Betrayal Compared to The Kite Runner Essay

When reading the extract from The Kite Runner and the poem Betrayal the fact that they shared betrayal as a main theme clearly stands out. Other similarities can also be perceived between both text, as well as some differences, but the former are more than the later.

First of all, that text A and text B shared the same main theme can be seen throughout the whole texts. The novel The Kite Runner has its main character, Amir, as the representation of the feeling of betrayal. This boy betrays his friend Hassan, son of his fathers servant, quite often and through many different situations during their childhood. The extract tells one of the highest moments of the novel from those in which Amir assumes himself as an unloyal person. This is shown by the fact that Hassan and Alis birthday gift makes Amir feel uncomfortable. Taking into account that by this moment of the novel Hassan has already been raped, Ali and Hassans kidness towards Amir makes him feel that he is totally unworthy.

Betrayal is constantly treated in the novel and in each point at which it stands out, the tone and mood of the story inmediately tends to change. Sadness and the feeling of guilt are highlighted when the plot of The Kite Runner goes aroung betrayal. The mood changes from happines to dispair and the atmosphere turns gloomy everytime Amir betrays his friend. Rethoric and existencial questions hunt the protagonist when the feeling of guilt invades him. He wonders why he is so mean with Hassan and although he regrets, he cannot stop being like that, and in some instances he even justifies himself. The phrase Hes only a Hazara said by Amir after not helping Hassan when he is sexually attacked, is an evidence of that.

As stated at the beginnig, betrayal is also the main theme in the poem of the same name written by Frank P. Whyte. This theme is developed through it as it occurs with The Kite Runner. A difference from the few between the two texts, is the fact that in the poem there is any situation in which the theme is not present. Furthermore, the mood and tone remain generally the same throughout it. The whole poem has a sad atmosphere and there are not alterning situations or emotions like it does occur in The Kite Runner. The novel has some up-lifting moments in which joy and happiness and even hope appear as main fellings. In the poem, the structure in which betrayal develops is quite different and no hope or happiness is felt when reading it.

Leaving aside this important difference between text A and text B, the strengh of the similarities between both texts is easily perceived when reading the poem. Stanza number 4, for example, is a clear evidence of that strengh. This paragraph explains how a betrayer can attemp to justify his dishonesty and wrong doing. This can be understood when reading the phrase the betrayer will wrap themselves in a coat of righteousness...what this stanza communicates is exactly what Amir does in the novel when saying Hes just a Hazara. This justification from part of Amir strongly conveys the image that stanza 4 from the poem gives of a betrayer.

After comparing text A with text B, betrayal and its consequences are understood not only as a literal theme that can inspire authors to write but as part of the human life and spirit. Both authors succeded in these pieces of work to presenst Betrayal as an act capable of being performed by everybody and the feeling of guilt as an emotion from which nobody can escape when betraying somebody else.