Discrimination has a lot of layers that make it tough for minorities to

get a leg up (Bill Gates). This quote is extremely applicable to Khaled

Hossenis The Kite Runner. In this novel, there are two notable groups that
marginalize each other: the Pashtuns (majority) and the Hazaras (minority).
Each of these groups displays different tactics of oppression towards one
another. These methods ultimately allow the groups to achieve their own
redemption. Hosseinis description of the conflict between the Pashtuns and
the Hazaras in his novel reminds us of the oppression of other minority
groups in history such as Indias Untouchable class and Canadas First
Nation people. The interactions of these groups and their subjugation in The
Kite Runner teach the reader that victims of oppression can emerge as
victors over their oppressors.

Hosseniusestheexploitationofprejudicetodisplaytheoppressionof
ethnicHazarasinhisnovel.ThePashtunsmarginalizetheHazaras
significantly.Theydegradetheiridentitybytalkingdowntothem.Hazaras
aregivenderogatorynamesthatdegradetheiridentity.Forexample,a
PashtunsoldierinChapterTwoaddressesHassanandsays,You!The
Hazara!LookatmewhenImtalkingtoyou(Hosseni21).ThewordYou!

TheHazarainthisquoteremovesHassanshumanity.Hossenialsotellsus
thatPashtunscallHazarasderogatorynames:PeoplecalledHazaras
miceeating,flatnosed,loadcarryingdonkeys(Hosseni26).Thesenames
dehumanizetheHazarasbyreducingtheirstatustoanimals.Inaddition,
Amir(aPashtun)oppresseshisHazarafriendHassan,byloweringhis
intelligence:afterallwhatusedidaservanthaveforthewrittenword
Whatdoesheknow,thatilliterateHazara?Hellneverbeanythingbuta
cook(Hosseni6162).AmirdoesnotwanttoeducateHassanbecausehe
doesnotwanthisservanttoachievea`highersocialstatus.Amirprefersto
takeadvantageofHassanslackofknowledgeofEnglishtooppresshim
withoutHassanknowingit:Imbecile.Itmeans,smart,intelligent.Ill
useitinasentenceforyou.Whenitcomestowords,Hassanisanimbecile.
(Hosseni62).LikeallPashtuns,AmirviewsHazarasassecondclass
citizens.

LiketheHazaras,theUntouchablesofIndiahavefacedagreatdealof
oppression.Bothgroupsaretreatedlikeservants,howevertheUntouchables
aretreatedfarworsethantheHazarapeopleinHossenisbook.Thisis
becausetheUntouchablesortheDalitareexcludedfrommeaningfulsocial

lifeandtheHindusocialhierarchyalsoknownasthecastesystem
(Wikipedia).TheHazaras,ontheotherhand,arerecognizedasbeingapart
ofAfghansociety.Forinstance,AmirtravelswithHassantomanyevents
suchaskitefighting.(Hosseni,40).ThisshowsusthatHazarascanhavea
meaningfulplaceinthesocialhierarchyofAfghanistanandareallowedto
socializewithPashtunsinTheKiteRunner.Comparatively,the
UntouchableshavebeenbarredfrommeaningfulsocialinteractioninIndia.
Beforethe1950s,theywereforbiddenfromsometownsandvillages,
temples,schoolsandwellsinwhichthehigherHinduclassescollected
water.ThePashtunsinTheKiteRunnerandtheBrahminrulingclassof
Indiaarethereforeresponsibleforpreventingmarginalizedethnicgroups
fromachievingequalitywiththeminordertokeepthestatusquo.The
PashtunskeepHazarasilliterateandtheBrahminshavebeenknowntogive
Untouchablessubstandardprofessions,whichareregardedasritually
impure.Theseinclude:leatherwork,butcheringand/orremovalofgarbage,
disposalofanimalcarcassesandhumanwaste(Wikipedia).Additionally,if
anUntouchablecomesincontactwithahigherclassHinducitizen,this
citizenwillconductritualsinordertopurifyhim/herselfofthetouch.
EventhoughitisunlawfultodiscriminateagainstUntouchablestoday,this

discriminationstillcontinuestooccur.Therefore,theBrahminsholdsimilar
viewstothePashtunsaboutthemediocrestatusofHazarasand
Untouchables.

KhaledHosseniusesthesensitivitiesofguiltinordertodisplay
HazaraoppressionofaPashtun.HassanunknowinglycreatesguiltinAmir
whenhisPashtunfrienddoesnotjumpintodefendhimwhenheisbeing
rapedinanalleyway:IwasweepingIcouldhearAssefsquick,
rhythmicgrunts.(Hosseni154)ThenwhatwouldIseeifIdidlookinhis
eyes?Blame?Indignation?Or,GodforbidwhatIfearedmost:guiltless
devotion?That,mostofall,Icouldntbeartosee.(Hosseni156)Amir
feelsimmenseguiltovernothelpinghisfriendwhenhewitnessesHassan
beingsexuallyassaulted.HassanmakesAmirrelivethisguiltandoppresses
theconsciousofhisPashtunfriendevenmorebyrefusingtohitAmir:Get
upHitmebackHitmebackgoddamnyouIwishedhewould.I
wishedhedgivemethepunishmentIcraved,somaybeIdfinallysleepat
night(Hosseni181).AmirbelievesifHassanattackedhiminretaliation,he
wouldberedeemedofbeingabystanderofHassansrape.Amirstartsto
targetHassanwithpomegranatesinordertocausehim(Hassan)tohithim

(Amir)back.ThiswouldcauseAmirtoloseaportionofhisguilt.In
retrospect,Hassandidpickupapomegranate.Hewalkedtowardsme.He
openeditandcrusheditagainsthisownforeheadTherereddripping
downhisfacelikebloodAreyousatisfied?Doyoufeelbetter?Ilet
thetearsbreakfree,rockedbackandforthonmyeyes(Hosseni182).
HassandisregardsAmirsrequestandinsteadhitshimselfwiththe
pomegranate.ThisdefiantactcausesAmirtofeelmoreguiltandprevents
theboysfroma...returntohowtheyusedtobebetweenus(Hosseni181).
Therefore,theHazarasutilizeguiltinordertogainequality.

SimilartotheHazaras,theFirstNationspeopleencounterthesame
typeofoppression.Bothgroupsareconqueredbythelargerone,however
theFirstNationshaveitworse.ThisisbecausetheNativeAmericansprefer
selfgovernance,howevertheCanadiangovernmentdidignorethisrequest
andnonethelesswereabletoconquertheFirstNationswithmethodssuch
as:theresidentialschoolprogramandlandallotments.(Wolf6469).The
residentialschoolsystemwascreatedinthemidnineteenthcenturyinorder
toassimilatetheFirstNationsintoEuropeanculture.Thiswasaccomplished
by:NativesbeingforcedtotradetheirclothingforEuropeanreceiveEuro

Americanhaircutsandseparatefromfamilies.However,ifthereweresigns
ofAboriginalculture,thestudentswouldbebeaten,raped,andsubjectto
neglect(Wolf72).TheHazarashavefacedsimilartreatmentinthemethod
ofthePashtunsforcingthemtobeilliterate.Additionally,theFirstNations
areforcedtogiveupmuchoftheirlandtothe"whiteman"intheDominion
LandsAct.Followingthisact,theNativesaresentonreserves,losingthem
muchoftheirhomeland.Comparatively,aftertheHazaraconquer,theywere
forcedtoliveinmudhuts.Therefore,theCanadiangovernmentview
themselvesassuperiortotheFirstNations.

Insummary,therearetwomajorgroupswhichoppressandarebeing
oppressedinTheKiteRunner:Hazara'sandPashtuns.Thesetalesof
oppressionaresimilartotheFirstNationspeopleofCanadaandthe
UntouchablesinIndia.Hence,thesevictimsofoppressionarevictorsover
theoppressors.

Works Cited
"Dalit." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.
Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead, 2003. Print.
Wolff, Ariana. Bands, Tribes & First Peoples and Nations. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.