The Kite Runner - Novel Analysis

Executive Summary

The Kite Runner is a story of two boys from Afghanistan raised as friends, but ultimately family. This heartbreaking and heartwarming story trails family, culture, hostility, shame, regret, revenge and redemption.

The story starts out in the 1960's and spans nearly 40 years. The protagonist, Amir, and his father, whom he calls Baba, are a well to do family duo. Amir's closest friend is Hassan, the son of their servant Ali. Ali and Hassan are Hazara while Amir and Baba are Pashtuns. Pashtuns have always made fun of Hazaras and been the dominant of the two. Hassan is sweet in nature and stops at nothing to defend his friend Amir. Amir, who is struggling to bond with Baba is active in kite fighting while Hassan is his "kite runner", always knowing where is kite will land. One day, in 1975, Amir at 12 years old, wins the annual kite tournament. Later that day Assef, a local bully and "sociopath", brutally assaults Hassan. Amir becomes witness to the attack, but does nothing. Hassan remains a loyal friend to Amir regardless of the situation which gives Amir great shame. He ultimately frames his friend and makes life impossible for Ali and Hassan. The two eventually move from their backhouse and out of Amir's life. Fast forward to the future where Amir becomes the successful writer he has always dreamt of becoming and marrying a beautiful Afgani woman. But life is not all bliss when the past comes back with a vengeance. Amir receives word from Rahim, Baba's old business partner who knows all about Amir's past, who gives him grave news of Hassan. In an unfortunate turn of events, Amir is presented with a challenge and opportunity to redeem his cowardly ways of his childhood and uplift Hassan's memory in glory.

Intercultural Communication Discipline

In Understanding Intercultural Communication, (p.66) the authors define identity as "the reflective self-conception or self-image that we each derive from family, gender, cultural, ethnic, and individual socialization processes. The text also goes on to state identity can be formed from either social or professional identities. Identity can be any special attribute in which one associates one self in comparison to those of others. These self identities "influence our everyday behavior in a generalized and particularized manner."

In The Kite Runner Amir and Hassan are drastically different in multiple aspects. Although both boys were Muslim, Amir was Sunni while Hassan was Shia. The boys, only one year apart, also had different physical looks. Hassan was born with a cleft lip, and Amir had no such physical markings. Amir and Hassan, although best friends, had drastically different personal identities. Hassan was more than a loyal servant, he was a loyal friend. He was brave and physical. Amir was the independent, book smart boy who aspired to be a writer. Both of their social and personal attributes paired with their ethnic and religious differences, heavily shaped the men in which they later became.

Like his father, Ali, Hassan was a servant. Hassan easily embraced who he was and loved his father so dearly, and the love from Ali for Hassan was clear too. But Hassan also had deep connections for Baba with whom he had a close affection for. Ali and Hassan were both religiously faithful engaging in praying the Namaz. He also had the deep affections of Baba. As far as friends go, Hassan was the most faithful, loving and loyal as you can get. He would have and did, sacrifice everything he had for Amir; only to be betrayed. Amir witnessed an unthinkable and indescribable act when he found Assef had viciously attacked and raped Hassan. And Amir did not do anything. He didn't stand up for Hassan nor did he tell anyone what had happened. It was an ultimate betrayal.

Amir had always struggled with knowing who he was. He did not identify with his father easily, and he had never known his mother. Even with never knowing his mom, who died during child birth, he knew his love for books came from her. Amir had a longing desire to connect with his Baba but could never answer the question of "who am I?" Amir frequently found he was conflicted and even jealous, although he never knew why. It is not until later does he figure out why he had those feelings. Amir often was at odd with Baba and never felt truly loved which a lot of the time left him feeling despise towards his dad. His father was not what one would call religious, and often ridiculed those with religious traditions and beliefs. It is because of this that Amir did not grow up practicing that religion of his family and friends.

Spirituality

While there was a huge part of religion missing from Amir's life, the book itself was not lacking in religious beliefs and spirituality. I do believe however, that the lack of religion was the missing link in Amir all along and why he could not identify who he was and what his purpose served. In Afghanistan, where the beginning of this story starts, the majority of the population is Muslim. This leads to many references to their beliefs and culture. An example is "...the 10th day of Dhui Hijah, the last month of the Muslim calendar, and the first three days of Eid-ul-Adha, or Eid-e-Qorban, as Afghans call it- a day to celebrate how the prophet Ibrahim almost sacrificed his own son for God. Baba has handpicked the sheep again this year, a powder white one with crooked black ears." (pg. 67) Religion can and does vary from person to person according to one's own values. Such varied interpretation can be seen in Baba. To him, religion or spirituality, is the honor and respect of his peers. He is prided on morality and courage. A prime example of this is when the encounter the Russian soldier. When they were flee Afghanistan and meet the soldier who demands "a half hour with the lady in the back of the truck" Baba says "Ask him where his shame is..... war doesn't negate decency. It demands it, even more than in time of peace." (pg. 100) Although Baba did not follow religion and could not stand preachers imposing their strict views unto others, he did have his own ways of relieving his guilt. "... now, mo matter what the Mullah teaches, there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft. Do you understand that?" (pg. 16) Because of his fathers influence, Amir had similar non-traditional values. It was private. The book only references Amir praying twice. First when his father got sick and "asked for kindness from a God I wasn't sure