Abstract Khaled Hosseini is an Afghan-American writer, and The Kite Runner is his first novel。 After its publication in 2003, The Kite Runner proved to be a great success and it became the biggest dark horse in the literature circles。 Many experts and scholars at home and abroad have been devoted to studying it。 Researches on this novel mainly focus on the literature theme of “growth” and “salvation”; however, this thesis carries on the analysis on the theme of “the pursuit of freedom”。87283
Based on the social environment on that time, this thesis makes a theme analysis through some plots and the main characters, like Hassan, Amir, Ali, etc。 to illustrate the theme of the story—the pursuit of freedom。 First, this thesis elaborates protagonists’ pursuit of freedom; then, the author describes the oppressed pursuit of freedom; finally, the causes of Afghan people’s oppressed pursuit of freedom are given。
Through probing into the physically or spiritually oppressed characters of different social status and races, this thesis analyzes the theme of the The Kite Runner: “the pursuit of freedom”。 The author intends to enlarge the research scope of original story as well as deepen the readers understanding of this novel。 Meanwhile, it is hoped that this thesis will arouse more students’ and scholars’ interest to carry on the study of the novel。
Keywords: The Kite Runner; theme analysis; the pursuit of freedom
The Pursuit of Freedom—A Study on The Theme in The Kite Runner
Contents
Abstract in English I
Abstract in Chinese II
Ӏ。 Introduction 1
II。 The Pursuit of Freedom in The Kite Runner 4
2。1 The Pursuit of Physical Freedom 4
2。2 The Pursuit of Spiritual Freedom 5
III。 The Oppressed Pursuit of Freedom in The Kite Runner 7
3。1 The Oppressed Pursuit of Physical Freedom 8
3。1。1 Personal Bondage of the Servants 8
3。1。2 The Human Trafficking in Afghanistan 9
3。2 The Oppressed Pursuit of Spiritual Freedom 10
3。2。1 The Oppression Suffered by the Elder Generation 10
3。2。2 The Oppression Suffered by the Younger Generation 12
IV。 The Causes of the Oppressed Pursuit of Freedom in The Kite Runner 14
4。1 The Racial Discrimination in Afghanistan 15
4。2 The Gender Discrimination in Afghanistan 16