Hassan and Amir are the main characters of the novel The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini in 2003. These two little boys are considered to be the best friends from their childhood: they have common interests, games, and even sayings, which can mean nothing for the others, but change the whole world for them.
Hassan and Amir are the characters that help to comprehend how precious male friendship can be and how unpredictable the outcomes of one single mistake may become for their destinies, their future, and their lives. Taking into consideration that loyalty is one of the common features for both Hassan and Amir, their differences, which consist in family and origin as well as their attitudes to life, friendship, and respect, make them too close and too far to each other simultaneously.
First of all, boys origins were one of the serious differences between Hassan and Amir. Amir is a Pashtun boy, who is aware of how powerful these people are in comparison to the Hazaras, the origin of little Hassan. The man is a Pashtun to the root. He has nang and namoos&Honor and pride (Hosseini 145). Due to this fact, Amir truly believes in his superiority over his friend Hassan and thinks that their origins may be one of the factors to put own demands on the first place.
In comparison to Amir, Hassan never pays any attention to his origins and the roots of his friend. After his birth, he decides to devote all his life, his actions, and even his words to his best friend, Amir. He is not afraid of Amirs enemies and is always ready to stick up for him. These two little boys cannot even comprehend that their origins differences should not influence their relations and mutual support and cost nothing in comparison to their future challenges.
Their second difference lies in their family relations and attitudes to the relatives. Baba, Amirs father, demonstrates his love to both boys, but still, his attitude to Amirs was too critical, because he thinks his son is not as that manly as he is expected to be. This difference between Amir and Hassans families turns out to be rather important, as their relations in families reflect on boys relations. Just in order to win the respect of his own father, Amir sincerely believes that Hassans rape may be regarded as a sacrifice that will play a certain role in their future.
In addition, Amir thinks that the rape of a young Hazara by a young Pashtun Assef does not matter anything, so, Hassans action is another one that will help Amir with his self-actualization. Hassan has no one to gain respect among his family as his father does not actually need this respect; this is why Amir is the only person, whose respect Hassan wants to win.
But when Hassan gets to know how unfair and cowardly the actions of his friends are, he has nothing to do but leave the place and support his father with his ideas and desires. So, their difference in family is one more issue that influences Amirs and Hassans characters, attitudes to lives, and lifes priorities.
Finally, in spite of the fact that Amir and Hassan have so many differences of opinions, attitudes to each other, and purposes, these two boys are characterized by one strong similarity their loyalty. Of course, this loyalty is not too each other, but still, it makes them so similar and so close.
From the very beginning, Hassan demonstrates and proves his loyalty to Amir for many times: For you a thousand times over! (Hosseini 67) Amir sees this very loyalty of Hassan and usually calls him good old reliable Hassan , because he knows that any time Hassan will rescue him, make a sacrifice, and believe his words even if they are not true and sincere. Amir demonstrates almost the same type of loyalty to his father. Baba is a brilliant example of how to be a real man, a real Pashtun, and a real father.
In order to prove his loyalty to Baba, Amir forgets about all those care that comes from Hassan and sacrifices their friendship in order to become more serious and more respectable for his father. The loyalty of these two characters shows how their trust to other people may be blind and tragic. To my mind, that loyalty that is inherent to little boys has to be controlled by their parents in order to show them the right way. And in this story, such control is absent and leads to deaths, sorrow, and guilt.
In general, the comparison of Amir and Hassan, who have so many differences, helps to realize how significant peoples origins and relations within families can be. The idea of loyalty that turns out to be one of Amir and Hassans main similarities is so absurd, and this is why it causes a terrible quarrel between the best friends, a long-term guilt of Amir, deep disappointment of Hassan, and absence of punishment in regards to such sadist like Assef.
Works Cited
Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: The Berkley Publishing Group, 2003.
The Kite Runner is a unique work, which has been translated into all European languages. The story begins in the pre-war Afghan city of Kabul in the 70s, where there were children who did not know what shelling and explosions were. At the same time, a favorite pastime and a grave matter for all residents are kite competitionshappiness to defeat rivals and be left alone to soar in the bottomless blue sky. A kite symbolizes the soul, flying high in the sky or lying broken on the ground (OBrien 4). The contest becomes not only the point of no return, after which everything changes in the lives of Amir and Hasan. Flying is also a metaphor for the fates of these boys, carried away by the winds to different sides of the world.
Among the many lines, the central theme is betrayal and redemption. Through the prism of their lifes tribulations, the characters understand their actions, accept the guilt, and try to atone for it. Each personality has experienced tragedy and has walked a unique path of redemption. An analysis of the book will help identify those features of redemption models that are difficult to determine at first glance. By reasoning and examining the details of the lives, it will be possible to draw a clear parallel between the actions and consequences and conclude the main lesson the author was trying to convey.
The analysis will focus on the three main characters: Amir, Baba, and Sanaubar. This will be done using a redemption model that is specific to each character. At the same time, it has elements common to all, among which are: chastity flaws, transgression, trigger event(s), conscious resolution, acts of atonement, and changed life. The author reveals the peculiarities of the soul of a sinful man who admits his mistakes to demonstrate that redemption is the only way to restore the connection with God and find happiness.
Amirs Redemptive Model
Amir is the main character whose cowardice and jealousy prevented his personal development. The redemption process became the only opportunity for him to find full-fledged happiness, which constantly eluded him due to his unwillingness to acknowledge problems. The first meaningful moment in his journey was undoubtedly Amir Hassans significant betrayal, the masters display of cowardice to his servant and friend. From this moment, Amirs internal vices begin, which leave in his soul heavy scars of remorse and anguish of conscience, which impose an imprint on all areas of life. Thus, in general, not an evil man, Amir becomes a hostage to the vices of his ego, unable to get out on his own.
The second significant moment is a call from Pakistan from a friend of his father. Rahim Khan encourages Amir to come up with a mysterious but understandable phrase: You have a chance to get on the righteous path (Hosseini 262). Amir clings to that possibility, though his former self tries to refuse. Not only does he endanger his life and health in the hope of redeeming his former guilt, but he also undergoes a tremendous inner transformation on the road to Islam and harmony. He makes an important decision, saves the child, and thus finds himself on the proper path. It demonstrates how a man who himself had not given much thought to the need to move toward the mercy of the Creator, through his sins and their atonement, finds his way to the worship of Allah.
This suggests that the whole life is in a state of disharmony and moral turmoil until sin is atoned for. Redemption, in turn, is the connecting category between man and God that can restore the broken unity between them and strengthen the bond. Amirs way demonstrates how sins are equivalent to bondage that can destroy lives and how overcoming them and repentance can release the burdens.
Babas Redemptive Model
Babas original sin is that he had an affair with the wife of Alis servant. At the same time, Baba knew that the child to be born was his own. Despite this, he allows everyone to think that Hasan is Allis son. Moreover, Baba saw that Hasan and Amir were friends, and Amir mistreated Hasan, but the father never defended Hasan. That is, his original sin is that he abandoned his child and condemned him to the bad fate of a servant. However, it is necessary to mention that Babas sins do not end with this. When his wife died in childbirth, he blamed his son, even though Amir was not responsible for his mothers death.
It is important to emphasize that Baba tried to redeem himself and build an orphanage, so he did not hesitate to give money to charity. That is, Baba tried to distract and convince himself that the terrible things he had done did not define him as a bad person (Hosseini 300). At the same time, he accepted his guilt and tried to atone for his sin by doing good to others. It is significant to mention that Baba tried to improve his relationship with Amir because he saw himself reflected in him. In conclusion, although Baba did not tell anyone about his sin and did not incur the wrath of his loved ones, he successfully found redemption. By helping others and building a relationship with Amir, Baba forgave himself. Thus, he found temptation and died peacefully, knowing that all would be well with Amir.
Sanaubars Redemptive Model
Sanaubar had a nice appearance and enjoyed it; she cheated on a man, which was considered a disgrace for a Muslim woman. At the same time, after the birth of her son Hasan, she left him with his unrelated father and began to travel with a group of singers (Hosseini 162). Thus, the womans initial sin is her debauchery and fleeing from her problems. The militant attack was a hidden reason to find her son because she feared for his life. The woman returned and found her son when she was older; she also tried to redeem her sin when she established a relationship with Hassan. It should also be mentioned that Sanaubar helps Farzana give birth to her son Sohrab, but she could not raise the child because she died. The woman successfully achieved her goals and atoned for her sin.
Conclusion
Hence, this work argues that redemption is the only way to reconnect with God and find happiness. One can also find parallels between the redemptive models in the novel and the relationships between people in the real world. Therefore, they can be applied to understand how to atone for sins. The value of the novel is that it substantiates that everyone deserves to find redemption from their sins. Thus, the story tells different experiences of characters who have done unworthy things, but at the same time, one can trace how they have tried to correct them and find peace. Alex Lickerman can be remembered at this point, as he wrote that if a person admits mistakes and sincerely wants to improve them, then sin can be atoned for (Hagan). This is because people are not good or evil by nature; it depends on their striving. Hence, the novel gives each reader faith that there are ways to rectify unworthy actions to find peace.
Works Cited
Hagan, Ekua. What Does It Mean to be Redeemed? Psychology Today, 2011, Web.
Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. Penguin, 2003.
OBrien, Sarah. Translating Trauma in Khaled Hosseinis The Kite Runner. Transnational Literature, vol.10, no. 2, 2018, pp. 1-12.
The Kite Runner is a novel written by an Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini. When Hosseini was a child, his family moved from Afghanistan to France, and then to the USA. This experience is partially reflected in the narrative of the author. Hosseini has written three novels, and The Kite Runner has sold millions of copies worldwide and been classified as one of a classic (Khadawardi 2017, 88). In this essay, the summary of the story, information on the main characters and themes, as well as a personal opinion about the composition will be presented.
The Kite Runner: Summary of the Novel
The story revolves around the life of a young boy from Kabul, Amir. He lives with his father, Baba, a wealthy man who never has time to spend with his son. Amir feels jealous when he notices Babas cordial treatment of his friend, Hasan, the son of their servant. To deserve his fathers love, Amir decides to take part in the kite competition with Hassan. Even though the two boys could keep their kite in the sky for a long time and won the first part of the competition, the event ended tragically. Hassan runs away, trying to find a place where the kite fell. After waiting for him for a long time, Amir decides to follow his friend and becomes a witness to the rape of Hassan by his enemy Assef. Amir is scared to interfere and help his friend and decides to go away and pretend he did not see anything. Feeling guilty for what he did, Amir stops talking to Hassan and does not want to be his friend anymore. He blames him for being a thief, and Hassan and his father leave their home.
Soon, the Soviet Union troops intervene in Afghanistan. To save their lives, Amir and his father immigrate to the USA. Many years later, after his parents death, Amir receives a letter from a family friend. From this letter, he learns that Hassan was his brother and that he knew about Amirs betrayal but still loved him until the end of his life. Unfortunately, Hassan died with his wife during demonstrations in their country, but their little son, Sohrab, managed to survive. He was sent to an orphanage, and the author of the letter asks Amir to save the child and take him to the USA. Amir decides to go to Afghanistan and finds his nephew there. Even though it turns out to be difficult for Amir to adopt him, he promises Sohrab never to send him to an orphanage again. One day, when Sohrab notices that Amir is about to break his promise, he tries to commit suicide. Even though the boy survives, he starts to keep to himself being silent most of the time. One day, Amir buys a kite for Sohrab, and, for the first time, he sees a smile on his face. Thus, it is not entirely clear if the story has a happy ending or not. Even the protagonist of the story mentions that he does not know for sure if the story of Hassan and his nephew, Sohrab, ends happily (Hosseini 2013). However, the author gives readers the hope that the characters of the story will eventually find peace and harmony.
The Main Characters and Themes of the Narrative
The protagonist of the story is Amir, a young boy who was born in a wealthy Afghan family. It is not possible to tell if the personage of Amir is positive or negative. On the one hand, his sneaky nature allows him to betray his best friend. On the other hand, he is capable of feeling guilty and admitting his mistakes. Trying to make amends, Amir uses a chance to put to rest his tortured past (Summary and Analysis of The Kite Runner 2016, 8). He puts much effort into taking Sohrab to the USA and giving him a better life.
Baba, the father of Amir and Hassan, also feels guilty for his affair with a servants wife. He considers it the worst sin he ever committed, and, in his desire to redeem himself, helps other people until the last days of his life. In contrast to his son Amir, Baba is a very independent and decisive person. However, it turned out that he was not brave enough to tell Amir and Hassan that they were brothers.
It is evident that Hassan and Amir have many differences. Even being unaware of the fact that Amir was his brother, he loved him and considered his best friend. He forgave Amir for his betrayals and was always ready to spend time with him. Amir, on the contrary, never displayed his feelings toward Hassan (Hosseini and Zohdi 2016, 37). It remains unclear if it is caused by the lack of Amirs love for Hassan or by peculiarities of his personality. Being a very kind person, Hassan also forgave his mother, who left him when he was a child and sheltered her at his house during the war in the 1970s.
The main themes of the book are forgiveness and friendship. The author shows that for friendship, it does not matter if people have or do not have much in common. Hassan and Amir are two boys from two different worlds. Amir belongs to the aristocratic part of the society, while Hassan is from a low-income family of servants. Baba is a handsome man, and Hassans father is miserable and limp. Hassan has an ugly harelip, while the deformity of Amir is not noticeable from the outside. Despite all these differences, the two boys become soul mates and real friends. Unfortunately, Amirs weakness and villainy trigger the end of their friendship. However, nothing can make Hassan stop communicating with his friend, even Amirs betrayal. Being aware of every harmful deed done by Amir, Hassan is still looking up to Amir, ready to forgive him for everything. Thus, the author shows that forgiveness is the main element of peoples lives that helps individuals to build happiness.
Personal Opinion about the Composition
The Kite Runner is one of the rare novels that invite readers to feel all the mental experience of the protagonist. This novel evokes a strong emotional response of readers and teaches them to be braver in some situations to avoid regrets in the future. It also shows that sometimes people neglect those who are sincere with them, and when they realize that they made a mistake, it is sometimes too late. This book shows the weaknesses and vices of human nature and makes readers think about their behavior.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that the novel The Kite Runner contains many significant ideas about peoples relationships. It teaches how important it is to forgive betrayals, love despite all, and bring goodness to this world. It also makes readers think about protagonists emotions and feelings and involves them in the process of reflections on their life. The author created an engaging narrative that should be read by both youth and adults because it raises questions that are always topical for all generations.
References
Hosseini, Akram, and Esmaeil Zohdi. 2016. The Kite Runner and the Problem of Racism and Ethnicity. International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences, vol. 74, 33-40.
Khadawardi, Hesham. 2017. Superego Guilt, Redemption and Atonement in Khaled Hosseinis the Kite Runner. International Journal of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education 4 (2): 88-99.
Summary and Analysis of the Kite Runner: Based on the Book by Khaled Hosseini. 2016. New York: Worth Books.
There has been generally positive feedback and acceptance of The Kite Runner book of Khaled Hosseini published in 2003. It was made into a movie three years later and released in 2008. It garnered the South African Boeke Prize and other citations while Nielsen BookScan declared it the United States first best seller for 2005 (Lea, 2006).
Afghanistan has not produced a lot of books in the past and it was an achievement for Khlaed Hosseini to be able to come up with a best seller in a western setting.
Summary
The Kite Runner is the story of Amir, his childhood friend Hassan who was poor, his indomitable father Baba, and how Amir went through his life with them and others. Despite the loyalty of Hassan by sacrificing for the sake of Amir, Amir felt jealous of Hassan as he noticed Baba giving Hassan more attention than him. Baba, on the other hand found Amir as a weakling, and this was aggravated further when while serving Amir, Hassan was raped by a bully Assef. Amir felt guilty and in fact started to distance himself from Hassan, until he made a scheme accusing Hassan as theft. Hassan and his father Ali left from the place of Baba until chaos reigned in Afghanistan.
Amir and Baba fled to Peshawar, Pakistan and then later to the United States at Fremont, California. While they lived in abundance in Afghanistan, in the US, they were forced to stay at an old and dilapidated apartment. Baba worked as a gas station attendant. In their Sundays, they sold used clothes in flea market where Amir met Soraya Taheri who soon became his wife prior to the death of Baba. However, the couple could not bear a child.
He soon received a call from Babas best friend and business partner in Afghanistan Rahim Khan. Rahim Khan told Amir about Hassans fate, Hassans true father who is also Baba, and Hassans son Sohrab taken by Assef who already became a Taliban member. Amir worked through the adaptation of Sohrab, and after a decade-long of difficulty, finally able to bring Sohrab with him in the U.S.
Research
The Kite Runner depicts both social and political scenario in Afghanistan in a time frame that includes pre-Russian invasion when there was relative peace in the area. Enterprising individuals such as depicted by Baba were able to put up livelihood and commerce. During this time, however, as any other society, classes of peoples were already at place: the poor as helpers or servants, and those who are moneyed as master. This was depicted in the story of Amir, who, despite befriending Hassan, maintained his distance as the master. Amir went to school and Hassan did not.
The socio-political scenario is further depicted clearly in a passage about the thoughts of Amir during winter, which it was written:
I smile. The sky is seamless and blue, the snow so white my eyes burn. I shovel a handful of the fresh snow into my mouth, listen to the mufed stillness broken only by the cawing of crows. I walk down the front steps, barefoot, and call for Hassan to come out and see.
Winter was every kids favorite season in Kabul, at least those whose fathers could afford to buy a good iron stove&
Afghanistan, however, had been mired with civil wars, the large gap between those who have and those who have-nots, the majority of those afflicted with poverty, land mines victims, war victims, and other man-made calamities and depravities (CIA, 2009) which were briefly depicted in the book where Amir and Baba fled together with other migrants to neighboring Pakistan, and later to the United States. The book used the dire situation of Afghanistan as a background for personal challenges and travails that were affecting a large Asian nation in general.
Critique
Hosseinis book, as Miller noted, captivated readers with its enthralling tale of family, forgiveness, and friendship. Aside from this, it has also been noted for Rahim Khans words that there is a way to be good again, (Miller, 2008, P 1). There is the innocent depiction of a young boy and his friend, the conflict about Amirs trying to win the affection of his father Baba, the stereotype of Baba as wishing for his son to be as strong as himself, Amirs own personal conflicts such as having watched his childhood friend Hassan raped in front of him and yet not being able to lift a finger, the need to frame up his friend in order to send him away, and his continuing battle to win his fathers affection.
Hosseini was able to provide a chronological narrative that interpolates socio-political and personal conflicts despite a life of relative comfort. Through Hosseinis effective depiction of the socio-political situation in Afghanistan in that certain period, readers were treated of a word outside what may be familiar. We have often read about the war torn Afghanistan, of land mines killing or crippling children, malnutrition and poverty death toll, lack of food and water supply, the dire poverty, and lots of it. Accompanied with photos, it was not difficult to perceive Afghanistan as a location that should be avoided, at all cost, we often ask ourselves how people could exist in such a place.
Intriguing idea
The idea I find intriguing is Hosseinis use of the John Lennon t-shirt worn by antagonist Assef. While this portion may be a passing idea of using popular culture to depict that Afghanistan caught up with western civilization if only for featuring a popular rock icon print shirt, it may mean a lot of other more things that critic Miller may have missed. Miller quoted a wide portion of Iranian literature specialist Dr. Fatemeh Keshavarz from Washington University in St. Louis to argue that, The Kite Runner is perhaps less obvious in its demonization of the Muslim world and glorification of the Western world, (Miller, 2008, P 4), I would want to argue otherwise.
Hosseini, through The Kite Runner had been labeled as new orientalist by Miller and Keshavarz whom Miller quoted extensively, for depicting anti-Muslim sentiments as well as advancing western practices as the good, and Muslim as the evil.
Far from their understanding, I would like to point out the positive thoughts that Hosseini cultivated about Afghanistan through its main characters. First of all, through Baba. Baba embodied the hardworking, ambitious, kind-hearted, and generous Afghan. In the book, it had never been mentioned that Baba was a Christian, or he espoused Western beliefs. But he definitely was as good as any religion or pagan may perceive as good, as compared to indifferent or really evil characters.
Second is that Assef, the Taliban antagonist, idolized Hitler, the one true western depiction of evil imperialism. While Assef may have been identified as a Taliban, his preference for a hero such as Hitler is something that cannot be swept easily under the rag. It was not clear why there should be opposing ideals with Millers statement that Baba loves America, while Assef is an admirer of Hitler, (Miller, 2008, P 5).
To flee from war and land in an open country like the United States is not so much a preference as a choice. It was not clear in the book that Baba preferred or worked his way to get to the United States. The US at the time was using Afghanistan to neutralize the cold war against the communist Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR). It was not so much to offer Afghans a refuge. It was a stage, a show that the US needs more than Baba needs to migrate.
Then, lastly, as I mentioned earlier, is Assefs John Lennon t-shirt. John Lennon is a popular culture icon that although voiced his dissent against the war in Vietnam, have chosen to migrate to New York and leave Liverpool England, his town. John Lennon both loved the United States way of life and hated its foreign policy during the period, although John Lennon was a expatriate himself. Why Hosseini had to picture Assef wearing a John Lennon t-shirt is a statement in itself. I would not insist that it meant Assef supported John Lennons anti-Vietnam war sentiments, but I would not also discount that John Lennon is a Western icon of commercialism and even imperialism.
Theme
For me, the main theme of the book is that there is time to show what real strength is and that perseverance must go with it. I am pointing this out as Amir was himself never the focus character that was Baba. Baba was the hero.
However, through Amirs story, the book is humanized , reduced to depicting real-life struggles of less perfect, less strong and often mistaken beings. This despite the many failures that seem to have mounted up against Amir in Hassans case alone. Amir seemed to be a reluctant participant in his own doings: indifference while Hassan was being raped, framing up Hassan as a thief, letting Hassan leave despite the consequences of the political situation of Afghanistan at that time. In the end, Amir was given a shot to recall and make amends all the evil things he has done against his childhood friend Hassan through Sohrab.
This theme pervaded throughout the story. It has seemed too slow as well as anti-climactic when Amir had to experience the negative consequences of Hassans faithfulness and loyalty to him. Hassan has sacrificed his own good for the sake of Amir and even claiming to provide more than Hassan could, but what he got was abandonment and indifference.
Question
As mentioned earlier, my real question is why Hosseini made Assef the antagonist wear a John Lennon t-shirt. Miller has suggested the West has been glorified in the book, but I would rather say it was not. Millers concluding note was: For anyone who has been to, or studies the Middle East, it is obvious that these accounts are gross distortions of the full reality on the ground there. It is not wrong to identify and write about the flaws of a particular country, religion, or ideology, but it is wrong and dishonest when an authors writings systematically dehumanizes and reduces an entire culture and religion to the actions of its extremists. Especially, when these are the same people and countries that our leaders tell us need to be attacked and occupied by our military.
There may be certain romantization on the part of Hosseini for depicting a glamorous Afghanistan, and Millers observation must be partly true. This does not make Miller correct at all points. While Amir did migrate and raised his family in the US, the book did not indicated that he converted to any western religion or belief. He did his part which he believe was to atone some of his faults to Sohrabs father not to atone Christian sins or exemplify western values of family, forgiveness and friendship, but because family, forgiveness and friendship are a long term Asian tradition long before its shores were shown how to use cannons and guns.
Characters
I would like to compare Baba, the strong father and Amir, the weak, book-loving narrator. Baba was seen as the bigger hero in the book for showing virtues through and through even when challenged as someone who was not capable. His shadow is cast on Amir, the weakling, helpless youth who relied on his servant to fight for him. Baba did what he had to do like a real leader, committed and dedicated. Amir, on the other hand was told of what to do, without his own motivation, but just his guilt, and the people around him as guide.
Baba is enterprising, who built an orphanage, established a business, married an educated woman, and himself a philanthropist. Amir was focused on reading and writing, never going beyond himself to work out what has made him guilty of. Instead, he was capable of harming one friend who had done him all the favor including dedicating a life for his own good. Amir seem to be a selfish, self-centered person while Baba gave himself for others. As it was written:
Baba heaved a sigh of impatience. That stung too, because he was not an impatient man. I remembered all the times he didnt come home until after dark, all the times I ate dinner alone. Id ask Ali where Baba was, when he was coming home, though I knew full well he was at the construction site, overlooking this, supervising that. Didnt that take patience? I already hated all the kids he was building the orphanage for; sometimes I wished theyd all died along with their parents.
Craft
The book was written with a seemingly detached, innocence of a young Amir, who was nestled safe and un-touched under his fathers care and influence, or affluence. While friendship may have been explored to show better reciprocal actions on the part of Amir for Hassan, the book failed to explore further than adopting a friends son as if a consolation as Amir and Soraya cannot have a child of their own. There seem to be consequences quite shallow amidst the difficult life of the poor depicted in the book through Hazaran servants. It also failed to show how deep poverty has afflicted a nation.
Application on how ideas and themes in the book relate to life
For me, I learned from the book other forms of torture that may be given to other children in other parts of the world. Pedophilia is also pictured differently as a pure infliction of pain and not lust. It will influence my own understanding of migration, power play between imperialists, as well as about the word equality, if there is such a thing.
Conclusion
I believe that the success of The Kite Runner is its use of the universal triumph of good over evil and that the new orientalist labeling is a misreading of anti-imperialism sentiments. I strongly disagree with Miller when he proposed that the book depicts western as good and the Muslim as bad but it tried to depict as neutrally as possible what Hosseini might have observed, seen or experienced of Afghanistan. This, as I said earlier, may have been romanticized, but it still presented other details that could have easily been overlooked when the book was not published at all.
New Orientalism is a strong discriminatory view about Asians and Muslims in general having to compare always an English written text against popular literary norms based on western tradition. This may not be avoided at all, as I said, if a book is written in English. However, the same cannot be said of books written in other tongues or languages aside from western. This should not be an overarching obsession of critics. Merit should be provided on virtue of depicting truths as may have been experienced by the characters of a story such as The Kite Runner and not dismissed it as generalized western shadowing of norms.
Reference
Central Intelligence Agency. (2009). Afghanistan. The World Factbook. Web.
Hosseini, Khaled. (2003). The Kite Runner. Riverhead Books.
Lea, Richard. (2006). Word-of-mouth success gets reading group vote. The Guardian.
Miller, Matthew Thomas. (2008). The Kite Runner Critiqued: New Orientalism Goes to the Big Screen. Common Dreams. Web.
According to Hosseini, Amirs upbringing is heavily influenced by masculinity, which is the essence of masculinity. Because of this, Amir is constantly trying to live up to or prove his fathers expectations of him as a son, and he does it by turning to his father, the father (Hosseini n.p). Societys gender norms define men and women, and these norms influence masculinity. In this study, well look at a few quotations from The Kite Runner that demonstrate the Afghani belief in masculinity (Hosseini n.p). Once the students saw that Amirs Father, Amir, is viewed as a symbol of manhood by Amir, they began to understand this significance. In Afghan culture, a man is defined only by his physical appearance and identity; he serves as a model of manhood. According to Amir, the nickname was enough.
The Devil on his knees crying for mercy, as Rahim Khan used to say, was my father, a strong man of nature with a thick beard, wavy brown hair that was as unruly as he was, hands that could shatter a willow tree, and a black rowing. When a roomful of six-footers walked in, all eyes turned to him, like a sunflower to the sun. Amirs father is a fearless warrior who can drag a room by his bootstraps. They see him as a legitimate man, not just in Amirs eyes but also in their society. Amir, as the adage goes, must step into large shoes. When establishing a mans masculinity in The Kite Runner, physical appearance and attitude are essential, but so are the things a man chooses to indulge. Dad feels that boys and young men should spend their time participating in typically male pursuits like athletics. Still, weve discovered that Amir likes what his society might consider womens hobbies, such as reading and writing poetry.
As Amir explains in the third chapter, having a son who chose to hide his face in poetry rather than hunting. Well, I suppose that was not the way Dad thought, I think, this was not what Dad had in mind when he married a poet. If one refers to himself as a real man, then he never heard of poetry, let alone written it Real men real lads play soccer like their fathers did when they were younger. He put me on a soccer team because he wanted me to feel the same way. Even so, my life was a living hell, and I was in charge of my squad. Despite my efforts, I was not taken seriously (Emerson 3). There is a condition known as social injustice in which some kind of wrongdoing occurs in a community. Every day in Afghanistan, someone is beaten, raped, or calls for aid. It has been like this since the government gained control of Afghanistan.
In Afghanistan, social inequality is a big issue. As Farooq puts it, societal problems are inflicted when Social Injustice exists. Afghanistans social injustice must be addressed daily, as seen by the numerous examples and real-life occurrences. There are numerous incidents of societal injustice in Khaled Hosseinis novel The Kite Runner. One such instance is when Amir witnesses Assef rape his best friend, Hassan (Hosseini n.p). As a result of the existing disparity, this is a prime example of social injustice. Afghanistan is a land of Pashtuns, Assef proclaimed, describing the country. The country is polluted by its people, and there is need to show more material.
Traditional masculinity harms boys health and well-being, according to American Psychological Associations Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Boys and Men in early 2019 . We Believe: The Best Men Can Be, a slogan for Gillette razor blades, was released soon after, quickly becoming a Media sensation. The male discourse has been elevated to a new level after this two-minute exchange. Men raised to adhere to a rigid concept of masculinity, developed in part as an antidote to any form of feminism, are destructive to their own mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health and the well-being of others.
To have meaningful talks about how to measure, accept complexity and build new ways of human growth and development, it is difficult to have a different way of thinking and ethnic divisions. The term toxic does not imply that all water, air, or food is toxic; instead, it refers to substances that are harmful. Contaminated water, air, and food are not anti-water, anti-air, or anti-good food. In reality, questioning our current and historical methods of processing, preservation, and water supply, as well as the number of agents we remove from the air and the level of security at which food is processed, delivered, and prepared, is seen as a responsible, social, and public knowledge. Most of us agree that blaming aggressive lawyers for the intentional desire to abolish water, oxygen, and food would be irrational and irrational at best. Toxic manhood is the same. For many, the term toxicity has been employed as a synonym for masculinity rather than to indicate dangerous or detrimental aspects of this masculinity.
In and of itself, manhood is a beautiful, natural, and essential part of human evolution and survival. A mans masculinity may significantly impact the people around him when applied; when this is done, men can live their lives with courage and strength. When it comes to masculinity, on the other hand, excessive, destructive, lousy connotations and unsuitability are all issues. A good illustration of this is healthy competition in an accessible business or sporting event, whereas unhealthy competitiveness in personal relationships or reckless driving to find space and speed on the motorway is toxic. As easy as it may be for some to focus on the apparent manifestations of toxic manhood, such as sex, domestic violence, or bullying, discussing mens misconduct at the wrong moment is a challenge. Lets think: We need intelligent, knowledgeable men who can teach and direct others, but we dont want insecure, sex-oriented males who explain what they know.
Instead of advocating the exclusion of males, it is all about developing the full human potential of men. Just as men can train themselves with different pieces of gym equipment or other business platforms, they can learn emotional skills. There is no law that you cannot both have masculine and feminine traits because you are male and female. Gender is more about spectrum than labels. A new training program has helped Federer and Williams put their best foot forward (Wolf 317). Assisting men to recognize all of the health and life benefits of a calming, life-enhancing practice is essential if we want them to be successful, happy, and content. Social scientists, for example, who have the freedom to use the term toxic manhood should correct opponents assumptions and present valuable, truthful, and opposing narratives. Significant gender inequalities are attributed to biology by professionals in the field. When faced with the difficulty of self-discipline and development, the women argued that they could not or should not grow as women and that women should not grow as males. Natural environments, however, are delicate and complex. Increasingly, women are redefining the significance of their gender by becoming more self-assured, competitive, optimistic, and resilient. According to these findings, cultural and social expectations play an essential role in our strengths and limitations regarding gender performance. As a result of this transformation, the monarchy will be disintegrated, and the ideals of what is required for progress in the modern world will be challenged. Womens movements did the same for males who needed support and encouragement to break out of their sex box.
In todays world, the instruments for success are different than they were in the past. The strongest and healthiest people are not necessarily those who deny their humanity to identify with a particular gender (Wolf 311). Cross-trainers, on the other hand, are those who emerge from the desired sex boxes and work to develop their whole identity. Womens power is weak (hence women are inferior to men), and males displaying feminine power empathy, sensitivity, and compassion are likewise weak. This group has overturned this old binary and patriarchal view. They are flexible and adaptable to the changing context of their world. Developing ones physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual health is a priority to achieve success and wealth.
In and of itself, manhood is a beautiful, natural, and essential part of human evolution and survival. A mans masculinity may greatly impact him and the people around him when applied with awareness, timing, and intelligence. When this is done, men can live their lives with courage and strength. When it comes to masculinity, on the other hand, excessive, destructive, lousy connotation, and unsuitability are all issues. A good illustration of this is healthy competition in an accessible business or sporting event, whereas unhealthy competitiveness in personal relationships or reckless driving to find space and speed on the motorway is toxic.
In the wake of the #MeToo and Times Up movements, the formal expressions of sexism, male dominance, and contempt for women have been addressed. One of the tens of thousands of speeches sparked by the simultaneous action was on the importance of mens equality. In the naturally phallogocentric culture, men are given an illiteracy right that goes hand in hand with being a man (Hosseini n.p). As a result of this reality alone, men are held responsible for the debates and institutional arrangements that provide them the right to acquire certain costs of partnerships that should be shared by men and equally by men (Hosseini n.p). A toxic masculinity does not mean that all males are poisonous, nor does it imply that all men are harmful. As a result, toxic masculinity is a term that refers to a set of behaviors and acts that are based on an individuals sex-perceptions. It is common for males to adopt these habits as part of their identity and position as a man from an early age. It appears that these practices are the exception rather than the rule in our patriarchal culture. As a result, not everyone will find this conduct distressing or harmful, as they consider it to be the usual. However, in actuality, these practices can harm women, non-binary persons, and males. Toxic masculinity necessitates a reexamination of not only traditional notions of male and female roles, but also of sexuality as a whole.
As easy as it may be for some to focus on the apparent manifestations of toxic manhood, such as sexual abuse, domestic violence, or bullying, discussing mens misconduct at the wrong moment is a challenge (W. R. Emerson 11). Consider: We need guys with wisdom and understanding who can lead and influence others, but we dont want insecure, sex-obsessed men who explain what theyve already figured out. Instead of advocating the exclusion of males, it is all about developing the full human potential of men. In the same way, men can train their physical and business abilities, and they can also train their emotional skills. Regarding the tennis court, Serena Williams and Roger Federer are fierce rivals. No rule states that you cannot possess both masculine and feminine characteristics because you are both male and female.
Regarding gender, there is more of a spectrum than a set of fixed categories. A new training program has helped Federer and Williams put their best foot forward. Assisting men to recognize the health and life benefits of a calming, life-enhancing practice is essential if we want them to be successful, happy, and content.
The Lonely Boys makes the case that modern males are a generation of passive bystanders who are content to watch others take care of their needs but feel powerless to act on their behalf. Mens products are sold based on their masculinity. Instead of knowing who you are and your beliefs, being a guy means owning the proper watch or automobile instead of truly knowing yourself. Thus, the narrator and the other Fight Club members reject this lifestyle and go out to find something new. They want to reclaim their actual identity by immersing themselves in the experience of battling and dealing with fear and agony. Tyler and Marlas eyes are similarly cast downward by the narrator. When he stands next to Tyler, he feels like he has lost his position in the world. In the narrators opinion, Tyler is an example of a male body, which is ironic. Men are expected to appear well because of advertising. The narrator feels the rejection that comes with loves jealousy while Tyler isnt paying attention.
Throughout the novel, the threat of circumcision looms large. First, the narrator meets Bob at a support group for cancer-affected males. Tyler and the space monkeys later used the fear of euthanasia to persuade the police commissioner to put the inquiry on hold. Trying to shut down a fighting club puts the narrator in danger of being castrated. Fighting the organization and Project Mayhem has given these men a new appreciation for their manhood; thus, losing it is the worst thing that could happen to them now. While fighting in the novel doesnt solve any of the characters concerns, it is a means to spiritual enlightenment for the authors protagonist. As long as there is conflict, men are reminded that they are still alive. They are reminded of their mortality as a part of Tylers ideology, which he stresses. They utilize fighting as a way to discover who they are. The idea that men are trying to reclaim their masculinity by fighting is a blatant denial of what they have been taught about masculinity by previous generations, their employment, and the Media.
Works Cited
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Divinity School address. (1838): 1-19.
Emerson, Waldo Ralph. The American scholar. (1837): 1-21.
Hosseini, Khaled. The kite runner. (2003).
Waldo, Ralph Emerson. Self-Reliance. (1841): 1-21.
Written by Khaled Hosseini and narrated by Amir, the storys protagonist, The Kite Runner expatiates how a single event changed Amirs life completely. Amir narrates of his childhood back in Afghanistan as he grew up in one of the wealthiest families in Kabul back then. Violence in the volatile Afghanistan dominates the text of this book as people try to replace monarchy with republicanism.
The book cuts across many social aspects tackling different themes ranging from inhumanity, through nationalism to family relations among others. This paper elaborates the theme of sin and redemption as applied in The Kite Runner.
Theme of Sin and Redemption
Redemption comes only after sin and this idea of redemption stands out in The Kite Runner because sin is so bearing. The story starts by highlighting the enduring nature of sin in this society.
Amir says, Its wrong what they say about the past, Ive learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out (Hosseini 1). What creeps back from the past? It is sin in this context. Amir betrays Hassan twice despite the fact that they are friends. The first incidence occurs when he finds Assef raping Hassan in the alley.
Even though Hassan had stood for Amir in the past, Amir does not help him from his predicament or report the issue to Ali for he would help Hassan! Amir is sinning by betraying his close friend. During his thirteen birthday celebrations, Amir betrays Hassan once again by plotting to bring him out as a thief. Again, sin abounds.
As the story unfold, it becomes clear that everyone is almost guilty of sin and he or she needs redemption. Assef is a sinner for he rapes Hassan. Amir learns later in the story how Baba, his father sinned. After Rahim Khan discloses Babas secret to Amir, he realizes that everyone is sinful and the reason why Baba was tough on is that he was guilty of his sin.
This makes Amir realize that their life has been one big lie; sin prevailed from yesteryears, and his betrayal to Hassan is just but a drop in a sea of sins. On the other side, to justify their cold blood killing of the adulteress, the Taliban are busy skewing Muhammads words to vindicate their actions.
They are sinful and they know that they need redemption and this is why they change Muhammads words; something that Amir compares to his sin. Unfortunately, Amir does not know the way to redemption. He asks Hassan to hit him to get hurt and repay his sins. Amir feels that the only way to redemption is getting hurt the way he hurt Hassan.
Amir does not complain after Assef tries to kill him for he thinks he deserves all this as atonement for his past sins. Soraya is guilt of her sin of running away with another man and she asks Amir to forgive her. Rahim Khan is shameful of her sinful nature of not disclosing to Amir what Baba had done.
She kept this as a secret even after Baba died; she could have told Amir for it is his right to know anything to do with his father. The woman soldier at the border is sinful for asks Baba to sleep with her even though she is married.
The idea of redemption sets in at last after Amir realizes that his past sins together with those of his father can only be atoned for by being good to people. He has to let go the sin of discrimination that he has kept for years. He realizes that helping others would bring joy to his life and this is why he decides to help Sohrab up the ladder of success and felicity.
Nevertheless, Rahim Khan wraps up the theme of redemption in this story. In his letter, Khan says, I know that in the end, God will forgive. He will forgive your father, you, and me too & Forgive your father if you can. Forgive me if you wish. But most important, forgive yourself (Hosseini 209). It is God only who forgives sins and redeems people from their sinful nature.
Amir understands this very well towards the end of the book when he asks God to remove Sohrabs blood from his hands. People can also be redeemed from their sins by forgiving themselves. God is willing to forgive people of their sins; unfortunately, people hold on to their sins, letting guilt to haunt them while God has already forgiven them. As the book closes, Amir redeems himself after forgiving himself of his past sins.
Conclusion
One of the most outstanding themes in The Kite Runner is the theme of sin and redemption. Most of the major characters are sinful.
Amir sins by betraying his close friend Hassan. He lets Assef rape Hassan whilst he could do something to rescue him. His sin follows him and he betrays Hassan again during his birthday party. Baba has done many mistakes in the past and Khan is guilty of keeping Babas secret from Amir. Assef, the rapist is a sinner while Soraya has committed the sin of running away with another man.
Amir does not get the issue of redemption and he thinks the only way to it is by paying for it through suffering. However, Khan sheds light on the issue of redemption by indicating that God will forgive all people and people could redeem themselves by forgiving themselves. The theme of sin and redemption comes out clearly in this book.
Works Cited
Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: The Berkeley Publishing Group, 2003.
Hassan and Amir are the main characters of the novel The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini in 2003. These two little boys are considered to be the best friends from their childhood: they have common interests, games, and even sayings, which can mean nothing for the others, but change the whole world for them.
Hassan and Amir are the characters that help to comprehend how precious male friendship can be and how unpredictable the outcomes of one single mistake may become for their destinies, their future, and their lives. Taking into consideration that loyalty is one of the common features for both Hassan and Amir, their differences, which consist in family and origin as well as their attitudes to life, friendship, and respect, make them too close and too far to each other simultaneously.
First of all, boys origins were one of the serious differences between Hassan and Amir. Amir is a Pashtun boy, who is aware of how powerful these people are in comparison to the Hazaras, the origin of little Hassan. The man is a Pashtun to the root. He has nang and namoos&Honor and pride (Hosseini 145). Due to this fact, Amir truly believes in his superiority over his friend Hassan and thinks that their origins may be one of the factors to put own demands on the first place.
In comparison to Amir, Hassan never pays any attention to his origins and the roots of his friend. After his birth, he decides to devote all his life, his actions, and even his words to his best friend, Amir. He is not afraid of Amirs enemies and is always ready to stick up for him. These two little boys cannot even comprehend that their origins differences should not influence their relations and mutual support and cost nothing in comparison to their future challenges.
Their second difference lies in their family relations and attitudes to the relatives. Baba, Amirs father, demonstrates his love to both boys, but still, his attitude to Amirs was too critical, because he thinks his son is not as that manly as he is expected to be. This difference between Amir and Hassans families turns out to be rather important, as their relations in families reflect on boys relations. Just in order to win the respect of his own father, Amir sincerely believes that Hassans rape may be regarded as a sacrifice that will play a certain role in their future.
In addition, Amir thinks that the rape of a young Hazara by a young Pashtun Assef does not matter anything, so, Hassans action is another one that will help Amir with his self-actualization. Hassan has no one to gain respect among his family as his father does not actually need this respect; this is why Amir is the only person, whose respect Hassan wants to win.
But when Hassan gets to know how unfair and cowardly the actions of his friends are, he has nothing to do but leave the place and support his father with his ideas and desires. So, their difference in family is one more issue that influences Amirs and Hassans characters, attitudes to lives, and lifes priorities.
Finally, in spite of the fact that Amir and Hassan have so many differences of opinions, attitudes to each other, and purposes, these two boys are characterized by one strong similarity their loyalty. Of course, this loyalty is not too each other, but still, it makes them so similar and so close.
From the very beginning, Hassan demonstrates and proves his loyalty to Amir for many times: For you a thousand times over! (Hosseini 67) Amir sees this very loyalty of Hassan and usually calls him good old reliable Hassan , because he knows that any time Hassan will rescue him, make a sacrifice, and believe his words even if they are not true and sincere. Amir demonstrates almost the same type of loyalty to his father. Baba is a brilliant example of how to be a real man, a real Pashtun, and a real father.
In order to prove his loyalty to Baba, Amir forgets about all those care that comes from Hassan and sacrifices their friendship in order to become more serious and more respectable for his father. The loyalty of these two characters shows how their trust to other people may be blind and tragic. To my mind, that loyalty that is inherent to little boys has to be controlled by their parents in order to show them the right way. And in this story, such control is absent and leads to deaths, sorrow, and guilt.
In general, the comparison of Amir and Hassan, who have so many differences, helps to realize how significant peoples origins and relations within families can be. The idea of loyalty that turns out to be one of Amir and Hassans main similarities is so absurd, and this is why it causes a terrible quarrel between the best friends, a long-term guilt of Amir, deep disappointment of Hassan, and absence of punishment in regards to such sadist like Assef.
Works Cited
Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: The Berkley Publishing Group, 2003.
The Kite Runner is a unique work, which has been translated into all European languages. The story begins in the pre-war Afghan city of Kabul in the 70s, where there were children who did not know what shelling and explosions were. At the same time, a favorite pastime and a grave matter for all residents are kite competitionshappiness to defeat rivals and be left alone to soar in the bottomless blue sky. A kite symbolizes the soul, flying high in the sky or lying broken on the ground (OBrien 4). The contest becomes not only the point of no return, after which everything changes in the lives of Amir and Hasan. Flying is also a metaphor for the fates of these boys, carried away by the winds to different sides of the world.
Among the many lines, the central theme is betrayal and redemption. Through the prism of their lifes tribulations, the characters understand their actions, accept the guilt, and try to atone for it. Each personality has experienced tragedy and has walked a unique path of redemption. An analysis of the book will help identify those features of redemption models that are difficult to determine at first glance. By reasoning and examining the details of the lives, it will be possible to draw a clear parallel between the actions and consequences and conclude the main lesson the author was trying to convey.
The analysis will focus on the three main characters: Amir, Baba, and Sanaubar. This will be done using a redemption model that is specific to each character. At the same time, it has elements common to all, among which are: chastity flaws, transgression, trigger event(s), conscious resolution, acts of atonement, and changed life. The author reveals the peculiarities of the soul of a sinful man who admits his mistakes to demonstrate that redemption is the only way to restore the connection with God and find happiness.
Amirs Redemptive Model
Amir is the main character whose cowardice and jealousy prevented his personal development. The redemption process became the only opportunity for him to find full-fledged happiness, which constantly eluded him due to his unwillingness to acknowledge problems. The first meaningful moment in his journey was undoubtedly Amir Hassans significant betrayal, the masters display of cowardice to his servant and friend. From this moment, Amirs internal vices begin, which leave in his soul heavy scars of remorse and anguish of conscience, which impose an imprint on all areas of life. Thus, in general, not an evil man, Amir becomes a hostage to the vices of his ego, unable to get out on his own.
The second significant moment is a call from Pakistan from a friend of his father. Rahim Khan encourages Amir to come up with a mysterious but understandable phrase: You have a chance to get on the righteous path (Hosseini 262). Amir clings to that possibility, though his former self tries to refuse. Not only does he endanger his life and health in the hope of redeeming his former guilt, but he also undergoes a tremendous inner transformation on the road to Islam and harmony. He makes an important decision, saves the child, and thus finds himself on the proper path. It demonstrates how a man who himself had not given much thought to the need to move toward the mercy of the Creator, through his sins and their atonement, finds his way to the worship of Allah.
This suggests that the whole life is in a state of disharmony and moral turmoil until sin is atoned for. Redemption, in turn, is the connecting category between man and God that can restore the broken unity between them and strengthen the bond. Amirs way demonstrates how sins are equivalent to bondage that can destroy lives and how overcoming them and repentance can release the burdens.
Babas Redemptive Model
Babas original sin is that he had an affair with the wife of Alis servant. At the same time, Baba knew that the child to be born was his own. Despite this, he allows everyone to think that Hasan is Allis son. Moreover, Baba saw that Hasan and Amir were friends, and Amir mistreated Hasan, but the father never defended Hasan. That is, his original sin is that he abandoned his child and condemned him to the bad fate of a servant. However, it is necessary to mention that Babas sins do not end with this. When his wife died in childbirth, he blamed his son, even though Amir was not responsible for his mothers death.
It is important to emphasize that Baba tried to redeem himself and build an orphanage, so he did not hesitate to give money to charity. That is, Baba tried to distract and convince himself that the terrible things he had done did not define him as a bad person (Hosseini 300). At the same time, he accepted his guilt and tried to atone for his sin by doing good to others. It is significant to mention that Baba tried to improve his relationship with Amir because he saw himself reflected in him. In conclusion, although Baba did not tell anyone about his sin and did not incur the wrath of his loved ones, he successfully found redemption. By helping others and building a relationship with Amir, Baba forgave himself. Thus, he found temptation and died peacefully, knowing that all would be well with Amir.
Sanaubars Redemptive Model
Sanaubar had a nice appearance and enjoyed it; she cheated on a man, which was considered a disgrace for a Muslim woman. At the same time, after the birth of her son Hasan, she left him with his unrelated father and began to travel with a group of singers (Hosseini 162). Thus, the womans initial sin is her debauchery and fleeing from her problems. The militant attack was a hidden reason to find her son because she feared for his life. The woman returned and found her son when she was older; she also tried to redeem her sin when she established a relationship with Hassan. It should also be mentioned that Sanaubar helps Farzana give birth to her son Sohrab, but she could not raise the child because she died. The woman successfully achieved her goals and atoned for her sin.
Conclusion
Hence, this work argues that redemption is the only way to reconnect with God and find happiness. One can also find parallels between the redemptive models in the novel and the relationships between people in the real world. Therefore, they can be applied to understand how to atone for sins. The value of the novel is that it substantiates that everyone deserves to find redemption from their sins. Thus, the story tells different experiences of characters who have done unworthy things, but at the same time, one can trace how they have tried to correct them and find peace. Alex Lickerman can be remembered at this point, as he wrote that if a person admits mistakes and sincerely wants to improve them, then sin can be atoned for (Hagan). This is because people are not good or evil by nature; it depends on their striving. Hence, the novel gives each reader faith that there are ways to rectify unworthy actions to find peace.
Works Cited
Hagan, Ekua. What Does It Mean to be Redeemed? Psychology Today, 2011, Web.
Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. Penguin, 2003.
OBrien, Sarah. Translating Trauma in Khaled Hosseinis The Kite Runner. Transnational Literature, vol.10, no. 2, 2018, pp. 1-12.
The reading of Khaled Hosseinis novel The Kite Runner leaves very little doubt as to the fact that the theme of loyalty plays a rather important role in defining the novels semiotic significance. After all it is after having proven his loyalty to Hassan by the means of bringing his son Sohrab to the U.S. that the novels protagonist Amir was able to attain inner peace hence, providing a semantic wholesomeness to the plot. In our paper, we will aim to explore the nature of loyalty in The Kite Runner.
Analysis of Friendship Between Amir and Hasssan
For the first time, the theme of loyalty comes to its prominence in the novels scene when, while trying to defend Amir, Hassan aims his slingshot at Assef: I turned and came face to face with Hassans slingshot& Hassan held the slingshot pointed directly at Assefs face (21). Even though, while remaining friends with Amir, Hassan never ceased being treated with a subtle disdain, due to his ethnic background and his low social status, Hassans helping hand was always there for Amir. Thus, Hassans loyalty to Amir is evident.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Amir because the main characters lessened sense of loyalty did not derive out of his existential idealism, as it was the case with Hassan, but was instead a byproduct of his rationally functioning psyche.
The plausibility of this suggestion becomes evident in the scene when, after having considered the possible consequences of his involvement, Amir refrains from stepping forward, in order to prevent Hassan from being raped by Assef hence, proving himself an ultimate coward in its own eyes: I had one last chance to make a decision.
One final opportunity to decide who I was going to be. I could step into that alley, stand up for Hassan& Or I could run. In the end, I ran. I ran because I was a coward (39). As the theme essay on The Kite Runner implies, at that time, Amir was not aware of the fact that his refusal to stand up for Hassan accounted for his lessened ability to act like a man while facing lifes challenges, as in the case when he resents Hassan.
Loyalty as an Intermedium for Friendship
Nevertheless, as the novels plot unraveled, it was becoming increasingly apparent for Amir that, for him to be able to relieve his deep-seated sense of guilt, due to the memory of what had happened, he would have to prove its loyalty to Hassan somehow. The problem was that, as it has been revealed to Amir by Rahim Khan, Hassan ended up being killed by a ravaging mob of Taliban guerillas. Yet, Hassans son Sohrab was able to survive an ordeal.
And, after having been presented with Hassans post-mortem letter, where his former friend was asking him to take care of Sohrab, Amir realized that his willingness to look into Hassans request would account for his ability to repay for Hassans loyalty with loyalty. This was precisely the reason why, despite being perfectly aware of the full spectrum of dangers associated with taking a trip to Afghanistan, Amir nevertheless had decided in favor of this undertaking.
It was Amirs ever-present sense of guilt for his betrayal, which had prompted him to go to Afghanistan: I have a wife in America, a home, a career, and a family. But how could I pack up and go back home when my actions may have cost Hassan a chance at those very same things? (114).
After having arrived to Afghanistan, however, Amir realized that his price for proving loyalty to Hassan was even higher it was not only that he had to face dangers of staying in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, but that he also had to face the ultimate showdown with Assef, who by that time became one of Talibans war-lords. As such, his actions may be considered as one of the examples of loyalty in The Kite Runner.
And, it was not because he was able to subdue Assef physically, but because, for once in his life, Amir did not have any second thoughts, while defying his old arch-enemy, that he ended up achieving a moral victory over Assef: I dont know at what point I started laughing&
And the harder I laughed, the harder he kicked me& What was so funny was that, for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace (147). The reason why, while fighting Assef, Amir experienced a sensation of inner peace, is that by doing it, he was able to prove its loyalty to Hassan.
As the novels consequential and highly mystical scene implies, the deceased Hassan did, in fact, appreciate Amirs long-awaited token of loyalty. Just as Hassan used to do, his son Sohrab raised a slingshot and shot Assef right into his eye: The slingshot made a thwiiiiit sound when Sohrab released the cup.
Then Assef was screaming. He put his hand where his left eye had been just a moment ago. Blood oozed between his fingers (148). The context of this particular scene suggests that the consequence of Amir proving himself courageous enough to act loyally towards Hassans son, was the reestablishment of a friendship between Amir and Hassan, even though the latter was no longer living.
Conclusion
Thus, just as we had pointed out earlier, there are good reasons to believe that it is specifically the theme of loyalty in The Kite Runner, which binds the plots spatial developments into the semantically unified compound. Hosseinis message about the importance of loyalty, forgiveness, and love is evident in the story. Apparently, it is the authors masterful exploration of this particular theme throughout the novels entirety, which provides readers with insight into the fact that the extent an individuals ability to act loyally towards his friends is being reflective of the extent of such persons existential manliness.
References
Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead, 2003.
The Kite Runner is a novel written by an Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini. When Hosseini was a child, his family moved from Afghanistan to France, and then to the USA. This experience is partially reflected in the narrative of the author. Hosseini has written three novels, and The Kite Runner has sold millions of copies worldwide and been classified as one of a classic (Khadawardi 2017, 88). In this essay, the summary of the story, information on the main characters and themes, as well as a personal opinion about the composition will be presented.
The Kite Runner: Summary of the Novel
The story revolves around the life of a young boy from Kabul, Amir. He lives with his father, Baba, a wealthy man who never has time to spend with his son. Amir feels jealous when he notices Babas cordial treatment of his friend, Hasan, the son of their servant. To deserve his fathers love, Amir decides to take part in the kite competition with Hassan. Even though the two boys could keep their kite in the sky for a long time and won the first part of the competition, the event ended tragically. Hassan runs away, trying to find a place where the kite fell. After waiting for him for a long time, Amir decides to follow his friend and becomes a witness to the rape of Hassan by his enemy Assef. Amir is scared to interfere and help his friend and decides to go away and pretend he did not see anything. Feeling guilty for what he did, Amir stops talking to Hassan and does not want to be his friend anymore. He blames him for being a thief, and Hassan and his father leave their home.
Soon, the Soviet Union troops intervene in Afghanistan. To save their lives, Amir and his father immigrate to the USA. Many years later, after his parents death, Amir receives a letter from a family friend. From this letter, he learns that Hassan was his brother and that he knew about Amirs betrayal but still loved him until the end of his life. Unfortunately, Hassan died with his wife during demonstrations in their country, but their little son, Sohrab, managed to survive. He was sent to an orphanage, and the author of the letter asks Amir to save the child and take him to the USA. Amir decides to go to Afghanistan and finds his nephew there. Even though it turns out to be difficult for Amir to adopt him, he promises Sohrab never to send him to an orphanage again. One day, when Sohrab notices that Amir is about to break his promise, he tries to commit suicide. Even though the boy survives, he starts to keep to himself being silent most of the time. One day, Amir buys a kite for Sohrab, and, for the first time, he sees a smile on his face. Thus, it is not entirely clear if the story has a happy ending or not. Even the protagonist of the story mentions that he does not know for sure if the story of Hassan and his nephew, Sohrab, ends happily (Hosseini 2013). However, the author gives readers the hope that the characters of the story will eventually find peace and harmony.
The Main Characters and Themes of the Narrative
The protagonist of the story is Amir, a young boy who was born in a wealthy Afghan family. It is not possible to tell if the personage of Amir is positive or negative. On the one hand, his sneaky nature allows him to betray his best friend. On the other hand, he is capable of feeling guilty and admitting his mistakes. Trying to make amends, Amir uses a chance to put to rest his tortured past (Summary and Analysis of The Kite Runner 2016, 8). He puts much effort into taking Sohrab to the USA and giving him a better life.
Baba, the father of Amir and Hassan, also feels guilty for his affair with a servants wife. He considers it the worst sin he ever committed, and, in his desire to redeem himself, helps other people until the last days of his life. In contrast to his son Amir, Baba is a very independent and decisive person. However, it turned out that he was not brave enough to tell Amir and Hassan that they were brothers.
It is evident that Hassan and Amir have many differences. Even being unaware of the fact that Amir was his brother, he loved him and considered his best friend. He forgave Amir for his betrayals and was always ready to spend time with him. Amir, on the contrary, never displayed his feelings toward Hassan (Hosseini and Zohdi 2016, 37). It remains unclear if it is caused by the lack of Amirs love for Hassan or by peculiarities of his personality. Being a very kind person, Hassan also forgave his mother, who left him when he was a child and sheltered her at his house during the war in the 1970s.
The main themes of the book are forgiveness and friendship. The author shows that for friendship, it does not matter if people have or do not have much in common. Hassan and Amir are two boys from two different worlds. Amir belongs to the aristocratic part of the society, while Hassan is from a low-income family of servants. Baba is a handsome man, and Hassans father is miserable and limp. Hassan has an ugly harelip, while the deformity of Amir is not noticeable from the outside. Despite all these differences, the two boys become soul mates and real friends. Unfortunately, Amirs weakness and villainy trigger the end of their friendship. However, nothing can make Hassan stop communicating with his friend, even Amirs betrayal. Being aware of every harmful deed done by Amir, Hassan is still looking up to Amir, ready to forgive him for everything. Thus, the author shows that forgiveness is the main element of peoples lives that helps individuals to build happiness.
Personal Opinion about the Composition
The Kite Runner is one of the rare novels that invite readers to feel all the mental experience of the protagonist. This novel evokes a strong emotional response of readers and teaches them to be braver in some situations to avoid regrets in the future. It also shows that sometimes people neglect those who are sincere with them, and when they realize that they made a mistake, it is sometimes too late. This book shows the weaknesses and vices of human nature and makes readers think about their behavior.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that the novel The Kite Runner contains many significant ideas about peoples relationships. It teaches how important it is to forgive betrayals, love despite all, and bring goodness to this world. It also makes readers think about protagonists emotions and feelings and involves them in the process of reflections on their life. The author created an engaging narrative that should be read by both youth and adults because it raises questions that are always topical for all generations.
References
Hosseini, Akram, and Esmaeil Zohdi. 2016. The Kite Runner and the Problem of Racism and Ethnicity. International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences, vol. 74, 33-40.
Khadawardi, Hesham. 2017. Superego Guilt, Redemption and Atonement in Khaled Hosseinis the Kite Runner. International Journal of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education 4 (2): 88-99.
Summary and Analysis of the Kite Runner: Based on the Book by Khaled Hosseini. 2016. New York: Worth Books.