Wednesday 31 October 2012

Works Cited



Works Cited

Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead, 2003. Print.
"Image." The Book Home. N.p., 3 July 2011. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. <http://thebookhome.blogspot.ch/2011/07/kite-runner.html>.

"The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini The Kite Runner at a Glance." The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini CliffsNotes. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/kite-runner/at-a-glance.html>.

"The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: THEMES / LITERARY ANALYSIS / MAIN THEME / MINOR THEMES / MOOD." The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini: THEMES / LITERARY ANALYSIS / MAIN THEME / MINOR THEMES / MOOD. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2012. <http://thebestnotes.com/booknotes/Kite_Runner/Kite_Runner04.html>.

"The Kite Runner." SparkNotes. SparkNotes, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/the-kite-runner/characters.html>.

Shmoop University, Inc. "The Kite Runner." Shmoop. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.shmoop.com/kite-runner/>.

Zabriskie, Phil. "Hazaras: Afghanistan's Outsiders." The Outsiders. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. <http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/02/afghanistan-hazara/phil-zabriskie-text>.

Three Themes: 3rd Theme


Ethnic differences:

Afghanistan is home to a whole assortment of ethnicities, which provides the country with a rich history but also many ethnic problems. The Pashtun race, are the largest ethnicity and also Baba and Amir’s race. The Pashtuns are Sunni Muslims and predominately hold the power in Afghanistan Government and society. The Hazara ethnicities on the other hand of which Ali and Hassan are part of, originate from Mongolia. They practice Shi’a Islam and are a minority group in Afghanistan. Over the years the Hazara people have had many persecutions and discrimination is evident in “The Kite Runner”. Firstly at school where Amir is taught of Pashtun prowess and social structure with Hazaras under Pashtuns in the hierarchy. The second time where Hazaras are discriminated against is where Hassan is referred to as “only” a Hazara when he is raped by Assef. Finally Hassan is again targeted by the Taliban while protecting Amir’s house for Rahim Khan. 





Three Themes: 2nd Theme


-Religion

Religion is yet another theme Khaled Hussain eloquently strings along throughout the kite runner. Religion and Amir’s struggle with it is evident in all the key points in the book. Beginning with Amir’s discussion with Baba about sin Amir’s struggles to understand his own beliefs, torn between his educator’s extremist views and his father’s modern liberalism. Repeatedly Amir turns to prayer in his time of need ranging from dealing with his fathers death to his spiritual awakening while in hospital praying for Sohrab’s recovery. Religion is then later seen as a scapegoat for Taliban extremism and justification for terrible acts of cruelty.


Three Themes: 1st Theme


Redemption:

The conflict of the Novel is predominately Amir’s search for redemtption, both from his father and Hassan. Amir first finds the need to redeem himself after his mother dies in labor giving birth to Amir, he feels responsible for her death and thinks his father blames him. He is also conscious that his father is disappointed in the fact Amir is not more like him. This leads Amir to believe that winning the Kite fighting tournament will bring them closer. Wining does indeed bring Baba and Amir closer however this was in vain as they soon drift apart. Winning the kite fighting tournament is ironically the birth of his next search for redemption. This is because Hassan gets raped while stopping Assef from trying to take the kite Amir won. Amir watches the event, helpless and now guilty the conflict of the book continues with Amir trying to atone himself of his guilt. In the end Amir does indeed find redemption.

Three Symbols: 3rd Symbol


Amir’s Scar:

After Amir betrays Hassan, he spends the rest of his life trying to forget Hassan and rid himself of his guilt. Yet after years of try to forget Amir never really forgives himself. He is only really atoned by his sins until Assef physically scars him. Also very symbolic is the location and shape of the scare as it is cutting his lip in half just like a harelip. Now scarred Amir is more like his half brother Hassan, who once had a harelip himself.