Psychological Theory In Khaled Hosseinis The Kite Runner

Since the dawn of Freud, psychological theory has fascinated readers and writers alike. Analyzing literature through a psychological lens can bring a whole new level of richness to virtually any story by adding to the complexity of individual characters and their relationships. The psychological theory catalyzes a more intuitive way to find motivations for characters’ actions. In his novel, The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini makes his protagonist, Amir, seem relatable by offering an inside look at the internal struggles Amir faces as he matures amidst the all too real tragedies occurring in Afghanistan after the coup of the monarchy. Amir battles with feelings of inadequacy due to his father’s low regard for him and consequently treats his†¦show more content†¦In fact, the day Amir writes his first story, he tells his father who â€Å"†¦just look[s] at [Amir]†¦ and [doesn’t] offer to read† (Hosseini 31). Baba’s constant dismissals of Amir’s passion lead Amir to question himself and attempt to explore Baba’s interests by trying out for a soccer team. Still, Baba’s negative reactions to Amir’s efforts permeate his thinking and he describes himself as â€Å"†¦a pathetic, blundering liability to [his] own team†¦ [shambling] about the field on scraggly legs...† (Hosseini 20). As Amir matures, his self-deprecating way of thinking stays with him for many years, evolving into an inferiority complex that plagues his other relationships. By looking at Amir’s story from a psychological point of view and evaluating how the father-son relationship could be affecting Amir’s personality and decisions, it becomes easier to understand what Hosseini intended when creating his protagonist. By illustrating Amir’s struggle, Hosseini makes him more relatable. Hence, the psychological theory of literature elucidates that Amir’s challenging relationship with Ba ba yields an inferiority complex. Moreover, Amir’s inferiority complex transforms into a superiority complex around his servant, Hassan, which explains Amir’s cruel behavior. Adler asserts that inferiority complexes and superiority complexes often come in pairs. Superiority complexes occur when a person overestimates their own strengths andShow MoreRelatedThe Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini2010 Words   |  9 Pagesprocess for them. With Khaled Hosseini’s novel, The Kite Runner explains the prevalence of prejudice in Afghanistan between two different groups, the Hazara and Pushtons. Three psychology processes and theories are explained throughout the lines of this novel. These three theories are the authoritarian personality, the social identity theory, and how cognitive misers all intertwine for one to create complex prejudice that overtake how their mind works. These three theories are specifically displayed