The Kite Runner: An Analysis

Philip Zimbardo, a psychologist of Stanford University, famed for the notorious Zimbardo Prison Experiment once said that “Heroes are those who can somehow resist the power of the situation and act out of noble motives, or behave in ways that do not demean others when they easily can.” In hindsight, it’s a greatly fitting reflection on the Zimbardo Prison Experiment when so many otherwise innocent people started abusing their power simply because they could. However, the quote, in other words, means that only those who can act in the highest moral standards regardless of what is instinctual as well as forced by the environment are the “heroes,” or people embodying the purest virtues of humanity. Throughout some works of literature such as
The structure of this novel is centered around one character, Amir. He is guilt-stricken regarding his decision to be idle while his best friend was violated protecting him. Hosseini depicts the evolution of a child who easily succumbed to base emotions to protect himself only into an adult who is willing to risk his life to pay back a debt. When faced with the prospect of his friend Hassan being raped, Amir simply stood quietly out of fear for his own safety. In doing so, he automatically values his life more than Hassan’s. His reactions to Hassan being raped are depicted by Hosseini “I bit on my fist. Shut my eyes.” (73, Hosseini) and “I opened my mouth, almost said something. Almost. The rest of my life might have turned out differently if I had. But I didn’t. I just watched. Paralyzed” (73, Hosseini). Upon further analysis, both reactions have similar implications; Amir is far from comfortable watching Hassan violated by Assef, but at the same time, he shows no sign of even wanting to act. He seems cowardly and Hosseini makes it clear to the reader than Amir, at this stage, is absolutely terrified and has completely given in to his base emotions. Many years later, upon learning of his best friend’s death and their true relation, Amir is fed up with the guilt. Even in America, the scars of his betrayal on his conscience are too near as he describes “Maybe this was my punishment and perhaps justly
In Luke Skywalker, the struggle between base emotion and noble ideals is actually very literal. In the final clash between father and son, Luke starts to fight simply to redeem his father, Anakin Skywalker, who was “seduced to the dark side by Darth Vader” (Lucas, Star Wars VI). In the beginning, Luke represents the pure virtue of the Jedi way which does not include unjustified murder. Vader’s master chants on Luke to “give in to your hatred” (Lucas, Star Wars VI) and kill his father in cold blood. Vader and his master, the Emperor, represent the base emotions of anger and hatred. However, throughout the fight, Luke starts to succumb to Darth Vader’s words as well as lose hope in his cause. In the microscopic scene of this battle, Luke is against hopeless odds where he has only his teachings to support the noble ideals whereas Vader and the Emperor fuel his anger. Eventually, Luke disarms Vader, his father and has the opportunity to completely terminate him. However, he doesn’t do so despite the chants of the Emperor. Luke comes to the realization that killing Vader and “winning” the battle against the Emperor and his father is succumbing to base emotions and is completely against the noble virtues of the Jedi way. In giving up the battle after disarming Vader, Luke