all themes

Kite runner is told from a (NARRATIVE ARC)

retrospective perspective

Start & End Settings 2 (NARRATIVE ARC)

Start:

• Frozen, cold December

End:

• spring - new beginning

What does the runner at the end symbolise? (NARRATIVE ARC)

• Amir giving up power

• Changer in perspective

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Amir’s religion 3 RELIGION & ETHNICITY

• Like his father, not a devout Muslim

• Only times he prays is moment of extreme fear

• However his background form key parts of the narrative

Amir & Baba as a Afghan 3 RELIGION & ETHNICITY

• Although Amir’s is mostly a journey of redemption it is closely tied with what it means to be an Afghan

• Part of a problem with A & B relationship - is Baba idea of what a man should be like

• Baba considers himself as a Afghan always → why he is brave to soldier, and upset at American store

Amir in American society 4 RELIGION & ETHNICITY

• Suggestion of Amir not fitting in as a Afghan is reinforced by ease of fitting into American society

• Shown by passages of his success as a writer in university

• Amir tells Farid he feels like a tourist

• However Farid’s respect coincides Amir finally feeling more comfortable

Tension between Pashtun & Hazara RELIGION & ETHNICITY

• Forms a thread throughout the novel

• bullying of Ali & Hassan because of ethnicity

• the befriending of Hazaras by Baba & Amir puts them on the wrong side of ethnic divide

• Amir isn’t confident enough to act on Baba’s liberal beliefs until end → When he tells father in law to call Sohrab by name rather than Ethnic group

Hosseini Views on Ethnic Divide RELIGION & ETHNICITY

• The suggestion Hosseini is making is the lack of respect for different people that underlies all the problem in Afghanistan

“There is a way to be good again” 2 REDEMPTION

• It is the desire to make up the events of his childhood & fear of what it might cost for him to achieve this

• Which drives all of Amir’s decisions and form the basis of his character

Amir’s return to Afghanistan 3 REDEMPTION

• By going to the USA and fitting in so well - he has run away from the events of his childhood

• Only by returning he can reconcile the person he is with the person he wants to be

• By rescuing Sohrab he symbolically rescues Hassan

Baba’s redemption 3 REDEMPTION

• His father in both public activities such as building an orphanage

• And the private ways he interacts with his sons

• is searching for a way to atone for his infidelity with Sanaubar

Soraya’s Redemption 3 REDEMPTION

• This is a reason why she and Amir would seem to be such a good match

• He is in a position to understand her need for forgiveness

• “Nothing you said changes anything”

Rahim Khan 3 REDEMPTION

• He carries guilt over his failure to speak up at a time when it could of made a difference

• regarding Hassan’s rape & parentage

• Unable to seek atonement for himself, his request that Amir rescues Sohrab from Kabul is his way of achieving this redemption

Relationship between Baba and Amir 2 FA THER & SON

• Baba has mixed feelings about Amir because of Sofia & fathering Hassan

• Amir’s attempt to close the distance → has influence on his personality & events of his life

When is Amir & Baba’s relationship reconciled FATHER & SON

• When he sees Amir grow into a man with a wife

“I put her..” 3 FATHER & SON

• “I put her up to it I hope you don’t mind”

• Admitting the fact he wanted to hear the stories he had previously dismissed

• He seeks his sons for forgiveness, an act of respect not seen before

Relationship between Baba and Hassan 4

FATHER & SON

• Baba is Hassan’s father

• Their relationship never acknowledged so never reconciled

• Baba treats him equally with Amir and does not have to cope with any animosity or guilt if Hassan knew his true parentage 

• However he does carry guilt over Ali’s betrayal and that he can not formally acknowledge his other son 

Hassan , Sohrab , Amir 4

FATHER & SON

• Hassan & Sohrab similar to the relationship between Ali & Hassan 

• As novel ends, Amir has replaced Hassan and Sohrab’s guardian 

• A reflection of Ali raising Baba’s son as Amir now raises Hassans

• Suggesting that the act of caring, loving and guiding are as influential as blood ties

Rahim Khan and Amir  2

FATHER & SON

• Rahim Khan surrogate figure

• Provides support and comfort

“I want you yo understand … “ 4 FATHER & SON

“I want you to understand that good, real good, was born out of your fathers remorse”

• details things Baba did (build orphanage, feeding poor)

• Through this we understand the actions that made Baba a legend in Amir’s eyes were driven by his remorse over Hassan’s parentage

• Allows Amir to equate his own guilt with his father’s and therefore feel closer to him 

“too late for Hitler, but not for us” POWER & OPPRESSION

• Control → repetition of “our”, verbal & physically controlling - rape

• rape - violated bodies, metanarrative → symbolic of how Afghanistan raided by countries

Hosseni uses Assef 2 POWER & OPPRESSION

• Hosseini uses him as a villain with no redeeming qualities, draws on that cultural understanding for American audience

• uses references to Nazi to help American audience to culturally understand “blue eyes”

Amir’s inability to speak up POWER & OPPRESSION

message from Hoesseni to speak up and give voice

“flat nose” POWER & OPPRESSION

• Capitilised → nickname

• cultural signifier of his race

“polute” “dirty” POWER & OPPRESSION

• idea of purity of “true afghans”

• sweeping gestures - Pashtuns own land

• “my vision” - own sense of importance dynamic enforcing

social issue for women in patriarchal societies WOMEN

theocracy - gov ruled by religion (Taliban)

Sanaubar WOMEN

• Patriarchal view of her being dishonourable

• presented as a temptress who tempts men into indefelity

• judgement - Hassan has “lost her to a fate most Afghans consider far worse than death”

How does Hoesseni establish Sanubar in the beginning 2 WOMEN

• established as negative character which is challenged to an extent later in the novel

• Even in the beginning Hosseini challenges view of women through the soldiers who use vile misogynistic language and gestures to taunt Hassan → showing her as a victim of SA

the absence of women WOMEN

highlights their exclusion from society

Hosseni draws attention to the “double standard” in which women are treated

Using the similar experiences of Soraya & Sohrab WOMEN

• Hosseini shows that Afghanistan Diaspora in the USA continue to perpetuate these misogynistic views and attitudes

Use of Soraya WOMEN

• Hosseini uses Soraya as a plot device to drive Amir’s motivation towards atonement

• creates a story gap that allows for Sohrab to be adopted

• this creates a narrative cycle of redemption for Amir - creating a cathartic effect for the reader

• (because Amir feels punished as he cant have kids)