Khaled Hosseini's Storytelling in The Kite Runner

Categories: Novel

Khaled Hosseini in Chapter 12 of his allegorical novel

The kite runner starts the chapter off using a telling method to inform the readers about the Afghani word 'yelda' which Ali taught him, something that Baba lacked on was teaching Amir any religious and cultural teaching which were important in Amir's life. Hosseini using a metaphorical way describes Amir's feelings and inner thoughts after he has met Soraya which he states as "every night of the week became a yelda for me".

The reason why Amir might have used the word 'yelda' can be because he wants to express his feelings after meeting Soraya as calm and peaceful because yelda is the night were the 'moths flung themselves at candle flames' and 'wolves climbed to the mountain looking for sun'. In this sense Amir looking for a true love.

After meeting Soraya Amir always remembers or describes her in poetic way which makes the readers feel that Soraya might be another thing as well as coming to America which will make Amir forget Hassan and the brutal incident which took place after the kite tournament.

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The way Amir describes Soraya is 'brown eyed face' and 'her silver jingled bracelet hanging down her slender wrists'. The form that Hosseini in this chapter clearly used is the building of Amir's and Soraya's relationship which ends them both getting engaged at the end of the chapter. This is a very significant chapter because Amir realizes that he in many ways is very different to Soraya one of them is her having courage to speak about the secret which she believed that Amir had to know in order for them to have a good relationship between them as Amir says 'I envied her.

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Her secret was out'. Hosseini using contrast describes the difference between them two because it makes it effective as yet again Amir is being a coward.

Hosseini throughout the novel has flashback to describe the sequence of event which Amir in first person narrates. Using this method in this novel is very effective because the readers get the inside of what has happened already in Amir's life. Hosseini also informs the readers that the rich Afghan men were very proud of their status and wealth they possessed. Their 'nang and namoos' was very important to them as the readers are aware of this when the dialogue between Amir and Baba takes place in the flea market, Baba says 'The man is a Pashtun. He has nang and namoos' which he is referring to General Sahib. As the dialogue between Amir and Soraya takes place the readers realize that he is struggling to speak to her, the readers are aware of this as Hosseini uses ellipses in Amir's speech and the use of repetition, he says 'To...pay my respect' almost making the readers feel that he might be blushing while speaking to her which in this case the blushing can be referred to a symbol of love.

The thinking of society is very important in this novel as the readers already see that Baba is a very proud man and he does good only for show, even Amir has become like his father as he realizes that when him talking to Soraya will give both of them a bad name however mostly Soraya because she was 'unwed young women' and he was a 'mojarad' (single young man). Hosseini through the novel uses Afghani words to make it effective because it brings realism to the novel.

The uses of rhetorical questions that Amir asks himself are very effective because it informs the readers his own inner thought as well making the readers realize it too as Amir says 'how did she know?' this could make the readers feel question themselves that did she think about Amir too in a loving way. In this chapter Baba's cancer is also discovered making the readers know that the character of Baba is going to end very soon as Amir himself says 'I thought of all the empty spaces Baba would leave behind when he was gone'. Hosseini also shows the power struggle between Amir and Baba even though Baba's relationship with Amir had formed over the years in America, he still felt that he was superior to Amir as he shouts at him in public saying 'who do you think you are?' which reminds Amir of his position even though he tried to help Baba, Hosseini makes the readers feel that superior men in society don't want help from others even if it were there son which in this case Amir, he uses the method juxtaposition to describe Amir as weak and Baba as powerful.

With the use of anaphora, Amir describes the signs of cancer which Baba was giving out such as his 'first time moaning', his 'first time finding blood on the pillow and Baba 'first time being sick'. Hosseini's use of Anaphora describing the signs of cancer is effective because he gradually builds up to what the signs were. 'The sky darkened as the crowd gathered around s' the use of pathetic fallacy here is very effective because it describes Amir feelings as Baba has a seizure in flea market'. Hosseini used dull whether to inform the readers while creating suspense that something will happen to Baba which is going to have an effect on Amir's life. Without Baba Amir was nothing.

Khaled Hosseini in this chapter has introduced the readers to two events in Amir's life, one of Baba's cancer and one of his hand in marriage with Soraya, the women he describes to the readers in a poetic form. Throughout the chapter Hosseini's use of dialogue between the characters make the reader know their emotions and feelings. In this chapter the only theme that Hosseini used is of love.

Updated: May 03, 2023
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Khaled Hosseini's Storytelling in The Kite Runner. (2020, Jun 02). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/how-does-khaled-hosseini-tell-the-story-in-chapter-12-in-his-novel-the-kite-runner-essay

Khaled Hosseini's Storytelling in The Kite Runner essay
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