The Kite Runner

1. I believe that the kite is a symbol of freedom. This symbol works with Hassan because he is the kite runner. He is more free than Amir, even though he is a slave, he is happy and has no worries that you learn about, whereas Amir worries every day, and is constantly jealous of Hassan because he thinks Baba likes Hassan more than himself.

2. "Children aren't coloring books." (Hosseini, 23) This is said by Rahim Khan to Baba while Baba is talking about how Amir isn't like he was at Amir's age. Rahim says that you can't color in children the way you want, so they can be exactly what you want. You cannot change who they are. I believe that this is the reason that Baba doesn't try and change Amir through the whole book, instead it is Amir trying to change himself.

3. "I felt like a soldier trying to sleep in the trenches the night before a major battle." (Hosseini, 53) This is Amir talking about how he feels the night before the kite battling tournament. He compares the tournament to a battle, saying that it wasn't far off, as all the children in Kabul fought kites, trying to be the winner. It was a yearly tradition, and earned the winner quite a bit of fame.

4. "I remember how my classmates and I used to huddle, compare our battle scars on the first day of school." This shows just how much kite fighting matters and how competitive and fierce it is. Afterward, children compare their 'battle scars' as shows of honor and bragging rights.

5. The pomegranate tree is a strong symbol of Amir and Hassan's relationship. When they are young, they carve their names into the tree, and it bears fruit. Showing the love of the relationship that they have. When they grow older, the tree still lives and has their names in it, though it no longer bears fruit. This is showing how invincible their connection is, though now it is strained and weak.

6. The cleft lip is a large symbol of the book as it is how Amir most often refers to Hassan. Though on Hassan's birthday, Baba pays a surgeon to fix his lip. Then, later in the book, Amir gets his lip split in his fight against Assef and ends up with a scar much like Hassan had, showing that he is becoming more like Hassan. He learns to care for and protect the people he cares about as Hassan did for him when they were children.

7. The blue kite that is the last cut in the kite fighting tournament is a good symbol/representation of Amir and Hassan's relationship. Hassan runs the kite and deals with getting raped by Assef just to give the kite to Amir. This shows how much Hassan loves Amir, but it is also the reason that Amir realizes how bad he has been to Hassan. He finally feels guilty for all the things he has done to Hassan over the years, and decides he cant live with the guilt.

8. The word "Imbecile" also has a connection to Amir and Hassan's relationship, as, on page