Many people have something sentimental to them that acts more than just an object because it develops a meaning in their lives. These objects can be described as symbols. A symbol is a thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract. Often writers use a technique called symbolism which is the use of symbols in literature that gives a deeper meaning in context to an object, person, situation, or event. Symbols can be used as a strong tool to help drive a plot in a novel. The use of symbolism is evident throughout the novel The Kite Runner, and is portrayed in many different objects. The symbols that are important and are significant for the story’s plot are: the cleft lip, the
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It signifies the difference between Hassan and Amir, but it also symbolizes Amir’s redemption. First, the cleft lip is a reminder that Hassan is not accepted into his society. When Amir is reading a book about Hazaras he mentions that “people called Hazaras mice-eating, flat-nosed, load-carrying donkeys. [He] had heard some of the kids in the neighbourhood yell those names to Hassan.”(9) Hassan is Hazara boy who is not accepted by the people around him which separates him from Amir who is a rich Pashtun boy; therefore the cleft lip is a reminder of their differences. Second, the cleft lip symbolizes Amir’s redemption towards Hassan. When they were little boys, Amir betrayed Hassan by not helping him when he was being raped by a neighbourhood bully named Assef. Many years pass and Amir is reunited with Assef who beats him up brutally and leaves him with a scar on his lip. The doctor tells Amir, “The impact had cut your upper lip in two, clean down the middle. Clean down the middle. Like a harelip.”(260) Surprisingly Amir feels that he has finally got what he deserves, that he finally feels redeemed because he “felt healed. Healed at last” (253). In summary, the cleft lip is an important symbol that helps form the plot with its powerful …show more content…
Kites are an important image in the novel because they symbolize Amir’s childhood happiness and his act of betrayal to Hassan. Flying kites are Amir’s greatest moments of his childhood. Amir experiences the best moment of his life while fighting kites at the annual tournament: “Then I saw Baba on our roof. He was standing on the edge, pumping both of his fists. Hollering and clapping. And that right there was the single greatest moment of my twelve years of life, seeing Baba on the roof, proud of me at last.”(66) Kites are a key reminder of Amir’s happiness as a child. Another scene that shows Amir’s childhood happiness is when he is in the fuel truck fleeing from Afghanistan and he tries to think of something happy, he automatically thinks of the days when he was flying kites with Hassan: “A breeze stirs the grass and Hassan lets the spool roll. The kite spins, dips, steadies” (122). Kites are an obvious reminder of Amir’s happy days with Hassan and symbolize his childhood happiness, however, kites take on a different significance when Amir allows Hassan to be raped; they symbolize Amir’s guilt towards his betrayal of Hassan. When Amir is in San Francisco he sees kites flying in the sky and recalls a memory: “And suddenly Hassan’s voice whispered in my head: For you a thousand times over. Hassan the harelipped kite runner.” (2) Amir is reminded of the guilt he feels when he sees the
It signifies the difference between Hassan and Amir, but it also symbolizes Amir’s redemption. First, the cleft lip is a reminder that Hassan is not accepted into his society. When Amir is reading a book about Hazaras he mentions that “people called Hazaras mice-eating, flat-nosed, load-carrying donkeys. [He] had heard some of the kids in the neighbourhood yell those names to Hassan.”(9) Hassan is Hazara boy who is not accepted by the people around him which separates him from Amir who is a rich Pashtun boy; therefore the cleft lip is a reminder of their differences. Second, the cleft lip symbolizes Amir’s redemption towards Hassan. When they were little boys, Amir betrayed Hassan by not helping him when he was being raped by a neighbourhood bully named Assef. Many years pass and Amir is reunited with Assef who beats him up brutally and leaves him with a scar on his lip. The doctor tells Amir, “The impact had cut your upper lip in two, clean down the middle. Clean down the middle. Like a harelip.”(260) Surprisingly Amir feels that he has finally got what he deserves, that he finally feels redeemed because he “felt healed. Healed at last” (253). In summary, the cleft lip is an important symbol that helps form the plot with its powerful …show more content…
Kites are an important image in the novel because they symbolize Amir’s childhood happiness and his act of betrayal to Hassan. Flying kites are Amir’s greatest moments of his childhood. Amir experiences the best moment of his life while fighting kites at the annual tournament: “Then I saw Baba on our roof. He was standing on the edge, pumping both of his fists. Hollering and clapping. And that right there was the single greatest moment of my twelve years of life, seeing Baba on the roof, proud of me at last.”(66) Kites are a key reminder of Amir’s happiness as a child. Another scene that shows Amir’s childhood happiness is when he is in the fuel truck fleeing from Afghanistan and he tries to think of something happy, he automatically thinks of the days when he was flying kites with Hassan: “A breeze stirs the grass and Hassan lets the spool roll. The kite spins, dips, steadies” (122). Kites are an obvious reminder of Amir’s happy days with Hassan and symbolize his childhood happiness, however, kites take on a different significance when Amir allows Hassan to be raped; they symbolize Amir’s guilt towards his betrayal of Hassan. When Amir is in San Francisco he sees kites flying in the sky and recalls a memory: “And suddenly Hassan’s voice whispered in my head: For you a thousand times over. Hassan the harelipped kite runner.” (2) Amir is reminded of the guilt he feels when he sees the