Thematic Representation in The Kite Runner: A Literary Analysis

This essay provides a literary analysis of Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner, focusing on the thematic representations within the novel. It explores the intricate themes of redemption, sin, and ethnic prejudice, demonstrating how these elements are developed through character interactions and plot progression. The analysis highlights the protagonist's journey of atonement and the impact of past actions on the present, emphasizing the complexities of human relationships and societal conflicts in pre-revolutionary Afghanistan. Through the examination of key quotes and events, the essay reveals the underlying tensions and conflicts arising from ethnic divisions, portraying the novel's core message about the enduring consequences of betrayal and the quest for reconciliation.

Running head: THEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF THE KITE RUNNER
THEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF THE KITE RUNNER
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1THEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF THE KITE RUNNER
Khaled Hosseini’s The kite Runner, published in 2003, is recognized as a masterpiece
of contradiction or antithesis and has been classified as one of the most famous work of
Classic. The novel predominantly establishes the intricacies of redemption and atonement.
Following the fact, the story begins with committed sins and leads to further compensations
and healings. Hosseini develops thematic guide through a progression of events and conveys
the underlying message about life by expressing his ideas. The essay focusses on delivering
the literary analysis of major themes explored in the novel and delivers a metaphorical view
of the comparisons established through various events provided with evidence.
"... It's wrong what they say about the past, I've learned, about how you can bury it.
Because the past claws its way out."(Khadawardi, 2017). From the referred direct quote of
the novel, Hosseini emphasizes on the theme of sin and redemption as Amir shares the story
about how he endured the complicacies and emotional turmoil after committing the sin
provided with the fact how every consequences weighed him against his betrayal of Hassan.
The referred statement serves a thematic point in the novel, conveying that past will
eventually find its way to make its impact on present.
It is observed that the search for redemption flows through many. It is expressed
through characters like Baba, who betrays Ali, his loyal servant, by staying in an illegitimate
relationship with his wife and seeks for redemption to make things better; Amir, who betrays
Hassan by committing sin but later finds redemption when he saves the orphaned son of
Hassan and provides love and security what he could never give to Hassan (Merdekawati,
Alhadar & Nurfani, 2017). The tension that drives in every characters establishes the dire
need of redemption.
“The book said a lot of things I didn’t know, things my teachers hadn’t mentioned…
It also said some things I did know, like that people called Hazaras mice-eating, flat-nosed,

2THEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF THE KITE RUNNER
load-carrying donkeys.” The referred quote reflects Amir’s understanding of Afghanistan’s
history and reveals how information were exposed to him in his youth (Hosseini & Zohdi,
2016). In fact, Amir’s idea of ethnic prejudice and racism towards the Hazaras has built a
concrete force behind betraying Hassan.
The ethnicity of Afghanistan is assorted with variant groups. The traces of political
conflict is noticed majorly in Amir’s life. In his childhood memories, during the monarchy an
exposure of calm state of Kabul, the republic foundation, and the conflicts of Soviet invasion
among the Afghan groups. These occurrences weave the entire backdrop in the plot provided
with significant impacts on the characters present.
From the above evaluations and analysis of the given evidences, it is concluded that
though Hosseini in The Kite Runner has depicted the warm atmosphere of pre-revolutionary
Afghanistan yet the friction and the turmoil is established through variant ethnic groups of
nation. In addition, the work revolves around the relationships of human beings and further
establishes the theme of redemption and sin through the backdrop of ethnic prejudices. The
ethnic prejudices have always been an underlying thematic factor that create the conflicts,
rage, betrayals and discriminations among the characters.

3THEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF THE KITE RUNNER
References:
Hosseini, A. S., & Zohdi, E. (2016). The kite runner and the problem of racism and
ethnicity. International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences, 74, 33-40.
Khadawardi, H. (2017). Superego Guilt, Redemption and Atonement in Khaled Hosseini’s
The Kite Runner. International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and
Education, 4(2), 1-12.
Merdekawati, S. A., Alhadar, F., & Nurfani, N. (2017). REDEMPTION OF THE MAIN
CHARACTER IN THE NOVEL “THE KITE RUNNER” BY KHALED HOSSEINI
(A GENETIC STRUCTURALISM APPROACH). English and Literature
Journal, 4(2), 61-74.