Stereotypes In The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini

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Recommended: Media as a factor influencing public perception

A single story is a misconception and a stereotype of a certain group. A generalization that is formulated through media and everyday interactions. Creating these single stories can cause us to make an unfair and incomplete assumption. This summer, I read the novel, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, and found myself shocked to see that I made an assumption about the main character’s home-life. The single story I made was based on what I had seen in the media; I assumed that because Amir Jan lived in Afghanistan that he was living in poverty and was in need of basic resources; Khaled proved me wrong by showing the high class and complex childhood Amir had, along with showing me the other social classes present.
Ever since I was a kid, watching …show more content…

He explained in close detail the riches Amir had. I had originally assumed Amir would be living in a shack type home and have limited resources. Within the first through pages of, The Kite Runner, Amir narrates his home to the readers, “A broad entryway flanked by rose bushes led to the sprawling house of marble floors and wide windows”(4). While reading this strongly detailed paragraph, I was shocked. Amir’s house was a intricate mansion with beautiful detailing and structure. In my mind, I was picturing a impoverish shack and was taken to a mansion. Khaled dismantled my stereotype almost immediately, I realized that not everyone in Afghanistan was living in severe poverty. He illustrated this grand and well- built house allowing me to rethink my first thought. Khaled showed me my previous thoughts were incorrect multiple times and still managed to surprise me. Amir’s servant, Hassan is a close friend, and Amir vividly explains his walk to come visit him. Amir recalls his past, “I went past the rosebushes to Baba’s mansion. Hassan to the mud-shack where he had been born, where he’d lived his whole life”(6). My single story had made a journey of assuming full poverty to assuming an average lifestyle and again I was struck with surprise. My original single story of poverty did indeed exist but was incomplete. There was a lot of diverse social classes. The extremely

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