P3+Jake+and+Brendon

__Theme__
Through Death Comes Rebirth

A very prevalent and important theme in Khaled Hosseini’s //Kite Runner// is the idea of rebirth through death. Throughout the novel, and especially in chapters 13-19, this theme is very evident. Something happens within Amir during and after the death of his father, Baba. Through Baba’s weakening state, Amir begins to become a man. This is the time when Amir asks Soraya’s hand in marriage. Baba never thought Amir had the courage, and even Amir himself didn’t think he could do it. Baba’s happiness of his son’s becoming of a man is demonstrated at the beginning of chapter 13: “‘Thank you, Baba. Are you all right? Do you feel up to this?’ ‘Up to this? It’s the happiest day of my life, Amir,’ he said, smiling tiredly” (Hosseini 166). For Baba, the day his son becomes a man is “the happiest day of his life”. He has been waiting all his life for his son to stand up and take what is his. Amir was reborn through Baba's death, as a man. This is by far the most important theme of the novel, for it sets the stage for Amir’s daring trip back to Afghanistan to save Hassan’s son, and changes the whole mood of the book.

__Symbol__
The Pomegranate

The pomegranate is a very subtle symbol in //Kite Runner,// but has much larger purpose and meaning when examined closely. After witnessing the rape of Hassan, his half-brother, Amir is devastated. He cannot bear the guilt that has been put on his shoulders, and has trouble even looking at Hassan after the event. Yet, Hassan even tries to rekindle their broken relationship. He tries to be nice to Amir, and tries to love him even though Amir treats him so differently. When Amir and Hassan go up to the hill near their home, the pain and guilt becomes very evident. Amir begins to throw pomegranates at Hassan in attempt to anger him. He wants Hassan to punish him for the sin he committed. He watched as his brother was raped and beaten, and Amir wants to Hassan to throw just one pomegranate to satisfy his guilt. Yet Hassan does something unexpected: “Then Hassan did pick up a pomegranate. He walked toward me. He opened it and crushed it against his own forehead. 'There,' Hassan croaked, red dripping down his face like blood, 'Are you satisfied? Do you feel better?'" (Hosseini 93). Here, Hassan demonstrates his undying love and devotion to Amir. He shows Amir that he could never strike his brother, his master. Hassan sacrificed everything for Amir, almost his life. He sacrificed his innocence for the kite, Amir's ultimate prize. Yet Amir's greed proves to be his downfall, and he has to deal with it for the rest of his life.

__Event__
The Death of Baba

The death of Baba, Amir's father, is generates a very significant change within the novel. For his whole life, Amir had been trying impress him. He always wanted to be better than Hassan, always taking Baba's love from his brother. After Baba dies, however, everything changes. Amir becomes stronger in every way. He marries the love of his life, and pursues an english major in college. While Baba was alive, Amir was holding himself back because he was shameful in the shadow of his father. Baba's death--although it may sound horrible--actually turns out to be very good for Amir. Amir was scared when his father first died, but it allowed him to flourish into becoming a man. In chapter 13, Amir states, "Listening to them, I realized how much of who I was, what I was, had been defined by Baba and the marks he had left on people's lives. My whole life, I had been 'Baba's son.' Now he was gone. Baba couldn't show me the way anymore; I'd have to find it on my own. The thought of it terrified me" (Hosseini 174). After overcoming his father's death, Amir realizes he doesn't have to be just "Baba's son" anymore. He can be his own man. He can stand up for himself. This event sets up the story for later events, where Amir overcomes his fear of death and pain and goes to rescue the son of Hassan.

Works Cited: Hosseini, Khaled.//The Kite Runner.// New York: Riverhead Books, 2004. Print.