Literary Analysis The Kite Runner

General:
1) The kite runner tells  the story of a boy named Amir who grows up to be a man filled with regret and guilt. He experiences the rape of his servant but more than his servant Hassan was his best friend. Hassan and Amir shared a brotherly bond throughout their childhood even though they were aprt of different social classes. Baba, Amir's father, takes Hassan in like a son which he later turns out to be. Baba had had sex with  Hassan's mother who at the time worked for Baba. She was impregnated by Baba and he always felt the need to look over Hassan for he was his illegitimate son. Ali took Hassan in as his own son and raised him. Baba only provided shelter and essential necessities for Hassan and always gave him special treatment just as he did for Amir. Assef s the boy who rapes Hassan and the cause of such trauma in both the lives of Hassan and Amir. Hassan and his wife Farzana are killed and leave a son by the name of Sohrab. Amir finds this boy and takes him in as his own son. Sohrab is actually Amir's nephew and so the story ends with the opening of traumatized Sohrab to Amir.

2) This novel demonstrates the theme of guilt and compassion. Amir feels guilt because he did not help the young Hassan while he was being raped by Assef. For a while Amir also felt anger toward Hassan since he blamed his feeling of guilt on Hassan but Hassan had had no control over what had happened to him. Amir learns the feeling of compassion as he becomes older and begin to see the world in a different way. He sees how evil it can be and takes in Sohrab in order to finally appease his feeling of guilt. He pays Hassan by taking in his son and treating his as his own.

3) The authors tone is one of at times fast paced and at others serene. When Amirs faces Assef and fight him in order to take Sohrab with him the action is clearly described  The author tells of the ball in Asseft eye and the blood that gushes out. He describes Amir's wounds and the way the room was slowly being destroyed by each man's blow. The scene in which Hassan is being raped is described fully. Each move Asseef made on Hassan was painted in the mind of the reader by the author. The blood that dripped out of Hassan could be seen in the authors mind. The novel ends with Amir and Sohrab flying a kite together just the way Amir and Hassan used to do. The string is cut and Amir runs to retrieve the kite for Sohrab just like Hassan did for him. Amir is taken back to the day in which Hassan ran the kite for him and he screams out to Sohrab "For you a thousand times over."

4) Setting: The author describes the blood running down Hassan and painting the snow red. He creates the setting of an ally in which Hassan is raped. It is secluded and believable.

Indirect Characterization: The author makes Amir appear to be a spoiled and cowardly child. He hides his watch under Hassan's pillow in order to rid himself of him because he cant deal with the guilt of not having helped him when he needed it most he knew. He knew Hassan would have been brave enough to help him if he were in danger but he couldn't muster up the courage to do the same for him.

Symbolism: The pomegranate fruit and tree play an important role in the novel. The pomegranate tree becomes a place in which Amir and Hassan are close to one another and away from the world. It represents their friendship for at this tree they are one. The tree gives off the fruit that become the guilt and frustration that Amir feels toward Hassan after Hassan is raped. Hassan dares not fight back and takes in the dark feelings in form of pomegranates that Amir throws at him for he is loyal to Amir and loves him more than he loves himself.


Characterization:

1) In the novel Hassan in indirectly described as a loyal friend. He stands up for Amir when Assef and his friends are harassing both Amir and Hassan. Hassan also lets Amir take his anger out on him when AMir throws the pomegranates at him. Hassan does not deny having stolen Amir's watch for he does not want to make Amir appear as a liar and Hassan enjoys learning from and serving Amir. Amir is a coward but redeems himself as he gets older. Amir does not help Hassan when he need him most. He blames Hassan for getting raped and making Amir feel such guilt. Amir becomes a strong man and returns to Kabul where he finds and takes Sohrab only to make him his own child and give back to the dead Hassan.

2) The only time the diction really changes is when different characters are speaking. Assef is one that speaks cold and perverse words. Amir is a mixture of good and unintentionally bad a Hassan is completely good. Hassan speaks wise and peaceful words of love and loyalty toward Amir. The novel shows things from Amir's point of view and so showes a biased side of things. We see what amir is thinking and feeling and learn about hte character through his eyes. The book shows a mixture of emotions adn changes fro Amir goes through these changes as he gets older.

3) The protagonist Amir is a dyna,ic character. He starts off as a spoiled boy who is incapable of dealing with pain and problems. He is used to having life easy and to getting what he wants without having to try hard to get it. He has luxuries and he has servants who do as he pleases. After Hassan's rape he becomes angry with the feeling of guilt and takes it out on Hassan.  As he grown up to be a man he realized what he did was wrong for now he know the world and sees it in a different way. He faces his problems and fights to redeem himself  He fights for Sohrab and triumphs.

4) I absolutely love this novel. I couldn't directly identify with the characters, but they were definitely true characters. The problems they were facing such as war and discrimination are problem that exist in modern times. they show qualities humans posses such as anger, fear, and pain. The rape scene was a true painting of what occurs during war. Children are hurt and corrupted by the evils of war. Some become so messed up they commit unspeakable things and their childhood is taken fro their hands. The characters were able to portray the effect of war and the different reactions of people to different problems.