Literary Analysis of The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - Essay Example

? Literary analysis of "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini Literary analysis of "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini “The Kite Runner” is a novel that unveils the traditions, history, and sociopolitical situations in Afghanistan over a varied period. Narrated in first person, the author illustrates life and the tradition of the Afghan people, the challenges that they have faced, and the politics that have shook the fabric of the Afghan community. The narrator uses literal styles such as a flashback to create different setting for the novel. The setting of the story takes the reader to life in 1970s in Afghanistan; the political climate of the country during that period enabled the author to grasp a few aspects about life among the Afghan communities. Later the narrator had to leave his country due to the Soviet invasion, he finally settles in United States where he found time to narrate the story of his country. Plot Amir was a son of a wealthy person who lived in Kabul. Amir’s father had a servant Ali and his Ali’s son Hassan. Amir and Hassan share their childhood together despite their social differences. Hassan came from Hazara community, which was an ethnic minority in Afghanistan. However, the two seems two share some commonalities. Hassan and Amir do not have their mother’s as they died during childbirth. Although Hassan and Amir grew as close friends, their friendship experienced some discomfort and jealousy, eventually Ali and Hassan left Amir’s home. When the Taliban took power, Baba and Amir had to seek asylum in United States where he settled and worked to meet his life needs. Baba fell ill and died as Amir got married to Soraya. Amir later visited Afghanistan where he learnt that Hassan was his half brother. Another revelation in his visit was the death of Hassan and his wife, which took place when the Taliban massacred the Hazaras community. This revelation upsets Amir because his father never told the truth. Amir took the initiative to search for Sohrab, a son of Hassan and he took him to America. Point of View The narrator illustrates social and political aspect, which shaped his life. First, the narrator talked of his father’s wealth and position as a diplomat. These factors influenced his upbringing in Afghanistan and in the foreign nations. Second, the narrator criticizes social political inclination, which leads to discrimination of Hazaras community. The Taliban massacred the community in the wake of their rule. Further, the narrator noted that political system in his country led to atrocities committed against the minority in the society. Another point that the narrator illustrate is the ills committed by parents. When Amir got the information that Hassan was his half brother, he reacted by cursing his father’s action. He felt that his father had betrayed the trust he had bestowed on him. The revelation moves Amir to search for the son of Hassan. It is evident from the revelation that one cannot run away from the truth. Baba had kept the information about Hassan secret until his death. However, Rahim reveals the truth to Amir when he had become an elderly person. The narrator’s driving factor in the novel is the childhood past that he had cherished. The narrator felt guilty about the childhood incidences, which brought acrimony between him and Hassan. Ironically, Hassan did not harbor any grudge against his friend Amir. The novel reveals this position when Amir traveled to Afghanistan where he realized that his past haunted him. In the novel, Amir felt a lot of pain to see Assef, the person who raped Hassan during their childhood holding Hassan’s son. He felt it was a payback time for his past actions in order to receive redemption. The narrator’s voice reveals that people regret their past actions and they would do anything to redeem themselves from their dark past. Conflict In the novel, the narrator character creates conflict. The narrator, Amir was jealous about any attention that his father, Baba gave to any other child. When Baba admired character traits in other children, Amir did not like. For instance, Amir hid his father’s money and wristwatch under Hassan’s mattress in order to secure the attention of his father (Hosseni, 2011). Although he had intended to capture the attention of the father, his action led to the exit of Hassan and Ali from the family. This conflict proves the innocence of Hassan whom the society had disregarded because of his tribe. The childhood memory of Amir haunts his adult life. This aspect in the novel creates conflict. Amir does not have any peace because he feels that he did ills to his childhood friend Hassan. Further, he does not like the revelation about the father’s secret. This conflict helps to illustrate the theme of betrayal. Amir had loved and did everything he could to attract the attention of his father. It is ironical that Hassan was his half brother yet he did not know. Moreover, their father Baba had allowed Hassan and Ali to walk out of their family. Character Amir is the central who narrates the story in the novel. The voice of the novel depicts Amir as an intelligent character who had learnt the art of pleasing his father. He struggles to make his father proud. In the novel, Amir often became jealous when Hassan got the attention of his father. He plotted to get his father’s attention by hiding his father’s money under Hassan’s bed. This action pushed Hassan and Ali out of Amir’s family. Amir shows concern when he learnt that Hassan was his half brother. He regretted his action against Hassan and took the initiative to protect Hassan’s son. He believed that the only means on repenting his past sins was through adopting Hassan’s son. The novel portrays him as remorseful. Hassan is a character that enables the reader to understand the conflict between the social boundaries. He belonged to the Hazaras community, an ethnic minority that the Taliban and other communities discriminated against. Hassan was loving friend to Amir. After Hassan’s death, Amir learnt that Hassan did not harbor any grudge against him. Hassan is a symbol of the oppressed in the society. In the novel, Hassan succumbed bullying and oppression which subsequently led to his massacre. It is evident through the character that the ethnic division among the Afghan community was a threat to societal unity. Baba In the novel Baba projected his love to Amir. He does everything within his disposal to ensure that Amir succeeded. In the novel, he represented the rich in the society. His position in the society is critical especially when the Taliban ascended to power. He secured political asylum in America where he worked hard to cater for his family. Other characters that help in building the novel include Rahim who enables the reader to know about the massacre of Hassan and Hazaras community by the Taliban. Rahim plays a critical role in bring hope in the novel. The redemption Hassan’s son from the hands of Assef is an illustration that the society has hope and would eventually conquer the discriminatory practices that undermine other communities. Imagery The narrator used flashback to reveal to the reader the past events that occurred during his childhood. For instance, the narrator described the life he led with Hassan as his best friend. This flashback enables the reader to see the socio political setting of the novel. The author used dramatic irony to illustrate the father’s intention to Hassan. It did not appear to Hassan or Amir that the real Baba was the father of Hassan. In the novel, Amir discovers this truth after the massacre of Hazaras community in which Hassan was a victim. This literal language was critical in concealing the truth from Amir. Irony as a literal language is also important in illustrating the theme of betrayal in the novel. Amir felt betrayed when he discovered that Hassan was his half brother yet their father Baba had kept the secret from them. Sohrab hit the Assef’s eye a symbol that discrimination and bullying perpetrated in the Afghan community would eventually end. Assef had been emotionally blind; he oppressed Hassan and Amir in their childhood and would still perpetrate the same to Hassan’s son. Another important image in the novel is the dream motif. Amir dreamt of wrestling with a bear like his father. This dream is symbolic to his battle with Assef who had been a symbol of oppression in the Afghan community. Amir felt haunted by the later and the information he received from Rahim. He journeyed to Afghanistan where he attempted to change his past ills. In conclusion, The Kite Runner is a novel that does not reveal the sociopolitical situation in Afghanistan but also reflects on the hopes that Afghan community have. Although political actions have led to the death of ethnic minority in the society, the blinding of Assef brings hope to the society. Repentance of the old deeds cleanses the soul from the humiliation of one’s past actions. It is hard to run away from the truth. References Hosseni, K. (2011). The Kite Runner. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. Read More