Comparison (Kite Runner and East of Eden) - 1871 Words

William Hall once said, â€Å"People have a lot in common with one another, whether they see that or not.† This fact was made evident through reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseni and East of Eden by John Steinbeck, two novels about the lives of people thousands of miles apart but take on the similar challenges and try to lead decent and fulfilling lives. There were minute differences between the novels, but for the most part the books were very similar. Through analyzing themes, motifs and symbols within these novels, one cannot help but recognize the cords that unite humankind and defy all boundaries. The dynamics of father-son relationships are central to both novels. In The Kite Runner, Amir has a very complex relationship with his†¦show more content†¦In Hassan’s case, Amir sacrifices him for the blue kite and Baba’s love. In Sohrab’s case, his sacrifice is the exploitation of an innocent child and is eventually stopped by Amir. However, both sacrifices have life-changing consequences for the â€Å"lambs† and everyone involved. Physical characteristics are used within both novels as symbols. In The Kite Runner, Hassan’s cleft lip (which he was born with) is his most noticeable features during childhood and is used most to describe him. This deformity is used to symbolize Hassan’s status within society as a Hazara, one of the things that separates him and Amir, simply because he cannot afford to have cosmetic surgery. I believe he was born with this defect to show that the prejudice started against Hazaras at birth and could never be stopped despite all efforts (in this case Hassan’s cosmetic surgery). Social status, ethnicity and religion played a major part in the novel, which Amir admits himself, â€Å"In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I was Sunni and he was Shi’a, and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing (Hosseni 32).† These dividing factors eventually begin to distance Amir and Hassan and the community’s views about Hazaras began to aff ect Amir’s thinking. He is unable to fully view Hassan as a friend (or brother) because of his race and superior social status. greatly contributed to his ability to allow Hassan to be taken advantage of – something he’d forever regret. In East of Eden,Show MoreRelatedLiterary Criticism : The Free Encyclopedia 7351 Words   |  30 PagesFarm, by Olive Schreiner (1883) The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain (1884) Pharaoh, by BolesÅ‚aw Prus (1895) What Maisie Knew, by Henry James (1897)[23] 20th century[edit] The Confusions of Young Tà ¶rless, by Robert Musil (1906) Martin Eden, by Jack London (1909)[24] The Book of Khalid, by Ameen Rihani (1911)[25] Le Grand Meaulnes, by Alain-Fournier (1913) Sons and Lovers, by D. H. Lawrence (1913)[26] Of Human Bondage, by W. Somerset Maugham (1915) A Portrait of the Artist as a YoungRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesSUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL 24 Diagnostic Survey and Exercises 24 Personal Assessment of Management Skills (PAMS) 24 What Does It Take to Be an Effective Manager? 28 SSS Software In-Basket Exercise 30 SCORING KEY AND COMPARISON DATA 42 Personal Assessment of Management Skills 42 Scoring Key 42 Comparison Data 42 What Does It Take to Be an Effective Manager? 43 SSS Software In-Basket Exercise 43 PART I 1 PERSONAL SKILLS 44 45 DEVELOPING SELF-AWARENESS SKILL ASSESSMENT 46 Diagnostic Surveys for