Themes In The Kite Runner

Thesis: Betrayal leads to feeling of guilt which forces the person in search of redemption either directly or through indirect actions and gestures.

The Kite Runner is the first novel of Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini. It tells the story of Amir, a boy from Kabul, Afghanistan, whose closest friend is Hassan, a young Hazara servant. Novel turns around these two characters and Baba, Amir’s father, by telling their tragic stories, guilt and redemption that are woven throughout the novel. Even in the difficult moments, characters build up to their guilt and later on to their redemption. Their sins and faults alter the lives of innocent people. First, Amir and Baba fail to take action on the path to justice for Ali and Hassan. Moreover, Amir and Baba continue to build up their guilt due to their decisions and actions. Although Amir builds up more guilt than Baba throughout the novel, he eventually succeeds in the road to redemption unlike his father. After all, Amir and Baba have many chances to fix their atonements but Baba chooses not to and Amir does. Baba uses his wealth to cover up his sins but never atone himself while Amir decides to stand up and save Sohrab and finally finds peace. Amir and Baba’s reaction to sins essentially indicate their peace of mind and how they react to guilt and injustice.

The novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini deals with many recurring themes and has many motifs repeated throughout. Repetition itself appears to be a theme, considering much of the plot in the second half of the book involves the main character Amir returning to the place of his childhood and discovering how much has changed yet still remains the same. One of the numerous motifs that returns in this second half is another’s eyes reminding Amir of a sacrificial sheep’s eyes. The both of these instances and how Amir reacts to noticing them show his character growth over the course of the story, along with the theme of what should and should not be sacrificed.

In real life, a distinguishing marking such as a scar or disfigurement can reveal an aspect of its bearer’s history. A crooked nose recounts the time when a throw went astray in little league. A veteran with a missing limb lets his or her injury speak for itself about the brutality of war and the sacrifice soldiers make for their country. A blotch left by frostbite unearths memories of a long winter adventure. Markings have the ability to tell stories without using words.

A soaring kite, deep blue and barely distinguishable from the sky, danced at the mercy of the young boy below holding its string in scarred, bloody hands. The juxtaposition between this jubilant activity and the scars hidden in the palms of the participants accurately parallels the situation in Afghanistan. To most Americans, talk of the war in Afghanistan is commonplace, just like kite flying. However, comparable to the scars that each kite flyer holds within his hands, Afghanistan’s true miseries are hidden from the world, overlooked and “a testament to the Western-backed government's failure to assert authority and curtail rogue strongmen” (Rasmussen). Though the Western government sends troops, the government of Afghanistan remains too feeble to rebuild and revert the country back to its almost forgotten state of comfort and security. Recognizing the muted cry for help in war-torn Afghanistan, Khaled Hosseini develops kite flying as a major symbol throughout his book, The Kite Runner, to further his point that Afghan society has the potential to change, and the choices we all make now will decide its fate, for better or for worse.

The beginning of chapter five of Khaled Hosseini’s, The Kite Runner, marks “The end, the official end” (Hosseini 36). The authors descriptive first lines introduce the reader to the harsh night Amir, Hassan, and Ali are about to undergo. Hosseini uses the literary devices, imagery, alliteration, and onomatopoeia to build a lasting picture of the soon to be changed lives all afghans. Terror is developed in ones mind when Hosseini, uses the line, “A white light flashed, lit the sky in silver…followed by the rapid staccato of gunfire.” (35).

How does Hosseini use symbolism in ‘The Kite Runner’ to present key relationships? You should consider different reader responses and the extent to which your critical approach assists your interpretation.

On page one, Amir foreshadows the novel by stating, “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 twenty-six years.” Amir is narrating about the experience that changed his life forever, watching Hassan being sexually abused, and looking back with guilt for the rest of his life. Clearly, one of the predominant themes in “The Kite Runner”, written by Khaled Hosseini, is the idea of living life with regret, as Amir has done ever since peeking into the alley and not taking action to save Hassan.

The Kite Runner was written by Khaled Hosseini and published in 2003. It tells the story of Amir, a young boy from Kabul, Afghanistan, and Hassan, his father’s Hazara servant. The story is set against a backdrop of tumultuous events, from the fall of Afghanistan’s Monarchy, through the Soviet Military intervention, the exile of Pakistan refugees to America, and the rise of the Taliban. The main theme of this book focuses on guilt and redemption. Throughout the novel, Amir is constantly trying to redeem himself. Early on, Amir strives to redeem himself through his father’s eyes primarily because his mother died giving birth to him, and he feels responsible. The more important part of Amir’s search for

True happiness is not simply handed out, it must be produced, cultivated, built from the ground up. Additionally, happiness cannot be measured, nor can it be perceived. Yet, above all else, it is what people seek most. Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini aims to explore the origins of true happiness through the trials and tribulations in the life of Amir, the novel’s protagonist. Throughout the novel, Amir suffers through perilous hardships as he strives to attain redemption for the wrongdoings of his past. Subsequently, through the process of cleansing himself of his sins, Amir obtains true happiness. The first step Amir took towards attaining happiness commences with the realization of his father’s flaws, which allows Amir to forgive his father’s shortcomings. Furthermore, Amir obtains happiness by marrying his love, Soraya, granting Amir the companionship for which he yearned most. Above all, however, Amir reached true happiness as a result of atoning for his betrayal against Hassan and sacrificing himself in order to give Sohrab the life he never had. Despite the hardships and struggles faced by Amir, kite runner beautifully displays the path to true happiness and how one is able to acquire it. In Amir’s case, he stumbled upon true happiness with the acceptance of his father's sins, the companionship he gains in soraya, the sacrifices he makes for Sohrab, and the journey to redeem himself from his past sins.

Hosseini also states that Hassan’s lip symbolizes the cultural and social differences throughout the novel, and how Amir's slingshot symbolizes the loyalty, their childhood, and explains standing up for what is right. The Kite Runner is a story of about an Afghan­American boy named Amir who has flashbacks that visually depict how his life was when he was just a young boy living in Afghanistan. It was a time of injustice as he searches for a redemption of his past guilts. Hosseini shows readers how Amir matures, and how he felt about different experiences during his life back in Afghanistan. The Kite Runner employs symbolism to show the experiences and moments in Amir’s life that have meaning to him and have left an impact on his life forever. By using symbolism, Hosseini makes readers think about how much earlier experiences and moments have shaped Amir’s life in The Kite Runner.

True happiness is the key to life, everyone strives to achieve it; however, hard work and dedication are needed for it to be obtained. The value of happiness plays a pivotal role in the novel “Kite Runner”, written by Khaled Hosseini. This can be examined throughout the novel as the protagonist, Amir, is on a perilous quest for true happiness. Amir faces numerous obstacles and hardships on his quest; moreover, his determination allows him to persevere and surpass these difficulties. As such, Amir achieves happiness through the accomplishments he worked ever so hard for. One of these accomplishments is the marriage between him and his love, Soraya, which gives him happiness through companionship and trust. Additionally, Amir also obtains happiness through companionship by giving his orphaned nephew, Sohrab, a father figure. Furthermore, Amir’s discovery of his father’s flaws helps him attain happiness since he forgives himself for not living up to his father’s expectations. Ultimately, however, Amir acquires the most happiness from the atonement of his betrayal against Hassan, his best friend. Despite the difficulties Amir faces throughout the novel, he transitions from a state of despair to a state of hope and happiness, due to his marriage with Soraya, the fatherhood of his orphaned nephew, the discovery of his father’s flaws and the atonement of his betrayal against Hasan.

Kite runner is the best described as a story of despair in happiness. Walter Savage Landor once said “we are no longer happy as soon as we wish to be happier”; that piece of writing really makes sense because once we get to the point where we want to be happier in life at that moment we enter the stage of despair because of the desire for more happiness and despair what we have. Being in despair means ‘to be without hope’ and even thought hope can be a bad thing sometimes hope is all we have. People with cancer hope to survive it and beat the cancer, I hope to pass my classes this year and Amir hopes to impress his father, and later on in life to save the little boy ( Hassan's son ). “Too much happiness tends to put people in despair”

incomprehensible extent. In Afghanistan, Hazaras–the ethnic minority–have experienced ethnic discrimination by Pashtuns–the ethnic majority–because of a revolt dating back to the 18th century.Another form of discrimination in Afghanistan arises from the distinct religious groups–Shi’ite and Sunni Muslims. Shi’ite Muslims correspond with the Hazara ethnic group, but the Sunni Muslims correspond with the Pashtun ethnic group. This discrimination affects every age group in Afghanistan, and affects each of those individuals, “mental and physical health” (Pascoe). In his 2003 novel The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini exposes and discusses the ethnic and religious discrimination found in past and present day Afghanistan. By creating tense situations that originate, whether consciously or subconsciously within the characters, the author uses these conflicts to illustrate the impacts that stem from the masculine stereotypes associated with Afghan culture, the dire need for a father’s approval, and the on­going effects of a child’s jealousy. In The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini uses these intense conflicts to develop characters’ relationships and forces the reader to consider how the main character’s loss of innocence stems from a need of approval and ethnic and religious discrimination.

Love, a universal feeling, the most powerful emotion a human being can experience, love is a significant emotion in The Kite Runner ; it motivates the characters to overcome their problems and creates a bond between one another. A relationship seeked by many, cherished by all. The connection between child and parent, can be pleasant and tender but it may also be filled with pain and regret. Love conquering all is a recurring theme in life, in which the novel and the film of The Kite Runner, displays characters overcoming their hardships.