Fitrana Amalia Hafizhah

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Prose Analysis II

ASSIGNMENT ON THE KITE RUNNER

1. The Kite Runner is written using first person limited point of view. How effective
is it? Do you think the meaning will be different if the writer used other point of
views such as third person/omniscient point of view.

The use of first person limited point of view in The Kite Runner is very effective.
First, it is because The Kite Runner itself tells a story about redemption, and when the
person who want to redeem his mistake, Amir, becomes the sources of the story, the story
will be full of emotion and the readers can feel the purgation of emotion between what
they feel and what Amir feels. Second, by using first person limited point of view the
readers can feel the surprises hidden in the story. The readers can get into Amirs point of
view about things around him as well as mixed feeling felt by Amir as the narrator. When
Amir feels that Baba is not fair towards him and Hasan, the reader will think that Baba is
not fair but he is caring. However, when Amir finally knows that the reason why Baba
cares to Hasan is because Hasan is his half brother, Amir feels distressed and the reader
can feels the surprise and the distress within the story through what Amir narrates and
feels. Third, this novel is a flashback story, thus, the use of first person limited point of
view is very effective in building the plot, tension, and conflict of the story. How the
story is narrated through the first person point of view really gives an insight about the
past events gathered from reminiscing the past time. Fourth, first person limited point of
view is very effective in delivering authors messages towards the reader. It is because
when people learns something, they tend to listen and remember to the one who has
experienced it. Thus, through Amirs narration the reader can learn and takes value from
what he has done. In short, the first person limited point of view employed in this novel is
very effective in building the tension, the unity of plot, and carrying the messages of the
story.
Because the employment of first person limited point of view is very effective, the
meaning will be different if the writer used other point of view. For example, if third
person point of view used in this story, the reader will not feel as many surprises as when
they read through first person limited point of view. The reader will not feel the
 redemption carried by Amir, and therefore the meaning of redemption in this story will
be bias.

3. Explain the following quotations: That was a long time ago, but its wrong what
they say about the past. I have learned about how to bury it. Because the past
claws its way out. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into the
deserted alley for the last twenty six years.

The quotation above appears in the first chapter right in the begging of the story.
Hence, this quotation can signify the central story as it gives hint that this story is actually
a flashback from 26 years ago. It can give the reader a clue that the story is written
because of an important event happened 26 years ago; the event still lingers on the
narrators mind until the story is written. Moreover, the deserted alley mentioned in this
quotation refers to a memorable place which signify the story, as can be read from the
story, the deserted alley probably is the place when Hasan is raped by Assef and Amir
does nothing to help him, Amir only peeks from a far and runaway. This event has
become the central cause of the flashback story because Amir always haunted by this
event even after he has totally grown up. What Amir means by saying the past continues
to claw its way out is that even though he has try to bury and to hide that event, he will
always remember the event and the place where it takes place. The harder he tries to
ignore it, the easier he remembers it.

4. Explain the following quotation : My body was broken just how badly I wouldnt
find out until later but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed.

The quotation above appears when Assef beats Amir during Amirs quest to find
Sohrab. Assef beats Amir harshly so that I makes Amirs body hurt. Probably this is the
most severe pain Amir has ever felt. However, when Assef beats him, he feel healed. As
he says, My body was just broken just how badly I wouldnt find out until later but I
felt healed at last. I laughed. It is because he still feels haunted by his past mistake when
Hasan is raped and he does not help him, whereas, if he helps Hasan long time ago, he
will only get beaten and Hasan will not be raped by Assef. By getting beaten by Assef, he
has felt healed, because, he thinks this pain can redeem his mistake long time ago when
he does not help Hasan, so he will not feel eternal guilt. Therefore, this occasion has
ended his eternal guilt, and he now feels healed, he can laugh again.

5. Explain the significance of the setting in the story! Will the story be different if it
happened somewhere else?
 The setting is very significant in building the plot, tension, and conflict of the
story. The Kite Runner truly demonstrates both internal conflicts within individuals and
countries as well as the external conflicts that affect them. First, The Kite Runner talks
about the discrimination, prejudice, bigotry, and class structure in Afghanistan in which
Hazara is inferior and Pashtun is considered superior. Almost all Hazara in Afhganistan is
dehumanized and becomes the slave of the Pashtun. In this story, Amir is a Pashtun and
Hasan is a Hazara thus all of Amirs friends often mock at Hasan, and unconsciously it
affects Amirs way to treat Hasan. Unconsciously, Hasan is raped because he is a Hazara
boy and Amir is a Pasthun boy who feels if he helps Hasan it will only danger himself
physically and mentally as a Pasthun descendant. This has built the plot and conflict of
the story. Hence, if the setting is moved the story about discrimination between Hazara
and Pashtun will not exist in this novel. Second, this story also talks about the escape
from war during the Russian invasion. Moreover, it talks about how Afghani becomes
refugee in America and some of them become the slave of the wars chief or being killed
during the war. Amir and Baba are those who escape from the war into America, they left
their noble life in Afghanistan and start their new journey in America; they have to
struggle to manage life with low income. Whereas, Hasan and Ali are left in Afghanistan,
they have to manage their life during the war. Moreover, they are killed and Hasans son
becomes a slave in Assefs basecamp. It proves that if the story happens in other places,
there will be no story like these. Therefore, the setting is very significant throughout the
story because the story will be very different if it happens in different place.