Samhitha K
Conflict in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
In the novel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini; Amir, the central character and the protagonist of the story goes through various conflicts. The author uses conflicts to build up tension in the storyline and makes the text more appealing and engaging to the audience. Conflict in this book plays an essential role in plot and character development. Hosseini uses conflict and tension to bring out the multifaceted characters in the story. There are various types of conflict in The Kite Runner such as: Man versus Himself, Man versus Man and Man versus Society. Using these conflicts, Hosseini builds tension and anticipation throughout the story.
Amir is riddled with his relentless guilt; He is guilty of betraying Hassan and not doing anything while he was raped. He is mentally tortured and crushed with the conflict between his past and his present. As Amir says ‘’…It’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out’’(Hosseini 56), Amir’s guilt being in conflict with itself, it also is a major theme in the book as Amir is driven for redemption of his sin because of the guilt haunts him for the rest of his life. This Man versus Himself conflict is significant throughout the whole story as it keeps the audience engaged and creates suspense. When Rahim Khan says, “…Forgive your father if you can. Forgive me if you wish. But most importantly, forgive yourself” (Hosseini 302), Amir realizes that “There is a way to be good again” (Hosseini 192) and hence sets for the redemption of his sin, to end the conflict between his guilt and the internal struggle. By repeating the word “forgive”, the author creates emphasis on the idea and engages the reader and makes them feel the panic and helplessness that the character is feeling. The short and precise sentences lengthen the suspense and hold the reader’s attention till the end.
