Abstract

The Kite Runner, written by an Afghan American writer, tells a touching story between a young mater and his servant. Hassan, the Hazara servant of Amir, lives up to the promise he gives to Amir, “for you, a thousand times over.”[] This is the best description for Hassan’s loyalty in The Kite Runner. His loyalty consists of different factors, including hierarchical obedience, duty, and inferiority complex, and his truly worship and affection towards his young master. Throughout his childhood to adult stage, Hassan tries his best to play a role as the “knight” of Amir, protecting him from suffering. And finally, he dies for guarding Amir’s home. No matter how badly he was treated, Hassan never gives up his pure loyalty for Amir. Such sacrifices finally pay off. Amir takes courage to rescue Hassan’s son and recognizes Hassan as his friend and brother. Amir’s going back to Afghanistan is a return for Hassan’s loyalty, which is an opportunity for Amir to be good again and to get rid of the heavy guilty he has born for so many years. Also, it is a completion for Hassan’s life. What’s more, the loyalty of Hassan reveals the true nature of Afghan to us. This thesis is divided into five parts. The first part is introduction, which mainly introduces the background of the novel, some main male characters in the novel. More importantly, this part reveals the reason of choosing Hassan’s loyalty as the theme and compares his loyalty with other forms of loyalty. The second part details different factors consisting of the loyalty of Hassan. The third part demonstrates how Hassan fulfills his loyalty from his childhood in Kabul to his manhood. The fourth part presents the significance of Hassan’s loyalty in different aspects. And the fifth part is to praise Hassan’s loyalty.

Keywords: loyalty; Afghan; redemption; sacrifice; self-completion

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 The reason of choosing the loyalty of Hassan as the theme-1

1.2 Different forms of loyalty to compare-2

2. Factors constituting Hassan’s loyalty-3

2.1 Master-servant relation influencing Hassan’s loyalty-3

2.2 The inferiority complex of Hassan-3

2.3 Worship and affection Hassan has for Amir-4

3. Hassan’s way to fulfill loyalty-4

3.1 Childhood in Kabul-4

3.2 During Russia’s invasion into Afghan-5

4. The significance of Hassan’s loyalty-5

4.1 For the redemption of Amir-5

4.2 For the completion of Hassan-5

4.3 For the exploration of true Afghan nature-6

5. Conclusion-6

References-7