How Does Hosseini Use Symbols In The Kite Runner

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The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is an excellent novel because of his use of literary devices. One literary device used is symbolism; Symbolism is when the author uses an object to convey a bigger idea. One use of this is Hosseini's references to kites. He uses the kite to symbolize happiness. This is seen in the beginning of the novel when Hassan and Amir are participating in the kite flying contest and Amir wins. “Then I was screaming, and everything was color and sound, everything was alive and good. I was throwing my free arm around Hassan and we were hopping up and down, both of us laughing, both of us weeping” (Hosseini, 2013, p. 66).This is also shown at the end of the novel when Amir and Sohrab are flying a kite in a contest and Sohrab cuts a kite down. This is a moment when Sohrab, a character who is normally depressed is happy. Someone who is not thinking deep into the text will argue that the novel is boring and has no deep context. If one reads deep into the text they will find that “The Kite Runner” is not just a tale of Amir's life it is a novel that makes the reader think about important issues like war, terrorism, rape, and equality. Hosseini gives thought to social issues that people may not think about everyday, thus giving …show more content…

An allusion is a reference to another text intentionally but indirectly. He does this by referring to lambs which are comparing people to to the “sacrificial lamb” or “guilt offering”. “Hassan didn’t struggle. He didn’t even whimper. He moved his head slightly and I caught a glimpse of his face. Saw the resignation in it. It was a look I had seen before. It was the look of the lamb” (Hosseini, 2013, p. 75). Many readers who are not familiar with Afghani culture may claim that Khaled Hosseini's novel is difficult to understand and relate to. By creating these allusions to the bible, a book many religions follow, this allows some readers to relate