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A Hero's Journey
A Hero's Journey
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TheiKiteiRunner,ibyiKhalediHoseini,icloselyifollowsitheistoryiofiaimaturingiAmir,iaiyo
ungimanifromiAfghanistaniwhoiisidesprateyitryingitoifindihisiwayiinitheiworldionlyitoifindithat
itheibeliefsiheiholdsiareinotiofithoseithatihisidorminanticultureholds.iTheinoveliisisetiiniAfghan
istaniandiTheiUnitediStates,andiitiisiaibildungsromaniwhichiillustratesitheivastidifferenceibetwe
enitwoicountriesiwhichihaveiveryidifferenticulturalibackgrounds.iItigivesiaihistoriacalioutlayiofi
aipre-Russianiandiaipre-
TalibaniruleioniAfghanistan.iItigivesiaicontemporaryicontrastitoitheinewsiinitheiheadlinesiofiaic
ountryithatiholdsiterroristsibyishowingiaidifferentisocialiculturalisystemiguidedibyimoraliprinci
ples.iItiisiainovelithatihasicomeiofiageishowingitheiturmoiliofiaipersoniinifindingihisiwayiiniai
worldifulliofiproblems.ii
Hosseini’siNarrativeiincorporatesiflashbackiandiflashiforwardinarrativeitechniquesiiniail
inearitimeline,itheiuseiofiaiuniqueistylisticideviceithatiivolvesitheiuseiofiAfghaniiwords,itheiinc
orporationiofiRhetorics,iuseiofisymbollismiinianiextensiveiwayibridginiinitheisuccessiofiTheiKi
teiRunner.iTheibookiconcentratesionitheithemesiofialientaion,iCuturaliandisocioiecononomiciiss
ues,itheiemotionaliattachmentiofifriendshipieveniduringichildhoodimakingiaibasisiforimotivatio
n,itheithemeiofifriendshipiandiforgiveness,iLoveiandimanipulation,irevenge,itheiroleiofireligioni
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amongiothers.iTheimajorisymbolsithatiareirepresentediinitheifilmiareiKites,ikitefightingiandikit
erunning,imythisymbols,itheislingshot,itheipomegranateitree,iamongiothers.iItiisiaistoryiofifathe
rsiandisons,idepicitingitheirightsiandiwrongsiofitheisocietyianditheinatureiofievils.iItiwasipublis
hediinitheiyeari2003itoiaigreatipopulariandicriticaliacclaim.iTheinovel,iTheiKiteiRunner,iisiwid
elyiconsidereditoibeiaicontemporaryiclassic.
TheiKiteiRunner:iAiHero’siJourney
Withoutidoubt,iKhalediHosseiniiinihisibooki‘TheiKiteiRunner’iportraysiAmiriasiaihero,i
sinceiheiisitheiprotagonist.iHowever,imyiopinionionitheientireibookidiffersifromithatiofitheiauth
orisinceiIidoinotiviewiAmiriasiaihero.iHeiisiaiself-
centerediindividualiwhoithinksithatitheiworldirevolvesiaroundihim.iHeiwantsihisifather’siaffecti
onialliforihimselfiandigoesitoiunimaginableilengthsijustitoiachieve,inoticaringiwhoigetsihurtiinit
heiway.iHeiwantsitheiloyaltiesiofitheiriHazzaraiservantiboy,iHassan,ibutiheigivesihiminothingii
nireturn.iHeigoesiasifariasiframingitheipooriboyijustitoigetihimisentiawayibecauseiheicouldinoti
dealiwithitheishameiandiguiltiofigettingiHassaniassaulted.iTheimostishamefulifactiwasithatidesp
iteibeingianiyeariolderithaniHassan,iitiwasialwaysiHassaniwhoifoughtihisibattlesiforihiminoticar
ingithatiHassaniwouldireceiveiworseitreatmentisinceiheiwasiaiHazzara.iAndithatiisiwhyiIibeliev
eiwithoutiaidoubtithatitheiheroiiniKhaled’sibookiisiactuallyiHassan,itheiHazzaraiservantiboy.iH
eiknewiwithoutiaidoubtithatiAmirihadiwatchedihimigetisodomizedibyiAssefiandiyet,iheiremaine
diloyalitoihimitillihisideath.
ThereiisinoibetteriwayitoidescribeiHassanithanianienigma.iAnienigmaishowsiresilienceisuchiasi
howidespiteiallitheihardshipsiheihasiencounterediinihisilife,iheistillihadiaipositiveioutlookionilif
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ei(Kohen,iAri,iLangdon,iandiRichesi620).iHeineverifaileditoismileidespiteihailingifromitheiHaz
zaraicommunityiwhoiwereishunnediandilabellediasiunworthyiofilivingitheisameilifestyleiasithei
Pashtuns.iItididinotimatterithatiheilivediwithihisifatheriAliiwhoiwasiconstantlyicriticizediandim
ockediforihisidisabilityiwhichiwasiairesultiofipolioiheisufferediwheniheiwasiyounger.iHeididino
ticareithatipeopleimockedihimibecauseihisimother,iSanaubarihadielopediwithiaibandiofimusicia
ns,iaifateiAfghansiconsiderediworseithanideath.iHeialsoididinotimindiheihaditoihelpihisifatheri
AliiiniservingiAmir’sifatheriinsteadiofigoingitoischool.iHeiwasijustithankfulithatiheihadiaifrien
dilikeiAmiriinihisilifeiandiatithat,iheipledgediallihisiloyaltiesitoihim.iItiisinormaliforieveryichild
’sifirstiworditoieitheribei‘baba’iori‘mama’.iCaniyouiimagineiwhatiitiwouldifeelilikeitoihaveiso
meoneisoiloyalitoiyouisinceibirthithatitheiriveryiwordiisiyouriname?
iThatiisiwhatihappenediwithiHassan.iHeidefiediallioddsiandiratherithaniutteringitheiwordsi‘baba
’iori‘mama’iasihisifirstiwords,iheiutterediAmir’sinameiinstead.
AlthoughiAmirilovedihisihalf-
brotheriHassan,iheiwasinotiasiloyalitoihimiasiHassaniwasitoihim.iHassaniwasiloyalitoiaifaultian
diheiprovedithatiduringitheikiteichampionship.iSinceiAmirididinotihaveiailoveiforiphysicaliacti
vitiesisuchiasisocceriasihisifatheriexpected,iheialwaysifeltithatiitimadeihimifallishortiofihisifathe
r’siaffection.iKiteirunningiwasitheionlyithingiheiandihisifatherisharediaicommonipassioniandiev
eniatithat,iheiwasinotitheibestiatiit.iThatiisiwhyiheiwasimoreithanidetermineditoiwinitheikiteich
ampionshipsithatiyearisinceiheiknewithatiheiwouldiautomaticallyigainihisifather’sifavor.iAmiri
manageditoihaveitheiveryilastikiteiflyingimakingihimitheiwinneriofitheiflyingicompetition.iHow
ever,iforihimitoibecomeitheichampion,iheihaditoicatchitheilastikiteiwhichiwouldibeitheiultimate
iprize.iThatiwasiwhereiHassanifitiintoitheichampionships.iHeiwasiaiveryiaptirunneriandisoiheiw
asitheionlyihopeiAmirihadiatiwinningitheichampionships.
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HassanididinotidisappointiandiAmiriwasiveryiproudithatiheihadifinallyiachievedisomethi
ngithatimadeihisifatheriproudiofihim.iLittleididiheiknowitheiprizeiheihaditoipayiforiwinningithe
ichampionship.iWheniheiwalkediintoithatialleyiandiwatchediAssefiandihisitwoifriendsibullyiHa
ssan,iheididinotibotheritoihelpihim.iHeiwatchediasiHassaniwasiassaultedidespiteibeingigivenith
eioptioniofigivingiupitheilastikite.iHeiprefereditoigetihimselfirapedithanigiveiupitheionlyithingit
hatiAmiritreasurediandineededitoiwinihisifather’siapproval.iAmirididinotihelpihimiandiHassani
knewithatiheiwasithere.iHeimustihaveifeltireallyibetrayedibutiheistillimadeiitihisimissionitoistay
iloyalitoiAmir.iLoyaltyiandibrokenitrustioftenileadsitpimsitrustibetweenialliesi(Masters,iTamara
,i&iMishrai434).iAmiriloyaltyipushedihimitoigetioveritheiincidentijustibecauseiheiwasiworriedi
sickiaboutiAmir’siwell-
being.iIibelieveithatiheilivedibyitheislogani“Foriyou,iaithousanditimesioveriAmiriaga”.iHeididi
notimindigettingihurtiasilongiasiAmiriremainediunharmediandithatiitselfiisiwithoutiaidoubtithei
utmostileveliofiloyaltyiandiselflessnessianyihumanibeingicanishowitoianother.iItiwasilikeiheiwa
siaisaintialthoughiheiwouldinotihaveimindediinjuringianyoneiwhoicausedianyiharmitoihisiAmiri
aga.i
EveniafterileavingiKabuliandimovingitoiPakistan,iHassanistillihadithoughtsiofiAmiriclos
eitoihisiheart.iNever,iatianyipointididiheieveridivulgeiAmir’sisecretitoianyoneioficonsequenceid
ueitoifearithatiheiwouldibetrayiAmir.iAlthoughiheihaditoitellihisifatheriAliieverythingiforihimit
oiagreeitoimovingiaway,iheididithatiasianiactiofiloyaltyitoiAmir.iHeiknewiwithoutiaidoubtithati
Amiriwasihavingiaiharditimeicopingiwithihisiassault,iififramingihimiforitheftiwasianythingitoig
oiby.iSomehow,iheiknewithatihisifatheriwouldibeireluctantitoibelieveithatiheistoleianythingifro
mitheiyoungimasteriiandiheiwasiforceditoiexplainitheisituation.iHeireminiscedihisichildhoodime
moriesiwithihisiwife,iFarzana,iandison,iSohrab.iNeverididiheimentioniAmir’sishortcomingsiasii
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fiheiconsiderediAmiritoibeihisiguru.iItiwasihisistoriesithatimadeiitipossibleiforiSohrabitoitrusti
Amiriyearsilateriwheniheihadibeeniabductediandilivingiasianiorphan.iByithen,iAmiriwasireadyit
oimakeithingsirightibyitakingicareiofiHassan’sionlyilivingidescendant,iSohrab.
FuelledibyitheidesireitoicommunicateiwithiAmir,iHassanilearntihowitoireadiandiwriteiso
iheicouldibeiableitoiwriteilettersiandisendithemitoiAmir.iHeididinoticareithatiheihardlyiknewiifi
AmiriwasialiveiorideadifollowingitheistateiofiwariiniAfghanistan.iDespiteinotiknowingiwhether
iAmiriandihisifatherihadimanageditoiescapeitheichaosiinitime,iHassaniwasihopefulithatitheyiha
diandibelievedithatiwithiallihisiheartiandithatiwasiwhyiheimadeiaipointitoiwriteiailetteriaddresse
ditoiAmir.iHeialsoimadeisureitoitellihimithatihisisoniwasieducatediandididinotigrowiupistupidili
keihisifather.iHassanicalledihimselfistupidibecauseiheididinotiknowihowitoireadioriwriteigrowin
giupiiniPakistaniandiasiairesult,iAmirialwaysimadeifuniofihimibyimakingifuniofihisiilliteracy.i
Oneitime,iheimentionedianiinsultithatiHassanididinotirecognizeiandiheigaveihimitheiwrongiinte
rpretationiforiit.iHowever,iHassanineveritookitheiriplayfulibanteriinibadifaith.iInstead,iheifound
iitiendearingithatiAmiricoulditakeihisitimeiandireadihimiaistory.
Hassan’siloyaltyitoiAmiriextendeditoianyiofiAmir’sifamilyimembersiandipeopleiheicons
ideredicloseitoihimilikeiRahimiKhan.iWheniheilocatediHassan,iheitravellediallitheiwayitoiPakis
taniiniaibiditoirequestithatiheijoinedihimiiniKabulisoiheicouldihelpihimitakeicareiofitheihouseit
hatibelongeditoiAmir’sifather.iAlthoughiheiwasiquiteihesistant,iHassanipackediupihisibelonging
siandimovedihisifamilyitoiKabuliwhereiheihadispentimostiofihisichildhood.iIniKabul,ihisiwife,i
FarzanaiandihimselfispentimostiofitheiridaysilookingiafteritheihouseiandiRahimiKhanisinceihei
wasisick.iHeiturnedidowniRahim’siofferiforihimitoimoveihisifamilyiintoitheimansionisinceither
eiwasiabundantispaceiinitheihouseibutiheiwasiadamantionistayingiinitheilittleihutiheigrewiupiin.
iHisireasoniwasithatiifiheididimovediinitheihouse,iitiwouldibeitheiutmostiformiofidisrespectitoi
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Amiriandihisifatherisinceiitiwouldiappearithatitheimiceiwereiinichargeisinceitheicatiwasiaway.i
HeiknewiandiunderstoodihisipositioniasiaiHazzaraiiniAfghanistaniwhichiwasidominatedibyiPas
htuns.iHeihadilearntitoiacceptihimselfiandiheididinotiwantiititoiappearilikeiheididinotirespectihi
siPashtunimastersijustibecauseitheyiwereilivingiinianothericontinent.i
ItiisiwithiutmosticertainityithatiIilabeliHassanitheiheroiini‘TheiKiteiRunner’.iHisiloyalty
itoiAmirimakesihimifaceianyiformiofiobstacleithrownihisiway,iespeciallyiifitheiobstacleiwasime
antitoiobscureiAmir’sijourney.iHeigoesitoihelliandibackiforiAmiriandidoesinotireceiveieveniaiq
uarteriofiwhatiheigivesitoihisimasteributihisiloyaltyiandidevotionineverifalters.iIidoiknowiifither
eiexistsisuchiaitermiasiunrequitediloyaltyibutiifithereiis,iIibelieveiAmiriandiHassan’sijourneyiisi
theibestiexampleiofithatiunrequitediloyalty.iItimakesimeiwonder,iifiHassanihadibeenialiveitoilea
rniofihisifamilyirelationitoiAmiriasihisihalf-brother,iwouldihisiloyaltyihaveiincreasediaiten-
foldiandithisitime,iwouldiitibeiequallyireciprocated?
iAllihisiactionsiareiinterpretediasiaiHazzara’siloyaltyitoihisiPashtunimasteributitoihim,ihisiactio
nsiareitoiprotectihisifriend,iAmiriaga.iIndeed,iaifriendiinineediisiaifriendiindeed.ii
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WorksiCited
Hosseini,iKhaled.iTheikiteirunner.iPenguin,i2003.
Kohen,iAri,iMattiLangdon,iandiBrianiR.iRiches.i"Theimakingiofiaihero:icultivatingiempathy,i
altruism,iandiheroiciimagination."iJournaliofiHumanisticiPsychologyi59.4i(2019):i617-
633.
Masters,iTamaraiM.,iandiAruliMishra.i"Theiinfluenceiofiheroiandivillainilabelsionithei
perceptioniofiviceiandivirtueiproducts."iJournaliofiConsumeriPsychologyi29.3i(2019):i
428-444.