General : The Kite Runner is an auto biography that tells the story of a boy that grew up in Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul and later moves to America with his father at the fall of the monarchy in Afghanistan through soviet invasion. He is raised by his father (Baba) a highly respected man who is seemingly more impressed by their servant's Hazara son, Hassan, who is Amir's companion. Among many things they do together they participated in kite running. A highly honorable event in Afghanistan where boys compete to be the last kite flying by cutting each others strings with their own. When Amir has cut the last kite Hassan runs to retrieve it. "For you a thousand times over." The last kite cut is a high honor. Amir walks up to find Hassan corned in an alley by Assef and friends. He hears them say that Hassan is nothing but a servant to Amir. When Hassan is raped, Amir says nothing and walks away. Later he runs up to Hassan and pretends nothing has happened. He becomes disgusted by seeing him after the fact and decides that now one of them must go. Especially ow that Baba has found pride in him. He plants money and watch given to him by his father in Hassan's quarters and when confronted Hassan admits he had stolen it. explains they can no longer live there. The story then skips to hears after in a truck escaping to Pakistan. 2 years later they arive in California. Where Baba works at a gas station and Amir graduates high school and begins college. They had taken to selling junk at a flea market where they reunite with a general and other people from home. Amir over time takes a liking to the general's daughter and eventually takes her hand in marriage. They unsuccesfully try to concieve a child. Babe is diagnosed with cancer and refuses treatments. He dies nobel and strong and takes with him most of Amir's confidence. Amir goes back to afghanistan to see his father's old friend, Rhahim khan. Who goes on to explain Hassan's death and how Amir might rescue the son. Once Amir arrives upon the orphanage Assef recognizes and beats him Sohrab saves him with a sling shot just as Hassan had done. After Amir recovers he finds out that it will be more dificult to adopt Sohrab without being to prove the death of his parents. Before Amir explains his plan to adopt him Sohrab attempts suicide and does not talk after. Soraya is very pleased to have Sohrab because she could not bare chiulderen of her own. Once Amir has taken Sohrab to California he remains with drawn. One day they go to a park where other afghans are playing . Amir shows Sohrab to fly a kite and cuts another with a trick Hassan always loved. Sohrab smiles and Amir runs the kite for him.
The theme was a search for redemption. Amir's quest to do so is the heart of the novel. He shows it in his nature once he begins feeling he needs to make Baba proud of him. His search mostly stems from his guilt from betraying Hassan. The moral standard he must meet to earn his redemption is also told in the begining when Baba tell Rhahm khan " a boy who doesn’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything". As a boy he does not have courage. Once he has grown and is given something to stand for (Sohrab) he finds courage and redeems himself.
The tone seems to be irony. After Baba's emphasis on honor and principles he too betrayed his closest friend Rhahim Khan by leaving without him to America. Amir falls in love with a woman who wants to be a teacher to benefit those who do not yet understand, while Amir had made fun and took advantage of Hassan's lack of knowledge. Amir revolves and sacrifices so much of his life thinking his father doesn't like him, when they have all that is to be had in the world. When they have little and Amir is no longer sweating over impressing his father Baba shows his love and gives his all for Amir's wedding. Again irony is shown when Assef loses his eye by Sohrab after Hassan had threatened it so many years ago. It is also shown when Amir receives a scar on his lip just like Hassan's after his surgery.
No comments:
Post a Comment