浅谈《追风筝的人》中的种族歧视_开题报告

The Kite Runner is the first novel by Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini.[1] Published in 2003 by Riverhead Books, it tells the story of Amir, a young boy from the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul, whose closest friend is Hassan, his father's young Hazara servant. The story is set against a backdrop of tumultuous events, from the fall of Afghanistan's monarchy through the Soviet military intervention, the exodus of refugees to Pakistan and the United States, and the rise of the Taliban regime[1].Besides Dari there are many other languages in afghanistan as it is a multi-ethnic country. Hosseini's depiction of pre-revolutionary Afghanistan is rich in warmth and humor but also tense with the friction between the nation's different ethnic groups.

1.1.Research Background 

The existing study in China concerning this novel shows Chinese critics' interest in the themes of betrayal and redemption, but they have not tried to dig out the root causes of racial discriminations.

1.2.Research Object

The study analyzes Amir's life after his relocation in the United States causes him to reflect over racial issues so that he comes to realize the equality among all races. 

Literature Review

In Zhang Guolong's thesis, he points out that the change of living envrionment has certain influences on the development of Amir[2].After living in America for many years, Amir begins to have his own understanding of life. Amir gets used to the place.

The harmonious life in America causes him to reflect over racial issues so that he

comes to realize the equality among all races. His reflection over racial issues is a root cause of Amir's redemption. Meanwhile, Amir is influenced by Christian belief in

America, which has the same belief with Islam-forgiveness. He realizes the importance of "forgiveness" and knows how to forgive others. As soon as he forgives others, people forgive him too[3]. He is forgiven and redeemed by people through his efforts and after others' forgiveness he forgives and redeems himself. Amir's realization of the importance of "forgiveness" is another root cause of Amir's redemption.

2.1 Amir's reflection over racial issues

    Amir does not understand the feeling of prejudice deeply when he is in Afghanistan,because he is not the person who is discriminated by others then. In Afghanistan, he is the son of one of the richest man and has everything he desires[4]. He will have the newest things and even the best kites because of his father.

    Amir's Baba does not understand the feeling of prejudice in Afghanistan too. He is a prestigious and successful businessman in Kabul, stands for all virtues and merits that can be found within a man:  valor,  generosity,  acumen, gentleness,  justice and benevolence, not to mention his good look, muscular body and tall stature. He has once fought against a bear with bare hands, marries a beautiful and well-educated lady (Amir's mother) who has blue blood, starts his business from nothing and eventually becomes one of the richest men in Kabul[5]. In addition, Amir's father is fond of charity, so he builds an orphanage for the poor children. He is a perfect miracle in Kabul. No wonder he is the almighty God in Amir's eyes.

    In Afghanistan, Amir and his father are the symbol of glory with their Pashtun status.Their glorious Pashtun status gives them rights to discriminate others in Afghanistan,while they are not the discriminated people.

But things change definitely after they go to America. In America, Amir has to work for everything he wants, such as his father and himself have to operate a booth at the flea market on Sunday mornings; Amir has become more realistic day by day.

According to Zhou Jing, the contrast between his social identities in Afghanistan and in America drives Baba crazy[6].In America, Amir's father is just an outsider who is from a country which is experiencing war; an outsider who should find a job for life; an outsider who can not be a part of this new country. He can not stand the way the new country runs without faith. Surrounded by other races, especially the white race, he feels a sense of inferiority and is eager to show dignity all the time.

Baba is still adjusting himself a year and a half after they step off the Boeing from Peshawar. One day, Amir's father quarrels with an old couple who own a little grocery store. Amir's father buys some oranges, but he does not have any cash, so the old couple asks for an ID[7]. They do not know in Kabul, Amir will snap a tree branch and use it as a credit card. He will take the wooden stick to a seller. The seller carves notches on Amir's stick with his knife, one notch for each loaf of nan. At the end of the month, Baba pays him for the number of notches on the stick. That is it. No questions. No ID[8]. Amir's father feels frustrated after this incident. He is angry about other's distrust and criticism to him. He thinks people in America are strange to him at all. This is the first thing proves Amir's father can not adjust to the new environment in America. 

   Another incident proves Baba's desperate effort to keep his dignity. Amir's father goes to the welfare center and gives the stack of food stamps back to the staff. The reason why he gives it back is that he believes that he always has work, both in Afghanistan and America. He just does not like the free money which is from welfare institution in America. Baba still wants to play the role of superiority even if he is not now.

    Amir is influenced by his father's behavior to some extent. The incident recalls his memories in Afghanistan; his father is the man who gives money to others. But now, they should receive the money from others. He himself feels inferior when his father gives the money back to the welfare institution.

From his father's reflection to the two incidents above, he understands Hassan's feeling completely. Amir worships his father in Afghanistan, but now Baba's behavior makes him realize their inferior status in America. In his mind, probably his father and heare the shadow of Ali and Hassan. He begins to realize that his tyrannical treatment of Hassan is totally wrong. He comes to see the wrongness of his prejudiced attitude to Hazara. He feels more and guiltier when put his father and himself under such a similar circumstance.

Even if he feels himself inferior, Amir likes this place very much because he does not want to pick his memory anymore which hangs over with harelipped ghosts. In America, there are no conflicts between Sunni and Shia, no differences between Pushtun and Hazara and no war. The peaceful and harmonious environment in America makes Amir realize that he discrimination should is wrong on the racial issues in Afghanistan, and that racial not exist at all[9].

Almost two years has passed since Amir and his father have arrived in the United States, and Amir is still marveling at the size of this country, its vastness. Beyond every freeway lay another freeway, beyond every city another city, hill beyond mountains and mountains beyond hills, and, beyond those, more cities and more people. In America, it was peaceful and flourish in the end of 20th century [8]. All the things in Amir's eyes are beautiful enough; this is the life Amir wants. It is an equal and peaceful place for Amir. What's more, in Amir's eyes, America is a river, roaring along, unmindful of the past. He can wade into this river, let his sins down to the bottom, and let the waters carry him someplace far, someplace with no ghosts, no memories, and no sins.He thinks he can forget that unpleasant memory at all. 

According to the difference between Afghanistan and America, Amir realizes that the real life should be peaceful and flourishing as the life in America. He understands that the thing he should do for Hassan is to give a peaceful life to Hassan's son, without war, slaughter and discrimination[10].

During the time with Sohrab in America, Amir never treats himself as a Pashtun

anymore. In his mind, it should not exist racial prejudice any more. Everyone should be equally treated as a human being, and this is the human right Sohrab should own in Amir's eyes. He does not want others to call Sohrab a Hazara boy, including his father-in-law. The environment in America changes Amir a lot, it teaches Amir what is human right; and it makes Amir know what freedom is. Most important of all, it forces Amir to reflect over racial issues, and this reflection becomes an important cause of his redemption[11].

3.Conclusion

 Amir's betrayal and redemption lie in his misunderstanding and readjustment in his understanding of family and race relations, and the Islamic spirit. From the perspective of longing for parents' love, racial prejudice and religious belief in Afghanistan, readers will not only understand the social ethic of the disparity between the rich and the poor, but also the conflicts between the characters in The Kite Runner in a distinctive way.

References：

[1]Pumariega, J. B. Mental Health of Immigrants and Refugees[J]. Community Mental Health Journal, 2005:7-10.

[2]张国龙、陈晖.成长的背叛、救赎及其他—《追风筝的人》对”成长”的深度书写[J].中国图书评论，2007(5): 27-31.

[3]Trucheant, Charles. Welcome to the Church[J]. The Atlantic Monthly, 1976: 11-13.

[4]黄前明.当代伊斯兰原教旨主义发展道路与中东地区的现代化[J].武汉大学学报.2007(11): 813-818.

[5]寇耀清.当代阿富汗民族关系探析[D].陕西师范大学，2008:50-101.

[6]周晶.昭显人性真善美—《追风筝的人》对比的写作风格[J].考试周刊,2009(38): 29-30.

[7]Piaget, Jean. The Psychology of the Child[M]. New York: Basic Books, 1969:18-44.

[8]Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner(M]. New York: Berkley Publishing Group, 2003:148-150.

[9]Meachan, Jon. Is God Real[J]. Newsweek, 2007: 12-14.

[10]李崇玲.《追风筝的人》的主题多元化解读[J].当代小说(下半月)，2009(11): 34.

[11]Pumariega, J. B. Mental Health of Immigrants and Refugees[J]. Community Mental Health Journal, 2005:7-I0.