"The Kite Runner"?

Question

“The Kite Runner” is a story of a young boy’s thwarted journey to be his fathers pride and joy.

To what extent do you agree?

Answer 1

The kite runner is about a boy learning to be who he is--being his father's pride an joy is part of what he would like but I don't think that summation gives enough credit to the other aspirations of the character.

Answer 2

Do you mean the story by Khaled Hosseini?

The journey motif that transcends the entire text, the red thread, could be read as a thwarted attempt to be his father's joy but I think there is more to the tale.
Amir grew up in a fancy house in Kabul, with his father, Baba and two servants, Ali and Hassan. Ali was Baba’s servant and they had grown up together in that capacity. Hassan was Ali’s son but was best friends with Amir as well as being his servant. Amir’s mother had died giving birth and Hassan’s mother had left her son and husband shortly thereafter. They had had the same wet nurse. Their bond was strong, yet Amir realized that there were subtleties to their relationship that were part of the culture. He and Hassan played together unless there were other friends there. Then Hassan was excluded. Hassan and Ali were of the Hazara tribe, the lowest in power.

Amir loved Hassan and yet he resented him. Baba seemed to hold Hassan in high regard and Amir was often jealous. It didn’t help that Baba seemed to be reserved with him, not being interested in anything Amir was interested in. Amir loved to read and write stories. Baba wanted Amir to play soccer, but Amir was a klutz. Amir was determined to make Baba proud. The one thing Amir was good at was kite fighting. This was a tournament in which one tried to be the last kite flying and then be the one to recover the second to last kite as it fell to the ground. Amir could fly the kite and Hassan was the runner. But on the day they won the big tournament, Hassan was confronted by the local bully and raped. Amir saw it but was too scared to stop it. This lack of courage impacts his entire life.

The story takes place in Kabul and Pakistan, San Francisco and then back to Afghanistan from the early 1970’s to the present day. It follows Amir’s flight from Kabul after the Russian takeover, his building of a life in America and finally, his return to make good when he discovers that Hassan’s son has been orphaned and is alone in Kabul. There is love when Amir finds his wife. There is heartache when Baba gets cancer and dies. And there is horror when Amir discovers all that is different in Kabul under the rule of the Taliban.
The use of Farsi words at times is distracting, but helps in cementing the difference in the cultures. This is a true look at human nature and one’s mans’ struggle.



good luck