An Interpretation Of The Kite Runner From The Perspective Of Existentialism

Khaled Hosseini is an Afghan American writer and his first novel The kite runner haswon the worldwide discussion since its publication in2003. The main topic of his works isthe question of existence, which is coincided with the ideas of Existentialism.The Kite Runner tells a story mainly about the existence experience and the livingcondition of Afghans. It expresses Khaled Hosseini’s ultimate concern over the mankind andthus his thoughts about existence. In this novel, Khaled Hosseini depicts post-war Afghan asa chaotic and irrational world, and life is absurd and meaningless. Under Taliban’s rule, theAfghans have a feeling of loneliness and alienation. So they have a feeing of anxiety andtheir lives bear a tendency of nothingness, they face many conflicts. To escape the dilemma,these Afghans choose bad faith. Despite this, the dilemma still exists and frustration hauntsthem. In The Kite Runner, the Afghans have experienced the dilemmas that modern peopleare experiencing. So this novel has a generalized meaning.The famous French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre’s existentialism explores the existencecondition and human dilemma. The main concepts of existentialism are absurdity, alienation,loneliness, anxiety, nothingness, bad faith and so on. Both Khaled Hosseini and Sartre showthat existence is meaningless and life is full of despair. At the same time, there still existsmeaning and hope. The choices he makes in life can determine what kind of person he will beand be responsible for what he has done.This thesis tries to analyze The kite runner to illustrate the existential themes. It consistsof three chapters besides introduction and conclusion. Introduction gives a brief idea aboutKhaled Hosseini and his works, the discussions of his works home and abroad, moreover, themain study methods and the main structure and research significance of this thesis.Chapter One is about the absurd world and what people suffer from the chaotic world.Alienation and loneliness are the basic feelings of modern people. Chaos and disorder are thecontemporary situation in an existential way.Chapter Two is about the nihility of existence which is a fundamental problem ofexistentialism. The subjective experiences are anxiety from seeking paternal love, ethnic andsocial class ubiquitous tensions. Chapter Three comes to what should we choose to do with our lives. Anxiety is followedby bad faith. If one man is in his extreme agony or anxiety, he will make a choice whichreveals the authenticity of existence. Taking responsibilities is an important existentialismterm, facing the ever-changing world and the protagonist has made actions for himself at last.The conclusion of the thesis is reached based upon the three chapters above. In The KiteRunner, the Afghans have sought the existence and undergone various kinds of dilemmas, sodo the modern people. Khaled Hosseini manifests his concern over not only the Afghanexperiences, but also the human existence condition and dilemma. In the globalization，whereis the way for our human beings? When is the end of the world? The Kite Runner does notprovide a definite answer, it seems that there is hope can remedy for the wrong doings theyhave done. What will happen in the future? Nobody can give an exact answer. However, wedo not know what is waiting for us but we can make our choices now which can make a greatinfluence.