Throughout the novel, The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, society plays a huge role in how the characters lived. It can be difficult to keep up with the standards that society has imposed upon us, whether it be in terms of fashionable clothing, socially appropriate behaviour, or economic success. That is why society is often forced to choose between what is expected of us by society and maintaining truth. Being able to navigate competing pressures in people’s lives can be challenging, and it is worth exploring whether it is truly difficult to live up to the standards of society. It is essential to be aware of the impact that one’s judgments can have on others and strive to be fair and understanding in the evaluations of others. It is also …show more content…
In many stories, these societal standards come with the aspects of race and racial discrimination. Such is the case in the novel being discussed in this essay, where the characters and their culture are met with prejudice and mistreatment due to their particular race. One of the most prominent examples of racial discrimination in this novel is regarding the Hazara, to whom Hassan fell victim. This paragraph will discuss how racial discrimination affects one’s place in society, as well as how race and racism are portrayed in the novel as a whole. The first quote, “The Taliban moved into the house,” Rahim Khan said. “The pretext was that they had evicted a trespasser. Hassan’s and Farzana’s murders were dismissed as a case of self-defence. No one said a word about it. Most of it was fear of the Taliban, I think. But no one was going to risk anything for a pair of Hazara servants.” (Hosseini). In this quote, the author is describing the situation in Afghanistan when the Taliban was in power. It highlights the fact that the Taliban had significant control over the country and were able to act with impunity, including committing murders and dismissing cases under pretenses. The quote also highlights the issue of racial and ethnic profiling and the oppression of the Hazara people in Afghanistan. It also suggests that people are afraid to speak out against the Taliban and are unwilling to take any risks to defend those who are being oppressed, likely due to fear of retaliation. Overall, the quote paints a picture of a country in turmoil and chaos, where law and order have broken down and the Taliban holds a significant amount of power through racial discrimination. Next, this quote stated by Assef says, “Afghanistan is like a beautiful mansion littered with garbage, and someone has to take out the garbage.’ ‘That’s what you were