An Analysis of the Kite Runner Essay

Introduction The Kite Runner is an extraordinary take hold, which reminds us how long the Afghani people stir been struggling to triumph over the forces of violence. Because of the books strong yarn, we get an insight in how people might have experienced the crisis in Kabul, even though its been shown through a book. The author Khaled Hosseini was a practicing physician until after the books release. This was similarly his first novel, which was released in 2003 and turned out to be an international crushseller. Even though the chronicle of The Kite Runner is fictional, its based on a true story and excessively on Hosseinis memories of growing up in Kabul.This also means that the genre of the book is not a fictional novel ( some look at it that way), but an historical novel. According to an article in USA Today, The Kite Runner has sold over 1. 4 million copies, which is a phenomenal sale for a first time author. The story tells of a fri destinationship between two boys growin g up in Kabul. Even though they were raised in the same household, emeer and Hassan are from two diverse worlds. While emeer is the son of a wealthy and reckon man (Baba), Hassan is the son of the family servant (Ali).The most important factor in the story is the consanguinity between Amir and Hassan. Their intertwined lives and fate, shows that throughout the story even though, when their relationship was inseparable in the start. They still manage to become separated through jealousy. Five old age later, during the Soviet occupation, Amir and Baba are forced to flee. They spend their new lives in California, and Amir starts a career as an author. Even though Amir thinks that he has escaped his past. He still cannot leave the memory of Hassan behind him. Setting The story uses two of import settings.One is Afghanistan and the other is California. We could also say that the story is divided into three sections the memories of pre-conflict Afghanistan, adjusting to life in Ame rica, and returning to Taliban controlled Afghanistan. There is big difference between these places. While Afghanistan used to be a safe and amicable nation, their reputation completely changed after Taliban started controlling the country. The country is also portrayed as a demolished and deserted place, while California is shown as a way to escape their problems in Afghanistan.California will incessantly be a much safer place to live, for both Amir and Baba, but Baba still misses Afghanistan, since he used to be wealthy and respected. He misses Kabul because in California, he is completely the opposite. He works at a gas station for many hours, and through the book we can feel that he misses almost everything about his previous home. Its important to understand their struggle to adapt to their new home, because it shows how divers(prenominal) Afghanistan is from California, and we also get a better understanding of the story.Structure and characters The Kite Runner starts with a nameless narrator, talking about his past and how its been affecting him for the last twenty-six years. The narrator also gives us clues to what might happen, and the troubles that will arise. After going through a a few(prenominal) chapters, we get to know the main characters better and their problems. The characters that we first meet are Amir and Hassan. Amir is the narrator and the main character throughout the story. He is an Afghan man with a special(prenominal) childhood.Through most of his life Amir tries to redeem his reputation in the eyes of his father as he felt he was responsible for his sticks death. He also wants to prove to his father that he isnt a weakling, and want to become more like Hassan. Hassan is Amirs best friend during his childhood and he is also his servant. Hassan is known for his loyalty and strong attachment to Amir. Later in the story, its revealed that Hassan is Amirs brother. This means that Amirs father had an affair with Alis wife, and that Hassan is actually his son. Hassan was also known for begin the best kite runner in Kabul.Baba is a wealthy and respected man, but becomes poor after he flees to America. His relationship with Amir is very turbulent, and he wants Amir to become like Hassan, strong and brave. Ali is Hassans father and Babas best friend. He is a Hazara, but he got the same characteristics as his son. Ali grew up together with Baba, just as Hassan and Amir did. He got a deadening as well even though it doesnt stop him from begin a loyal servant. Rahim Khan is Babas closest friend and single of the few people who know that Hassan is Amirs brother.He is the one that calls Amir to go back to Afghanistan. Assef is a bully and is responsible for the rape of Hassan. This guy is also a fan of Hitler, which clearly makes him a sociopath. When he becomes an adult, he also joins the Taliban. He also has hatred towards the Hazara people, and likes to discriminate them. Soraya is Amirs wife and has troublesome past. She also takes care of Baba, when he is sick and adopts Shorab without doubts. Sohrab is Hassans son. He also plays a major part in the book. Assef enslaves him after he is taken from the orphanage.Since Amir is the main character in the book, he also develops most of all the characters. We notice first that he slowly turns against Hassan, his anger and jealousy grows in one direction, even though Hassan doesnt do anything wrong. The rape of Hassan is really an event that further separates their relationship. Since there is so much drama in this book, it doesnt end yet. When the Soviet invades Afghanistan, Amirs family flees to another country, unaware that they lose most of their wealth. For the first time they get a taste of how it is to be poor.Later in the book Amir gets a call from Rahim Khan and returns to Afghanistan. He finds out about Hassans son Sohrab, and is determined to bring him back home to America. forrader he could save Sohrab, he had to face Assef. Getting beaten by Assef and saving Sohrab could be seen as a final way to redeem himself. This also made his guilt disappear. Themes and tones In this story, there are a lot of different themes we could discuss like example bullying, friendship, guilt, betrayal, kite, honor, redemption, father and son relationship, mans inhumanity to man, discrimination and loyalty.There is a lot of ethnic discrimination in Afghanistan and especially the conflict between the Pashtuns and the Hazara. The relationship between Pashtuns and Hazaras has never been still because Pashtuns are mostly Sunni Muslims and the Hazara are Shia Muslim. The Hazara has been discriminated mostly because of their faith, language and facial appearance. In the book Ali is loyal to Baba, because Babas father adopted Ali after his parents died. Since then Baba has always followed his fathers example and always been kind to the Hazara people. Guilt is also another theme that is brought up.After the rape of Hassan, Amir cannot bea r to be or so Hassan, because it reminds him of that day. He even lies to Ali, and says that nothing happened. The problem with Hassan is that he takes the blame for everything and he doesnt want to hurt Amir. Even when Amir tells Hassan to hit him with the pomegranate, he refuses. When Hassan smashes the pomegranate on his own forehead, Amirs guilt becomes even worse. In the end Amir makes Hassan and his father leave, and Hassan still considers Amir his best friend. The story is scripted in a way that it still affects you after your done reading.Even though its a dark story with a lot of despair for the people in Afghanistan, there still is some hope and happiness. Honor is expressed in many different ways, but the quote for you, a chiliad times over is a great example of how they express theirself. Conclusion The kite is a theme in the book that represents freedom, even though youre not in fully in control of the kites fate. I think the theme describes the fate of Amir and how h e develops throughout the book To me the story as said earlier is a historical novel, and not a fictional novel.This is because its based on a true story and experiences Hosseini had when he was growing up in Kabul. I as writer of this analysis is a Hazara, and I know what kind of suffering the Hazara people have went through. Sometimes I think that Hosseini might be Amir, but they sure do have some similarities. Links * http//www. usatoday. com/life/books/news/2005-04-18-kite-runner_x. htm * http//www. gradesaver. com/the-kite-runner/study-guide/ * http//www. wikisummaries. org/The_Kite_Runner * http//polsci167. blogspot. com/2011/09/kite-runner-redemption-within-tentative. html.