ENG3U1 The Kite Runner Theme Analysis PDF

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The Theme of Segregation in The Kite Runner In Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner, t he theme of segregation caused by the prominent social and economic hierarchies of the society is exhibited through various symbols. The theme of segregation caused by the social hierarchy is first demonstrated through the symbol of Amir and Hassan’s relationship. As Amir is recounting his childhood spent with Hassan, he recalls: The curious thing was, I never thought of Hassan and me as friends either… Never mind that we taught each other how to ride a bicycle with no hands… Never mind any of those things. Because history isn’t easy to overcome. Neither is religion. In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I was Sunni and he was Shi’a, and nothing was ever going to change that (27). Evidently, although Amir and Hassan have a relationship that could be recognized as a friendship, Amir rejects this because the social divides in Afghanistan, being that Pashtuns persecuted Hazaras, would not accept such a relationship as it did not follow the social hierarchy. Pashtuns were meant to oppress Hazaras and have them become their servants, not befriend them. Thus Amir and Hassan’s relationship symbolize the inability to overcome such a prominence of social hierarchy. Similarly, the unruly character of Assef may also be perceived as a symbol for the theme of segregation by the social hierarchy. After proclaiming that Hitler was a great leader with a notable motive, Assef reveals his similar motives as he says to Amir, “Afghanistan is the land of Pashtuns, the pure Afghan’s, not this Flat-Nose here. [Hassan’s] people pollute our homeland… How can you talk to him, play with him, let him touch you?” (44). This exemplifies how Assef, a Pashtun, believes that Hazaras, such as Hassan, are nothing but futile beings that trivialize the country. Assef only acknowledges and respects those on his own social standing, therefore further emphasizing the extreme divide amongst social classes in the society. For these reasons, one may identify how the symbols of Amir and Hassan’s relationship as well as the symbol of Assef portray a segregation that is caused by the social hierarchy in the society.

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Not only does the social hierarchy foster a segregation in the society, but the economic hierarchy does likewise. One may observe this through the symbols of Amir’s house and Hassan’s. Amir first illustrates his house by saying, “Everyone agreed that my father had built the most beautiful house. A broad entryway flanked by rosebushes led to the sprawling house of marble floors and wide windows… a crystal chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling” (4). He then speaks about Hassan’s house and states, “On the south side of the garden was the servants’ home, a modest little mud hut where Hassan lived with his father… I remember it was spare, clean, dimly lit by a pair of kerosene lamps. There were two mattresses on opposite sides of the room, a worn Herati rug with frayed edges…” (6). One may notice that while Amir and his father live in an enormous house that is plentiful in space and adorned with expensive decor, Hassan and his father live in a single-roomed hut with nothing more than necessities. These contrasting houses manifest how the rich and the poor are entirely dissociated from one another; the rich live lavishly as the poor live inadequately, and there is no intermediary. Furthermore, Hassan’s cleft lip also poses as a symbol for the segregation in society caused by the economic hierarchy. This may be seen when Amir reminisces on his childhood by explaining, “I can still see Hassan up on that tree… a face like a Chinese doll chiseled from hardwood… And the cleft lip, just left of midline, where the Chinese doll maker’s instrument may have slipped” (3). The cleft lip serves as a figurative description of Hassan’s economic class since he is unable to afford a surgery that would fix his cosmetic flaw. More widely, it implies that him and his father are unable to afford anything that is beyond their necessities, consequently displaying a separation with the rich who are able to afford much more than they need. Through the various symbols discussed, it is evident as to how the theme of segregation due to social and economic hierarchies of the society is present in The Kite Runner. Works Cited Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. Toronto: Anchor Canada, 2004. Print....