The Kite Runner Essay

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Introduction: Khaled Hosseini’s ‘The Kite Runner’ is an inspirational book which leaves a long-lasting impression on the reader. Apart from being a bestseller, it also has a poignant film based on it, made in 2007. The book is the winner of the Penguin/ Orange Reader’s Group Prize (2006 & 2007). According to the ‘Daily Telegraph’, it is ‘a devastating, masterful and painfully honest story.’ Partly autobiographical, it describes Kabul where the author spent his childhood as also his migration to the US. “It was clear that Hosseini’s Afghan-American coming of age tale had struck an emotional nerve within readers” (Hunt, 2009, p.3). The book has been translated in 40 languages and read by people around the world. It is a fascinating story of friendship …show more content…

Hassan is completely loyal and would do anything for his friend and master. Perhaps the servant mentality is responsible to some extent because friendship involves sacrifice and unhappiness on his part. Amir is also concerned for his friend but is shallow. Faced with a difficult situation, he chooses to literally run. He is more interested in winning his father’s approval and keeps quiet about something which has hurt his friend Hassan a great deal. Not only that, he consciously uproots Hassan from a protected household, little caring about his future. The relationship is troubled and flawed as Amir’s guilt forces him to betray his friend twice, first by not helping his friend and second by forcing him to go away. “The relationship between Amir and his best friend (and half-brother) Hassan represents one occurrence of ethnic division and tension within ‘The Kite Runner’” (Hunt, 2009, p.9). Amir as a privileged boy tends to exploit the friendship for his own benefit. He needs Hassan for his physical strength as also for his company but when Hassan needs him, he does not offer his support. It is a reflection of his character which is weak. In order to be in his father’s good books, he overlooks Hassan’s friendship and loyalty to

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