What Are The Similarities Between The Kite Runner And A Tale Of Two Cities

Sacrifice can come in many different forms. Sacrifice of time, wellbeing, or even of one’s life. Regardless, literature has proven time and time again that the idea of giving something up for the greater good is an essential part of life. Throughout the novels The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, parallelism is used to show that in order to accomplish your goals, one must be able to sacrifice.

In the novel The Kite Runner, Hosseini uses similar events and characters in the first and second half of the book to create parallelism. Although the situations that Amir is presented with are very similar, his mindset when facing them changes dramatically the second time around. The scene in which Amir must react to

the rape of Hassan is paralleled in later chapters when Amir must save Sohrab from Assef.

Hosseini creates this parallel by characterizing Sohrab very similarly to the way he characterized Hassan. Thus, In both instances, Amir must help someone who is unable to help themselves. Initially, Amir is not willing to sacrifice anything of his own in order to help Hassan. He knew that he could either “stand up for Hassan… and accept whatever would happen to [him]. Or [he] could run. In the end, [he] ran” (Hosseini, 77). His decision results in a lot of emotional distress for him, and ultimately causes him to push Hassan and his father out of the house. Baba’s disappointment in the departure of Hassan and Ali goes to show that Amir did not achieve his goal of winning his father’s approval, because he was not willing to lose anything on order to earn it. However, in the latter portion of the book, when Amir is again forced to make a decision similar to the one he made in his childhood, he is willing to sacrifice. When Assef demands that Amir “earns” Sohrab from him, Amir recognizes that now is is “his turn” to sacrifice for someone he loves. As a result of his sacrifice, he is able to save Sohrab from Assef’s abuse., and finally be at peace with

himself. “[His] body was broken--just how badly I wouldn’t find out until later--but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed” (Hosseini, 289). He wasn’t able to do the same for Hassan because he didn’t sacrifice anything of his own in order to rescue him. As a result of this sacrifice, Amir is able to fulfill his two goals; to save Sohrab from Assef, and to finally receive the redemption he had been seeing out for the majority of the novel. By creating this parallel, the author is able to draw a comparison between those who sacrifice, and those who don’t, and make the statement that those who choose to sacrifice achieve their goals.
Charles Dickens also uses parallels in order to convey the theme that in order to succeed one must sacrifice. He uses character doubles such as Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton to create these parallels. These two characters are parallels in that they look alike, and are both in love with Lucie. However, Dickens uses parallelism in order to bring out their ironic differences; throughout much of the novel, Carton feels as though he is inadequate, and views Darnay as the better version of himself. Darnay’s main goal is to live a life free of guilt from his family, while Carton’s sole purpose in life is to keep Lucie happy. In order to break ties with his family and create a new life for himself, Darnay sacrifices the wealth and privilege that comes with his family name. Although in the end he was prosecuted for his actions, he is saved from execution by the family that he gained through the sacrifices he made. On the other hand, Carton faces many struggles regarding his self satisfaction and relationship with Lucie. When confessing his love to Lucie, he declares, “‘For you, and for any dear to you, I would do anything’” (Dickens, 158). Although he is fully willing to sacrifice for the wellbeing of Lucie, he is not given the chance until much later. Because of his inability to give anything up for her, he remains in his solemn state. In this way, Dicken’s use of parallelism emphasizes Carton and Darnay’s similarities and differences because of the irony of it. Carton, who has nothing to sacrifice, is far less successful in his own endeavors than Darnay, who had everything to give. Towards the end of the novel however, Carton is finally able to make the ultimate sacrifice, giving up his life for Lucie’s happiness. When Carton is about to be guillotined, it is said ‘that it was the peacefullest man’s face ever beheld there. Many added that he looked sublime and prophetic” (Dickens, 385). Only when he is able to make this sacrifice is he finally satisfied with his contribution to Lucie’s happiness. Thus, Charles Dickens uses parallels between characters in order to emphasize the differences in Darnay and Carton. These differences ultimately show that one must be able to sacrifice in order achieve their goals.
All in all, both A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini use parallelism in order to communicate the theme. Hosseini mirrors the Amir’s childhood in his Adulthood in order to show demonstrate that Amir’s fulfillment coincides with his ability to sacrifice. Dickens uses character doubles such as lookalikes Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton in order to bring out their differences. Although the authors used parallels in different ways, the theme that they communicated were the same; that in order to succeed, one must be able to sacrifice.