A Study Of The Kite Runner Under A Framework Of Trauma Theory

The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini, an Afghan American writer, is on thewhole a vivid depiction of an Afghanistan rich in tradition and culture and one torn apartby wars and political conflicts. Under this background, all of the main characters in thenovel, to some extent, suffer from traumas due to various personal, social and culturalfactors. The novel is both a revelation of the protagonists’ traumas and their respectivepilgrimage to redemption and salvation.The Kite Runner is first set in Afghanistan and then in America. The time span coversalmost30years, from the end of the monarchy to the collapse of the Taliban regime. Thenovel generally depicts the story-teller and protagonist Amir’s growth to manhood bybraving and redeeming what he did wrong in his childhood. Besides this, the huge contrastof Afghanistan in the past and at present, severe ethnic injustice between the Hazaras andthe Pashtuns, and prevailing sexual discrimination are also delicately presented in thenovel.Under a framework of trauma theory, this thesis attempts to dig out both theindividual and collective traumas that are repressed into sub-consciousness andunconsciousness of the main characters in the novel. In Chapter One, some backgroundknowledge is introduced on the novel The Kite Runner, its author Khaled Hossenni,relative researches on the author and the novel, as well as trauma and trauma theory. Thesecond chapter, through elaborating how various types of trauma in the novel haveoriginated and how they influence the victims’ lives, means to warn people of payingattention to oncoming and lurking traumas in daily life, and avoiding inflicting traumas onothers as well as the infliction of traumas by others. The third chapter is an exploration ofthe working-through of traumas by the characters in the novel. By analyzing their successand failure in doing so, it is hoped that some light may be shed on the overcoming of traumas in the real life. Despite the negative outcome of trauma, elevating and inspiringpower may rise, leading to new perceptions towards the self, others and life as a whole.The fourth chapter then is a conclusion of the major elevating effects trauma may lead toafter the painful mental struggle.The thesis concludes itself by maintaining that trauma may not be healed completely,yet can be worked through. With the success in working through trauma, the traumatizedmay overcome the fear of the past and achieve the integrity of the past and the present, thusopening a new chapter of their life, a life more elevated since the trauma lends people thewisdom that others have no access to. That’s the gain for which they pay a considerableprice. And they deserve it.