Oedipus the King and Kite Runner Themes

August 5, 2012

Themes of Oedipus the King

"A theme is a main idea or subject explored in a literary work." One theme in Oedipus the King is the limits of freewill. This theme goes well with this book because when Oedipus tells Jocasta about the prophecy he heard of as a young boy, Jocasta tells him of a similar prophecy. Oedipus was told he would have to kill his father and sleep with his mother. Jocasta tells him that Lauis' son will grow up to kill his father. As these prophecies are told they debate which is a trusting prophecy to follow. Even though he flees Corinth to have no prophecies come true, his fate catches up with him. He had no choice whether he ran away from Corinth or not. A second theme is the act of ignoring the truth. When Jocasta and Oedipus get close to finding out the truth about the murder of Lauis, Oedipus hopes to relieve himself of the blame. Even though Jocasta was told Lauis was killed by strangers, Oedipus knows that he acted alone in the killing of a man on similar grounds. This ends up leading to the truth finding process. They both act as if the servant's story is just an undeniable history. Oedipus and Jocasta do not want to know the truth so they act as if the truth doesn't exist.

August 5,2012
Motif of Oedipus the King Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text's major themes. A motif in Oedipus the King" would be Oedipus's swollen foot. Oedipus gets his name from the fact that he was left in the mountains with his ankles tied together. Lauis left him with his ankles pinned together on a mountain shortly after he was born. This leaves him with a scar for the rest of his life. His injury represents the way his fate catches up with him. It shows that his movements have been restricted since his birth. Another motif would be "the three-way crossroads." Jocasta explains that Lauis was killed where three roads meet. These crossroads describe the critical moment when Oedipus started to realize he would fulfill the prophecy of him murdering his father, and marrying his mother. Usually crossroads represent the place where a choice has to be made, even if it may have consequences, different choices are still possible. In the play, the crossroads represent fate and power rather than choices and freedom.

August 5,2012
Kite Runner: Loyalty Throughout the book, “Kite Runner," there are many acts of loyalty. Many of them were between the two boys, Amir and Hassan. Hassan, known as the servant or as they later found out Amir's half brother, was always loyal to Amir no matter how he treated him. When Amir won the kite competition, Hassan was the kite runner. Hassan ended up running into Assef. Assef wanted the kite but Hassan would not give up the kite, because it was Amir's and he won. Hassan knew that Assef would do something horrible to him but he still wouldn't give it up. Hassan was always loyal to Amir even though he would always get hurt in the end. Hassan did not give up the kite to Assef so he got molested by Assef. Even though that happened Hassan still came back with the winning kite. They encountered Assef once before, and Assef was about to beat them with his brass knuckles. Hassan pulled out his slingshot and protected Amir who did nothing at all. After Amir's thirteenth birthday party, Amir couldn't stand the thought of living with Hassan after what had happened, so he framed Hassan. Hassan being very loyal to Amir still took the blame. "Like Hassan, Ali was incapable of lying."-pg. 41.
Ali and Hassan were both loyal to their family whether they were treated like family or not. They were loyal enough to not lie to anyone. After many years of no contact with Hassan, Amir became loyal to him, and Rahim Khan. He kept his promise and got Sohrab into a better place other than the orphanage. At first for Amir and his wife, Soraya, to adopt Sohrab they would have to put him in an orphanage again. They found out a way for him to not have to go back to an orphanage. Amir's loyalty saved his life.

August 5, 2012
Kite Runner: Sin and Redemption The son of Baba, Amir, was always jealous of how Baba treated Hassan, "the servant." He would try anything to get Baba's attention. "Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay to win Baba." Baba and Amir finally got to be alone for some father and son bonding time, and he explains to Amir that the biggest sin in life is theft. He says that is the only sin in life. "There is only one sin and that is theft."-pg.17 In Kite Runner, Baba also had to explain to Amir that things in life, whether good or bad, happen for a reason, and that reason you cannot control. "It may be unfair, but sometimes what happens can change the course of a whole lifetime, Amir."-pg. 131 When Amir visits Rahim Khan, he explains to Amir that he found out what happened to Hassan the day of the kite competition. He tells him that there is a way for everything to be good again, a way for him to live life without guilt. "I think we both know why it has to be you, don't we?"-pg. 204 Amir's guilt has haunted him for many years. He said he could never feel the same after witnessing and betraying Hassan the day of the competition. "What was funny was that for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace."-pg 265 "Rahim Khan has summoned me here to atone not just for my sins but for Baba's too."-pg.209 Amir has brought himself down for many years because of his betrayal to Hassan. When he finally gets to visit Rahim Khan for last time, he tells Amir about all the lies he has been told over the years. He then realizes that what his Baba has told him is true, and that Baba has been sinning throughout Amir and Hassan's whole life.

August 5, 2012
Kite Runner: Father/Son Relationships The father and son relationships in Kite Runner are not like most. In this book there are some very complicated relationships. Baba and Amir were not the closest father and son. They had very big differences in life, especially because Baba thought Amir acted differently than other kids. Amir thought Baba could be very insensitive. Baba would think Amir was unable to stand up for himself, and was very sensitive compared to the other kids. "If I hadn't seen the doctor pull him out of my wife with my own eyes, I'd never believe he's my son." Since Amir was so different then when Baba was a child, he doesn't believe for sure that Amir was his son. "Don't you challenge me in public Amir. Ever. Who do you think you are?"-pg.144 Amir and Baba have their differences in each other’s actions. Whether they treated Hassan as a servant or not, Baba always treated him better than Amir. If he accomplished something, no matter how small, Baba would smile and put his arm around Hassan's shoulder. "Baba never missed Hassan's birthday."-pg.41 Baba was Hassan's real father but to keep Baba's secret, Ali acted as his father. He treated him as his true child, and loved and cared for him as a real father would. "Hassan was crying. Ali pulled him close, clutched him with tenderness."-pg. 33 As Baba explained the differences between him and Amir to Rahim Kahn, Rahim explained to Baba the true relationship a father and son should have. He told Baba he cannot make Amir who he wants him to be. "Children aren't coloring books. You don't get to fill them in with your favorite colors."