The Kite Runner As the Story of Transcultural Turmoil in the Middle East



The Kite Runner As the Story of Transcultural Turmoil in the Middle East

Introduction

The book follows Amir's mission to resolve conflict that appears in his family, the political unrest in his country and most importantly himself. The Kite runner is a novel of a quest that is symbolic. The drastic sacrifices Amir makes to fulfill the quest for precedent sins atonement. He does that by saving his half-nephew from a war-ravaged home. The most important theme for the novel is Sacrifice. This is symbolized by the kite runners bleeding fingers. Their fingers being cut by their kites string embedded with glass demonstrates the lengths of pain and suffering they will endure to get their oppositions kite out of the sky. At the end of the novel Amir cuts his fingers flying a kite to save his nephew from a deep depression. Sohrab watches the kite fight and for the first time smiles, suggesting redemption for Amir, who has never forgiven himself for what happened to Hassan on the night of that first kite-fighting contest in Kabul years before. The symbolism used in the novel depicts the journey Amir undertakes in order to seek forgiveness from those whom he has wronged, and most importantly, to forgive himself.

This novel encourages the reader for repentance, and offers hope in devastation. It is a story of friendship and betrayal, love and sacrifices, written beautifully by Hosseini, against the background of Afghan political history and Trans cultural turmoil in the Middle East.

Discussion

The Political Turmoil in the Middle East

There was a great deal of internal strife among the rival militias during the soviet withdrawal. This made daily life in Afghanistan insecure.In 1996, the Taliban's captured Kabul and took control of it. There was violence and insecurity for many years than the people took over. As Rahim Khan said that they all celebrated the Taliban rolling out, and the end to the daily fighting, The Taliban was a group of Pashtun Supremacists. They almost took over the country. Despite of the Taliban's friendly initial message they again made the life in Afghanistan perilous and unsafe. The Kabul invasion twisted the life of the Afghan people and started a new phase in their life. The Sunni fundamentalists Taliban killed Shea Muslim systematically including the people of Hazara(Shamnad,2006).

In the novel, Kite Runner, Rahim khan informs Amir that how Assef created a Taliban movement and involved the eradication of the hundreds of Hazaras. In this, this most notable were Hassan and his wife. The Taliban also endorsed several degrading fundamental laws. The laws relating to music and dance was banned. There was also a severe restriction for women for their basic liberties in life. The Taliban sought to impose extremist Islamic rules and observations on the areas it controlled. The Taliban controlled 80% of the Afghanistan. The Taliban declared that under their rule, the Muslims must abide by the Interpretation of Taliban's Islamic ...