Written with Style

While the analysis of an author’s writing style is often done in the first couple of chapters, I am glad that saved this task for the end book because as the story of The Kite Runner came to a close some devices became apparent that before were unclear.  I am also able to comment on the evolution of my opinion of the books writing style and plausibility from start to finish. 

As I mentioned in a previous blog post, the events that happen in the end of the novel create a sort of symmetry as they reflect the beginning of the story.  The novel ends with Amir returning to his homeland where he visits sites containing significant childhood memories.  This literary technique shows how time warped the beautiful land of Amir’s childhood into a decrepit, war-torn country and Amir seeing his home in this harsh candid light gives him a sense of closure for his long-ended childhood.  The author also uses symbolism throughout the book.  There are, of course, kites, which are used to convey freedom and happiness and often seem to embody the spirit of Hassan.  The last scene of the book is dedicated to kite flying.  This section is the turning point where Sohrab seems to finally begin to heal.  Watching Amir in the kite fight finally reengages him.  He is described as “His gaze flitted between our kite and the green one.  His face was a little flushed, his eyes suddenly alert.  Awake. Alive.” (pg. 396).   This was the first time since Sohrab's hospitalization that he began acting like a child again.  Another important symbol that I have mentioned before in my blog is the pomegranate tree marked “’Amir and Hassan, the sultans of Kabul.’”(pg. 27).  During their childhood the tree bared delicious fruit that the boys enjoyed, but as Amir and Hassan are separated and their childhoods end, the tree withers and eventually no longer produces fruit.  This tree symbolizes the happy times the two had in Kabul together and also the death of their childhoods.

This book begins as a recollection of the narrator’s childhood, which he then goes on to tell the story of his life.  There are some gaps in time that are left out of the novel and occasionally another character will tell a story from their perspective, but as a whole the story is recalled by Amir in chronological order.  The first half of the book can be described as relatively realistic. Amir’s reminiscence of his childhood appears to be without significant embellishment and seems to be an accurate depiction of the life of a wealthy Afghan boy in the 70s.   It becomes clear that the novel is fictitious in the second half of the book.  It was just is too perfect that Assef was the Talib who took Sohrab and that Amir was finally able to face him and confront his guilt.  Other points where the novel lacked realism were due to the author making a literary device a bit too obvious.  For example when Amir remarks that the scar on his mouth was, “Like a harelip.”(pg. 297), insinuating a connection between him and Hassan, this could have been more subtle.    Even though this novel would be hard to pass off as a true story, the development of the characters and the story it tells makes The Kite Runner a meaningful well-told story that I would recommend anyone to read.

Many Meanings

I believe that the final chapters of The Kite Runner perfectly wrapped up a remarkably told story.  The novel did not finish with heroic triumph or a neatly wrapped-up happy ending.  Like Amir said, “…life is not like a Hindi movie.” (pg. 357), there is never a definitively positive or negative conclusion.  But as I was feverishly reading the last chapters, I found myself only hoping that Sohrab would survive and immediately find contentment in the United States, easily assuming the role of loving son to Amir and Soraya.   At that time I only cared if “…was there happiness in the end…”(pg 357).  The author of course included this commentary on Hindi movies to make a point that this story would not have a perfect ending.  Hosseini took the time necessary to properly depict Sohrab’s trauma and eventual healing.  To gloss over his loss and the affects of sexual abuse on a child would be an injustice to his character as well as the children today whom his fictitious situation is their reality.   

 The majority of this book is focused around Amir’s guilt and how he tries to distance himself from these problems.  It is only in the last quarter of the novel that Amir truly begins his quest for redemption, which reveals a major point the author tries to get across to reader.  He feels disgrace for multiple reasons, but the most prevalent being that he allowed Hassan to be raped and then drove him and Ali away out of selfishness.  Escaping to America distanced Amir from the site of his misdeeds, but he continued to carry his grief well into his adult life.  Amir does not return to Kabul and save Sohrab with redemption in mind, but does it because of his love and duty to Hassan.  In Hassan’s letter to Amir we find that even though Amir treated him poorly, Hassan never had anything but love for him saying, “…I dream that someday you will return to Kabul to revisit the land of our childhood.  If you do, you will find an old faithful friend waiting for you.” (pg. 218).  Amir has the love and support of all those who matter to him: Hassan, Baba, Soraya, and Rahim Khan.  None of them blame him for the mistakes he made as a child, especially after adopting Sohrab, but why was Amir still burdened down by guilt?  The key to him finding peace, and a major theme of the book, was that he finally forgave himself.  Things that once caused him jealousy and shame, like Baba’s adoration for Hassan no longer bother him.  He comes to terms with his mistakes and all that selfish guilt is replaced with concern for Sohrab.  Amir realizes his forgiveness and wonders “if that was how forgiveness budded; not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.” (pg. 359).

 A novel like The Kite Runner is so full of powerful messages that it is impossible to boil down the story to one definite meaning.  These outstanding, messages include the importance of forgiveness, family, or friendship.  The book’s message that was the most crucial to me and what I believe is the most applicable to the problems the world faces today, is to never place someone below you due to their race, religion, social caste, or any other misguided base of prejudice.  The way that Hassan and Ali accepted their subordinate roles in society was due to generations of conditioning making them believe that it was their place to be uneducated servants.  But this caste system is so very insignificant next to the blind inhumanity of the Taliban.  The message in The Kite Runner to value all different groups of people is so important to remember because it seems to be in mankind’s nature to find scapegoats.  Amir has these prejudices in him as a child, but we see how he has overcome them when his father-in-law calls Sohrab the “Hazara boy” and Amir states, “You will never again refer to him as ‘Hazara boy’ in my presence.  He has a name and it’s Sohrab.” (pg. 361).