The last quarter of The Kite Runner details the return home of Sohrab and Amir from Afghanistan and Pakistan, and it picks up right after the duo's escape from the now single-eyed Assef. After fleeing Kabul, the two are brought to Peshawar, Pakistan, where Amir can recover from his surgery; while he was unconscious, Amir received surgery that saved his life, and that gave him a harelip like that Hassan had. As Amir awakes, he learns of his conditions and meets Sohrab for the first time. Rahim, although he has left Pakistan to die in peace, leaves Amir with two things: the first being the knowledge that Baba "was a man torn between two halves"(301), loving both Amir and Hassan, and the second being Sohrab. The adoption agency Rahim told Amir he could leave Sohrab with is determined never to have existed. With the Taliban threat driving him out of Peshawar, Amir ultimately brings Sohrab to Islamabad and realizes there that he wants to adopt the boy. However, problems arise in the adoption process and Amir learns he must briefly leave Sohrab in an orphanage, an act Amir promised never to do. In response, Sohrab tries to kill himself and the narrator's response is horrifyingly realistic: "Suddenly I was on my knees, screaming. Screaming through my clenched teeth. Screaming until I thought my throat would rip and my chest explode"(343).
Despite this terrifying moment, Amir and Sohrab ultimately complete their voyage home, and as the two began to find happiness in San Francisco I was left wondering whether or not the book was at an AP level. Before I start critiquing and praising the novel, I do want to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and I think that everyone would benefit from reading it. The Kite Runner has many powerful themes, uses strong literary techniques, and does all of that in an environment that I personally wasn't very familiar with. However, that is not to say that I believe it should be in the AP curriculum. While the novel has some incredible aspects, I would not put it in the AP curriculum, but instead have it used in another English or social studies class.
The literary merit of The Kite Runner begins very strongly. Ethnic tension, honor, revolution, and love are only a few of the major components in the first couple of chapters. The Hazara and Pashtun divide echoes many classic conflicts, from the Protestants and Catholics to the struggle of slaves and freedmen in nineteenth century America. Hosseini's use of flashbacks, Afghani language, as well as his poetic style of writing create a emotional narration tinged with regret. Themes like the importance of love in a person's life can be seen in Amir's struggle for his father's love and the effects of the past on one's present can be seen in Amir's inability to accept his own history.
Despite the great literary merit in the beginning of the novel, The Kite Runner had multiple qualities that led me to think it may not suit an AP class. Throughout the entire book, irony was not particularly prominent, and although I loved the techniques used, some of them did not feel particularly original. Maybe it was because I had just read The Song of Solomon, but the use of a journey myth detracted from the the novel. The journey myth technique made for fast, enjoyable reading, yet in it was lost the narrative feel and the realism that strengthened the themes in the book. Additionally, the book did not leave lots of room for interpretation, or varying opinions. This is beginning to feel like nitpicking, so I will stop. The Kite Runner is an incredible book, and from it l learned many new things about Afghanistan and Afghani culture. I would recommend this book to everyone as one to enjoy and learn from, but I do not believe the book is suited for an AP English class.
Other than having some historical ties and some major themes, were there any major techniques Hosseini used or didn't use in the novel? It seems like maybe he focused a lot on the plot and the historical aspect of the story instead of developing the story at a deeper level from reading the post. Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteI also do not believe that the book should be included in AP curriculum. I had some issues with the AP merit question though because it is a very useful book to use on the AP exams. I also believed it should not be AP because it beat you over the head with its themes and motifs instead of making the reader dig deeper into the story. I also liked the journey myth because it gave action to a story that was otherwise about internal struggle and I did not care that it was rushed. Overall where do you rate the book out of 10? I had a 7.5
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the thoughtfulness of your approach to the literary merit of the novel. I agree with your discussion of the power of the novel. It is emotionally affecting. I think your point about how there isn't much ambiguity in the novel is a very thoughtful point. A nice post.
ReplyDelete