Snigdha Arora

Aditi Sriram

Advanced Academic Writing

First draft of the final paper

Exploring the idea of homeland in The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is an exemplary work of literature. It primarily focuses

on Amir and his friend Hassan while exploring the subtle nuances of guilt and alienation that

torment Amir’s heart throughout his life until he achieves his redemption by rescuing Shorab(

Hassan’s son). In the novel both Amir and his father migrate from their home country-

Afghanistan to America in 1981. By bringing to the fore their perpetual rootlessness and

alienation, it questions whether an individual can ever feel like an insider in a foreign land.

For Amir’s father, his native place remains his homeland and he always remains an outsider

in America. But for Amir, America becomes a third space where he seeks refuge from his

past memories. Even though we see that compared to his father, Amir easily adapts to the

American life, however, torn between his tormenting guilt and fledgling hopes, Amir remains

an outsider whose quest for a homeland continues to remain elusive to him.

In the beginning of the novel itself, we see a contrast between Amir and his peers.

Unlike other boys of his age, he is not brave or masculine enough. He is delineated as

someone who is always “lost in some dream”1. His sensitivity, excessive reading habits and

inability to defend are perceived to be feminine by his father. In fact, his father’s disapproval

becomes a foundation of him feeling inadequate. Like a gifted craftsman, Hosseini captures

Amir’s craving for acceptance, admiration and recognition. Bereft of his mother’s love,

devoid of his father’s overtures, and overwhelmed by the widespread exhibition of

1
Pg 19
masculinity all around him, Amir continues to feel uprooted and vulnerable even within the

family. Furthermore, in a land where the notions of honour and valour prevail, Amir finds

himself out of place.

The tragic episode of Hassan’s rape plays a huge factor in Amir’s detachment from

Afghanistan. After the kite flying tournament when Amir sees Hassan being sexually

assaulted by Assef, he is overcome by his vulnerability and does not do anything to save him.

The guilt of not standing up for Hassan stays with him throughout his life. As this incident

happens in Afghanistan, every time he thinks about his country, he is reminded of his

cowardice. In order to suppress this memory, he reaches out to America, disconnecting with

his home country.

Due to the influence of English books and his upbringing in America, we see that his

thoughts remain mainly western. For instance, when Soraya’s mother shows inclination

towards Amir being her daughter’s prospective husband, he says, “I cringed a little at the

position of power I would be granted and all because I had won at the genetic lottery that had

determined my sex”. This kind of liberal thinking is in conflict with the Afghani notion of

women being naturally more inferior. It also represents his western believes in equality and

liberty. In fact, in America, he finds more acceptance as he is able to pursue his love for

literature and express his vulnerable side. However, there are certain times where it might

feel that Amir is still rooted to his native land. For instance, we frequently encounter him

using Pashto words and referring to different traditions like “Yelda”2. The fact that we rarely

see him interacting with any American people also indicates his inability to adapt to the

foreign culture.

2
Pg 125 Yelda- a festival celebrated on the "longest and darkest night of the year”.
 Compared to Amir, Baba has a very traditional notion of thinking. We see that Baba’s

actions are driven by what he perceives as honour. For example, when the Russian soldier

tries to rape the wife of an Afghan fellow, Baba fights for her to save her ‘honour’. His notion

of honour is in consonance with the Afghani notion of honour as being attached to a woman’s

purity. His ideas about gender, honesty and bravery remain in sync with his culture. This

aspect plays an important role in him feeling rooted to Afghanistan.

His relationship with both the countries is described by this single sentence-“Baba

was like a dead widower who remarries but cannot let go”. His nostalgia for his country and

customs prevents him from adapting to this new country. In this aspect both the son and the

father have similarities, in baba’s case, his love for his country doesn’t let him move on, in

Amir’s case his guilt prevents him to do so.