Does Khaled Hosseini's Writing Matter?
Kevin Ortiz
Ms. Meredith
AP Literature and Composition
11/18/11
Does Khaled Hosseini 's Writing Matter?
Salman Rushdie is perhaps the most prolific foreign writer of modern times. As such, one can consider him a major voice in the criteria for what makes for a good expatriated writer. In his 1992 collection of essays, Imaginary Homelands, Rushdie sets forth multiple essential qualities the expatriated writer must possess. The most important three of these qualities are the ability to create universal subjects, must be daring, and encourage people to be open-minded. Khaled Hosseini 's The Kite Runner mostly accomplishes these tasks, though coming short in one of Rushdie 's major qualities. This is shown from the novel 's subject matter, in conjunction with an article from online magazine Slate, which highlights the major flaw. Rushdie 's first point is that an exiled writer should be able to "speak properly on a subject of universal significance and appeal." Hosseini, in his many subjects pertaining to human nature that is present everywhere, accomplishes this task. One such topic in Kite Runner is loss. At some point or another, every human being has experienced loss. Whether it be the loss of a parent, like Amir losing Baba, the loss of a close friend, such as Amir 's loss of Hassan, or loss early in life such as Sohrab 's loss of Sanuabar, the reader can relate, regardless of race, place, or creed. The losses do not necessarily have to be physical, as the loss of innocence that occurs in the father-son tandem of Hassan and Sohrab is transferable to the everyday struggles one may face with beliefs, experience, or emotions. The easily acceptable nature of these topics as realities of the "normal" world, as well as being a clear burden on the characters in the universe set forth by Hosseini show that he is definitively able to accomplish the task of relating loss. Another such subject is that of redemption. Throughout the novel, Amir 's conquest
Ms. Meredith
AP Literature and Composition
11/18/11
Does Khaled Hosseini 's Writing Matter?
Salman Rushdie is perhaps the most prolific foreign writer of modern times. As such, one can consider him a major voice in the criteria for what makes for a good expatriated writer. In his 1992 collection of essays, Imaginary Homelands, Rushdie sets forth multiple essential qualities the expatriated writer must possess. The most important three of these qualities are the ability to create universal subjects, must be daring, and encourage people to be open-minded. Khaled Hosseini 's The Kite Runner mostly accomplishes these tasks, though coming short in one of Rushdie 's major qualities. This is shown from the novel 's subject matter, in conjunction with an article from online magazine Slate, which highlights the major flaw. Rushdie 's first point is that an exiled writer should be able to "speak properly on a subject of universal significance and appeal." Hosseini, in his many subjects pertaining to human nature that is present everywhere, accomplishes this task. One such topic in Kite Runner is loss. At some point or another, every human being has experienced loss. Whether it be the loss of a parent, like Amir losing Baba, the loss of a close friend, such as Amir 's loss of Hassan, or loss early in life such as Sohrab 's loss of Sanuabar, the reader can relate, regardless of race, place, or creed. The losses do not necessarily have to be physical, as the loss of innocence that occurs in the father-son tandem of Hassan and Sohrab is transferable to the everyday struggles one may face with beliefs, experience, or emotions. The easily acceptable nature of these topics as realities of the "normal" world, as well as being a clear burden on the characters in the universe set forth by Hosseini show that he is definitively able to accomplish the task of relating loss. Another such subject is that of redemption. Throughout the novel, Amir 's conquest
Cited: Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead, 2003. Print. ORourke, Meghan. "Do I Really Have To Read The Kite Runner?." Slate, 07/25/2005. Slate Magazine. Web. 20 Nov 2011. Rushdie, Salman. "Imaginary Homelands." London Review of Books 4.18 (1982): 18-19. 21 Nov. 2011 .