Analytical Response to Literary Text the Book Called the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Kite Runner

Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner is set in war-torn Afghanistan. Hosseini offers insight into Afghan culture and history, while helping the main characters develop their unique responses to life's pain and hardship. In The Kite Runner, the protagonist Amir responds to injustice at first with fear but later, with courage. The novel shows how feelings of guilt, love, and personal responsibility can alter an individual's response to injustice such as prejudice and cruelty. Amir of The Kite Runner responds to injustice by retaining a gentle and loving heart.

Class becomes a major theme of social injustice in The Kite Runner, allowing the main character to assert his identity and values. In the Kite Runner, Amir and Hassan develop a strong friendship throughout their childhood. For them, social class does not matter. As Hassan tells his friend, "For you, a thousand times over," (Hosseini 2). Amir later repeats this same line to Hassan's son. Hassan is far more agile and athletic than Amir, who is bookish and intellectual. This is not the only difference between them; Amir is from a wealthy family and Hassan is from a different tribe and a different social class. Their leisure time is spent in the sport of kite running, popular throughout the region regardless of social class. In contrast to the unifying activity of kite running, the evil Assef enforces barriers between social classes. He ridicules Amir and later uses violence to assert his sense of power and control over others. Throughout the novel, Amir reacts with cowardice and fear. Yet it is important to point out that Amir never considered the social class barrier between him and Hassan. To Amir, social class made no difference with regards to friendship.

When Amir is confronted with the first real signs of cruelty in the world, he reacts by retreating instead of confronting the issue. Baba cannot stand Amir's weakness. "And where is he headed?...A boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up to anything," (60-66). As if to prove his father right, Amir witnesses Hassan's rape but does not say anything to anyone. Instead, Amir lets the issue fester until the guilt builds up inside him and he sends Hassan away. This reaction is understandable given the non-confrontational nature of Amir's character. Amir reacts with fear, and he also feels guilty for not being able to stand up for Hassan. A similar situation arises later in the novel, when Amir again meets Assef and is willing to be beaten up rather than to stick up for himself.