In the book just like the pomegranate tree, the kites are used to symbolize many different things, one of which is loyalty. The blue kite from the kite flying tournament had symbolized Hassan’s loyalty to Amir. Amir recollects what Hassan had said to Assef “Amir agha won the tournament and I ran this kite for him. I ran it fairly. This is his kite.”(77) Hassan protected the kite from the one person that he hated the most, Assef. Hassan didn’t give up the kite and was given two options by Assef: He either gave the blue kite to Assef or expected something bad to happen to him. Hassan refused to give up the kite and was raped. He could have just given up the blue kite to Assef, but he didn’t because he believed that Amir deserved it. So this shows that Hassan will do anything as long as Amir gets what he deserves. Another thing that the kites symbolize is freedom. In chapter sixteen when Rahim Khan was the narrator he mentioned that “A few weeks later, the Taliban banned kite fighting.” (225) When Afghanistan was free from the Russians and the Taliban kites were flown everywhere and anywhere. They also had kite fighting tournaments. But as soon as the Russians and the Taliban came in there wasn’t much kite flying done since people were scared to go outside. So basically, when the kites were flown Afganistan had freedom but when they weren’t flown people in Afganistan didn’t have that same freedom as before. For an example at the end when Sohrab flew the kite in America it showed that he had the freedom to do anything he wanted now. Also the kite symbolized Amir’s loyalty to Sohrab at the end. When the kite was flown in America Amir had insisted to run the kite for
Sohrab and he also said “for you a thousand times over”. Hassan had always said this to Amir to show his loyalty but now Amir was saying it to Sohrab.
In this book the author uses many different items to symbolize many different things throughout the book. He used the pomegranate tree to symbolize friendship, the blue kite from the kite flying tournament to symbolize loyalty, and finally he used kites to symbolize freedom. These are just three of the many symbols in “The Kite Runner”.
“The were not nearly as many kite tournaments as in the old days---no on felt safe outside for too long---but there were still a few scattered tournaments.”
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The fact that two boys feed at the same breast is symbolic for brotherhood.
2.) The stories about Rostan and Sohrab in the Shahnamah symbolize the goodness and heroic qualities of
Hassan and the characteristics to which Amir aspires……
13 additional items are discussed in the complete summary.
a) The rape is a symbol of loss of innocence. It leads Hassan and Amir to loose their childhood friendship, for Amir to create a world of guilt for himself, and Sohrab to loose his father and attempt suicide.
b) The kite is a symbol of love, joy, happiness, friendship, and peace. It represents all that is good and happy. In The Kite Runner kite running is a traditional practice that consists of running after kites when they fall during tournaments. When Hassan runs after the kite prior to Amir winning the kite tournament he catches it thus representing how they believe that all will be well now. Amir feels that everything will be good when he wins and has that kite. After Hassan catches the kite he is raped and the kite is rumpled. This shows the beginning of the time of war and the end of friendship. Finally the kite that Sohrab and Amir run for at the end demonstrates the state of happiness that has been restored and the hope for a better future.
) Sohrab is the most significant symbol in the chapter. As Hassan's son, he is a symbol of redemption to Amir - by saving the child Amir can alleviate his guilt and pay back a small portion of the debt he owes his friend. Both Hassan and Sohrab are brutalized by Assef and defend themselves against him with a slingshot and stone, adding another level of symbolism to the symbolic reincarnation of the father in the son - of the Biblical David going up against Goliath. As an abused and molested child, a "wounded little boy", Sohrab may also represent the innocent children of Afghanistan, victimized by "history and religion" in their homeland.
