Kite Runner Analysis

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Corey Lawson 03/12/2010 English 1102 Michelle Crummy Kite Runner Literary analysis Of the many themes in this story, betrayal seems to transpire the most, followed by the also abundant theme of guilt. Both of these themes directly or indirectly affect almost every character in the book and act as the solid rock that a majority of Amir and Baba’s actions assemble. Moreover, these themes depict certain parallels and differences in Amir and Baba’s lives. Such parallels include Baba’s betrayal of Ali, and Amir’s betrayal of Hassan. In each case, both characters experience guilt due to a past breaking of faith and both hope to reconcile these acts with themselves and with others. Perhaps a direct result of Amir’s role as the narrator, the most significant act of betrayal in The Kite Runner is Amir’s betrayal of Hassan. Amir failed to stand up for his best friend and half brother Hassan, because he feared Assef, and he feared for his own fate. He did not want to risk the chance for him to be a victim of sodomy as well. “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). He also knew that if he intervened he would not make it back home to show the kite to Baba. Amir saw great importance in this because all of his life he has felt that Baba has blamed him for his mother’s death at childbirth. His perpetual attempts to gain Baba’s approval throughout his childhood have not seemed to work but he believes that on this particular of kite running victory, the kite would redeem him from killing his mother. For example, “Maybe he’d call me Amir Jan like Rahim Khan did. And maybe, just maybe, I would finally be pardoned for killing my mother.” (30) Similar to Amir, Baba also succeeds in betraying his best friend. Ali is Baba’s Hazara household servant, long time

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