The Kite Runner Written Analysis
In Khaled Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner, the plot is constructed in a circular structure. Through circular structure, Hosseini accentuates characters’ development.
The circular structure facilitates the parallelism between Amir and Hassan’s relationship and Amir and Sohrab’s relationship. As a child, Amir struggles with internal conflict between treating Hassan as an equal or as an inferior. The last time they flew kites together Hassan turns to Amir and says “for you a thousand times over” (67); this is the last thing Hassan says to Amir before his assault. The hyperbole of “a thousand times over” expresses Hassan’s willingness to sacrifice himself for Amir; his genuine tone expresses his loyalty as a …show more content…
The pomegranate tree is a symbol of Amir and Hassan's friendship; symbolizing the childhood memories of playing and reading books together under the tree. The state of the tree reflects the state of Amir and Hassan’s relationship, as seen in earlier chapters the tree is healthy and fruitful, rich with “blooded pomegranates”(28). However, after Hassan’s assault Amir could not bare to see Hassan, Amir “made sure [their] paths crossed as little as possible, planned [his] day that way,” forever tainting his most treasured friendship (88). When Amir revisits the pomegranate tree years later, the state of the tree is “wilted, leafless,” and “hadn’t borne fruit in years” (264). The diction of “wilted” and “leafless” indicates the lifeless state the tree is in, correlating to the death of Amir and Hassan’s friendship and the lost of childhood. The pomegranate tree starts with a positive connotation, representing the brotherhood between Amir and Hassan; however, when the pomegranate tree is referenced again much later in the novel, it has a much more grim connotation correlating to how Amir and Hassan’s relationship ending after Hassan leaves town. In addition to the pomegranate tree, Amir’s actions also repeat; in the novel Amir places money underneath a mattress. Similar to how Amir attempts to frame Hassan by planting his birthday money underneath Hassan’s mattress; …show more content…
Throughout the novel Hosseini expresses Amir’s inner-turmoil through vivid dreams. Hassan dreams of swimming in a lake with Amir when suddenly a monster “dragged [Hassan] to the murky bottom” (86). The dream is a metaphor for Amir’s guilt, providing insight of how Amir’s abandonment of Hassan is continuing to haunt him. The monster symbolizes Amir, who was given the chance to save Hassan but instead decides to walk away on Hassan’s assault. The “murky button” portrays Hassan’s lost of innocence and friendship. Later in the novel when Amir gets word of Hassan’s death, he dreams of Hassan’s execution. The dream vividly describes “the rifle roars with a deafening crack,” Amir sees the man that shot Hassan was himself. The personification of the rifle roaring signify a predator versus prey killing; this makes Hassan’s death more brutal and personal. The diction of “deafening crack” provides a more vivid image by not only describing what is being seen, but what is being heard. Amir being Hassan’s executor further intensifies his guilt; Amir blames himself for Hassan’s death and feels ashamed that he left Hassan to live a better life in America. At the end of the novel Amir dreams of “Baba is sitting on the bear’s chest, his fingers digging in its snout- he’s me” (294). The bear is a metaphoric representation of Amir’s guilt and shame; Amir is learning to face his problems head on
In Khaled Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner, the plot is constructed in a circular structure. Through circular structure, Hosseini accentuates characters’ development.
The circular structure facilitates the parallelism between Amir and Hassan’s relationship and Amir and Sohrab’s relationship. As a child, Amir struggles with internal conflict between treating Hassan as an equal or as an inferior. The last time they flew kites together Hassan turns to Amir and says “for you a thousand times over” (67); this is the last thing Hassan says to Amir before his assault. The hyperbole of “a thousand times over” expresses Hassan’s willingness to sacrifice himself for Amir; his genuine tone expresses his loyalty as a …show more content…
The pomegranate tree is a symbol of Amir and Hassan's friendship; symbolizing the childhood memories of playing and reading books together under the tree. The state of the tree reflects the state of Amir and Hassan’s relationship, as seen in earlier chapters the tree is healthy and fruitful, rich with “blooded pomegranates”(28). However, after Hassan’s assault Amir could not bare to see Hassan, Amir “made sure [their] paths crossed as little as possible, planned [his] day that way,” forever tainting his most treasured friendship (88). When Amir revisits the pomegranate tree years later, the state of the tree is “wilted, leafless,” and “hadn’t borne fruit in years” (264). The diction of “wilted” and “leafless” indicates the lifeless state the tree is in, correlating to the death of Amir and Hassan’s friendship and the lost of childhood. The pomegranate tree starts with a positive connotation, representing the brotherhood between Amir and Hassan; however, when the pomegranate tree is referenced again much later in the novel, it has a much more grim connotation correlating to how Amir and Hassan’s relationship ending after Hassan leaves town. In addition to the pomegranate tree, Amir’s actions also repeat; in the novel Amir places money underneath a mattress. Similar to how Amir attempts to frame Hassan by planting his birthday money underneath Hassan’s mattress; …show more content…
Throughout the novel Hosseini expresses Amir’s inner-turmoil through vivid dreams. Hassan dreams of swimming in a lake with Amir when suddenly a monster “dragged [Hassan] to the murky bottom” (86). The dream is a metaphor for Amir’s guilt, providing insight of how Amir’s abandonment of Hassan is continuing to haunt him. The monster symbolizes Amir, who was given the chance to save Hassan but instead decides to walk away on Hassan’s assault. The “murky button” portrays Hassan’s lost of innocence and friendship. Later in the novel when Amir gets word of Hassan’s death, he dreams of Hassan’s execution. The dream vividly describes “the rifle roars with a deafening crack,” Amir sees the man that shot Hassan was himself. The personification of the rifle roaring signify a predator versus prey killing; this makes Hassan’s death more brutal and personal. The diction of “deafening crack” provides a more vivid image by not only describing what is being seen, but what is being heard. Amir being Hassan’s executor further intensifies his guilt; Amir blames himself for Hassan’s death and feels ashamed that he left Hassan to live a better life in America. At the end of the novel Amir dreams of “Baba is sitting on the bear’s chest, his fingers digging in its snout- he’s me” (294). The bear is a metaphoric representation of Amir’s guilt and shame; Amir is learning to face his problems head on