The Kite Runner Theme Of Betrayal

Words: 1733
Pages: 7
Open Document
The Concept of Betrayal vs. Loyalty The concept of betrayal is essentially to break the bond of trust within a relationship amongst individuals. On the other hand, the concept of loyalty is the act of being true towards oneself as well as towards others. In the novel, The Kite Runner written by Khaled Hosseini, the concept of betrayal or the choice not to betray and remain loyal has many implications as well as motivations for several characters. Two characters who choose to engage in betrayal are Amir and Baba and one who chooses to not betray and remain loyal is Hassan. Amir is a character who chooses to engage in betrayal which eventually leads to several consequences brought on by motivations. Firstly, Amir engages in betrayal when he …show more content…
To begin with, right after Amir wins the kite tournament, Hassan immediately runs to get the winning kite for Amir. Hassan states, “For you, a thousand time over!” (71). Here, Hassan clearly demonstrates his loyalty when he states he would go to great lengths in order to please Amir. After this, Assef runs into Hassan and demands for the kite Hassan caught, “‘Amir agha and I are friends,’ Hassan said. He looked flushed. ‘Friends?’ Assef said, laughing. ‘You pathetic fool! Someday you’ll wake up from your little fantasy and learn just how good of a friend he is. Now, bas! Enough of this. Give us your kite’” (77). Here, Hassan defends Amir which shows he is loyal in trying to bring back the kite. In addition, Assef teases Hassan in order to make him give up the kite but he refuses to do this as he promised Amir the kite, “Hassan knew that he was going to be hurt or killed if he did not give up the winning kite, but he did not want to let his friend down. Hassan suffered for Amir, and Amir did not even stop to help. Amir will suffer with his neglecting of his friend for the rest of his life” (Duet 2). Here, Duet explains that Hassan is willing to risk his life for Amir in order to keep his promise. Hassan’s motivation to sacrifice Amir affects himself as he is beaten and sexually assaulted by
Show More

Related Documents: The Kite Runner Theme Of Betrayal

The Theme Of Betrayal In The Kite Runner

In Khaled Hosseini’s novel “The Kite Runner”, the theme of betrayal is shown throughout the first ten chapters in several various forms including those based on self preservation. The beginning of the betrayal for self preservation happens when Hassan is running down the last kite for Amir when Assef caught up to Hassan and decided that, to teach him a lesson he’d rape the boy. It was at that moment that Amir had to make his decision to stand up “the way he’d [Hassan] had stood up for me for all…

Words 263 - Pages 2

Theme Of Betrayal In The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner has a variety of themes throughout the novel. One of the main ones is betrayal as Amir tries to avoid the guilt he has in himself but doesn’t redeem himself this way. These two themes, redemption and betrayal, relate to each pother in the story and is a struggle for Amir that he faces. This betrayal drives the plot of the book and is a conflict to the protagonist. Abuse of power is another theme in the novel that is seen with the socioeconomic conditions in Afghanistan and how individuals…

Words 747 - Pages 3

The Kite Runner Betrayal Theme

Theme The worst betrayal is the kind that comes from a close friend. Betrayal, in " The Kite Runner" is the most evident theme. Amir betrays his best friend when not doing anything when not doing anything to help him while he was being raped. He didn't do anything because at the time he was too prideful. Hassan was treated differently because of his religion in a negative way while Amir was considered superior to Hassan's religion. He let his pride get in the way of their friendship even though…

Words 263 - Pages 2

The Theme Of Betrayal In The Kite Runner '

conclusion, betrayal is to be false or disloyal to, to lead astray, or to deceive. Throughout the book, there were a couple intense actions of betrayal, mainly between Amir and Hassan. Betrayal, which can be considered a form of sin, is clear throughout the novel and ends up being cyclical in The Kite Runner. Amir betrays Hassan in several ways, marking him for life as the mocking, thief, denial of friendship with a Hazara and the morbid betrayal of all the rape. At the end the monstrous betrayal scared…

Words 100 - Pages 1

Theme Of 'Betrayal In The Kite Runner'

Betrayal is seen throughout the “The Kite Runner” as Amir seemingly betrays the trust of Hassan. In many encounters Amir harasses Hassan with is lack of knowledge by fooling him and making him feel small. It seemed as the reason why Amir treated Hassan the way he did is because he feels jealousy towards him since Hassan was completely opposite from him in this story. It is clearly seen that Baba would always include Hassan in things Amir and Baba did together. Amir feels as Baba would often compare…

Words 294 - Pages 2

Essay about The kite runner

Backstabbers Although the novel, the Kite Runner, consists of several themes, the idea of betrayal permeates through almost every chapter. This theme depicts parallels between Baba and Amir, in which both characters betrayed their loved ones. Hassan is the main victim because he is not only betrayed by his own brother, but his own father also. Every act of betrayal in the novel correlates with the loyalty provided by Hassan. Hassan is the result of Baba’s betrayal and the victim of Amir’s. Throughout the novel…

Words 1177 - Pages 5

Symbols In The Kite Runner

KITE MOTIF Kites were first invented over two thousand years ago in China and have since spread across the world, being used for everything from surveillance to science to entertainment. In The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini uses kites and their associated activities as a recurring motif, tying the book together. Kites themselves are full of symbolism and meaning: ideas of youth and childhood, brought about by the idea of kites as a child’s toy in modern times; freedom, as kites float high above…

Words 502 - Pages 3

The Kite Runner Theme Analysis

In the novel "The Kite Runner", the author, Khaled Hosseini wrote about many themes and the relationship between the protagonist, Amir, and Hassan. Amir's relationship with Hassan was bad because Amir treated him badly; however, Hassan was always loyal to Amir. Many scenes where these two characters appear made them look brave and shameful. Throughout the novel, there were many themes discuss such as courage, love, shame, and betrayal. However, the themes that were most used were courage and shame…

Words 374 - Pages 2

The Kite Runner Major Character Essay

The Kite Runner: Major Character "It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime...” Hassan is one of the most significant characters in The Kite Runner. He is very dynamic, changing drastically throughout the novel. At the beginning of the book, Hassan is seen as a sweet, happy, young boy who is fiercely loyal to his best friend, Amir. When referring to the story of Hassan's birth Amir says, "...because even in birth, Hassan…

Words 1648 - Pages 7

kite runner Essay

2014 Hauntings of the Past and Decisions that Impact Lives Negatively: An Exploration of Theme in The Kite Runner It is ironic how children are unable to comprehend the long term consequences of their actions. Still, the past can linger and tends to haunt people despite how hard society tries to use distractions to avoid negative memories. This is displayed vividly in the bildungsroman novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. As much as Amir feels he cannot conquer the past, he displays the ability…

Words 827 - Pages 4