Major themes and messages in The Kite Runner

Major themes and messages in The Kite Runner

FAMILY TIES BETWEEN FATHERS

AND SONS

DISCRIMINATION

-Amir growing up had a rocky relationship between he and his father

Baba. Baba was ashamed of Amir for not behaving in a way he would like

and participating in activities that Baba himself had when he had been a

boy. Baba views Amir as less of a son than he does Hassan at certain points in the novel. Amir had noticed this and felt he was less than in his fathers eyes. He wished to please Baba, especially in Kite Running. When he wins the kite running tournament Baba is finally proud of his accomplishment. When he and Baba move to The United States in 1981 their relationship

begins to develop as a close-knit parental and child relationship, and friendship. Baba is proud

of Amirs graduation, and speaks to Soraya's father The General to allow for Amir to marry his

daughter. The relationship between Amir and Baba remained strong until Baba's death shortly after the marriage.

-Hassan and his "father" ,Ali had a very close relationship throughout Hassan's life. Ali cared deeply

for Hassan and took care of him as best as he could with the limited means of living that they had.

It was later discovered that Ali had not been the biological father of Hassan, but Amir's father

is the actual father. Hassan never knew this, but loved Baba dearly as a family member. He and

Baba were close, and Baba cared for him and paid for a surgery to repair his hairlip.

-Hassan named his son Sohrab after his favorite character from the Shanamah,and

were close until the time of Hassan's murder. Hassan taught his son how to read and

educated him so he would not grow up the way his father had,illiterate. He also taught

Sohrab how to use a slingshot like he had when he was a boy. Sohrab was

more than devistated by his fathers murder. He loved his father more than

anything.

MANS INHUMANITY TO MAN

-One of the most major problems the world faces is discrimination.

-In The Kite Runner, a recurring theme is the discrimination that takes place. Discrimination is one of the underlying factors for each and every problematic event that took place. Discrimination is what led to Hassan not knowing that Ali was not his real father, because Hassan's mother was a Hazara. Hassan was bullied by the neighborhood children for being a Hazara and led to the assualt he receives by Assef. Hassan and his wife were murdered because the Taliban is composed of Pastuns and they looked upon the Hazara couple as less than, not worthy enough to live.

-The novel also addresses the historical discrimination and dispute between the Pashtun and Hazara grroups, and the Shiite and Sunni muslims. The Pashtun's are looked upon as inferior because they have Mongoloid features. Their heritage, and origin are different and that has caused bloodshed throughout history.

-The Taliban is against those whom are not of Pashtun origin. They require all men to wear beards, and the women are considered to be second class citizens, not permitted to leave the house to get an education and forced to wear burkas which concealed the majority of the woman's body except for her eyes.

- Amir had viewed Hassan as a less than because of his Hazara roots. Hassan was not

permitted to go to school like Amir was because he was a Hazara, and neither were the

other Hazara children of Kabul. Amir's judgement towards Hassan caused him to be

judgemental, and did not reciprocate Hassan's kindness.

-Throughout the novel, numerous accounts of cruelty are present. Murderer and Rape are only the beginnings of what is discussed in The Kite Runner. The most inhumane are those done to the children in the story.

-the major antagonist in the story is Assef, a cruel and sadistic teenager who grew to become even more cruel and sadistic when he obtained power as an adult. He had sodomized Hassan when they were teens and as he grew up, he continued to victimize vulnerable children leaving them scarred and emotionally compromised. The children he assaults are both males and females.

-Assef represents many psychopathic child rapists that exist all over the world. He assaults the children because they are defenseless, weak, and simply because he can. He does this because he wants to assert his dominance upon them and frighten them; it is not the act itself, but the power he feels when doing the act. The children's fear makes him feel strong and that is what he enjoys. That is the inhumane reason for anyone to sexually assault someone; the dominating aspect of the act.

-Torture and murder are also addressed, with the thousands of Afghan civilians that are slaughtered by the Russians, and their own people who formed the Taliban.

The Taliban publicly stone a man and woman to death, and will shoot anyone on demand if they have the desire to do so. There is no respect for human life for

those who are not considered to be "equal". The people in areas of power

and authority who abuse and are sadistic have no remorse,let alone do

they care about being inhumane to others,men,women and

even children.

SIN AND REDEMPTION

REDEMPTION:

-Amir lived in extreme guilt his entire life for what he had done to Hassan and the results of his actions. When Amir received a phone call from Rhahim Khan, he had said "Come. There is a way to be good again." In that moment Amir had learned that what he had done to Hassan was known my Rhahim Khan. He also knew that he had to go. He wanted to be good again, since he felt horrible for what he had done to his friend.

-When Amir had arrived in Bamiyan and spoke to Rhamin Khan he learned the truth of he, Hassan's, and his father's past. His father had committed adultery with Ali's wife,resulting in the pregnancy and birth of Hassan. Baba had never said this to anyone, he acted as if Hassan was just a friend of the family. Baba attempts to "make right" by fixing Hassan's cleft lip, and treating Hassan just as he treated Amir, sometimes even more lovingly than he did Amir. Baba lived with guilt of not aknowledging Hassan as his son. Amir also learns that Hassan and his wife were murdered and that their son was now in an orphanage.

Amir travels to retrieve Hassan's son Sohrab, his half nephew.

He encounters many problems in getting Sohrab;

he takes him to live with he and his wife

in the U.S.

SIN:

-Amir had deeply betrayed his bestfriend, and half brother Hassan by an act of omission. He did not stop his friends assault, nor did he tell anyone what had occurred. He simply remained silent.

-Amir also made life difficult on Hassan by not speaking to him out of guilt

-Amir planted "stolen" items under Hassan's bed to make it seem that Hassan had stolen from Amir

-Baba had lied about the fact that Hassan was his biological child,an act of "theft"