An Interpretation Of Protagonist Amir In The Kite Runner From The Perspective Of Karen Honery's Neurotic Personality Theory

Afghan American writer Khaled Hosseini's first bookThe Kite Runner got great popularity among the readers once it was published in 2003.The work almost covered all the new artist awards in literary creation and became the best seller of various book sites.As well it took up the top position of major book ranking for several weeks.The author himself was also honored as a “black horse” of the 21 st century in literary world.The novel illustrates a story of humanity betrayal and redemption between an Afghanistan rich boy and his servant.This thesis deeply dissects the protagonist Amir's growing journey from betrayal to salvation by elaborating the cultural environment and emotion anxiety based on Karen Horney's Neurotic Personality Theory.This psychoanalytic theory highly focuses on how environment affects one's personality development and formation.Horney points out that cultural environment has great effects on one's emotion,attitude and behavior.She holds that the dynamic structure of neurosis is basic anxiety.The interpersonal disorder and cultural inherent contradiction are the key factors to basic anxiety.If an individual lives in this kind of environment,the contradiction between interpersonal relation and inherent culture will lead to one's basic anxiety.Individual will form specific defensive strategies and neurotic personalities in order to relieve the basic anxiety.The unique historical background and cultural background are particularly vital to Amir's personality development.Loss of mother's love,deviation from normal father and child relation,peer relationship disorder all make Amir generate the feeling of anxiety.The improper handling of the interpersonal relation makes the feeling reach to its peak.The maladjustment of defensive strategies leads Amir to make a series of betrayals.However,Amir and his father come to a new social environment for fleeing the war.This helps a lot to Amir's growth.Horney points out that the key of resolving the neurosis is the resolution of basic conflict.Individual must become aware of one'sreal feelings and wants,evolve one's own set of values and relate oneself to others on the basis of one's feelings and convictions then the individual can get rid of neurosis.The basic conflict of Amir's neurosis in this novel is his relationship with his father.The resolution of the contradiction between Amir and his father is decisive to his self redemption.The relative free and democratic American culture helps a lot to appease Amir's basic anxiety.Meanwhile,Amir learns to approve his own self value.He chooses his favorite major on his own instead of following his father's interests blindly.He becomes a successful writer in career and a reliable husband in life.After his father's death,Amir knows the truth.He chooses to forgive his father and sets his foot back to rescue Sohrab.The resolution of basic conflict makes Amir redeem for his father and himself.He amends the abnormal father and child relation and atones the betrayal of his and also his father's.This thesis is divided into four chapters.Chapter One mainly introduces the theoretical foundation of this thesis.Karen Horney's Neurotic Personality Theory is presented from four perspectives concerning to this thesis.The first one is basic anxiety,the core term of her theory.The second one is defensive strategies that people form to react against their anxieties.The third one is the relation between culture and neurosis which is also the base of this whole thesis.Chapter Two analyzes the causes of Amir's basic anxieties.On the one hand,it focuses on Amir's interpersonal relation with Baba and Hassan who are vital people to his childhood.On the other hand,this thesis combines the unique historical period and analyses the particular religious background and military background to illustrate the causes of Amir's amxiety.Chapter Three dissects his interpersonal defensive strategies to Baba,to Hassan and to Assef when he is in Afghanistan and after he moves to America.Chapter Four mainly elaborates on Amir's self redemption.Amir's redemption is achieved through two parts.The first part is his redemption for Baba after finding out the truth.The second part is his redemption for himself.According to Horney's opinion,the key to neurosis therapy is to find the basic conflict and resolve the conflict.Amir forgives his father after knowing the truth.He finally becomes aware of his own feelings and wants.He solves his basic conflicts andaccomplishes his redemption.By combining Horney's neurotic personality theory,we can better understand our hero Amir's ideological and psychological maturity process.Through using Horney's theory to analyze The Kite Runner,we could finally come to the conclusion that Amir is brave and with the quality of justice.The successful creation of character Amir by Khaled Hosseini in the book The Kite Runner makes humanity to be reinterpreted in every reader's mind.