Symbolism in Kite Runner

What characters have scars in The Kite Runner?

What characters have physical disfigurements?

What do these characters have in common?

FONTS

Symbolism in Kite Runner

Works Cited

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/the-kite-runner/themes.html

https://www.google.ca/search?rlz=1C1CHFX_enCA539CA539&hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1360&bih=666&q=kite&oq=kite&gs_l=img.3..0l10.1171.1531.0.1687.4.4.0.0.0.0.94.314.4.4.0....0...1ac.1.32.img..1.3.220.vuo8YTQgpec#hl=en&q=kite+clipart&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=5fpwxPk6lK_5qM%3A%3Bq86fISAWLUE4uM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F4vector.com%252Fi%252Ffree-vector-kite-clip-art_105717_Kite_clip_art_hight.png%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F4vector.com%252Ffree-vector%252Fkite-clip-art-105717%3B450%3B598

http://kiterunnergroup6.blogspot.ca/2012/03/look-of-lamb.html

Ciara, Graham, and Yana

Scars

"Sohrab's eyes flicked to me. They were slaughter sheep's eyes. They even had the mascara- I remember how, on the day of Eid of gorban, the mullah in our backyard used to apply mascara to the eyes of the sheep and feed it a cube of sugar before slicing its throat. I thought I saw pleading in Sohrab's eyes. (298, Hosseini)

The price paid for acts of bravery

"It was a look I had seen before. It was the look of the lamb." (81, Hosseini)

-Sohrab when with Assef

-Mascara like the lamb

-Hassan before rape

Kites

Amir stops the abuse for Sohrab.

- Baba's scraped knuckles/scars from the bear

- Hassan's scar from his cleft lip

- Amir's scars from fight with Assef

Amir sacrifices Hassan for the kite.

But no one ever doubted the veracity of any story about Baba. And if they did, well, Baba did have those three parallel scars coursing a jagged path down his back. I have imagined Baba's wrestling match countless times, even dreamed about it. And in those dreams, I can never tell Baba from the bear. (3.1)

Their sacrifice isn't their life, but their innocence and dignity.

The Lamb

Character: Amir

A sheep or lamb is sacrificed in a Muslim festival.

Symbolizes: Violence

Social class

Happiness and guilt

The Kite Runner

Who is this referring to?

Christianity - sacrificing an innocent

Connection with Baba

Amir's rape

Redemption with Sohrab

Purity in imperfection

The Slingshot

Represents Control.

This is shown:

When Amir and Hassan are sitting up in a tree, Amir uses his control over Hassan to shoot people and animals with his slingshot.

- Birthmark

- Cleft lip

- Polio paralysis

The Pomegranate Tree

Represents Bravery.

This is shown in:

• Amir and Hassan's confrontation with Assef

and,

• Amir and Sorabs contfrontation with Assef

[...] Ali had congenital paralysis of his lower face muscles, a condition that rendered him unable to smile and left him perpetually grimfaced. (2.20)

Symbolizes the friendship between Amir and Hassan.

How does the tree symbolize their friendship?

• Amir and Hassan regularly travel to the tree to play, eat the tree's fruit, and read stories.
• Amir carves into the tree:
• "Amir and Hassan, the sultans of Kabul."