What Does Gold Symbolize In The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini

In The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Hosseini uses the motif of colors to show the underlying emotions of unresolved problems. Amir was always in awe of his father’s accomplishments. In chapter one, Amir talks about all the things Baba had built, including their very large house, “Gold stitched tapestries, which Baba had bought in Calcutta, lined the walls;” (Hosseini 4). Hosseini uses gold here to represent Baba’s greatness and how successful he was. It is significant of how wealthy and royal-like he was in Kabul. Gold is showed as a sign of wealth and greatness in the real world as well. Royalty is crowned with gold crowns and tiaras, and in many competitions, the first place winner will receive a gold medal. The second way Hosseini

After the losing kite goes down, Hassan takes off to go run it and says, “Inshallah, we’ll celebrate later. Right now, I’m going to run that blue kite for you,” (Hosseini 66). This kite should have been the final piece to the great celebration of Amir’s victory, however it resulted in causing a great sadness. Hassan was raped for not giving the kite to Assef, which ultimately ruined his life, and Amir let it happen. The blue in this kite foreshadows the sorrow that it will bring later that night, changing Amir, Hassan, Baba, and Ali’s lives forever. Decades later, when Amir is now married and lives in America, Rahim Khan calls him and asks him to come to Pakistan. After talking to Rahim Khan, Amir falls asleep, “And dreamed of Hassan running in the snow, the hem of his green chapan dragging behind him… He was yelling over his shoulder: For you, a thousand times over!” (Hosseini 194). Even after all this time, Amir can never forget Hassan, and with that, he can also never lose the feelings he had towards Hassan as well. As a boy, Amir was always jealous of the attention Baba gave Hassan, especially because he was just a servant. This is why Hosseini portrays Hassan wearing green, to show the envy that Amir will