The Kite Runner and a Thousand Splendid Suns Essay

Khaled Hosseini’s novels, The Kite Runner (year), and A Thousand Splendid Suns (2007) both explore the idea that a significant individual can inspire a course of action, which may result in a change of self. In the novel The Kite Runner, the protagonist, Amir, is a young boy growing up in a well off family in Kabul, Afghanistan. Amir’s closest friend is Hassan, the son of his family’s beloved servant. Amir’s self image at the beginning of the novel is one in which he views himself as a coward, worthless and selfish. â€Å"I had one last chance to make a decision. One final opportunity to decide who I was going to be. I could step into that alley, stand up for Hassan – the way he’d stood up for me all those times in the past – and accept†¦show more content†¦This change is a positive and uplifting change of self for the protagonist in this novel. In the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, the protagonist, Mariam also undergoes a positive change of self. This change is also similarly a positive and uplifting change. Mariam personality shifts from being one that lacks self esteem, confidence and courage, similarly to Amir at a younger age; to one with courage, confidence, strength and heroism, similarly to Amir in his older age. This is change is due to a significant individual in Mariam’s life, Laila, who inspires and encourages her greatly to achieve this change. Her original personality is exemplified in the fact that Mariam lives in fear of Rasheed, â€Å"his shifting moods, his volatile temperament, his insistence on steering even mundane exchanges down a confrontational path that, on occasion, he would resolve with punches, slaps, kicks, and sometimes try to make amends for with polluted apologies and sometimes not.† The listing of Rasheed’s personality traits emphasises Mariam’s fear of him and th e constant abuse that she deals with. Rasheed’s power is shown in the words â€Å"sometimes not† emphasising that she means nothing to him, contributing to her low self esteem. Her change in self is evident towards the end of the novel were we see a final change of self in Mariam. She decided for the first time in her life to do something that no one has told her or forced her to do. â€Å"She turned it so the sharpShow MoreRelatedA Thousand Splendid Suns And The Kite Runner3258 Words   |  14 PagesAfghani descent, Khalad Hosseini the author of two heart touching and utterly amazing stories, has watched his people suffer, die and fight miserably for their freedom. He expresses his sorrow and love for his country in his writings A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Kite Runner. He explores the values of the Afghan society. Through his works, the readers have a sense of understanding of the exotic and rich culture that exists in Afghanistan. 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