kite to make Amir proud. Hassan did end up getting the kite but he was stopped by Assef and his friends asking for a trade. If Hassan would give up the kite to Assef then he would not hurt Hassan. Right before this Amir was watching the whole thing, afraid to say anything. Which Hassan being loyal to Amir he fought Assef one verses 3 and Assef raped Hassan and Amir watched the while thing. Later he was uncomfortable being friends with Hassan so he didn't and Hassan left some

We may begin by examining the human relationships we are shown in both books. In general, they illustrate the fact that learning through listening and interacting with others has a direct impact on the development of one’s personal identity. In The Kite Runner Amir has visible, meaningful relationships with others that shape his awareness and aid him in becoming who he wants to be. Although there are several key people in Amir’s life, the two most important are undoubtedly his father Baba and his friend Rahim Khan. Amir’s relationship with Baba is probably the most significant of the entire novel. Amir looks up to Baba because of his many acts of bravery, generosity, and determination. This creates the need to impress Baba, and this need

In a simple novel Amir’s antagonising attitude towards Hassan is simply because he does not like him, but The Kite runner offers a much more complex set of reasons. Amir inflicts small cruel moments on Hassan for the sake of testing his “loyalty.” Amir is insecure, and Hassan represents everything he is not: selfless, brave, and loyal. These qualities are what made Hassan Baba’s favorite. Baba continually teaches Amir that standing up for what is right no matter the cost is a virtuous action, and Hassan does that very thing for Amir time and time again; explicitly stated as “A boy who won’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything.” Amir resents Hassan purely because he was jealous of him and jealousy is a blinding

Betrayal as a major theme in each one of these books is very apparent. For instance, in Oedipus Rex the main character, Oedipus, kills his own father. No matter the relation, any killing of another person is a betrayal to mankind, but killing the person who helped create you is something more than betrayal. The play itself is a short piece, so when any event happens, those events seem close together. The killing of his own father happens so early in the play that this theme of betrayal is put into our face from the very beginning. Further along in the work, Oedipus ends up having a marital relationship with his mother. Although Oedipus only finds out about his father and mother towards the end, this betrayal is still evident.One can evaluate the theme(s) of a book once they are finished with it. The final betrayal of the book, is a betrayal of Oedipus’ own self. Upon realizing all of these horrid acts he has committed, which can be seen as a betrayal of one’s morals, Oedipus stabs his own eyes out (Sophocles 56). He cannot live with his own treachery. Accordingly, like Oedipus Rex, The Kite Runner deals with this same problem of denial. In the book, one of the biggest betrayals that plays a part throughout the whole book involves Assef, Hassan and Amir. In chapter 7, a scene in which Assef rapes Hassan occurs. The betrayal lies within the fact that Hassan was raped by a peer. In similar fashion to Oedipus Rex, any type of rape or murder is betrayal, but when it is someone you know, it is worse. It also lies in the fact that Amir does not do anything about it even though his best friend is