symbolism in the kite runner 

SYMBOLISM IN THE KITE RUNNER By ardea, briana and yasmin

What is symbolism and why do writers use it?• Symbolism is " something that represents something else by

association, resemblance or convention, especially a material object used to represent something invisible".

• The reason for a writer to use symbolism is so that he can add depth and color to his novel instead of blatantly saying the mood or emotion

Key Symbols Used In The Kite Runner

• Kites• Pomegranate tree• Cleft Lip• Blood/ Death• Slingshot• Hassan's Smile• Orphanage• Lambs

KITES

Symbolism of Kites

• Afghani culture & happiness• Amir's obsession for Baba's approval• Tragedy, • Amir's weakness and sins• Redemption, Happiness and Brotherhood• "The old warrior would walk the young one, embrace him,

acknowladge him his worthiness... Salvation, Redemption" (59)

POMEGRANATE TREE

Symbolism of the Pomegranate Tree

• Amir and Hassan's friendship and childhood innocence• Hassan's never ending loyalty• Ruins of the friendship Hassan and Amir had• “Amir and Hassan: The sultans of Kabul” (24 & 231)

CLEFT LIP

Symbolism of the Cleft Lip

• Hassan's status as poor• Redemption• " The cleft lip, just left of the mid-line, where the Chinese doll maker's

instrument may have slipped or perhaps he had simply grown tired and careless"(3)

BLOODANDDEATH

Symbolism of blood and death

• Evils of life• Assef's role ans Antagonist and his evil nature• Baba and Hassan's sins• "There is no act more wretched than stealing"(16)

ORPHANAGES

Symbolism of orphanages

• Atonement of Baba's sin• Atonement of Amirs sin• "Baba paid for the construction of the two story orphanage ... with his

own money."

HASSAN'S SMILE

Hassan's smile

• Hassan's unconditional loyalty• Hassan's happiness and forgiveness• " The man in the chapan exuded a sense of self-assureness, of ease...

Mostly it was in the way he smiled ... one might have concluded that this was a man who thought the world had been good to him" (189)

SLINGSHOT

Symbolism of the slingshot• defence from the evils of life• Childhood• Standing up for what is right• loyalty• "Hassan held the slingshot pointed directly ay Assef's face...'please

leave us alone agha" • "If you make a move they'll have to change your nickname from Assef

'the ear eater' to 'One-Eyed Assef' because I have this rock pointed at your left eye" ( 36 & 37)

LAMB

Symbolism of the lambs

• Redemption• Slaughter of innocences• “I caught a glimpse of his face. Saw his resignation in it. It was a look I

had seen before. It was the look of the lamb.” (66)

THE END