Introduction:
The phrase “the sky's the limit” is an idea that many strive for. To be able to go from nothing to the best, however, this idea is not always relevant in society. brief summary of the theme of privilege in the kite runner. briefly state how this theme is scene by author scholars and the authors. (hosseini). briefly connect power to wealth. There is a great extent of power given to wealthy people in society.
Body Paragraph # 1
Throughout the Kite Runner Hosseini exemplifies that the only way for survival is political influence and wealth. For instance, Hosseini’s father’s relations allowed them to leave Afghanistan where as many other families did not have the resources to leave the country. Hosseini states, “my trip to Kabul, what hit me really there was an almost overwhelming sense of guilt” (Hosseini). As shown by these words, Hosseini’s guilt remains with him even as an adult. Hosseini left his home country because if it wasn’t for his departure he would have died just as thousands of others did. Hosseini uses his own experiences for inspiration as he writes the Kite Runner. Amir, the main character, explains, “I thought of the way we’d left the house, where I’d lived my entire life… Jalaluddin- would probably think we’d gone out for a stroll…” (Hosseini 47). Consequently, many would wonder about Amir’s disappearance however, in order to ensure a safe way to America, and a new life, they would have to keep quiet. Amir and his father had to leave the ones they loved most in order to live. In any case, the lives of the wealthy are spared simply because of who they are.
Body Paragraph # 2
Having an education is dependent on the social class of a person. Hosseini was educated and therefore became successful, unlike o...
... middle of paper ...
...se Pashtuns “have always dominated and ridiculed Hazaras.” (Database). The same dominance is seen in The Kite Runner when Hassan’s son, Sorab, is also rapped by Asseff. This repeated rape portrays the never ending struggle of lower class citizens and the helplessness they are forced to portray. Lower class citizens will always be controlled by their superiors simply because they are seen as inferior.
Conclusion Paragraph
Power is given to the upper class simply because they won at the genetic lottery of life. Who you are determines what you do. Hosseini shows us how social class determines who you are. He allows us to see the great amount of struggle in Afghanistan because of racial power. It opens our eyes to see how this applies here in the U.S. Many lower class families remain lower class for generations to come, and vice versa.
Works Cited
The kite runner
Hosseini writes, “ ‘How many orphans live here?’ Farid asked. ‘More than we have room for. About two hundred and fifty, ‘Zaman said over his shoulder. ‘But they’re not all yateem. Many of them have lost their fathers in the war and their mothers can’t feed them because the Taliban don’t allow them to work. So they bring their children here’ ”(253). An orphanage owner, Zaman, describes the current problems for the children of Pakistan. This scene shows the high verisimilitude of The Kite Runner. Conflicts with food and housing for orphans is a real problem; as well as, parents giving up their children so they can eat. This is all caused by the Taliban and the previous war raging in Afghanistan. The Taliban do not give opportunities for work or food to the parents who are still left to fend for their children. Fear is felt by all Afghans who even come in close contact with a Taliban member because the treatment Afghans have been given. Hosseini writes about the orphans to show that these problems can and will keep happening. Hosseini wants to prove how real his book can
The Kite Runner, is the first novel written by Khaled Hosseini. The Kite Runner is set in Afghanistan before the war in the city of Kabul, and then eventually in America. The novel relays the struggles of Amir (A young Shi’ boy), Hassan (a young Hazera servant boy) and Baba (Amir’s father) as they are growing up in an ever-changing Afghanistan. The young boys face difficult challenges most adults will never have to experience. Amir, Hassan, and even Baba must overcome cruelty in every aspect of their lives.
Pashtuns have more control over things, as Hosseini talked about in the novel, they had more control in their history. When Amir was describing his father as, “…a towering Pashtun specimen with a thick beard, a way ward crop of curly brown hair…” (Page 12), was way different compared to the way he described Ali, a Hazara. Amir did not realize that he was describing the Pashtuns as they were better than the Hazara’s, also when Amir mentioned Hassan he said how he did not call him his friend because Hassan was a Hazara and he was his servant. Although he did say they were like brothers because they grew up together but never did he say friends. The tragedy that happened in the novel when Hassan was rape, sometimes it can be seen as a betrayal because Amir did not help Hassan, Pashtun betraying a Hazara.
As implied by the title, kites play a major role in the novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. They appear numerous times within the text and prove to be surprisingly versatile in their literary function. They provide common ground for characters whose interests do not normally intersect. They are also present as a very powerful symbol, which adds an extra dimension to this already literary rich novel. Reversing the roles transcending generations, it shows itself to be a multifaceted medium.
Throughout an individual's life, many of one’s moral decisions are made based on their experience in race, ethnicity and social class. In Afghanistan, many individuals are judged based on their cultural backgrounds and hierarchy, which has led to the diversity of their own kind. Throughout the novel The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini focus on two types of castes: Pashtuns and Hazaras. Pashtuns are considered as the majority race and ethnic group in Afghanistan, while the Hazaras are viewed as the weakest and poorest race in Afghanistan, so they are easily insulted by Pashtuns. In this world, race, ethnicity and social class influences us to make the decisions individuals make. This is evident in the novel The Kite Runner
It is difficult to face anything in the world when you cannot even face your own reality. In his book The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini uses kites to bring out the major themes of the novel in order to create a truly captivating story of a young boy’s quest to redeem his past mistakes. Amir is the narrator and protagonist of the story and throughout the entire novel, he faces enormous guilt following the horrible incident that happened to his closest friend, Hassan. This incident grows on Amir and fuels his quest for redemption, struggling to do whatever it takes to make up for his mistakes. In Hosseini’s novel, kites highlight aspects of Afghanistan’s ethnic caste system and emphasizes the story’s major themes of guilt, redemption and freedom.
“It's wrong what they say about the past, I've learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out” (Hosseini). In The Kite Runner, Hosseini shares Amir’s journey to atonement. As Amir states, he was unable to bury his past, similar to his father, Baba, who spent the majority of his life haunted by his sins. While both father and son are consumed by guilt, the way in which they atone for their iniquities is dissimilar. While Baba attempts to live his life according to the Afghan saying, “ Life goes on, unmindful of beginning, end...crisis or catharsis, moving forward like a slow, dusty caravan of kochis [nomads]” (Hosseini 356), Amir strays from this traditional perspective. Baba chose to continue his life unmindful of his past, while Amir, eventually decides to confront his. Although both Baba and Amir have acted immorally, the choices they make find redemption affect the success of their individual attempts. In the novel, Amir’s quest for atonement is more effective than Baba’s because he acts virtuously, while his father, acts selfishly. Ultimately, Amir is the more successful of the two because, in opposition to Baba, he seeks holistic atonement and is willing to make sacrifices to achieve redemption.
Critics have played devil’s advocate with the main metaphor, kite fighting, claiming that it is underdeveloped. David Kipen argues that Hosseini “never fully explo...
Khaled Hosseini, the author of The Kite Runner, grew up in prejudiced Afghanistan during the 1960’s as a middle-class Pashtun living with Hazaras working for his family. His move to America after the Communist Coup proved difficult for his family, especially his father. In his novel, Hosseini writes through a young boy, Amir, very similar to himself, who grows up with his father and two Hazara servants in Afghanistan at the time of the Taliban attacks. Both Amir and his father, Baba, treat their servants, Hassan and Ali, like family. Society, however, does not approve of such relationships between Pashtuns and Hazaras. As Amir hides and watches horrified, another Pashtun boy rapes Hassan. This leads to the continuation of Amir’s internal conflict about the treatment of Hazaras by the public, and also makes him feel guilty and self-conscious throughout his entire life. In addition, Amir strives for affection and attention from his rather indifferent father. Amir’s outward conformity to societal values in his relationships with both Hassan and Baba, as a result of his inner struggle and guilt, contribute greatly to the significance of The Kite Runner.
In Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, the author follows the development of protagonist Amir through a life filled with sorrow, regret, and violence. Amir encounters numerous obstacles on his path to adulthood, facing a new test at every twist and turn. Amir embarks on the long journey known as life as a cowardly, weak young man with a twisted set of ideals, slowly but surely evolving into a man worthy of the name. Amir is one of the lucky few who can go through such a shattered life and come out the other side a better man, a man who stands up for himself and those who cannot, willing to put his life on the line for the people he loves.
In conclusion irony, symbolism, and foreshadowing contribute to the omnipresent theme of redemption throughout The Kite Runner. Khaled Hosseini ties together seemingly unimportant details of the story to create irony, and juxtaposes segments of his book to show redemption.
The book, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, depicts the story of a young boy named Amir who lives in Afghanistan. Hosseini follows around Amir in his journey throughout life and how his experiences have shaped him into the person he is today. Amir experiences times of sadness, happiness and confusion. Throughout the book, we see how Amir adapts to the conflicts arising and the tragedy around him.
Amir, the main character and narrator in the Kite Runner, belongs to a wealthy family in which his father is a powerful businessman. Amir is also a part of the dominant Pashtun ethnic group and Sunni religious group. Amir in the Kite Runner tells the story of his friendship with Hassan. Hassan and his father, Ali, are Amir’s servants. Hassan on the contrary is a low-caste ethnic Hazara and belongs to the minority Shi’it religious faith. This provides many of the Afghan’s who are different such as Sunni’s, who make up 85% of the Muslim faith, to persecute people like Hassan for their religion.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is a novel based in Afghanistan that shows the betrayal between two boys with two different social backgrounds. Four years later “The Kite Runner” was filmed by David Benioff, which shows the meaningful message that the book delivers in a movie. Throughout the book and movie, Amir the protagonist must live the rest of his life with guilt from his childhood. Although the movie gave the same meaningful message that the book delivered, the book was further developed, which had more detail and kept the readers wanting more. Ultimately these details that were present in the novel gave the readers a better understanding of the characters, which led to the relationships
The film The Kite Runner deserves praise because of the filmmakers’ interpretation of major scenes. The most controversial scene of the novel is the rape of Hassan, not because of Amir’s betrayal of his friend, but because Hassan is a child. Children are universally viewed as innocent individuals who require protection, and as a result any violence against children, even fictional, is likely to receive emotionally charged condemnation. Reading the novel, there does not seem to be a favourable way the filmmakers could portray such a scene. However after analysing the film, it can be concluded that Hassan’s rape is handled as well as realistically possible because the sexual assault of a child is directly implied without being mentioned or shown. Another aspect of the film that was handled well was the preface. In the novel, Amir, then in adulthood, states the impact a major event twenty-six years ago had on the rest of his life. This section also includes references to his friend Rahim Khan and the kites flying in Golden Gate Park. In the film similar information is also portrayed because of English subtitles that translate a phone conversation between Amir and Rahim Khan, as well as a scene, which features kites flying in front of the Golden Gate Bridge. However, in addition to this, the film also expands on the number of allusions by showing Amir’s wife Soraya as well as copies of his published novel. These additional details are appreciated because it allows for connections between the preface and the rest of the plot. The film’s preface is also superior because these new details are not integral to the storyline, and as a result do not ruin it, while the novel’s preface about a life changing event reduced the emotional impact of Hassan’s rape. Although this film should be held in high esteem because of the interpretation of major scenes, it is only one reason why this