Kite Runner Classics Paper

Have you ever done something that you wish you could take back? Ever regretted something from your past and had to find a way to deal with the guilt? This same universal theme of sin and redemption is one of many themes touched upon in the novel The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. This novel was both relatable and enlightening. Its use of literary elements, complex character development, and interesting plot made it a very quick and enjoyable read. The Kite Runner possesses all of the criteria needed to be considered a classic. It will no doubt have “lasting power”, and will be found on the shelves of bookstores and classrooms for years to come. “... 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” (1). This quote, said by the main character, Amir, introduced a universal theme which would play a very important role throughout the rest of the novel; the theme of sin and redemption. As Ronny Noor says, it is “… a novel of sin and redemption, a son trying to redeem his father’s sin” (148). It seemed as though every memory told by Amir was in some way haunted and tainted by the sins of his past. Amir lived much of his life throughout the novel trying to gain redemption and peace for his sin of betraying his best friend Hassan.
We later discover that Amir is not the only character who is in need of redemption. Amir was told that Baba, the person who he had strived to impress and looked up to his whole life, had committed a sin of his own and had been lying to Amir about it his whole life. This brought Amir to a realization that he and Baba were very much alike. “And with that came this realization: that Rahim Khan had summoned me here to atone not just for my sins but for Baba’s too” (226). By the end of the novel, Amir found a way to forgive both him and his father’s sins. He found redemption by erasing the lines of discrimination that has been holding him back all of his life, and adopting Hassan’s son so that he will have an equal chance at success and happiness.
Soraya and Rahim Khan also looked to Amir for forgiveness and redemption from sins they committed in their pasts. Before they got married, Soraya told Amir about her sinful past with another man. Amir, however stunned and hurt by this truth, realized that he had to forgive her and look beyond her past. “How could I, of all people, chastise someone for their past” (165)? By redeeming Soraya from her sins, Amir almost envied her for her courage to speak the truth, however painful it was. Soraya helped Amir one step closer to realizing that if he was ever going to be redeemed for his sins, he had to gain the courage to speak of it ask Soraya had. Rahim Khan also wanted Amir’s forgiveness for keeping Baba’s secret before he dies. He told Amir, “I know that in the end, God will forgive. He will forgive your father, me, and you too ... Forgive your father if you can. Forgive me if you wish. But most important, forgive yourself” (302). Rahim Khan, in many ways, also helped lead Amir to being able to forgive himself and find redemption. Just as he once said, “There is a way to be good again” (1). This statement, repeated over and over, is the universal truth which makes this novel a classic, that it’s possible to find redemption and forgiveness from sin.
The uses of literary elements in this novel are also those of a classic. Flashback and foreshadowing were used very frequently by Hosseini. The story begins in 2001 and ends in 2002, but the whole novel is a flashback that brings the reader from Amir’s childhood through his manhood. This also makes it so the reader is provided with information about what happened outside of the action that had taken place in the novel as the story unfolds. Foreshadowing sometimes also appeared to signal the coming of a life changing event. One example occurs on page 275, when Amir is nervously eating a grape in the house of a Taliban official. Amir foreshadows, “The grape was sweet. I popped another one in my mouth, unaware that it would be the last bit of solid food I would eat for a long time.” This prepares the reader for the violence that unfolded soon after, between Amir and Assef.
The dialogue and the narration in this novel used a variety of modes which affected and contributed to the meaning of the work, making it a classic. Both detailed descriptions and casual conversations were used. One feature of the novel is the use of the Farsi language. This helps provide the reader with knowledge about the Afghan culture and traditions. The words are almost always translated, and set apart by commas. “I couldn’t lie to her and say that my pride, my iftikhar, wasn’t stung at all” (165). By the end of the novel the reader is familiarized with several expressions such as this one.
Imagery and symbolism is also introduced in the beginning of the novel and is mirrored by those at the end. The book began and ended with kite flying contests. The imagery of kite-fighting in the beginning portrayed the last happy moments of Hassan and Amir. At the end, there was a smaller but similar contest between Amir and Hassan’s son, Sohrab, suggesting the redemption and final self-forgiveness of Amir. The flying of kites brought the characters together. For a moment, they were part of a team. The characters enjoyed flying the kites in both the beginning and end of the novel, and it allowed them to momentarily escape their differences and be somewhat mutual. The kites symbolized a momentary sense of freedom. The complexity and growth in Amir is one which demonstrates that The Kite Runner is a classic novel. Maria Elena Caballero-Robb explains that the novel “sketches the maturation of its protagonist from a callow beguiled by mythical stories of heroes” (99). Amir Khan began as an un-athletic, shy, and innocent twelve year old boy. He spent most of the time playing with his servant, Hassan. Both of the boys got picked on; Amir because he was friends with his servant, and Hassan because he was a Hazara. Amir was always too afraid to stick up for himself, and it was always Hassan who ended up taking the hits for the both of them.
Amir was constantly trying to impress his father, to no avail. Baba very often voiced his concern for the kind of man Amir would turn out to be. He often compared Amir to Hassan, wondering why his son couldn’t be more like Hassan. His father saw Amir’s lack of courage and inability to speak up as a weakness, which was proven to be true. “Amir, confused, embittered, and convinced of his servant’s elevated status in Baba’s affections, sets about severing ties of a different kind” (O’Brien 102). Amir’s flaw was truly shown when he watched as Hassan got beaten and raped by a bully named Assef after trying to retrieve Amir’s winning kite. Amir stood watching in horror, but didn’t say a word in defense of his friend. After encountering this horrible event and feeling uncomfortable about it, Amir selfishly finds a way to get rid of Hassan and his father. This flaw, hiding, is one that readers can identify with, even if in a negative way.
Amir struggles with the memory of his cowardice to act for decades after. The entire novel is Amir’s journey to find ways to cope with himself and with his guilt. The way that Amir tried to ignore his past is a manner of living in which the reader can recognize. He and Baba eventually moved from Afghanistan to America. America,
Amir thought, was to be a new beginning. It was be a place where he could forget about his past, hide away from it. But Amir eventually found that he could not hide from his own guilty conscious. When his future wife, Soraya, spoke of her sinful past, he was reminded of his own, and also his lack of courage. He returned to Afghanistan after hearing that Rahim Khan, an old family friend, had fallen ill. There, Amir was finally forced to face everything that had been lingering with him for decades. He was informed that Amir and his wife was shot and killed by a Taliban after having a child. Amir had haunting dreams in which he was the Taliban man standing in front of Hassan with a gun pointing at his head. Rahim told Amir that he should go find Hassan’s son, who was put in an orphanage after the death of his father. There, Amir was faced with much more than he expected. He came in contact with Assef, now a child molesting Taliban killer, with Hassan’s son. Amir finally overcame his weakness, and stood up to try and get the boy from Assef. “…when a coward stops remembering who he is… God help him” (275). For probably the first time in his life, Amir didn’t hide and watch. He fought for this boy. The growth from Amir’s shy scared boy to a courageous and brave man definitely demonstrated the complexity of human nature. It shows yet another reason why The Kite Runner is a classic. This novel had both an interesting and suspenseful plot which will leave every reader stimulated and moved in some way. It contains both political issues and a personal tale about how choices later affect our lives. It provides interesting information about Afghanistan, and the reader learns some of events of both America and the Middle East. Readers can explore a new culture of a previously obscure and peaceful nation that is now a big part of global politics. The journey of Amir from an insecure boy to a man more at peace is a very relatable plot. Startling, unexpected plot twists provide constant suspense and wonder for the reader throughout the novel. This is the plot of a classic. Now used as summer reading books in multiple high schools, and found on many lists for book clubs, this novel seems as though it will be here to stay. It provides such a vivid glimpse of the life in Afghanistan over the past quarter of a century, and is both enlightening and informational. It is one of the first novels to be written about Afghan after September 11, which had for been ignored by writers for a long time. Hopefully it will inspire many writers in the future that this issue is not one to be ignored. #1 New York Times bestseller, this novel will be passed on to future generations for years to come, and will no doubt have the “lasting power” of a classic novel. The Kite Runner fit every quality in which a classic novel should. It contained a journey with Amir in order to discover the universal truths of sin and redemption. The protagonist, like in all classic novels, was developed and enlightened about these truths by the end. This novel also contained many literary elements which greatly enhanced the meaning and feel of the work. The use of sarcasm, foreshadowing, flashbacks, and language were styles used by Hosseini to enhance the novel. A classic’s protagonist, like Amir, demonstrates growth and change, which shows the complexity of human nature. Amir changed tremendously throughout his journey, and both of his flaws and enlightenment are easy to identify with. The plot was complex, ever changing, and interesting. It is one that will keep readers turning the pages. It was an incredible novel, and is still going to be popular years from now. This novel is a classic, and has left a lasting impression on me.

Bibliography

Elena Caballero-Robb, Maria. “Critical Essay on The Kite Runner.” Literary Newsmakers for Students. Thomson Gale, 2006.

Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Penguin Group, 2003. 1-371.

Noor, Ronny. “Afghanistan: The Kite Runner.” World Literature Today. Vol. 78, NO. 3-4. September-December 2004. p.148.

O’Brien, James. “The Sins of the Father.” Times Literary Supplement. October 10, 2003. p 25.